http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 29 May 2014 00:24:34 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-3-is-free-through-origin/1100-6419945/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/3/2/9/2020329-673308_20121127_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2020329" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/3/2/9/2020329-673308_20121127_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2020329"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/0/3/2/9/2020329-673308_20121127_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="https://www.origin.com/en-au/store/free-games/on-the-house" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Electronic Arts </a>is offering Origin users a free copy of <a href="/battlefield-3/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 3</a> as a part of the "On the House" program. The game is available to download free of cost until June 3. Once users have downloaded a copy it is theirs to keep.</p><p style="">The "On the House" program <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-free-on-origin-as-the-first-title-in-ea-s-on-the-house-promotion/1100-6418601/" data-ref-id="1100-6418601">launched in March</a> this year with 2008's horror-action game <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space.</a> As part of the program, EA will offer up DLC and full games for free. The program is also currently offering users <a href="/plants-vs-zombies/" data-ref-id="false">Plants vs. Zombies</a> Game of the Year Edition until June 17.</p><p style="">Battlefield 3 was released in 2011 to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/battlefield-3-review/1900-6342635/" data-ref-id="1900-6342635">positive reception</a>. EA recently revealed a new entry to the shooter series called <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-hardline/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield Hardline</a>, which is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-to-launch-this-fall/1100-6419908/" data-ref-id="1100-6419908">scheduled to launch this Fall</a>.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</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><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Wed, 28 May 2014 19:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-3-is-free-through-origin/1100-6419945/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/shenmue-gameplay-the-shaun-method/2300-6419009/ Shaun guides Ryo Hazuki to quench his insatiable thirst for sailors by questioning some useless townfolk in the Dreamcast classic, Shenmue. Wed, 28 May 2014 17:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/shenmue-gameplay-the-shaun-method/2300-6419009/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-incredible-adventures-of-van-helsing-2-review/1900-6415777/ <p style="">Like its predecessor, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II bills itself as a "gothic-noir adventure." While there are too many pop culture references and too much comedic relief for the "noir" part of that label to stick, the general tone is one of grim expressionism, bolstered by some finely constructed action sequences. In fact, beyond its ham-fisted exposition and painfully slow start, there's little to hold the experience back from being one of the better action role-playing games in quite some time.</p><p style="">The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II is absolutely massive and packed with secrets and details that are easy to miss the first time around. You wouldn't know that from the first few hours of play, though. Van Helsing is remarkable in that it has one of the most annoyingly intrusive introductions in recent memory, yet explains almost none of the subtlety this game has to offer. Van Helsing II opens in medias res, but what seems like a potentially exciting start comes off as cluttered and ultimately confusing. The game picks up right after the conclusion of the last game, and you play as the son of the infamous vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing. After felling the mad scientist that had terrorized the fictitious, industrial-era city of Borgova, you take over a resistance movement against the corrupt government. Your initial motivations aren't made clear, and the entire opening sequence is dominated by cutscenes that have weirdly nauseating cameras that wobble around while the main characters discuss detailed military strategy.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543759-van003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543759" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543759-van003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543759"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543759-van003.jpg"></a><figcaption>The areas you explore in Van Helsing are rich and imaginative. This comes from the outskirts of a crystal workshop guarded by an army of chimeras. </figcaption></figure><p style="">It's all a bit overwhelming, which is particularly unfortunate given how great the game becomes. A few hours in, you have access to your secret lair, a subterranean hideout that serves as your base of operations for the rest of your adventure. From there, you can marshal troops, craft new equipment, and generally help guide the resistance movement. Again, why exactly the movement is necessary is never made clear. You never see the real effects of the allegedly corrupt government, and there's no reason to empathize with the populace. That said, all of these pieces come together remarkably well, combining the straight action RPG trappings of the first Van Helsing with added gameplay modes.</p><p style="">From here, Van Helsing II is loosely organized into a few discrete chapters. For each one, you have a primary objective that supports the resistance movement's plan to take the city of Borgova. These are tied directly to the game's gothic horror inspirations and help build up the intensely supernatural world. Without a gripping narrative to serve as the foundation for this adventure, the creatures and environments are left to carry the experience. Thankfully, the art direction is just as substantial as before, and is largely supported by these quests to unlock power held by long-dead beings. The main quests provide plenty of excuses to venture into the wilderness outside the city and play in a variety of striking locales. Each of these places is also home to a variety of Easter eggs, which help each environment feel dense and populated. Upon the conclusion of each chapter, you're shown a few stats detailing your time spent, the percentage of the secrets you managed to unearth, and how well you did overall. Once you've seen the "chapter complete" screen, however, the preceding areas are lost to you for the rest of the game, encouraging you to be thorough in your search.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543761-van001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543761" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543761-van001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543761"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2543761-van001.jpg"></a><figcaption>There's a pretty nifty mode for launching side missions and raising armies for the resistance movement you lead. Different personality traits for your captains can have different effects on your chances based on the specific types of missions you send them on.</figcaption></figure><p style="">You don't have to deal with the big things immediately if you don't want to, though. Like before, there are plenty of supplementary quests for those looking for a break from the core game. The tower-defense minigame makes a return, with robust tools for managing waves and waves of baddies. You can also hire soldiers, upgrade their equipment, and build up a small army to run consistent raids for you. They can bring back valuable items and tons of extra cash, which you can reinvest in your war effort, or yourself. Various non-player characters also offer additional one-off quests that help further build out this surprisingly rich world, and yield some great loot for you and your companions. Finally, you also have some shops and crafting tools to help you get the best gear and tools for combat versus the weird, surreal, and undead monsters that roam the wilds outside of Borgova. That's great, because as you might expect from Van Helsing's action RPG scaffolding, combat is what this game does best.</p><p style="">Combat has improved dramatically since the last entry in the series, and that's primarily because of two small but vital changes. The first is that the two classes originally released as downloadable content for the first game are now packed in. From the beginning, you have three distinct archetypes, each with a dramatically different play style. The default hunter class is a melee-ranged fusion that harks back to Bram Stoker's original descriptions of the literary vampire hunter. The other two are a bit odd thematically because they represent two of the main types of enemies that you fight against: unholy magic users and engineers warped by "weird science." Even so, they add a lot of variety and are distinct enough to warrant spending at least a little time with each.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543762-van002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543762" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543762-van002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543762"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543762-van002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Nice Monty Python reference.</figcaption></figure><p style="">For my main run, I used an arcane mechanic. The class focuses on deploying robots, mines, turrets, grenades, and other corrupted machinery to dominate the battlefield. That's actually where I felt the second change to combat most: two additional skill slots. In the first Van Helsing, you played as a hunter that balanced ranged and close-combat weaponry using six main abilities. There was a clean duality to it that's retained for those who choose to take up being a hunter once again. I, however, found it much more exciting to constantly manage mines and robotic spiders to assist me in combat. I didn't invest much into boosting my health or defense, instead focusing on maximizing my attack-power-by-proxy. It added a bit of tension as well, knowing that if my machines started to fall, I'd need to rapidly get them back into action or face death. The extra skill slots made managing the chaos of battle more challenging but also more rewarding without teetering into the unnecessarily convoluted.</p><p style="">Van Helsing is coarsely granular. Some of its pieces don't work as well as they should, but much of that falls by the wayside when you're in the thick of things. It is stellar in spite of a few big missteps and the fact that, with the exception of the world itself, none of the experience feels cohesive. Between combat segments, Van Helsing and his ghostly companion, Lady Katarina, exchange snarky quips about pop culture and casual digs at one another. It's nice for characterization, but it's also anachronistic and fails to fit into the rest of the game. That's fine, though, because Van Helsing never takes itself too seriously. It's all part of the ride.</p> Wed, 28 May 2014 17:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-incredible-adventures-of-van-helsing-2-review/1900-6415777/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/all-of-the-games-for-xbox-one-in-2014/1100-6418756/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2525964-sunset-overdrive-forall-sunset-city.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2525964" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2525964-sunset-overdrive-forall-sunset-city.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2525964"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1197/11970954/2525964-sunset-overdrive-forall-sunset-city.jpg"></a><figcaption>Insomniac Games' Xbox One-exclusive Sunset Overdrive launches this year. </figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Earlier this year, Sony <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-getting-over-100-games-in-2014-here-s-the-full-list/1100-6418569/" data-ref-id="1100-6418569">published a masterlist of the 100+ games available on the PlayStation in 2014</a>. While Microsoft has not released a similar list of its own for the Xbox One, we've searched out and listed below everything already released on Xbox One this year or still to come. If you want to play them all, you'll need <a href="http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/screen_kubrick/2/23546/2527267-es.jpg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">a fat wallet</a> and an <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-gets-external-storage-support-real-names-for-friends-next-month/1100-6419776/" data-ref-id="1100-6419776">external storage solution</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The list, which spans 70+ games, includes multiplatform heavy-hitters like Ubisoft's open-world action game <a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs</a> (May 27) and Bungie's shared-world shooter<a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false"> Destiny</a> (Sept. 9), as well as Xbox One-exclusives like <a href="/sunset-overdrive/" data-ref-id="false">Sunset Overdrive</a> and an <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-5-confirmed-for-2015-release-on-xbox-one/1100-6419677/" data-ref-id="1100-6419677">new Halo game</a>. Also featured on the list are various indie games published through ID@Xbox like Capybara Games' <a href="/super-t-i-m-e-force/" data-ref-id="false">Super Time Force</a> and ninja squirrel game <a href="/nutjitsu/" data-ref-id="false">Nutjitsu</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><em>Of course, this list is subject to change as games are delayed or announced (<a href="http://gamespot.com/e3/" data-ref-id="false">E3 is right around the corner</a>, after all). Did we miss any? If so, please let us know in the comments below and we'll update this story accordingly. Thanks!</em></p><h2 dir="ltr">Already Available:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-amazing-spider-man-2/" data-ref-id="false">The Amazing Spider-Man 2</a> - April 29</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/child-of-light/" data-ref-id="false">Child of Light</a> - April 30</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/kinect-sports-rivals/" data-ref-id="false">Kinect Sports Rivals </a>- April 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-lego-movie-videogame/" data-ref-id="false">The Lego Movie Video Game </a>- February 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/lego-the-hobbit-review/1900-6415731/" data-ref-id="1900-6415731">Lego: The Hobbit </a>- April 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes </a>- March 18</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/nutjitsu/" data-ref-id="false">Nutjitsu </a>- May 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-review/1900-6415676/" data-ref-id="1900-6415676">Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare</a> - February 25</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/rayman-legends/" data-ref-id="false">Rayman Legends </a>- February 18</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/strider/" data-ref-id="false">Strider </a>- February 19</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/strike-suit-zero/" data-ref-id="false">Strike Suit Zero</a> - April 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/super-t-i-m-e-force/" data-ref-id="false">Super Time Force </a>- May 14</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/thief/" data-ref-id="false">Thief </a>- February 25</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall </a>- March 11</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/reviews/tomb-raider-definitive-edition-review/1900-6415647/" data-ref-id="1900-6415647">Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition </a>- January 28</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/trials-fusion/" data-ref-id="false">Trials Fusion </a>- April 18</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/wolfenstein-the-new-order/" data-ref-id="false">Wolfenstein: The New Order </a>- May 20</li></ul><p style=""> </p><h2 dir="ltr">Upcoming:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/alien-isolation/" data-ref-id="false">Alien: Isolation </a>- October 7</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare</a> - November 4</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny </a>- September 9</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/diablo-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition </a>- August 19</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/dragon-age-inquisition/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age: Inquisition</a> - October 7</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/ufc-ultimate-fighting-championship/" data-ref-id="false">EA Sports UFC</a> - June 17</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-elder-scrolls-online/" data-ref-id="false">The Elder Scrolls Online </a>- November 2014</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-evil-within/" data-ref-id="false">The Evil Within</a> - August 26</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/evolve/" data-ref-id="false">Evolve </a>- October 21</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/far-cry-4/" data-ref-id="false">Far Cry 4 </a>- November 18</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor/" data-ref-id="false">Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor </a>- October 7</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/madden-nfl-15/" data-ref-id="false">Madden NFL 15</a> - August 26</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/murdered-soul-suspect/" data-ref-id="false">Murdered: Soul Suspect </a>- June 3</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/skylanders-trap-team/" data-ref-id="false">Skylanders: Trap Team </a>- October 5</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/sniper-elite-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Sniper Elite 3 </a>- July 1</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/transformers-rise-of-the-dark-spark/" data-ref-id="false">Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark</a> - June 24</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs </a>- May 27</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/worms-battlegrounds/" data-ref-id="false">Worms Battlegrounds </a>- June 3</li><li><a href="/wwe-2k15/" data-ref-id="false">WWE 2K15 </a>- October 28</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><h2 dir="ltr">TBA:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/aban-hawkins-and-the-1-001-spikes/" data-ref-id="false">1001 Spikes</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/batman-arkham-knight/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham Knight</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/aztez/" data-ref-id="false">Aztez</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/below/" data-ref-id="false">Below</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/calibre-10-racing-series/" data-ref-id="false">Calibre 10 Racing Series</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/castlestorm/" data-ref-id="false">Castlestorm</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/chariot/" data-ref-id="false">Chariot</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/chucks-challenge-3d/" data-ref-id="false">Chuck's Challenge 3D</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/contrast/" data-ref-id="false">Contrast</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/defense-grid-2/" data-ref-id="false">Defense Grid 2</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/fantasia-music-evolved/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/disney-infinity-20/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Infinity -- Marvel Super Heroes</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/divekick/" data-ref-id="false">Divekick Addition Edition</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/dying-light/" data-ref-id="false">Dying Light</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-elder-scrolls-online/" data-ref-id="false">The Elder Scrolls Online</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/forced/" data-ref-id="false">Forced</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/fru/" data-ref-id="false">Fru</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/guacamelee/" data-ref-id="false">Guacamelee</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/gunscape/" data-ref-id="false">Gunscape</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/habitat/" data-ref-id="false">Habitat</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/hyper-light-drifter/" data-ref-id="false">Hyper Light Drifter</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/it-draws-a-red-box/" data-ref-id="false">It Draws A Red Box</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/kickbeat/" data-ref-id="false">Kickbeat</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-last-tinker-city-of-colors/" data-ref-id="false">The Last Tinker</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/lords-of-the-fallen/" data-ref-id="false">Lords of the Fallen</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/nhl-15/" data-ref-id="false">NHL 15</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/pinball-fx-2/" data-ref-id="false">Pinball FX2</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/project-cars/" data-ref-id="false">Project Cars</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/project-spark/" data-ref-id="false">Project Spark</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/rbi-baseball-14/" data-ref-id="false">RBI Baseball 14</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/riptide-gp2/" data-ref-id="false">Riptide GP2</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/roundabout-2/" data-ref-id="false">Roundabout</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/sunset-overdrive/" data-ref-id="false">Sunset Overdrive</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/quantum-break/" data-ref-id="false">Quantum Break</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-crew/" data-ref-id="false">The Crew</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-golf-club/" data-ref-id="false">The Golf Club</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/wulverblade/" data-ref-id="false">Wulverblade</a></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">Rumored:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">Dance Central sequel</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-master-chief-halo-collection-games-1-4-report/1100-6419703/" data-ref-id="1100-6419703">Halo 1-4 collection</a></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><h2 dir="ltr"> </h2><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> Wed, 28 May 2014 17:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/all-of-the-games-for-xbox-one-in-2014/1100-6418756/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hack-n-slash-early-access-review/1100-6419934/ <p style=""><i>GameSpot's early access reviews evaluate unfinished games that are nonetheless available for purchase by the public. While the games in question are not considered finished by their creators, you may still devote money, time, and 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.</i></p><p style="">There is no graceful way to close Hack 'n' Slash. No exit option in the menu. No menu, at that. The only way to turn the game off is to alt + tab away from it and force-close it from outside the program. As an early access game with emphasis on the "early," Double Fine's yet-unfinished puzzle game is up to its neck in idiosyncrasies of that sort. They're nostalgic problems for a nostalgic game--a send-up of The Legend of Zelda, harking back to a time when troubleshooting started and ended with blowing on the cartridge to clear away the dust.</p><p style="">You're dropped into a cavernous dungeon, possessionless except for an unusual sword. Hack 'n' Slash starts with a premise common enough to the Zelda series, but it takes a hard left when you try to swing your sword against the bars of your prison door and it breaks to reveal an underlying USB drive. Try that swing a second time, and now you're greeted with a prompt: GateDoor: Open (False). Change the value of the Boolean, and the door opens, no questions asked.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543713-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543713" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543713-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543713"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/642/6422750/2543713-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>The combination of fantasy tropes and computer code style is clever, but a bit hard to parse.</figcaption></figure><p style="">So, here's a world where elaborate Tolkienesque fantasy terms are rendered in the scrunched shorthand of computer code, all superfluous underscores and appended numerals. A world where the classic iconography of action adventure games can be opened up, their entrails of code sifted and rearranged toward more immediately useful applications. Where in The Legend of Zelda, you might mow through foliage with your sword to reveal a few hidden items, in Hack 'n' Slash, it's but a matter of programming the bush to spontaneously combust and leave behind a desired reward.</p><p style="">Over time, more elegant and clever uses reveal themselves to enterprising minds. Take, say, the obnoxiously aggressive birds that pursue you, pecking away, and change their damage value to something negative. Suddenly you've got a cranky little satellite that heals you at regular intervals. The scope of your hacking ability is usually limited to a few baked-in applications, but even those prescriptive limits can be stretched to a breaking point. After one early character confers a gift of additional health, you might decide to rig the gamestate to say the gift was never received, and treat yourself to a second helping. And a third, and a fourth...on and on until you become functionally immortal.</p><blockquote data-align="left" data-size="small"><p style="">Here's a world where elaborate Tolkienesque fantasy terms are rendered in the scrunched shorthand of computer code, all superfluous underscores and appended numerals.</p></blockquote><p style="">That might seem to spoil some of the challenge, but the double entendre of "Hack 'n' Slash" trades more on its second meaning than its first. In this land, the keyboard is mightier than the sword: battles here aren't won with combat prowess, but on the strength of your ability to see through to the code, to bend it to your will. Algorithms are arcana in Hack 'n' Slash, and those who wield them are wizards. Speaking as someone who views programming skill with the intermingled mistrust and awe normally reserved for the dark arts, it's not all that much of a stretch.</p><p style="">The trouble is that Hack 'n' Slash soon loses its patience for us muggles. Flipping the switch on an enemy to change its attitude from "angsty" to "docile" is one thing, but when the game starts to really amp up the hacking in Act 4, it sheds its innocent fantasy charm and becomes something stark and standoffish. Instead of leafy woods, you're back in dank caves that look suspiciously like the ones you started in. Instead of clever amalgams of programming and puzzles, you get doors to unlock and programming pictographs. Imagine having to read a long strand of computer code by physically running from one side to the other, learning each function by staring at it until the values make sense.</p><p style="">"Here's a fun fact about the modulo operator," says your fairy companion as you amble back and forth, fiddling with dials. "You can easily test whether a number is even or odd by computing the number modulo 2!" But no amount of edutainment dialogue can help you to parse coding language when it's laid on so thick. And even though the most byzantine of these puzzles belie a relatively simple solution--usually just a change to one or two of the variables--it's small comfort to a layman. They might as well be written in elvish. Sometimes they are.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543717-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543717" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543717-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543717"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/642/6422750/2543717-0004.jpg"></a><figcaption>Hack 'n' Slash tries to lampshade its early access instability, but it doesn't help much.</figcaption></figure><p style="">It's one thing to grapple with the challenges the game poses on purpose. It's quite another to juggle them alongside Hack 'n' Slash's temperamental stability. Set a variable to equal another variable, and the game crashes. Change a letter variable to a number, and the game crashes. Touch a particular object, and the game crashes. Switch between keyboard and controller while entering a variable, and the game crashes.</p><p style="">In one moment that quite unintentionally recalled 2013's <a href="/the-legend-of-zelda-a-link-between-worlds/" data-ref-id="false">The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds</a>, I went through a door at a slightly off-kilter angle and found myself adhered to the wall. I scampered around off the critical path, weaving among the wall sconces and pilasters, and soon found I was still able to move between rooms. As I merrily sidestepped puzzles and obstacles meant to impede my progress, I pondered the various ways that Hack 'n' Slash adroitly lampshades its own glitchiness. You are explicitly instructed to poke at the weak points in the game's code, so wouldn't a few unscripted solutions be in keeping with that spirit? But soon the wall ended, and I was unable to extricate myself.</p><p style="">Worse still, the puzzles I'd bypassed unlocked tools I'd need later, so I had no choice but to quit the game and load an earlier save. There's no fast-travel option in Hack 'n' Slash, so errors of both human and computer origin alike can cost you a great deal of time and patience.</p><p style="">It will likely fall to Double Fine's trademarked sense of humor to shepherd you past the jargon and the instability, to make this simple story about an unsung hero toppling an evil wizard pop and fizz. It certainly has the pedigree for the job. And even in this unfinished state, Hack 'n' Slash does feel like a good venue for the developer's brand of punny, irreverent humor. It's got all the ingredients of a quintessentially postmodern game: classical video game references, subversive deconstruction, and vibrant, cartoonish color.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543715-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543715" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543715-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543715"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/642/6422750/2543715-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>Hack 'n' Slash tries to lampshade its early access instability, but it doesn't help much.</figcaption></figure><p style="">There is one area where Hack 'n' Slash might have been better served with a little modernist order, though. In the original Legend of Zelda games, an underlying grid governed the placement of objects like doors, trees, and chickens. Hack 'n' Slash carries itself as though it works in a similar fashion. Reprogram an enemy, for example, and you find a prompt for how many "tiles" you'd like it to move. But the grid is otherwise inscrutable, and movement suffers for it. Movable puzzles become exercises of trial and error. Diagonal motion on your part is often necessary, but frequently punished, and the location of characters seems to have little to do with where they take or give damage. Clipping issues abound. With a more modular, Cartesian appearance, the mathematical undercurrents running beneath Hack 'n' Slash could be better handled when they bubble to the game's surface.</p><p style="">But now I'm advocating for more math, and that's troubling territory for an artsy-fartsy critic. Perhaps with a little more development time, Hack 'n' Slash can make those STEM fields palatable for a mind full of fairies and magic swords like mine. But right now, it needs someone to blow the dust off its cartridge.</p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><b>What's There?</b></p></td><td><p style=""><em>A clever but glitchy and incomplete adventure wherein you reprogram your way across four acts of exponentially increasing difficulty. It takes a couple of hours to complete, give or take some time based on your ability to suss out meaning from code.<br /></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b>What's To Come?</b></p></td><td><p style=""><em>A fifth and final act to resolve the story, as well as additional puzzles, modding support, and adjustments and fixes based on player feedback.</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b>What Does it Cost?</b></p></td><td><em>$19.99 on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/246070/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</em></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b>When Will it Be Finished?</b></p></td><td><p style=""><em>Unknown.</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b>What's the Verdict?</b></p></td><td><p style=""><em>Hack 'n' Slash's endgame is ambitious--a fantasy world without a fourth wall, open to the caprice of anyone who can string together a few lines of code. But frustrating glitches, inscrutable puzzles, and jury-rigged art make for an inauspicious start to its hero's journey.</em></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 28 May 2014 16:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hack-n-slash-early-access-review/1100-6419934/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-game-guide-ctos-tower-walkthrough/1100-6419942/ <p style="">If you've played your share of Ubisoft open world games, you know the deal: revealing the secrets and collectibles of a given area, outpost, or district takes a bit of effort. It's a more layered form of infiltration in Watch Dogs. Hacking ctOS centers isn't enough; you also need to hack the various ctOS towers within each part of Chicago. The challenge is in gaining access to these fenced-in towers. These spatial puzzles are some of the best brain teasers in Watch Dogs, but if you do find yourself stumped, here's a walkthough video to guide you to each tower, along with a listing of where in the video to find each one. </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418998" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418998/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""><b>Mad Mile, Northwest: 0:39</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543847-ctos1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543847" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543847-ctos1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543847"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543847-ctos1.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This ctOS tower is based within a block of multilevel apartments, so it's not surprising that you'll need to traverse a few rooftops to get to the console. Approaching from the north, head down a wide alley leading to the courtyard. While still on the ground level, look for an unlock panel. After hacking the panel, head further down the alley, and use the lift to your right. Climb until you reach the roof, then look for a small glass bridge. Cross it, but before you hop the fence, make a 180-degree turn to find another unlock panel. Now hop the fence, go through the ctOS gate, and make a right. Cross the glass bridge, walk across the roof, and hop over the railing to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Parker Square, East: 1:14</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543848-ctos2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543848" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543848-ctos2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543848"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543848-ctos2.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This tower puzzle serves as a reminder that forklifts and other movable objects occasionally hide cameras from view. When you're within the fence of this facility, hack into the first available camera. Then hack the forklift to reveal another camera. This camera will give you a view of the unlock panel for you to hack. Walk back to the facility entrance and pass through the ctOS gate. Climb up the ladder, then drop down to the area with the forklift to access the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Parker Square, South: 1:43</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543849-ctos3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543849" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543849-ctos3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543849"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543849-ctos3.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Using the Public Furniture sign as a starting point, head south, and make a right into the first alley. Head into the small parking lot with the barbed wire-enforced wall and climb up using the forklift. Keep climbing until you reach the catwalk on the right and use another lift as a bridge to reach another part of the building. Then climb up the two-tier generator, then the balcony, and finally, the ladder. Hack the camera next to the ctOS tower and look to the right. Hack the unlock panel to gain access to the tower.</p><p style=""><b>The Wards, West: 2:14</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543852-ctos4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543852" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543852-ctos4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543852"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543852-ctos4.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This is the ctOS tower closest to The L train tracks and yes, you'll need to cross the track in order to reach the tower. Starting at ground level, look for the stairs surrounded by a chainlink fence, slightly northwest of the tower. Climb up the stairs and the nearby ladder to reach tracks. Cross the tracks to reach the ctOS tower. Hack the camera and look left to access another camera. Now look left and down to find a junction box. Hack the box to create an explosion that will destroy the nearby pallets. It turns out the pallets obscured the unlock panel!</p><p style=""><b>The Wards, East: 2:50</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543853-ctos5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543853" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543853-ctos5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543853"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543853-ctos5.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Start by hacking the camera next to the billboard west of the tower. Then access the camera in the middle of the facility. Look right and hack the next camera, which will give you a view of the first unlock panel. After hacking the panel, hop on the nearby lift and raise it to reach the facility. Climb up a couple boxes to reach the ctOS tower entrance. After passing the gate, make a right and climb up the large generator. From there, you have a good view of the next unlock panel to hack. Return to the chainlink entrance and make a right. Progress along the side of the building until you reach a ladder. Climb up the ladder and move forward until you see another ctOS chainlink gate. Go through that to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Brandon Docks, West: 3:34</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543855-ctos6.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543855" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543855-ctos6.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543855"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543855-ctos6.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Our video starts on the west side of the facility. Hack the camera at the center of the building then look slightly up and to the left to hack another camera. Now you have a good view of the unlock panel. Hack that and then go through the door with the yellow sign with the black hand. Exit the room through the other door, hop the fence to your left, and then use the lift. Follow the only available path to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Brandon Docks, East: 4:01</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543856-ctos7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543856" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543856-ctos7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543856"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543856-ctos7.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Starting at the entrance of the facility, look left to find a small single story building and the unlock panel around the corner. You might think that the large warehouse nearby is your next destination, but it's not. In fact, the interior of the warehouse has nothing to do with this puzzle. If you're stumped, it could be because you found the carrier too far for a successful roof jump. So what else can fit in one of those carriers? Simply use the nearby car to help you jump far enough to reach the roof with the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Brandon Docks, Central: 4:22</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543858-ctos8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543858" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543858-ctos8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543858"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543858-ctos8.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Start by heading east from the tower, toward a lift. Ride the lift, climb the ladder on the right, and make another right to cross the catwalk. While facing the fenced gate, hack the one visible camera. This will give you a view of the unlock panel which you should hack. Pass through the gate and look for the door with the yellow sign with the black hand. While facing the door, turn right 90 degrees and hack the camera. Look to the right and hack the camera inside the warehouse office. This will give you a good view of the next unlock panel. Hack it to gain access to the tower.</p><p style=""><b>The Loop, South: 5:00</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543859-ctos9.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543859" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543859-ctos9.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543859"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543859-ctos9.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Using the red tower icon in the minimap as a reference point, go into the middle of the block where the four alleys meet. Use the nearby camera to jump to a second camera closer to the tower--this should give you a good view of the unlock panel. Now look to the left for another camera to hack, which will give you a clear view of a second unlock panel. Now climb on the nearby lift and raise it. Then climb up the generator and over the adjacent railing. Run up the two sets of steps and make a left to climb up another level. Pass through the ctOS gate and make another left to climb to an even higher level. When you get to the top, look left to find the tower.</p><p style=""><b>The Loop, North: 5:41</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543861-ctos10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543861" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543861-ctos10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543861"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543861-ctos10.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This tower puzzle is another reminder that if there's a scissor lift nearby, you'll most likely need to use it. When the lift has fully risen, move straight ahead toward the climbable ledges. Keep climbing until you reach the ctOS gate. Ignore the camera at the corner of one of the fences and instead hack the camera that's further in the distance. Look to the right for the unlock panel. Hack it, then swing the camera around so that two cameras are in view. Hack the higher camera to get a view of the second unlock Panel. Hack the panel, pass through the unlocked ctOS gate, and make a right. After passing through the second gate, veer right, and climb up the generators to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>The Loop, Northeast: 6:22</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543862-ctos11.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543862" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543862-ctos11.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543862"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543862-ctos11.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Begin by heading into the alley south of the red ctOS tower marker. Once you've gotten a good glimpse of the tower, look for a catwalk and the camera that's nearly above the catwalk. Hack it, then hack the second camera that's within the first camera's view (slightly up and to the right). You'll now be able to spot the unlock panel, which you should hack. While you're in that view, look straight ahead and hack the lift in the distance. Walk over to the lift and ride it all the way to the top. Run through the two ctOS gates and drop down one level to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Mad Mile, Northeast: 6:54</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543863-ctos12.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543863" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543863-ctos12.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543863"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543863-ctos12.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">A good starting point is a block west of the red ctOS tower icon on the minimap. Look for a set of abstract steps where each step is slightly taller than Aiden Pierce. Climb those steps and continue running forward, past the generators and over the railing. Use the metal awning to cross to the next building. Climb up two generators to reach another rooftop. Continue moving forward and cross the two large adjoining metal awnings. Look for the ventilation ducts and even more generators. Climb those objects to reach the ctOS gate. Head north, dropping down one level and move along the edge of the building until you reach another set of vents and generators. Climb up and hop over the nearby plants. Advance several paces to (finally) reach the first unlock panel. Did you notice the Intrusion panel after reaching the ctOS gate? Go back to that panel and hack it. Using two interior cameras will reveal the last unlock panel, giving you access to the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Mad Mile, Island: 7:57</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543864-ctos13.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543864" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543864-ctos13.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543864"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543864-ctos13.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">It's best to start this puzzle on the small pier next to the red tower icon. While facing the ctOS logo, look up and slightly to the left to find and hack the first camera. For the next camera, you should also look up and to the left. Now you have a view of the unlock panel. Run toward the ctOS facility and go up the stairs. While facing the water, make a left and continue moving along the side of the building until you reach the ladder. Climb the ladder and look for another unlock panel. Hack it to pass the ctOS gate in front of you. Proceed forward to reach the tower.</p> Wed, 28 May 2014 16:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-game-guide-ctos-tower-walkthrough/1100-6419942/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-battlefield-hardline-video-wolfenstein-pir/2300-6419001/ Wolfenstein: The New Order has been pirated A LOT, an internal Battlefield: Hardline video leaks, and how did Watch Dogs cause a bomb scare?! Wed, 28 May 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-battlefield-hardline-video-wolfenstein-pir/2300-6419001/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wildstar-features-trailer/2300-6419000/ Check out the new features in WildStar. Wed, 28 May 2014 15:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wildstar-features-trailer/2300-6419000/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-poster-possibly-reveals-upcoming-ed-boon-announcement/1100-6419941/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543812-mortalkombat.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543812" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543812-mortalkombat.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543812"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543812-mortalkombat.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon has been teasing an upcoming reveal for the past few weeks, but a recent leaked poster (shown above) all but confirms that a new Mortal Kombat is on the way soon.</p><p style="">The image, posted to <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/Itshappening24" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit</a>, doesn't reveal much about the game outside what the game might be outside of the iconic Mortal Kombat logo, the tagline "Who's next?", and a brutally fractured spine.</p><p style="">Boon's cryptic tweets have included an <a href="https://twitter.com/noobde/statuses/468135438641676288" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">innocuous picture of a car...with the logo MK X</a>, and a countdown which is set to end on Monday, June 2 (<a href="https://twitter.com/noobde/status/471677086726234112" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">since we're on five today</a>).</p><div data-embed-type="html"><script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async=""></script></div><p style="">So, what's the announcement going to be? is this Mortal Kombat 10, a new cross-over game, or something else entirely? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!</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></p><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 style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 28 May 2014 15:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-poster-possibly-reveals-upcoming-ed-boon-announcement/1100-6419941/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/leaked-battlefield-trailer-was-six-months-old-e3-will-have-the-real-deal/1100-6419939/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418994" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418994/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">A series of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-video-leaks-online-shows-new-gameplay-footage/1100-6419910/">unintentional leaks resulting in a seven-minute trailer</a> for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-hardline/">Battlefield Hardline</a> coming out today has generated a lot of excitement on GameSpot, but the VP and GM of developer Visceral Games, <a href="https://twitter.com/leveluptime" rel="nofollow">Steve Papoutsis, took to Twitter today</a> to add some context: that trailers show outdated gameplay.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""><a href="https://twitter.com/leveluptime/status/471741428637261824" rel="nofollow">Papoutsis wrote</a>, "Video that's out there was for an internal meeting. It's 6 months old now and team has been cranking since then. See the real deal at E3."</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style="">He further added, "Excited to see so much buzz for the old footage. Love it. Can't wait to show you how much further the team has taken things." And, "We're pouring everything we've got into this & stoked to share details on June 9 - maybe even a little more before then if you want it."</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style="">We learned a lot about the game from today's leaked trailer, including details on four multiplayer modes, but Papoutsis assured one fan that there are "absolutely more modes in the works."</p><p style="">So, it looks like we're set to learn even more about the game and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">get a look at an even more polished work during next month's E3. </a></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></p><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 style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Wed, 28 May 2014 15:14:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/leaked-battlefield-trailer-was-six-months-old-e3-will-have-the-real-deal/1100-6419939/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bbc-micro-the-2mhz-pc-that-changed-video-gaming/1100-6419919/ <p style="">In 1981, a revolution was taking place. The personal computer market, once <a href="http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2097462_2097456_2097467,00.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">famously dismissed</a> by 70s computing powerhouse Ken Olsen with the immortal words "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home," was rapidly expanding. The Apple II, released in 1977, was dominating the home computer market in the US, turning a once small operation run out of a garage in Cupertino into a multibillion-dollar company. Alongside the likes of the Atari 2600, it was also shaping the nascent video games market. Revolutionary games like <a href="/mystery-house/" data-ref-id="false">Mystery House</a>, <a href="/ultima-i/" data-ref-id="false">Ultima</a>, and <a href="/castle-wolfenstein/" data-ref-id="false">Castle Wolfenstein</a> made their debut on the Apple II, and--thanks to its decade-long life span--the machine would play host to a multitude of genre-defining releases.</p><p style="">But for those in the UK, owning an Apple II was something of a pipe dream. Its graphics system, designed specifically for NTSC monitors, wouldn't work properly in the UK without modification. Even then, importing the machine from the US was an expensive proposition. By the time the Apple II made its European debut in late '79 with the Apple II Europlus, the UK was already churning out machines of its own. The 1MHz Commodore PET would be the first to market, but it was eccentric inventor Clive Sinclair's Sinclair Research, former Sinclair employee Chris Curry's Acorn Computers, and the broadcasting might of the BBC that would come to define UK computing in the early '80s.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1yZWsK0Qq4" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fb1yZWsK0Qq4%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Db1yZWsK0Qq4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fb1yZWsK0Qq4%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">The story of how collaboration between one of the most respected public broadcasters in the world and a small computer outfit from Cambridge took place is a sprawling tale of British ingenuity and questionable business practices, one that's humorously (if not entirely accurately) told in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXBxV6-zamM" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">BBC comedy drama <i>Micro Men</i></a>. In short, 1981 saw the BBC announce its Computer Literacy Project, which aimed to latch onto the growing trend in personal computers and create a TV programme to teach the public how to use them. To keep the programme simple, the broadcaster wanted a single computer to base the show on. This caught the attention of Sinclair and Curry, who knew full well what having a trusted name like the BBC adorning their computers would do for sales.</p><p style="">Acorn, staffed by Cambridge University's finest, was quick to move on the idea. After showing the BBC its prototype--famously created in just one week--it was awarded the contract to produce the machine. Based on an 8-bit 6502 processor clocked at 2MHz (the same as in the Apple II), either 16kB or 32kB of RAM, and featuring a high-res graphics mode, it was a powerful computer for the time--on paper at least--more so than its competitor, Sinclair's ZX81. "It was an awesome machine, because it was like a Rolls Royce compared to anything else out there," X-COM creator and early Micro developer Julian Gollop tells me. "I was shortly to acquire a ZX81, but comparing the ZX81 and the BBC Micro was like chalk and cheese."</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543418-5656066906-_5705.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543418" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543418-5656066906-_5705.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543418"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2543418-5656066906-_5705.jpg"></a><figcaption>The BBC Micro was a familiar sight in classrooms across the UK.</figcaption></figure><p style="">More important than its specs, though, was how the Micro's television show and its ubiquity in education would introduce computers to an entire generation. The vast majority of UK schools would soon be stocked with the machine, which <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15969065" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">sold more than 1.5 million units</a> in its lifetime. Notably, the Micro booted directly in BBC BASIC (beginners all-purpose symbolic instruction code), a simple programming language. To do anything with the machine, you had to learn some basic text commands. It was this that captured the imagination of an entire generation of youngsters eager to unlock the potential of the Micro's hardware. One of those youngsters was David Braban, co-creator of <a href="/elite/" data-ref-id="false">Elite</a>, a highly influential space combat and trading game for the Micro that featured some of the most ambitious visuals and gameplay mechanics of its time.</p><p style="">"The thing that was brilliant about the Acorn Atom [the Micro's predecessor] and the BBC Micro was that they came with everything you needed," Braban tells me, "which, from a kid's point of view, is brilliant, because you don't have to then say, 'Oh, I need this compiler, or I need this sort of thing.' You could write a game in machine code; you had everything you needed. And another thing was there were very few games around. You were expected to program. Magazines had type-in listings, and you'd learn a lot from doing those things. But I think also, the fact you could write in machine code from day one on the machine without buying anything, that's probably the biggest thing."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543421-3006988918-e6eaf.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543421" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543421-3006988918-e6eaf.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543421"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2543421-3006988918-e6eaf.jpg"></a><figcaption>It might not look like much now, but Elite was a groundbreaking game when it was released in 1984.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The Micro's presence in schools (as well as strong sales for its cheaper competitor, the ZX Spectrum) not only spurred the creation of games like <a href="/chuckie-egg/" data-ref-id="false">Chucky Egg</a>, <a href="/labyrinth-1983/" data-ref-id="false">Labyrinth</a>, and <a href="/castle-quest-1985/" data-ref-id="false">Castle Quest</a>, but also helped foster a generation of programmers and games industry pioneers. Braban would go on to create Frontier Developments, a studio that has created games such as <a href="/frontier-elite-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Frontier</a>, <a href="/kinectimals/" data-ref-id="false">Kinectimals</a>, and <a href="/lostwinds/" data-ref-id="false">LostWinds</a>. Inspired by the Micro, Braban also formed the <a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/about/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Raspberry Pi Foundation</a>, an effort to get cheap computers into the hands of youngsters and reintroduce computer science into schools. Julian Gollop released classics like <a href="/x-com-ufo-defense/" data-ref-id="false">X-COM</a> and <a href="/magic-and-mayhem/" data-ref-id="false">Magic & Mayhem</a>. Most famously of all, the Darling brothers--who began creating Micro games from their bedroom in 1982--went on to form the hugely successful Codemasters, which created games like <a href="/fantastic-dizzy/" data-ref-id="false">Fantastic Dizzy</a>, <a href="/colin-mcrae-rally/" data-ref-id="false">Colin McRae Rally</a>, and <a href="/grid/" data-ref-id="false">Grid</a>.</p><p style="">Even recent indie talent <a href="/thomas-was-alone/" data-ref-id="false">Thomas Was Alone</a> creator Mike Bithell owes a lot to the Micro's ubiquity. "I can't have been much more than 6 or 7 years old, and we had a BBC Micro," says Bithell. "I think we had one per classroom. I remember playing a lot of Granny's Garden with its awful witch squeal. But the big one for me, and this kind of makes sense now, was that I was playing a lot of adventure games on there. I can't remember the name of it now, but there was this one game where you had an editor so you could build your own adventure. Like any kid playing with these tools, I never made anything of value; it was always half an hour here and there, and I never finished anything. But I realised that I liked making stuff more than I liked playing it. Looking back, that was probably the most important thing I learnt in primary school."</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">"A lot of people probably wouldn't have learnt programming, had the BBC Micro not been around."</p></blockquote><p style="">Unfortunately for Acorn, the IBM PC (also released in 1981) was gaining traction. By the time the '90s rolled round, PCs that ran Windows instead of BASIC were becoming the de facto standard in the classroom, and the BBC had dropped its Computer Literacy Project. Students who were once being taught how to code and create, rather than just consume, were now a part of dumbed-down ICT (information and communications technology) classes teaching Microsoft Word and Excel.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543430-7916859784-darli.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543430" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543430-7916859784-darli.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543430"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/917/9176928/2543430-7916859784-darli.jpg"></a><figcaption>Codemasters founders David and Richard Darling started off programming games for computers like the BBC Micro and Commodore 64.</figcaption></figure><p style="">"A lot of people probably wouldn't have learnt programming, had the BBC Micro not been around," says Braban. "Looking now, a generation on, when I'm asked by parents or my own kids about how to learn that sort of thing, bizarrely, the best answer is to buy something like a BBC Micro on eBay, at least until we started Raspberry Pi. You could abuse the Micro, you could send programs to all the machines in the classroom if you knew what you were doing, but the point was that it was brilliant from a classroom point of view. If a kid had a problem, they pressed break to restart the machine, and they were back to square one. It's a very, very good teaching aid."</p><p style="">While it has been 30 years since the last BBC Micro rolled off the production line, its influence on computing and video games lives on--and not just in those who've gone on to create blockbuster hits or revive its educational spirit. Thanks to the Micro's early success, Acorn was able to fund development of a new processor based on "reduced instruction set computer" research from the University of California, Berkeley. The Acorn Archimedes computer it powered wasn't the hit that Acorn might have hoped for, but with some help from Apple and VLSI Technology, the Advanced Risc Machines--later shortened to ARM--processor division of Acorn was spun out into its own company.</p><p style="">The first ARM chips powered Apple's much-maligned handheld Newton device, but they soon found use in other low-power devices like mobile phones. Today, <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-04/arm-chips-are-the-most-used-consumer-product-dot-where-s-the-money" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-02">ARM chips are found in 99 percent of the world's smartphones and tablets</a>, with around 4.3 billion people--60 percent of the world's population--interacting with a device carrying an ARM chip each day. The 50 billionth product containing an ARM-designed chip shipped late last year.</p> Wed, 28 May 2014 14:54:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bbc-micro-the-2mhz-pc-that-changed-video-gaming/1100-6419919/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/listen-to-some-league-of-legends-inspired-metal/1100-6419938/ <p style=""> </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUiOylPbfV0" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FoUiOylPbfV0%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoUiOylPbfV0&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FoUiOylPbfV0%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">It's not just<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/listen-to-meshuggah-guitarist-s-music-for-wolfenstein-the-new-order/1100-6419751/" data-ref-id="1100-6419751"> Wolfenstein: The New Order that features metal music</a>. Riot Games has announced that the first single from the upcoming <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>-inspired metal album Smite and Ignite from the band Pentakill is now available.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The song is "Lightbringer" and the production values are high--there's double bass, screaming guitar lines, and a surprisingly catchy chorus. The music video has already gathered well over 1 million views just a day after being posted.</p><p style="">Pentakill is a passion project from musicians at Riot Games and outside of the developer. The entire 8-song album will be available as a free download on June 3 <a href="http://na.pentakillmusic.com/en/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">through Pentakill's website</a>. You'll also be able to buy the album through various digital music retailers if you want.</p><p style="">In League of Legends, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-now-boasts-27-million-daily-players/1100-6417374/" data-ref-id="1100-6417374">massively popular free-to-play PC game</a>, a pentakill is a term for killing five enemies in rapid succession.</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><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Wed, 28 May 2014 14:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/listen-to-some-league-of-legends-inspired-metal/1100-6419938/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-rumors/1100-6419935/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543726-future1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543726" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543726-future1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543726"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543726-future1.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/" data-ref-id="false">E3 </a>2014 is now just two weeks away. We're expecting a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-expecting-an-army-of-huge-franchises-at-e3/1100-6418625/" data-ref-id="1100-6418625">bevy of announcements from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo</a>, as well as third-party publishers like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts, which alone <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-will-announce-a-major-frostbite-3-game-at-e3-what-do-you-think-it-is/1100-6419476/" data-ref-id="1100-6419476">plans to make six announcements at the show</a>. It promises to be a busy week in Los Angeles, but there's already a considerable amount of buzz built up thanks to a slew of rumors about what we may see at the show.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We have rounded up some of these rumors and provided details below. We will continue to update this story as more rise to the surface, and please don't hesitate to ping us to share rumors directly. For more on E3, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot's roundup of everything you need to know about this year's show</a>.</p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>NFC Figurines for Super Smash Bros. </strong></h3><p style="">Nintendo France said that the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/super-smash-bros-wii-u-will-use-nfc/1100-6419826/" data-ref-id="1100-6419826">upcoming Super Smash Bros. is going to take advantage of the Wii U's NFC capabilities</a>. Pair that with the<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-nintendo-to-integrate-skylanders-like-figurines-with-wii-u-and-3ds/1100-6419497/" data-ref-id="1100-6419497"> confirmation by Nintendo of more figurine details at E3</a> and you don't have to stretch your imagination to put the two together. Will these miniatures involve unlockable characters? We'll find out during the E3 Nintendo Direct.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543950-18ae9073ac47de4104bbda82fc3003e03b869298.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543950" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543950-18ae9073ac47de4104bbda82fc3003e03b869298.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543950"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543950-18ae9073ac47de4104bbda82fc3003e03b869298.jpg"></a></figure><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Grand Theft Auto V comes to Current-gen</strong></h3><p style="">We've been waiting a long time for GTA 5 to come to PC (<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-5-pc-petition-passes-700-000-signatures-game-is-now-taking-longer-than-gta-4-to-hit-pc/1100-6419280/" data-ref-id="1100-6419280">at this point it's taken longer than the same port for GTA 4</a>), but maybe part of the reason for the delay is that the game is also being optimized for current-gen consoles.</p><p style="">Rockstar has said that they plan on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/rockstar-games-to-release-a-ps4-xbox-one-game-by-march-2015/1100-6419610/" data-ref-id="1100-6419610">releasing an Xbox One/PS4 game this fiscal year</a>. While that could be the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ahead-of-e3-take-two-extends-its-agent-trademark/1100-6419837/" data-ref-id="1100-6419837">recently renewed Agent</a>, an update of one of the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-5-has-now-shipped-32-5-million-copies/1100-6417498/" data-ref-id="1100-6417498">best-selling games of all time seems a little more likely at this point</a>. But the bigger question: Will it be a timed exclusive for Sony or Microsoft?</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543961-original.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543961" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543961-original.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543961"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543961-original.jpg"></a></figure><h3><strong>Dance Central 4</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">While <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">talking about the Xbox One price cut and removing Kinect from Xbox One with Microsoft's Yusuf Medhi</a>, he casually said, "Certainly some gamers are Kinect-focused, say Kinect Sports Rivals, Dance Central." While it's possible that he was referring to an Xbox 360 version of the game or the franchise in general...but it's also possible he accidentally leaked an upcoming Dance Central reveal. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Neither Harmonix nor Microsoft responded to follow-ups about the game, but E3 may give a lot of gamers a reason to use their Kinect for more than voice commands. </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543953-18j2w3zj50bh8jpg.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543953" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543953-18j2w3zj50bh8jpg.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543953"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543953-18j2w3zj50bh8jpg.jpg"></a></figure><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>More PlayStation 4 HD Remakes</strong></h3><p style="">A lot of rumors have leaked about current-gen remakes of the Halo games, but we've heard rumblings that Sony has their own HD reveals as well. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-what-the-last-of-us-looks-like-on-ps4-in-1080p/1100-6418898/" data-ref-id="1100-6418898">We already know about The Last of Us for PS4 update</a>, but you can expect a few more games to get a chance for more exposure. The most surprising rumor we've heard: some of the PS4 updates might come from the Vita. </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543956-ps4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543956" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543956-ps4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543956"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543956-ps4.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>New Mortal Kombat</strong></h3><p style="">Ed Boon has been <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-poster-possibly-reveals-upcoming-ed-boon-announcement/1100-6419941/" data-ref-id="1100-6419941">teasing an announcement for the past few weeks</a>, and while that's set to fall on Monday (pre-E3), we're guessing that the inevitable Mortal Kombat reveal will also make a big splash at E3.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543943-mortalkombat.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543943" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543943-mortalkombat.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543943"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543943-mortalkombat.jpg"></a></figure><h3><strong>Big Third-Party Xbox One Exclusive</strong></h3><p style="">An reliable source has confirmed that Microsoft is going to have at least one "big" third-party exclusive reveal during their stage show. We don't know the exact game, but our source said the game is both something "unexpected" and "something people will be <em>really</em> excited about."</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543945-questions.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543945" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543945-questions.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543945"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543945-questions.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Halo: The Master Chief Collection</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Microsoft says the "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/forums/games-discussion-1000000/halo-5-guardians-announced-coming-to-xbox-one-in-2-31264589/" data-ref-id="false">journey</a>" to <a href="/halo-5-guardians/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 5: Guardians </a>(2015) will begin this year, but what could that mean? According to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-master-chief-halo-collection-games-1-4-report/1100-6419703/" data-ref-id="1100-6419703">Engadget's sources</a>, Microsoft is bundling <a href="/halo-combat-evolved/" data-ref-id="false">Halo: Combat Evolved</a>, <a href="/halo-2/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 2</a>, <a href="/halo-3/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 3</a>, and <a href="/halo-4/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 4</a> in a special package for Xbox One called the Master Chief Collection. There's no word on whether nor not <a href="/halo-3-odst/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 3: ODST</a> or <a href="/halo-reach/" data-ref-id="false">Halo: Reach</a> would also be included. Those are not "core" installments in the series, so we wouldn't be surprised if they were left out.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543745-newhalo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543745" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543745-newhalo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543745"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543745-newhalo.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Halo 2: Anniversary Edition</strong></h3><p style="">Rumors about an "Anniversary Edition" of Bungie's classic FPS <a href="/halo-2/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 2</a> <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-white-xbox-one-coming-in-2014-halo-2-anniversary-edition-and-titanfall-console-spotted-report/1100-6417425/" data-ref-id="1100-6417425">date back to January 2014</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-responds-to-halo-2-anniversary-rumor-halo-2-is-a-good-game/1100-6417507/" data-ref-id="1100-6417507">refuse to die</a>. The remastered version will reportedly include<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-white-xbox-one-coming-in-2014-halo-2-anniversary-edition-and-titanfall-console-spotted-report/1100-6417425/" data-ref-id="1100-6417425"> 1080p visuals</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-white-xbox-one-coming-in-2014-halo-2-anniversary-edition-and-titanfall-console-spotted-report/1100-6417425/" data-ref-id="1100-6417425">access to a beta for Halo 5: Guardians</a>. This rumor is increasingly interesting when you consider the game was released in 2004, meaning this year marks the game's tenth anniversary. Sounds like a good time to release an Anniversary Edition, no?</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543751-halo2chief.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543751" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543751-halo2chief.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543751"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543751-halo2chief.png"></a></figure><h3 dir="ltr"> </h3><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Collection for PS4 and Xbox One</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Earlier this month, <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/xboxone/comments/25thuq/cod_mw/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit user GTA678</a> posted an image of a "Modern Warfare Collection," which will reportedly bundle <a href="/call-of-duty-4-modern-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare</a>, <a href="/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2</a>, and <a href="/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3</a> in a special package for PS4 and Xbox One. The games will all reportedly run in 1080p at 60fps, with new textures, lighting effects, and sounds. Rumor has it this bundle will launch November 25 and even contain exclusive content for this fall's <a href="/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543737-mwcollection.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543737" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543737-mwcollection.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543737"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543737-mwcollection.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Battlefield: Hardline (CONFIRMED)</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">That escalated quickly.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This isn't much of a rumor any longer, as Electronic Arts this week <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-video-leaks-online-shows-new-gameplay-footage/1100-6419910/" data-ref-id="1100-6419910">confirmed that the game is indeed real</a> and developed by <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space </a>creator Visceral Games in conjunction with DICE. We're still waiting on platform and release date details, but the developer's VP took to Twitter today to say that a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/leaked-battlefield-trailer-was-six-months-old-e3-will-have-the-real-deal/1100-6419939/" data-ref-id="1100-6419939">leaked trailer for the game is six months out of date,</a> they'll be showing the "real deal" at E3, likely during its E3 press conference on Monday, June 9.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/" data-ref-id="false">Tune in and find out</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543742-hardline1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543742" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543742-hardline1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543742"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543742-hardline1.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Project Beast for the PS4</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Stemming from images <a href="http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=812089" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">posted on 4Chan and circulated on popular gaming forum NeoGAF</a>, this is reportedly the working title for a new game from <a href="/demons-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Demon's Souls</a> and <a href="/dark-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls </a>studio From Software in conjunction with Sony Japan. Demon's Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki--now <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/demon-s-souls-dark-souls-director-named-president-of-from-software/1100-6419775/" data-ref-id="1100-6419775">president of From Software</a>--worked on this year's <a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls II </a>only in a supervising role; he focused most of his attention on an unannounced mystery game. Is Project Beast this game? We may not have to wait much longer to find out.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543735-projectbeast.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543735" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543735-projectbeast.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543735"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543735-projectbeast.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </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> Wed, 28 May 2014 14:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-rumors/1100-6419935/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-dev-explains-why-game-isn-t-sci-fi/1100-6419937/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2522996-1941346_700329743362086_2246411992111435703_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2522996" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2522996-1941346_700329743362086_2246411992111435703_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2522996"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/536/5360430/2522996-1941346_700329743362086_2246411992111435703_o.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare</a> is set in the future, the year <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tons-of-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-details-emerge/1100-6419415/" data-ref-id="1100-6419415">2054</a> to be exact, but the world you'll get to experience is not one of science fiction. That's because developer Sledgehammer Games believes the Call of Duty series is strongest when it's grounded in relatable and believable experiences and situations.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I think Call of Duty resonates because it's believable and relatable. It's always been one of the strengths of the franchise," Sledgehammer Games cofounder Michael Condrey told <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/05/28/imagining-the-future-for-call-of-duty.aspx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><em>Game Informer</em></a> in a new interview. The future that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare will offer is a future that "we can relate to, that can strike sort of a zeitgeist," he added.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When researching for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Condrey said what they discovered was happening in the real world was actually "more fantastic than even the things that we were coming up with." He stressed that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, even though it has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tons-of-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-details-emerge/1100-6419415/" data-ref-id="1100-6419415">superhuman EXO suits and mechs</a>, is grounded in reality. "It's not that fictional leap to a science fiction world you can't relate to," Condrey said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also in the interview, the reporter asks if a potential Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare 2 might include more sci-fi elements. Condrey and Sledgehammer Games' other founder Glen Schofield said their focus right now is on the first game, but, "We're keeping [the game world] in a place where another game can exist."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most recent Call of Duty game, 2013's <a href="/call-of-duty-ghosts/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Ghosts</a>, featured a series-first alien-themed mode called Extinction. Treyarch's <a href="/call-of-duty-black-ops/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Black Ops </a>series, on the other hand, is well-known for its Zombies mode that lets you blast apart enemy Nazi zombies. </p><p style="">Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tons-of-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-details-emerge/1100-6419415/" data-ref-id="1100-6419415">November 4 </a>for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey is playing a prominent role in the game, which runs on a new engine that Activision says is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/two-studios-making-this-year-s-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-activision-promises-near-photorealistic-world/1100-6419400/" data-ref-id="1100-6419400">capable of delivering "near photorealistic" visuals</a>.</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><br /></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 28 May 2014 14:11:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-dev-explains-why-game-isn-t-sci-fi/1100-6419937/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-sony-boss-jack-tretton-joins-new-ai-company/1100-6419936/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2543741-tretton.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543741" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2543741-tretton.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543741"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/123/1239113/2543741-tretton.jpg"></a><figcaption>Image courtesy of PlayStation Blog</figcaption></figure><p style="">It hasn't taken Jack Tretton, the former president of Sony Computer Entertainment America, long at all to find himself a new position; artificial intelligence development company Genotaur announced today that Tretton has joined its advisory board.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Genotaur has an incredibly impressive array of resources and expertise that will greatly enhance the way consumers interact with technology. I look forward to sharing my passion for bringing interactive entertainment and cutting edge technology products to market with the team," Tretton said as part of today's announcement.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The San Diego-based Genotaur was founded last year and is working on a project aspiring to create "new forms of intelligent interactive interfaces between humans and computers" that it will then license out to other companies.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Although the venture may not be directly tied to video games, today's announcement notes that games are one of several fields that could license out the technology Genotaur is working on. Tretton is also not the only person involved with the company to have a past in the games industry; consultant Tim Hays previously worked at Electronic Arts, Sega, and Sony, among other companies, and fellow advisory board member Rob Wyatt was the lead system architect on the original Xbox.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"This is a very exciting time for us at Genotaur as we develop new products and scale our business, focusing initially on implementation within the computer entrainment business," said CEO and president Tony Simpson. "Jack's experience in every area of building and operating consumer products and interactive entertainment companies will help us grow our capabilities at Genotaur. We are fortunate to have an executive of Jack's knowledge and experience base on our team."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Tretton, who worked at Activision before coming to Sony, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/veteran-playstation-boss-jack-tretton-to-step-down/1100-6418156/" data-ref-id="1100-6418156">left SCEA at the end of March</a> in what was described as a "mutual agreement" between the two parties. He had been at SCEA since 1995, working on the North American launch of every PlayStation platform since the original. He was named president and CEO of the company in 2006 and remained in that role until his departure earlier this year, when he was succeeded by Sony Network VP Shawn Layden. On his way out, Tretton even earned the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-boss-praises-outgoing-playstation-executive-jack-tretton/1100-6418165/" data-ref-id="1100-6418165">praise of Xbox boss Phil Spencer</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSmokingManX" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 28 May 2014 13:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-sony-boss-jack-tretton-joins-new-ai-company/1100-6419936/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 29 May 2014 00:24:34 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-3-is-free-through-origin/1100-6419945/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/3/2/9/2020329-673308_20121127_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2020329" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/3/2/9/2020329-673308_20121127_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2020329"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/0/3/2/9/2020329-673308_20121127_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="https://www.origin.com/en-au/store/free-games/on-the-house" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Electronic Arts </a>is offering Origin users a free copy of <a href="/battlefield-3/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 3</a> as a part of the "On the House" program. The game is available to download free of cost until June 3. Once users have downloaded a copy it is theirs to keep.</p><p style="">The "On the House" program <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-space-free-on-origin-as-the-first-title-in-ea-s-on-the-house-promotion/1100-6418601/" data-ref-id="1100-6418601">launched in March</a> this year with 2008's horror-action game <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space.</a> As part of the program, EA will offer up DLC and full games for free. The program is also currently offering users <a href="/plants-vs-zombies/" data-ref-id="false">Plants vs. Zombies</a> Game of the Year Edition until June 17.</p><p style="">Battlefield 3 was released in 2011 to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/battlefield-3-review/1900-6342635/" data-ref-id="1900-6342635">positive reception</a>. EA recently revealed a new entry to the shooter series called <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-hardline/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield Hardline</a>, which is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-to-launch-this-fall/1100-6419908/" data-ref-id="1100-6419908">scheduled to launch this Fall</a>.</p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</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><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Wed, 28 May 2014 19:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-3-is-free-through-origin/1100-6419945/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/shenmue-gameplay-the-shaun-method/2300-6419009/ Shaun guides Ryo Hazuki to quench his insatiable thirst for sailors by questioning some useless townfolk in the Dreamcast classic, Shenmue. Wed, 28 May 2014 17:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/shenmue-gameplay-the-shaun-method/2300-6419009/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-incredible-adventures-of-van-helsing-2-review/1900-6415777/ <p style="">Like its predecessor, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II bills itself as a "gothic-noir adventure." While there are too many pop culture references and too much comedic relief for the "noir" part of that label to stick, the general tone is one of grim expressionism, bolstered by some finely constructed action sequences. In fact, beyond its ham-fisted exposition and painfully slow start, there's little to hold the experience back from being one of the better action role-playing games in quite some time.</p><p style="">The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II is absolutely massive and packed with secrets and details that are easy to miss the first time around. You wouldn't know that from the first few hours of play, though. Van Helsing is remarkable in that it has one of the most annoyingly intrusive introductions in recent memory, yet explains almost none of the subtlety this game has to offer. Van Helsing II opens in medias res, but what seems like a potentially exciting start comes off as cluttered and ultimately confusing. The game picks up right after the conclusion of the last game, and you play as the son of the infamous vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing. After felling the mad scientist that had terrorized the fictitious, industrial-era city of Borgova, you take over a resistance movement against the corrupt government. Your initial motivations aren't made clear, and the entire opening sequence is dominated by cutscenes that have weirdly nauseating cameras that wobble around while the main characters discuss detailed military strategy.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543759-van003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543759" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543759-van003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543759"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543759-van003.jpg"></a><figcaption>The areas you explore in Van Helsing are rich and imaginative. This comes from the outskirts of a crystal workshop guarded by an army of chimeras. </figcaption></figure><p style="">It's all a bit overwhelming, which is particularly unfortunate given how great the game becomes. A few hours in, you have access to your secret lair, a subterranean hideout that serves as your base of operations for the rest of your adventure. From there, you can marshal troops, craft new equipment, and generally help guide the resistance movement. Again, why exactly the movement is necessary is never made clear. You never see the real effects of the allegedly corrupt government, and there's no reason to empathize with the populace. That said, all of these pieces come together remarkably well, combining the straight action RPG trappings of the first Van Helsing with added gameplay modes.</p><p style="">From here, Van Helsing II is loosely organized into a few discrete chapters. For each one, you have a primary objective that supports the resistance movement's plan to take the city of Borgova. These are tied directly to the game's gothic horror inspirations and help build up the intensely supernatural world. Without a gripping narrative to serve as the foundation for this adventure, the creatures and environments are left to carry the experience. Thankfully, the art direction is just as substantial as before, and is largely supported by these quests to unlock power held by long-dead beings. The main quests provide plenty of excuses to venture into the wilderness outside the city and play in a variety of striking locales. Each of these places is also home to a variety of Easter eggs, which help each environment feel dense and populated. Upon the conclusion of each chapter, you're shown a few stats detailing your time spent, the percentage of the secrets you managed to unearth, and how well you did overall. Once you've seen the "chapter complete" screen, however, the preceding areas are lost to you for the rest of the game, encouraging you to be thorough in your search.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543761-van001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543761" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543761-van001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543761"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2543761-van001.jpg"></a><figcaption>There's a pretty nifty mode for launching side missions and raising armies for the resistance movement you lead. Different personality traits for your captains can have different effects on your chances based on the specific types of missions you send them on.</figcaption></figure><p style="">You don't have to deal with the big things immediately if you don't want to, though. Like before, there are plenty of supplementary quests for those looking for a break from the core game. The tower-defense minigame makes a return, with robust tools for managing waves and waves of baddies. You can also hire soldiers, upgrade their equipment, and build up a small army to run consistent raids for you. They can bring back valuable items and tons of extra cash, which you can reinvest in your war effort, or yourself. Various non-player characters also offer additional one-off quests that help further build out this surprisingly rich world, and yield some great loot for you and your companions. Finally, you also have some shops and crafting tools to help you get the best gear and tools for combat versus the weird, surreal, and undead monsters that roam the wilds outside of Borgova. That's great, because as you might expect from Van Helsing's action RPG scaffolding, combat is what this game does best.</p><p style="">Combat has improved dramatically since the last entry in the series, and that's primarily because of two small but vital changes. The first is that the two classes originally released as downloadable content for the first game are now packed in. From the beginning, you have three distinct archetypes, each with a dramatically different play style. The default hunter class is a melee-ranged fusion that harks back to Bram Stoker's original descriptions of the literary vampire hunter. The other two are a bit odd thematically because they represent two of the main types of enemies that you fight against: unholy magic users and engineers warped by "weird science." Even so, they add a lot of variety and are distinct enough to warrant spending at least a little time with each.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543762-van002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543762" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543762-van002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543762"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543762-van002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Nice Monty Python reference.</figcaption></figure><p style="">For my main run, I used an arcane mechanic. The class focuses on deploying robots, mines, turrets, grenades, and other corrupted machinery to dominate the battlefield. That's actually where I felt the second change to combat most: two additional skill slots. In the first Van Helsing, you played as a hunter that balanced ranged and close-combat weaponry using six main abilities. There was a clean duality to it that's retained for those who choose to take up being a hunter once again. I, however, found it much more exciting to constantly manage mines and robotic spiders to assist me in combat. I didn't invest much into boosting my health or defense, instead focusing on maximizing my attack-power-by-proxy. It added a bit of tension as well, knowing that if my machines started to fall, I'd need to rapidly get them back into action or face death. The extra skill slots made managing the chaos of battle more challenging but also more rewarding without teetering into the unnecessarily convoluted.</p><p style="">Van Helsing is coarsely granular. Some of its pieces don't work as well as they should, but much of that falls by the wayside when you're in the thick of things. It is stellar in spite of a few big missteps and the fact that, with the exception of the world itself, none of the experience feels cohesive. Between combat segments, Van Helsing and his ghostly companion, Lady Katarina, exchange snarky quips about pop culture and casual digs at one another. It's nice for characterization, but it's also anachronistic and fails to fit into the rest of the game. That's fine, though, because Van Helsing never takes itself too seriously. It's all part of the ride.</p> Wed, 28 May 2014 17:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-incredible-adventures-of-van-helsing-2-review/1900-6415777/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/all-of-the-games-for-xbox-one-in-2014/1100-6418756/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2525964-sunset-overdrive-forall-sunset-city.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2525964" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2525964-sunset-overdrive-forall-sunset-city.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2525964"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1197/11970954/2525964-sunset-overdrive-forall-sunset-city.jpg"></a><figcaption>Insomniac Games' Xbox One-exclusive Sunset Overdrive launches this year. </figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Earlier this year, Sony <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-getting-over-100-games-in-2014-here-s-the-full-list/1100-6418569/" data-ref-id="1100-6418569">published a masterlist of the 100+ games available on the PlayStation in 2014</a>. While Microsoft has not released a similar list of its own for the Xbox One, we've searched out and listed below everything already released on Xbox One this year or still to come. If you want to play them all, you'll need <a href="http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/screen_kubrick/2/23546/2527267-es.jpg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">a fat wallet</a> and an <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-gets-external-storage-support-real-names-for-friends-next-month/1100-6419776/" data-ref-id="1100-6419776">external storage solution</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The list, which spans 70+ games, includes multiplatform heavy-hitters like Ubisoft's open-world action game <a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs</a> (May 27) and Bungie's shared-world shooter<a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false"> Destiny</a> (Sept. 9), as well as Xbox One-exclusives like <a href="/sunset-overdrive/" data-ref-id="false">Sunset Overdrive</a> and an <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-5-confirmed-for-2015-release-on-xbox-one/1100-6419677/" data-ref-id="1100-6419677">new Halo game</a>. Also featured on the list are various indie games published through ID@Xbox like Capybara Games' <a href="/super-t-i-m-e-force/" data-ref-id="false">Super Time Force</a> and ninja squirrel game <a href="/nutjitsu/" data-ref-id="false">Nutjitsu</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><em>Of course, this list is subject to change as games are delayed or announced (<a href="http://gamespot.com/e3/" data-ref-id="false">E3 is right around the corner</a>, after all). Did we miss any? If so, please let us know in the comments below and we'll update this story accordingly. Thanks!</em></p><h2 dir="ltr">Already Available:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-amazing-spider-man-2/" data-ref-id="false">The Amazing Spider-Man 2</a> - April 29</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/child-of-light/" data-ref-id="false">Child of Light</a> - April 30</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/kinect-sports-rivals/" data-ref-id="false">Kinect Sports Rivals </a>- April 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-lego-movie-videogame/" data-ref-id="false">The Lego Movie Video Game </a>- February 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/lego-the-hobbit-review/1900-6415731/" data-ref-id="1900-6415731">Lego: The Hobbit </a>- April 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes </a>- March 18</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/nutjitsu/" data-ref-id="false">Nutjitsu </a>- May 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-review/1900-6415676/" data-ref-id="1900-6415676">Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare</a> - February 25</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/rayman-legends/" data-ref-id="false">Rayman Legends </a>- February 18</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/strider/" data-ref-id="false">Strider </a>- February 19</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/strike-suit-zero/" data-ref-id="false">Strike Suit Zero</a> - April 8</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/super-t-i-m-e-force/" data-ref-id="false">Super Time Force </a>- May 14</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/thief/" data-ref-id="false">Thief </a>- February 25</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/titanfall/" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall </a>- March 11</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/reviews/tomb-raider-definitive-edition-review/1900-6415647/" data-ref-id="1900-6415647">Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition </a>- January 28</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/trials-fusion/" data-ref-id="false">Trials Fusion </a>- April 18</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/wolfenstein-the-new-order/" data-ref-id="false">Wolfenstein: The New Order </a>- May 20</li></ul><p style=""> </p><h2 dir="ltr">Upcoming:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/alien-isolation/" data-ref-id="false">Alien: Isolation </a>- October 7</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare</a> - November 4</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny </a>- September 9</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/diablo-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition </a>- August 19</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/dragon-age-inquisition/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age: Inquisition</a> - October 7</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/ufc-ultimate-fighting-championship/" data-ref-id="false">EA Sports UFC</a> - June 17</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-elder-scrolls-online/" data-ref-id="false">The Elder Scrolls Online </a>- November 2014</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-evil-within/" data-ref-id="false">The Evil Within</a> - August 26</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/evolve/" data-ref-id="false">Evolve </a>- October 21</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/far-cry-4/" data-ref-id="false">Far Cry 4 </a>- November 18</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor/" data-ref-id="false">Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor </a>- October 7</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/madden-nfl-15/" data-ref-id="false">Madden NFL 15</a> - August 26</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/murdered-soul-suspect/" data-ref-id="false">Murdered: Soul Suspect </a>- June 3</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/skylanders-trap-team/" data-ref-id="false">Skylanders: Trap Team </a>- October 5</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/sniper-elite-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Sniper Elite 3 </a>- July 1</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/transformers-rise-of-the-dark-spark/" data-ref-id="false">Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark</a> - June 24</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs </a>- May 27</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/worms-battlegrounds/" data-ref-id="false">Worms Battlegrounds </a>- June 3</li><li><a href="/wwe-2k15/" data-ref-id="false">WWE 2K15 </a>- October 28</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><h2 dir="ltr">TBA:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/aban-hawkins-and-the-1-001-spikes/" data-ref-id="false">1001 Spikes</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/batman-arkham-knight/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham Knight</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/aztez/" data-ref-id="false">Aztez</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/below/" data-ref-id="false">Below</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/calibre-10-racing-series/" data-ref-id="false">Calibre 10 Racing Series</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/castlestorm/" data-ref-id="false">Castlestorm</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/chariot/" data-ref-id="false">Chariot</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/chucks-challenge-3d/" data-ref-id="false">Chuck's Challenge 3D</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/contrast/" data-ref-id="false">Contrast</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/defense-grid-2/" data-ref-id="false">Defense Grid 2</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/fantasia-music-evolved/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/disney-infinity-20/" data-ref-id="false">Disney Infinity -- Marvel Super Heroes</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/divekick/" data-ref-id="false">Divekick Addition Edition</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/dying-light/" data-ref-id="false">Dying Light</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-elder-scrolls-online/" data-ref-id="false">The Elder Scrolls Online</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/forced/" data-ref-id="false">Forced</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/fru/" data-ref-id="false">Fru</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/guacamelee/" data-ref-id="false">Guacamelee</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/gunscape/" data-ref-id="false">Gunscape</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/habitat/" data-ref-id="false">Habitat</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/hyper-light-drifter/" data-ref-id="false">Hyper Light Drifter</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/it-draws-a-red-box/" data-ref-id="false">It Draws A Red Box</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/kickbeat/" data-ref-id="false">Kickbeat</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-last-tinker-city-of-colors/" data-ref-id="false">The Last Tinker</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/lords-of-the-fallen/" data-ref-id="false">Lords of the Fallen</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/nhl-15/" data-ref-id="false">NHL 15</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/pinball-fx-2/" data-ref-id="false">Pinball FX2</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/project-cars/" data-ref-id="false">Project Cars</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/project-spark/" data-ref-id="false">Project Spark</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/rbi-baseball-14/" data-ref-id="false">RBI Baseball 14</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/riptide-gp2/" data-ref-id="false">Riptide GP2</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/roundabout-2/" data-ref-id="false">Roundabout</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/sunset-overdrive/" data-ref-id="false">Sunset Overdrive</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/quantum-break/" data-ref-id="false">Quantum Break</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-crew/" data-ref-id="false">The Crew</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/the-golf-club/" data-ref-id="false">The Golf Club</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/wulverblade/" data-ref-id="false">Wulverblade</a></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">Rumored:</h2><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">Dance Central sequel</a></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-master-chief-halo-collection-games-1-4-report/1100-6419703/" data-ref-id="1100-6419703">Halo 1-4 collection</a></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><h2 dir="ltr"> </h2><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> Wed, 28 May 2014 17:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/all-of-the-games-for-xbox-one-in-2014/1100-6418756/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hack-n-slash-early-access-review/1100-6419934/ <p style=""><i>GameSpot's early access reviews evaluate unfinished games that are nonetheless available for purchase by the public. While the games in question are not considered finished by their creators, you may still devote money, time, and 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.</i></p><p style="">There is no graceful way to close Hack 'n' Slash. No exit option in the menu. No menu, at that. The only way to turn the game off is to alt + tab away from it and force-close it from outside the program. As an early access game with emphasis on the "early," Double Fine's yet-unfinished puzzle game is up to its neck in idiosyncrasies of that sort. They're nostalgic problems for a nostalgic game--a send-up of The Legend of Zelda, harking back to a time when troubleshooting started and ended with blowing on the cartridge to clear away the dust.</p><p style="">You're dropped into a cavernous dungeon, possessionless except for an unusual sword. Hack 'n' Slash starts with a premise common enough to the Zelda series, but it takes a hard left when you try to swing your sword against the bars of your prison door and it breaks to reveal an underlying USB drive. Try that swing a second time, and now you're greeted with a prompt: GateDoor: Open (False). Change the value of the Boolean, and the door opens, no questions asked.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543713-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543713" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543713-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543713"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/642/6422750/2543713-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>The combination of fantasy tropes and computer code style is clever, but a bit hard to parse.</figcaption></figure><p style="">So, here's a world where elaborate Tolkienesque fantasy terms are rendered in the scrunched shorthand of computer code, all superfluous underscores and appended numerals. A world where the classic iconography of action adventure games can be opened up, their entrails of code sifted and rearranged toward more immediately useful applications. Where in The Legend of Zelda, you might mow through foliage with your sword to reveal a few hidden items, in Hack 'n' Slash, it's but a matter of programming the bush to spontaneously combust and leave behind a desired reward.</p><p style="">Over time, more elegant and clever uses reveal themselves to enterprising minds. Take, say, the obnoxiously aggressive birds that pursue you, pecking away, and change their damage value to something negative. Suddenly you've got a cranky little satellite that heals you at regular intervals. The scope of your hacking ability is usually limited to a few baked-in applications, but even those prescriptive limits can be stretched to a breaking point. After one early character confers a gift of additional health, you might decide to rig the gamestate to say the gift was never received, and treat yourself to a second helping. And a third, and a fourth...on and on until you become functionally immortal.</p><blockquote data-align="left" data-size="small"><p style="">Here's a world where elaborate Tolkienesque fantasy terms are rendered in the scrunched shorthand of computer code, all superfluous underscores and appended numerals.</p></blockquote><p style="">That might seem to spoil some of the challenge, but the double entendre of "Hack 'n' Slash" trades more on its second meaning than its first. In this land, the keyboard is mightier than the sword: battles here aren't won with combat prowess, but on the strength of your ability to see through to the code, to bend it to your will. Algorithms are arcana in Hack 'n' Slash, and those who wield them are wizards. Speaking as someone who views programming skill with the intermingled mistrust and awe normally reserved for the dark arts, it's not all that much of a stretch.</p><p style="">The trouble is that Hack 'n' Slash soon loses its patience for us muggles. Flipping the switch on an enemy to change its attitude from "angsty" to "docile" is one thing, but when the game starts to really amp up the hacking in Act 4, it sheds its innocent fantasy charm and becomes something stark and standoffish. Instead of leafy woods, you're back in dank caves that look suspiciously like the ones you started in. Instead of clever amalgams of programming and puzzles, you get doors to unlock and programming pictographs. Imagine having to read a long strand of computer code by physically running from one side to the other, learning each function by staring at it until the values make sense.</p><p style="">"Here's a fun fact about the modulo operator," says your fairy companion as you amble back and forth, fiddling with dials. "You can easily test whether a number is even or odd by computing the number modulo 2!" But no amount of edutainment dialogue can help you to parse coding language when it's laid on so thick. And even though the most byzantine of these puzzles belie a relatively simple solution--usually just a change to one or two of the variables--it's small comfort to a layman. They might as well be written in elvish. Sometimes they are.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543717-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543717" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543717-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543717"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/642/6422750/2543717-0004.jpg"></a><figcaption>Hack 'n' Slash tries to lampshade its early access instability, but it doesn't help much.</figcaption></figure><p style="">It's one thing to grapple with the challenges the game poses on purpose. It's quite another to juggle them alongside Hack 'n' Slash's temperamental stability. Set a variable to equal another variable, and the game crashes. Change a letter variable to a number, and the game crashes. Touch a particular object, and the game crashes. Switch between keyboard and controller while entering a variable, and the game crashes.</p><p style="">In one moment that quite unintentionally recalled 2013's <a href="/the-legend-of-zelda-a-link-between-worlds/" data-ref-id="false">The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds</a>, I went through a door at a slightly off-kilter angle and found myself adhered to the wall. I scampered around off the critical path, weaving among the wall sconces and pilasters, and soon found I was still able to move between rooms. As I merrily sidestepped puzzles and obstacles meant to impede my progress, I pondered the various ways that Hack 'n' Slash adroitly lampshades its own glitchiness. You are explicitly instructed to poke at the weak points in the game's code, so wouldn't a few unscripted solutions be in keeping with that spirit? But soon the wall ended, and I was unable to extricate myself.</p><p style="">Worse still, the puzzles I'd bypassed unlocked tools I'd need later, so I had no choice but to quit the game and load an earlier save. There's no fast-travel option in Hack 'n' Slash, so errors of both human and computer origin alike can cost you a great deal of time and patience.</p><p style="">It will likely fall to Double Fine's trademarked sense of humor to shepherd you past the jargon and the instability, to make this simple story about an unsung hero toppling an evil wizard pop and fizz. It certainly has the pedigree for the job. And even in this unfinished state, Hack 'n' Slash does feel like a good venue for the developer's brand of punny, irreverent humor. It's got all the ingredients of a quintessentially postmodern game: classical video game references, subversive deconstruction, and vibrant, cartoonish color.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543715-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543715" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2543715-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543715"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/642/6422750/2543715-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>Hack 'n' Slash tries to lampshade its early access instability, but it doesn't help much.</figcaption></figure><p style="">There is one area where Hack 'n' Slash might have been better served with a little modernist order, though. In the original Legend of Zelda games, an underlying grid governed the placement of objects like doors, trees, and chickens. Hack 'n' Slash carries itself as though it works in a similar fashion. Reprogram an enemy, for example, and you find a prompt for how many "tiles" you'd like it to move. But the grid is otherwise inscrutable, and movement suffers for it. Movable puzzles become exercises of trial and error. Diagonal motion on your part is often necessary, but frequently punished, and the location of characters seems to have little to do with where they take or give damage. Clipping issues abound. With a more modular, Cartesian appearance, the mathematical undercurrents running beneath Hack 'n' Slash could be better handled when they bubble to the game's surface.</p><p style="">But now I'm advocating for more math, and that's troubling territory for an artsy-fartsy critic. Perhaps with a little more development time, Hack 'n' Slash can make those STEM fields palatable for a mind full of fairies and magic swords like mine. But right now, it needs someone to blow the dust off its cartridge.</p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><b>What's There?</b></p></td><td><p style=""><em>A clever but glitchy and incomplete adventure wherein you reprogram your way across four acts of exponentially increasing difficulty. It takes a couple of hours to complete, give or take some time based on your ability to suss out meaning from code.<br /></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b>What's To Come?</b></p></td><td><p style=""><em>A fifth and final act to resolve the story, as well as additional puzzles, modding support, and adjustments and fixes based on player feedback.</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b>What Does it Cost?</b></p></td><td><em>$19.99 on <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/246070/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>.</em></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b>When Will it Be Finished?</b></p></td><td><p style=""><em>Unknown.</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p style=""><b>What's the Verdict?</b></p></td><td><p style=""><em>Hack 'n' Slash's endgame is ambitious--a fantasy world without a fourth wall, open to the caprice of anyone who can string together a few lines of code. But frustrating glitches, inscrutable puzzles, and jury-rigged art make for an inauspicious start to its hero's journey.</em></p></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 28 May 2014 16:49:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hack-n-slash-early-access-review/1100-6419934/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-game-guide-ctos-tower-walkthrough/1100-6419942/ <p style="">If you've played your share of Ubisoft open world games, you know the deal: revealing the secrets and collectibles of a given area, outpost, or district takes a bit of effort. It's a more layered form of infiltration in Watch Dogs. Hacking ctOS centers isn't enough; you also need to hack the various ctOS towers within each part of Chicago. The challenge is in gaining access to these fenced-in towers. These spatial puzzles are some of the best brain teasers in Watch Dogs, but if you do find yourself stumped, here's a walkthough video to guide you to each tower, along with a listing of where in the video to find each one. </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418998" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418998/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""><b>Mad Mile, Northwest: 0:39</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543847-ctos1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543847" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543847-ctos1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543847"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543847-ctos1.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This ctOS tower is based within a block of multilevel apartments, so it's not surprising that you'll need to traverse a few rooftops to get to the console. Approaching from the north, head down a wide alley leading to the courtyard. While still on the ground level, look for an unlock panel. After hacking the panel, head further down the alley, and use the lift to your right. Climb until you reach the roof, then look for a small glass bridge. Cross it, but before you hop the fence, make a 180-degree turn to find another unlock panel. Now hop the fence, go through the ctOS gate, and make a right. Cross the glass bridge, walk across the roof, and hop over the railing to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Parker Square, East: 1:14</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543848-ctos2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543848" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543848-ctos2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543848"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543848-ctos2.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This tower puzzle serves as a reminder that forklifts and other movable objects occasionally hide cameras from view. When you're within the fence of this facility, hack into the first available camera. Then hack the forklift to reveal another camera. This camera will give you a view of the unlock panel for you to hack. Walk back to the facility entrance and pass through the ctOS gate. Climb up the ladder, then drop down to the area with the forklift to access the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Parker Square, South: 1:43</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543849-ctos3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543849" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543849-ctos3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543849"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543849-ctos3.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Using the Public Furniture sign as a starting point, head south, and make a right into the first alley. Head into the small parking lot with the barbed wire-enforced wall and climb up using the forklift. Keep climbing until you reach the catwalk on the right and use another lift as a bridge to reach another part of the building. Then climb up the two-tier generator, then the balcony, and finally, the ladder. Hack the camera next to the ctOS tower and look to the right. Hack the unlock panel to gain access to the tower.</p><p style=""><b>The Wards, West: 2:14</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543852-ctos4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543852" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543852-ctos4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543852"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543852-ctos4.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This is the ctOS tower closest to The L train tracks and yes, you'll need to cross the track in order to reach the tower. Starting at ground level, look for the stairs surrounded by a chainlink fence, slightly northwest of the tower. Climb up the stairs and the nearby ladder to reach tracks. Cross the tracks to reach the ctOS tower. Hack the camera and look left to access another camera. Now look left and down to find a junction box. Hack the box to create an explosion that will destroy the nearby pallets. It turns out the pallets obscured the unlock panel!</p><p style=""><b>The Wards, East: 2:50</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543853-ctos5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543853" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543853-ctos5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543853"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543853-ctos5.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Start by hacking the camera next to the billboard west of the tower. Then access the camera in the middle of the facility. Look right and hack the next camera, which will give you a view of the first unlock panel. After hacking the panel, hop on the nearby lift and raise it to reach the facility. Climb up a couple boxes to reach the ctOS tower entrance. After passing the gate, make a right and climb up the large generator. From there, you have a good view of the next unlock panel to hack. Return to the chainlink entrance and make a right. Progress along the side of the building until you reach a ladder. Climb up the ladder and move forward until you see another ctOS chainlink gate. Go through that to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Brandon Docks, West: 3:34</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543855-ctos6.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543855" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543855-ctos6.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543855"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543855-ctos6.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Our video starts on the west side of the facility. Hack the camera at the center of the building then look slightly up and to the left to hack another camera. Now you have a good view of the unlock panel. Hack that and then go through the door with the yellow sign with the black hand. Exit the room through the other door, hop the fence to your left, and then use the lift. Follow the only available path to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Brandon Docks, East: 4:01</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543856-ctos7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543856" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543856-ctos7.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543856"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543856-ctos7.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Starting at the entrance of the facility, look left to find a small single story building and the unlock panel around the corner. You might think that the large warehouse nearby is your next destination, but it's not. In fact, the interior of the warehouse has nothing to do with this puzzle. If you're stumped, it could be because you found the carrier too far for a successful roof jump. So what else can fit in one of those carriers? Simply use the nearby car to help you jump far enough to reach the roof with the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Brandon Docks, Central: 4:22</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543858-ctos8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543858" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543858-ctos8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543858"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543858-ctos8.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Start by heading east from the tower, toward a lift. Ride the lift, climb the ladder on the right, and make another right to cross the catwalk. While facing the fenced gate, hack the one visible camera. This will give you a view of the unlock panel which you should hack. Pass through the gate and look for the door with the yellow sign with the black hand. While facing the door, turn right 90 degrees and hack the camera. Look to the right and hack the camera inside the warehouse office. This will give you a good view of the next unlock panel. Hack it to gain access to the tower.</p><p style=""><b>The Loop, South: 5:00</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543859-ctos9.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543859" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543859-ctos9.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543859"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543859-ctos9.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Using the red tower icon in the minimap as a reference point, go into the middle of the block where the four alleys meet. Use the nearby camera to jump to a second camera closer to the tower--this should give you a good view of the unlock panel. Now look to the left for another camera to hack, which will give you a clear view of a second unlock panel. Now climb on the nearby lift and raise it. Then climb up the generator and over the adjacent railing. Run up the two sets of steps and make a left to climb up another level. Pass through the ctOS gate and make another left to climb to an even higher level. When you get to the top, look left to find the tower.</p><p style=""><b>The Loop, North: 5:41</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543861-ctos10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543861" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543861-ctos10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543861"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543861-ctos10.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">This tower puzzle is another reminder that if there's a scissor lift nearby, you'll most likely need to use it. When the lift has fully risen, move straight ahead toward the climbable ledges. Keep climbing until you reach the ctOS gate. Ignore the camera at the corner of one of the fences and instead hack the camera that's further in the distance. Look to the right for the unlock panel. Hack it, then swing the camera around so that two cameras are in view. Hack the higher camera to get a view of the second unlock Panel. Hack the panel, pass through the unlocked ctOS gate, and make a right. After passing through the second gate, veer right, and climb up the generators to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>The Loop, Northeast: 6:22</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543862-ctos11.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543862" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543862-ctos11.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543862"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543862-ctos11.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Begin by heading into the alley south of the red ctOS tower marker. Once you've gotten a good glimpse of the tower, look for a catwalk and the camera that's nearly above the catwalk. Hack it, then hack the second camera that's within the first camera's view (slightly up and to the right). You'll now be able to spot the unlock panel, which you should hack. While you're in that view, look straight ahead and hack the lift in the distance. Walk over to the lift and ride it all the way to the top. Run through the two ctOS gates and drop down one level to reach the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Mad Mile, Northeast: 6:54</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543863-ctos12.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543863" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543863-ctos12.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543863"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543863-ctos12.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">A good starting point is a block west of the red ctOS tower icon on the minimap. Look for a set of abstract steps where each step is slightly taller than Aiden Pierce. Climb those steps and continue running forward, past the generators and over the railing. Use the metal awning to cross to the next building. Climb up two generators to reach another rooftop. Continue moving forward and cross the two large adjoining metal awnings. Look for the ventilation ducts and even more generators. Climb those objects to reach the ctOS gate. Head north, dropping down one level and move along the edge of the building until you reach another set of vents and generators. Climb up and hop over the nearby plants. Advance several paces to (finally) reach the first unlock panel. Did you notice the Intrusion panel after reaching the ctOS gate? Go back to that panel and hack it. Using two interior cameras will reveal the last unlock panel, giving you access to the tower.</p><p style=""><b>Mad Mile, Island: 7:57</b></p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543864-ctos13.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543864" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2543864-ctos13.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543864"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2543864-ctos13.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">It's best to start this puzzle on the small pier next to the red tower icon. While facing the ctOS logo, look up and slightly to the left to find and hack the first camera. For the next camera, you should also look up and to the left. Now you have a view of the unlock panel. Run toward the ctOS facility and go up the stairs. While facing the water, make a left and continue moving along the side of the building until you reach the ladder. Climb the ladder and look for another unlock panel. Hack it to pass the ctOS gate in front of you. Proceed forward to reach the tower.</p> Wed, 28 May 2014 16:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-game-guide-ctos-tower-walkthrough/1100-6419942/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-battlefield-hardline-video-wolfenstein-pir/2300-6419001/ Wolfenstein: The New Order has been pirated A LOT, an internal Battlefield: Hardline video leaks, and how did Watch Dogs cause a bomb scare?! Wed, 28 May 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-battlefield-hardline-video-wolfenstein-pir/2300-6419001/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wildstar-features-trailer/2300-6419000/ Check out the new features in WildStar. Wed, 28 May 2014 15:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/wildstar-features-trailer/2300-6419000/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-poster-possibly-reveals-upcoming-ed-boon-announcement/1100-6419941/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543812-mortalkombat.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543812" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543812-mortalkombat.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543812"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543812-mortalkombat.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon has been teasing an upcoming reveal for the past few weeks, but a recent leaked poster (shown above) all but confirms that a new Mortal Kombat is on the way soon.</p><p style="">The image, posted to <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/Itshappening24" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit</a>, doesn't reveal much about the game outside what the game might be outside of the iconic Mortal Kombat logo, the tagline "Who's next?", and a brutally fractured spine.</p><p style="">Boon's cryptic tweets have included an <a href="https://twitter.com/noobde/statuses/468135438641676288" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">innocuous picture of a car...with the logo MK X</a>, and a countdown which is set to end on Monday, June 2 (<a href="https://twitter.com/noobde/status/471677086726234112" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">since we're on five today</a>).</p><div data-embed-type="html"><script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async=""></script></div><p style="">So, what's the announcement going to be? is this Mortal Kombat 10, a new cross-over game, or something else entirely? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!</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></p><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 style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 28 May 2014 15:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-poster-possibly-reveals-upcoming-ed-boon-announcement/1100-6419941/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/leaked-battlefield-trailer-was-six-months-old-e3-will-have-the-real-deal/1100-6419939/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418994" data-width="854" data-height="480"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418994/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">A series of <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-video-leaks-online-shows-new-gameplay-footage/1100-6419910/">unintentional leaks resulting in a seven-minute trailer</a> for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-hardline/">Battlefield Hardline</a> coming out today has generated a lot of excitement on GameSpot, but the VP and GM of developer Visceral Games, <a href="https://twitter.com/leveluptime" rel="nofollow">Steve Papoutsis, took to Twitter today</a> to add some context: that trailers show outdated gameplay.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""><a href="https://twitter.com/leveluptime/status/471741428637261824" rel="nofollow">Papoutsis wrote</a>, "Video that's out there was for an internal meeting. It's 6 months old now and team has been cranking since then. See the real deal at E3."</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style="">He further added, "Excited to see so much buzz for the old footage. Love it. Can't wait to show you how much further the team has taken things." And, "We're pouring everything we've got into this & stoked to share details on June 9 - maybe even a little more before then if you want it."</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style="">We learned a lot about the game from today's leaked trailer, including details on four multiplayer modes, but Papoutsis assured one fan that there are "absolutely more modes in the works."</p><p style="">So, it looks like we're set to learn even more about the game and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">get a look at an even more polished work during next month's E3. </a></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></p><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 style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Wed, 28 May 2014 15:14:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/leaked-battlefield-trailer-was-six-months-old-e3-will-have-the-real-deal/1100-6419939/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bbc-micro-the-2mhz-pc-that-changed-video-gaming/1100-6419919/ <p style="">In 1981, a revolution was taking place. The personal computer market, once <a href="http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2097462_2097456_2097467,00.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">famously dismissed</a> by 70s computing powerhouse Ken Olsen with the immortal words "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home," was rapidly expanding. The Apple II, released in 1977, was dominating the home computer market in the US, turning a once small operation run out of a garage in Cupertino into a multibillion-dollar company. Alongside the likes of the Atari 2600, it was also shaping the nascent video games market. Revolutionary games like <a href="/mystery-house/" data-ref-id="false">Mystery House</a>, <a href="/ultima-i/" data-ref-id="false">Ultima</a>, and <a href="/castle-wolfenstein/" data-ref-id="false">Castle Wolfenstein</a> made their debut on the Apple II, and--thanks to its decade-long life span--the machine would play host to a multitude of genre-defining releases.</p><p style="">But for those in the UK, owning an Apple II was something of a pipe dream. Its graphics system, designed specifically for NTSC monitors, wouldn't work properly in the UK without modification. Even then, importing the machine from the US was an expensive proposition. By the time the Apple II made its European debut in late '79 with the Apple II Europlus, the UK was already churning out machines of its own. The 1MHz Commodore PET would be the first to market, but it was eccentric inventor Clive Sinclair's Sinclair Research, former Sinclair employee Chris Curry's Acorn Computers, and the broadcasting might of the BBC that would come to define UK computing in the early '80s.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1yZWsK0Qq4" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fb1yZWsK0Qq4%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Db1yZWsK0Qq4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fb1yZWsK0Qq4%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">The story of how collaboration between one of the most respected public broadcasters in the world and a small computer outfit from Cambridge took place is a sprawling tale of British ingenuity and questionable business practices, one that's humorously (if not entirely accurately) told in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXBxV6-zamM" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">BBC comedy drama <i>Micro Men</i></a>. In short, 1981 saw the BBC announce its Computer Literacy Project, which aimed to latch onto the growing trend in personal computers and create a TV programme to teach the public how to use them. To keep the programme simple, the broadcaster wanted a single computer to base the show on. This caught the attention of Sinclair and Curry, who knew full well what having a trusted name like the BBC adorning their computers would do for sales.</p><p style="">Acorn, staffed by Cambridge University's finest, was quick to move on the idea. After showing the BBC its prototype--famously created in just one week--it was awarded the contract to produce the machine. Based on an 8-bit 6502 processor clocked at 2MHz (the same as in the Apple II), either 16kB or 32kB of RAM, and featuring a high-res graphics mode, it was a powerful computer for the time--on paper at least--more so than its competitor, Sinclair's ZX81. "It was an awesome machine, because it was like a Rolls Royce compared to anything else out there," X-COM creator and early Micro developer Julian Gollop tells me. "I was shortly to acquire a ZX81, but comparing the ZX81 and the BBC Micro was like chalk and cheese."</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543418-5656066906-_5705.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543418" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543418-5656066906-_5705.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543418"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2543418-5656066906-_5705.jpg"></a><figcaption>The BBC Micro was a familiar sight in classrooms across the UK.</figcaption></figure><p style="">More important than its specs, though, was how the Micro's television show and its ubiquity in education would introduce computers to an entire generation. The vast majority of UK schools would soon be stocked with the machine, which <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15969065" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">sold more than 1.5 million units</a> in its lifetime. Notably, the Micro booted directly in BBC BASIC (beginners all-purpose symbolic instruction code), a simple programming language. To do anything with the machine, you had to learn some basic text commands. It was this that captured the imagination of an entire generation of youngsters eager to unlock the potential of the Micro's hardware. One of those youngsters was David Braban, co-creator of <a href="/elite/" data-ref-id="false">Elite</a>, a highly influential space combat and trading game for the Micro that featured some of the most ambitious visuals and gameplay mechanics of its time.</p><p style="">"The thing that was brilliant about the Acorn Atom [the Micro's predecessor] and the BBC Micro was that they came with everything you needed," Braban tells me, "which, from a kid's point of view, is brilliant, because you don't have to then say, 'Oh, I need this compiler, or I need this sort of thing.' You could write a game in machine code; you had everything you needed. And another thing was there were very few games around. You were expected to program. Magazines had type-in listings, and you'd learn a lot from doing those things. But I think also, the fact you could write in machine code from day one on the machine without buying anything, that's probably the biggest thing."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543421-3006988918-e6eaf.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543421" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543421-3006988918-e6eaf.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543421"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2543421-3006988918-e6eaf.jpg"></a><figcaption>It might not look like much now, but Elite was a groundbreaking game when it was released in 1984.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The Micro's presence in schools (as well as strong sales for its cheaper competitor, the ZX Spectrum) not only spurred the creation of games like <a href="/chuckie-egg/" data-ref-id="false">Chucky Egg</a>, <a href="/labyrinth-1983/" data-ref-id="false">Labyrinth</a>, and <a href="/castle-quest-1985/" data-ref-id="false">Castle Quest</a>, but also helped foster a generation of programmers and games industry pioneers. Braban would go on to create Frontier Developments, a studio that has created games such as <a href="/frontier-elite-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Frontier</a>, <a href="/kinectimals/" data-ref-id="false">Kinectimals</a>, and <a href="/lostwinds/" data-ref-id="false">LostWinds</a>. Inspired by the Micro, Braban also formed the <a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/about/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Raspberry Pi Foundation</a>, an effort to get cheap computers into the hands of youngsters and reintroduce computer science into schools. Julian Gollop released classics like <a href="/x-com-ufo-defense/" data-ref-id="false">X-COM</a> and <a href="/magic-and-mayhem/" data-ref-id="false">Magic & Mayhem</a>. Most famously of all, the Darling brothers--who began creating Micro games from their bedroom in 1982--went on to form the hugely successful Codemasters, which created games like <a href="/fantastic-dizzy/" data-ref-id="false">Fantastic Dizzy</a>, <a href="/colin-mcrae-rally/" data-ref-id="false">Colin McRae Rally</a>, and <a href="/grid/" data-ref-id="false">Grid</a>.</p><p style="">Even recent indie talent <a href="/thomas-was-alone/" data-ref-id="false">Thomas Was Alone</a> creator Mike Bithell owes a lot to the Micro's ubiquity. "I can't have been much more than 6 or 7 years old, and we had a BBC Micro," says Bithell. "I think we had one per classroom. I remember playing a lot of Granny's Garden with its awful witch squeal. But the big one for me, and this kind of makes sense now, was that I was playing a lot of adventure games on there. I can't remember the name of it now, but there was this one game where you had an editor so you could build your own adventure. Like any kid playing with these tools, I never made anything of value; it was always half an hour here and there, and I never finished anything. But I realised that I liked making stuff more than I liked playing it. Looking back, that was probably the most important thing I learnt in primary school."</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">"A lot of people probably wouldn't have learnt programming, had the BBC Micro not been around."</p></blockquote><p style="">Unfortunately for Acorn, the IBM PC (also released in 1981) was gaining traction. By the time the '90s rolled round, PCs that ran Windows instead of BASIC were becoming the de facto standard in the classroom, and the BBC had dropped its Computer Literacy Project. Students who were once being taught how to code and create, rather than just consume, were now a part of dumbed-down ICT (information and communications technology) classes teaching Microsoft Word and Excel.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543430-7916859784-darli.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543430" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2543430-7916859784-darli.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543430"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/917/9176928/2543430-7916859784-darli.jpg"></a><figcaption>Codemasters founders David and Richard Darling started off programming games for computers like the BBC Micro and Commodore 64.</figcaption></figure><p style="">"A lot of people probably wouldn't have learnt programming, had the BBC Micro not been around," says Braban. "Looking now, a generation on, when I'm asked by parents or my own kids about how to learn that sort of thing, bizarrely, the best answer is to buy something like a BBC Micro on eBay, at least until we started Raspberry Pi. You could abuse the Micro, you could send programs to all the machines in the classroom if you knew what you were doing, but the point was that it was brilliant from a classroom point of view. If a kid had a problem, they pressed break to restart the machine, and they were back to square one. It's a very, very good teaching aid."</p><p style="">While it has been 30 years since the last BBC Micro rolled off the production line, its influence on computing and video games lives on--and not just in those who've gone on to create blockbuster hits or revive its educational spirit. Thanks to the Micro's early success, Acorn was able to fund development of a new processor based on "reduced instruction set computer" research from the University of California, Berkeley. The Acorn Archimedes computer it powered wasn't the hit that Acorn might have hoped for, but with some help from Apple and VLSI Technology, the Advanced Risc Machines--later shortened to ARM--processor division of Acorn was spun out into its own company.</p><p style="">The first ARM chips powered Apple's much-maligned handheld Newton device, but they soon found use in other low-power devices like mobile phones. Today, <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-04/arm-chips-are-the-most-used-consumer-product-dot-where-s-the-money" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-02">ARM chips are found in 99 percent of the world's smartphones and tablets</a>, with around 4.3 billion people--60 percent of the world's population--interacting with a device carrying an ARM chip each day. The 50 billionth product containing an ARM-designed chip shipped late last year.</p> Wed, 28 May 2014 14:54:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bbc-micro-the-2mhz-pc-that-changed-video-gaming/1100-6419919/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/listen-to-some-league-of-legends-inspired-metal/1100-6419938/ <p style=""> </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUiOylPbfV0" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FoUiOylPbfV0%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoUiOylPbfV0&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FoUiOylPbfV0%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">It's not just<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/listen-to-meshuggah-guitarist-s-music-for-wolfenstein-the-new-order/1100-6419751/" data-ref-id="1100-6419751"> Wolfenstein: The New Order that features metal music</a>. Riot Games has announced that the first single from the upcoming <a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a>-inspired metal album Smite and Ignite from the band Pentakill is now available.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The song is "Lightbringer" and the production values are high--there's double bass, screaming guitar lines, and a surprisingly catchy chorus. The music video has already gathered well over 1 million views just a day after being posted.</p><p style="">Pentakill is a passion project from musicians at Riot Games and outside of the developer. The entire 8-song album will be available as a free download on June 3 <a href="http://na.pentakillmusic.com/en/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">through Pentakill's website</a>. You'll also be able to buy the album through various digital music retailers if you want.</p><p style="">In League of Legends, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-now-boasts-27-million-daily-players/1100-6417374/" data-ref-id="1100-6417374">massively popular free-to-play PC game</a>, a pentakill is a term for killing five enemies in rapid succession.</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><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Wed, 28 May 2014 14:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/listen-to-some-league-of-legends-inspired-metal/1100-6419938/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-rumors/1100-6419935/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543726-future1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543726" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543726-future1.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543726"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543726-future1.png"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/" data-ref-id="false">E3 </a>2014 is now just two weeks away. We're expecting a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-expecting-an-army-of-huge-franchises-at-e3/1100-6418625/" data-ref-id="1100-6418625">bevy of announcements from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo</a>, as well as third-party publishers like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts, which alone <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-will-announce-a-major-frostbite-3-game-at-e3-what-do-you-think-it-is/1100-6419476/" data-ref-id="1100-6419476">plans to make six announcements at the show</a>. It promises to be a busy week in Los Angeles, but there's already a considerable amount of buzz built up thanks to a slew of rumors about what we may see at the show.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">We have rounded up some of these rumors and provided details below. We will continue to update this story as more rise to the surface, and please don't hesitate to ping us to share rumors directly. For more on E3, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot's roundup of everything you need to know about this year's show</a>.</p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>NFC Figurines for Super Smash Bros. </strong></h3><p style="">Nintendo France said that the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/super-smash-bros-wii-u-will-use-nfc/1100-6419826/" data-ref-id="1100-6419826">upcoming Super Smash Bros. is going to take advantage of the Wii U's NFC capabilities</a>. Pair that with the<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-nintendo-to-integrate-skylanders-like-figurines-with-wii-u-and-3ds/1100-6419497/" data-ref-id="1100-6419497"> confirmation by Nintendo of more figurine details at E3</a> and you don't have to stretch your imagination to put the two together. Will these miniatures involve unlockable characters? We'll find out during the E3 Nintendo Direct.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543950-18ae9073ac47de4104bbda82fc3003e03b869298.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543950" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543950-18ae9073ac47de4104bbda82fc3003e03b869298.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543950"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543950-18ae9073ac47de4104bbda82fc3003e03b869298.jpg"></a></figure><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Grand Theft Auto V comes to Current-gen</strong></h3><p style="">We've been waiting a long time for GTA 5 to come to PC (<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-5-pc-petition-passes-700-000-signatures-game-is-now-taking-longer-than-gta-4-to-hit-pc/1100-6419280/" data-ref-id="1100-6419280">at this point it's taken longer than the same port for GTA 4</a>), but maybe part of the reason for the delay is that the game is also being optimized for current-gen consoles.</p><p style="">Rockstar has said that they plan on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/rockstar-games-to-release-a-ps4-xbox-one-game-by-march-2015/1100-6419610/" data-ref-id="1100-6419610">releasing an Xbox One/PS4 game this fiscal year</a>. While that could be the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ahead-of-e3-take-two-extends-its-agent-trademark/1100-6419837/" data-ref-id="1100-6419837">recently renewed Agent</a>, an update of one of the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-5-has-now-shipped-32-5-million-copies/1100-6417498/" data-ref-id="1100-6417498">best-selling games of all time seems a little more likely at this point</a>. But the bigger question: Will it be a timed exclusive for Sony or Microsoft?</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543961-original.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543961" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543961-original.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543961"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543961-original.jpg"></a></figure><h3><strong>Dance Central 4</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">While <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-talks-price-drop-says-e3-will-be-all-about-games/1100-6419604/" data-ref-id="1100-6419604">talking about the Xbox One price cut and removing Kinect from Xbox One with Microsoft's Yusuf Medhi</a>, he casually said, "Certainly some gamers are Kinect-focused, say Kinect Sports Rivals, Dance Central." While it's possible that he was referring to an Xbox 360 version of the game or the franchise in general...but it's also possible he accidentally leaked an upcoming Dance Central reveal. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Neither Harmonix nor Microsoft responded to follow-ups about the game, but E3 may give a lot of gamers a reason to use their Kinect for more than voice commands. </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543953-18j2w3zj50bh8jpg.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543953" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543953-18j2w3zj50bh8jpg.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543953"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543953-18j2w3zj50bh8jpg.jpg"></a></figure><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>More PlayStation 4 HD Remakes</strong></h3><p style="">A lot of rumors have leaked about current-gen remakes of the Halo games, but we've heard rumblings that Sony has their own HD reveals as well. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-what-the-last-of-us-looks-like-on-ps4-in-1080p/1100-6418898/" data-ref-id="1100-6418898">We already know about The Last of Us for PS4 update</a>, but you can expect a few more games to get a chance for more exposure. The most surprising rumor we've heard: some of the PS4 updates might come from the Vita. </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543956-ps4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543956" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543956-ps4.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543956"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543956-ps4.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>New Mortal Kombat</strong></h3><p style="">Ed Boon has been <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-poster-possibly-reveals-upcoming-ed-boon-announcement/1100-6419941/" data-ref-id="1100-6419941">teasing an announcement for the past few weeks</a>, and while that's set to fall on Monday (pre-E3), we're guessing that the inevitable Mortal Kombat reveal will also make a big splash at E3.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543943-mortalkombat.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543943" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543943-mortalkombat.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543943"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543943-mortalkombat.jpg"></a></figure><h3><strong>Big Third-Party Xbox One Exclusive</strong></h3><p style="">An reliable source has confirmed that Microsoft is going to have at least one "big" third-party exclusive reveal during their stage show. We don't know the exact game, but our source said the game is both something "unexpected" and "something people will be <em>really</em> excited about."</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543945-questions.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543945" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2543945-questions.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543945"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2543945-questions.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Halo: The Master Chief Collection</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Microsoft says the "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/forums/games-discussion-1000000/halo-5-guardians-announced-coming-to-xbox-one-in-2-31264589/" data-ref-id="false">journey</a>" to <a href="/halo-5-guardians/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 5: Guardians </a>(2015) will begin this year, but what could that mean? According to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-master-chief-halo-collection-games-1-4-report/1100-6419703/" data-ref-id="1100-6419703">Engadget's sources</a>, Microsoft is bundling <a href="/halo-combat-evolved/" data-ref-id="false">Halo: Combat Evolved</a>, <a href="/halo-2/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 2</a>, <a href="/halo-3/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 3</a>, and <a href="/halo-4/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 4</a> in a special package for Xbox One called the Master Chief Collection. There's no word on whether nor not <a href="/halo-3-odst/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 3: ODST</a> or <a href="/halo-reach/" data-ref-id="false">Halo: Reach</a> would also be included. Those are not "core" installments in the series, so we wouldn't be surprised if they were left out.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543745-newhalo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543745" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543745-newhalo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543745"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543745-newhalo.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Halo 2: Anniversary Edition</strong></h3><p style="">Rumors about an "Anniversary Edition" of Bungie's classic FPS <a href="/halo-2/" data-ref-id="false">Halo 2</a> <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-white-xbox-one-coming-in-2014-halo-2-anniversary-edition-and-titanfall-console-spotted-report/1100-6417425/" data-ref-id="1100-6417425">date back to January 2014</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-responds-to-halo-2-anniversary-rumor-halo-2-is-a-good-game/1100-6417507/" data-ref-id="1100-6417507">refuse to die</a>. The remastered version will reportedly include<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-white-xbox-one-coming-in-2014-halo-2-anniversary-edition-and-titanfall-console-spotted-report/1100-6417425/" data-ref-id="1100-6417425"> 1080p visuals</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-white-xbox-one-coming-in-2014-halo-2-anniversary-edition-and-titanfall-console-spotted-report/1100-6417425/" data-ref-id="1100-6417425">access to a beta for Halo 5: Guardians</a>. This rumor is increasingly interesting when you consider the game was released in 2004, meaning this year marks the game's tenth anniversary. Sounds like a good time to release an Anniversary Edition, no?</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543751-halo2chief.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543751" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543751-halo2chief.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543751"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543751-halo2chief.png"></a></figure><h3 dir="ltr"> </h3><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Collection for PS4 and Xbox One</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Earlier this month, <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/xboxone/comments/25thuq/cod_mw/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reddit user GTA678</a> posted an image of a "Modern Warfare Collection," which will reportedly bundle <a href="/call-of-duty-4-modern-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare</a>, <a href="/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2</a>, and <a href="/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3</a> in a special package for PS4 and Xbox One. The games will all reportedly run in 1080p at 60fps, with new textures, lighting effects, and sounds. Rumor has it this bundle will launch November 25 and even contain exclusive content for this fall's <a href="/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543737-mwcollection.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543737" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543737-mwcollection.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543737"><img src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543737-mwcollection.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Battlefield: Hardline (CONFIRMED)</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">That escalated quickly.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This isn't much of a rumor any longer, as Electronic Arts this week <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-video-leaks-online-shows-new-gameplay-footage/1100-6419910/" data-ref-id="1100-6419910">confirmed that the game is indeed real</a> and developed by <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space </a>creator Visceral Games in conjunction with DICE. We're still waiting on platform and release date details, but the developer's VP took to Twitter today to say that a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/leaked-battlefield-trailer-was-six-months-old-e3-will-have-the-real-deal/1100-6419939/" data-ref-id="1100-6419939">leaked trailer for the game is six months out of date,</a> they'll be showing the "real deal" at E3, likely during its E3 press conference on Monday, June 9.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/" data-ref-id="false">Tune in and find out</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543742-hardline1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543742" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543742-hardline1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543742"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543742-hardline1.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Project Beast for the PS4</strong></h3><p dir="ltr" style="">Stemming from images <a href="http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=812089" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">posted on 4Chan and circulated on popular gaming forum NeoGAF</a>, this is reportedly the working title for a new game from <a href="/demons-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Demon's Souls</a> and <a href="/dark-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls </a>studio From Software in conjunction with Sony Japan. Demon's Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki--now <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/demon-s-souls-dark-souls-director-named-president-of-from-software/1100-6419775/" data-ref-id="1100-6419775">president of From Software</a>--worked on this year's <a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls II </a>only in a supervising role; he focused most of his attention on an unannounced mystery game. Is Project Beast this game? We may not have to wait much longer to find out.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543735-projectbeast.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543735" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2543735-projectbeast.png" data-ref-id="1300-2543735"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2543735-projectbeast.png"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </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> Wed, 28 May 2014 14:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-rumors/1100-6419935/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-dev-explains-why-game-isn-t-sci-fi/1100-6419937/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2522996-1941346_700329743362086_2246411992111435703_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2522996" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2522996-1941346_700329743362086_2246411992111435703_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2522996"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/536/5360430/2522996-1941346_700329743362086_2246411992111435703_o.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare</a> is set in the future, the year <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tons-of-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-details-emerge/1100-6419415/" data-ref-id="1100-6419415">2054</a> to be exact, but the world you'll get to experience is not one of science fiction. That's because developer Sledgehammer Games believes the Call of Duty series is strongest when it's grounded in relatable and believable experiences and situations.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I think Call of Duty resonates because it's believable and relatable. It's always been one of the strengths of the franchise," Sledgehammer Games cofounder Michael Condrey told <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/05/28/imagining-the-future-for-call-of-duty.aspx" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"><em>Game Informer</em></a> in a new interview. The future that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare will offer is a future that "we can relate to, that can strike sort of a zeitgeist," he added.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">When researching for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Condrey said what they discovered was happening in the real world was actually "more fantastic than even the things that we were coming up with." He stressed that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, even though it has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tons-of-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-details-emerge/1100-6419415/" data-ref-id="1100-6419415">superhuman EXO suits and mechs</a>, is grounded in reality. "It's not that fictional leap to a science fiction world you can't relate to," Condrey said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also in the interview, the reporter asks if a potential Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare 2 might include more sci-fi elements. Condrey and Sledgehammer Games' other founder Glen Schofield said their focus right now is on the first game, but, "We're keeping [the game world] in a place where another game can exist."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most recent Call of Duty game, 2013's <a href="/call-of-duty-ghosts/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Ghosts</a>, featured a series-first alien-themed mode called Extinction. Treyarch's <a href="/call-of-duty-black-ops/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Black Ops </a>series, on the other hand, is well-known for its Zombies mode that lets you blast apart enemy Nazi zombies. </p><p style="">Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tons-of-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-details-emerge/1100-6419415/" data-ref-id="1100-6419415">November 4 </a>for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey is playing a prominent role in the game, which runs on a new engine that Activision says is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/two-studios-making-this-year-s-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-activision-promises-near-photorealistic-world/1100-6419400/" data-ref-id="1100-6419400">capable of delivering "near photorealistic" visuals</a>.</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><br /></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 28 May 2014 14:11:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-dev-explains-why-game-isn-t-sci-fi/1100-6419937/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-sony-boss-jack-tretton-joins-new-ai-company/1100-6419936/ <figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2543741-tretton.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543741" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2543741-tretton.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543741"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/123/1239113/2543741-tretton.jpg"></a><figcaption>Image courtesy of PlayStation Blog</figcaption></figure><p style="">It hasn't taken Jack Tretton, the former president of Sony Computer Entertainment America, long at all to find himself a new position; artificial intelligence development company Genotaur announced today that Tretton has joined its advisory board.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Genotaur has an incredibly impressive array of resources and expertise that will greatly enhance the way consumers interact with technology. I look forward to sharing my passion for bringing interactive entertainment and cutting edge technology products to market with the team," Tretton said as part of today's announcement.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The San Diego-based Genotaur was founded last year and is working on a project aspiring to create "new forms of intelligent interactive interfaces between humans and computers" that it will then license out to other companies.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Although the venture may not be directly tied to video games, today's announcement notes that games are one of several fields that could license out the technology Genotaur is working on. Tretton is also not the only person involved with the company to have a past in the games industry; consultant Tim Hays previously worked at Electronic Arts, Sega, and Sony, among other companies, and fellow advisory board member Rob Wyatt was the lead system architect on the original Xbox.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"This is a very exciting time for us at Genotaur as we develop new products and scale our business, focusing initially on implementation within the computer entrainment business," said CEO and president Tony Simpson. "Jack's experience in every area of building and operating consumer products and interactive entertainment companies will help us grow our capabilities at Genotaur. We are fortunate to have an executive of Jack's knowledge and experience base on our team."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Tretton, who worked at Activision before coming to Sony, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/veteran-playstation-boss-jack-tretton-to-step-down/1100-6418156/" data-ref-id="1100-6418156">left SCEA at the end of March</a> in what was described as a "mutual agreement" between the two parties. He had been at SCEA since 1995, working on the North American launch of every PlayStation platform since the original. He was named president and CEO of the company in 2006 and remained in that role until his departure earlier this year, when he was succeeded by Sony Network VP Shawn Layden. On his way out, Tretton even earned the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-boss-praises-outgoing-playstation-executive-jack-tretton/1100-6418165/" data-ref-id="1100-6418165">praise of Xbox boss Phil Spencer</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSmokingManX" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @TheSmokingManX</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Wed, 28 May 2014 13:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-sony-boss-jack-tretton-joins-new-ai-company/1100-6419936/
