http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Wed, 04 Jun 2014 00:33:07 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ultra-street-fighter-iv-review/1900-6415780/ <p style="">With Ultra Street Fighter IV, the masterful Street Fighter IV series has reached its fifth, and possibly final, incarnation. Five years of tournaments, balance patches, and community input have coalesced to form the definitive version of a fighter that continues to evolve to this day. <a href="/reviews/street-fighter-iv-review/1900-6204782/" data-ref-id="1900-6204782">In his review</a>, former GameSpot editor Dan Chiappini described Street Fighter IV as "undoubtedly one of the finest examples of the fighting genre in this generation." It's a worthy accolade, and one that still holds true today.</p><p style="">Ultra Street Fighter IV brings with it a whole host of changes and additions to the game's previous releases: Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition and its 2012 update. Six new stages, five new characters, and three new game mechanics are successfully integrated into an already feature-rich game and introduce new strategies that help keep this seasoned fighter feeling fresh.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419101" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419101/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Any major Street Fighter expansion wouldn't be complete without adding some new fighters to the fray. Poison, Rolento, Hugo, and Elena will be instantly recognizable to Street Fighter fans from their recent outing in <a href="/street-fighter-x-tekken/" data-ref-id="false">Street Fighter X Tekken</a>. However, these characters aren't just cut-and-paste copies from SFXT; instead, they have been reworked to fit naturally within SFIV's play style. Newcomer <a href="/articles/why-decapre-is-ultra-street-fighter-4-s-next-world-warrior/1100-6418599/" data-ref-id="1100-6418599">Decapre</a> rounds out the roster. While she bears a striking resemblance to another world warrior, Decapre has her own distinct fighting style, which deftly mixes charge-based attacks with rushdown tactics, two fighting styles that traditionally do not mix.</p><p style="">Outside of the five new challengers, Ultra Street Fighter IV brings with it a myriad of tweaks and changes for the existing cast. None of the existing 39 characters have gone untouched in this expansion; however, the bulk of those changes will likely go unnoticed to the untrained eye. Increasing the damage of Rose's crouching light punch by 10 or reducing the startup of Dudley's medium kick by one frame may not sound like much on paper, but taken as a whole, these changes and dozens more combine to create a more equally balanced roster.</p><p style="">While the character-specific tweaks are not as apparent, ultra combo double, red focus attacks, and delayed wake-up are much more disruptive additions to the core mechanics of Street Fighter IV. The ultra combo double is a third ultra combo option that lets you go into battle armed with both of your character's ultra combos, but at reduced damage for both. This gives you more options in the fight, and is an especially effective addition for characters such as Zangief who have both antiair and close-range ultras.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2548846-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+03-55-03.mp4.still001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548846" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2548846-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+03-55-03.mp4.still001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548846"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/949/9490474/2548846-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+03-55-03.mp4.still001.jpg"></a><figcaption>You can now change your button layout on the character select screen.</figcaption></figure><p style="">A red focus attack functions in much the same way as the standard focus attack, except that it can absorb multiple hits at the cost of one energy block. This makes it a great tool for absorbing multi-hit attacks--looking at you, E. Honda--or for punishing a random ultra combo. Rounding out the trio is the delayed wake-up. Being able to delay when your character rises is a much more subtle addition, but an important one nonetheless. The delay does not last long, but it is enough to throw off the timing of a practiced opponent's next attack. Together, these three changes have a tremendous impact on the higher-level strategies of Street Fighter IV and offer new strategies for series veterans.</p><p style="">Ultra Street Fighter IV's updates don't stop at its characters. Online, you can compete in the new Elimination mode or work alongside distant friends in the Online Training mode. Elimination is a competitive mode where two teams of three duke it out to see which team is the best. When a player is defeated, the next one on his or her team swaps in until one side has no combatants left. To help prevent one player from steamrolling an entire team, Elimination mode does not restore health between rounds (naturally) or matches, similar in structure to the King of Fighters series.</p><p style="">A couple of new options for the truly dedicated round out Training mode. Save states let you take a snapshot of the current battle and return to it at any time with the push of a button. This is a handy addition for those who want to practice location-specific attacks or combos rapid-fire without having to reset the character blocking over and over again. Network simulation is the other upgrade, but it's really more of a novelty. This option lets you simulate increasingly severe levels of input lag to make you feel as if you're playing against someone with a poor Internet connection.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2548847-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+04-36-26.mp4.still002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548847" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2548847-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+04-36-26.mp4.still002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548847"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/949/9490474/2548847-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+04-36-26.mp4.still002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Edition Select lets you play different iterations of the same character, from vanilla Street Fighter IV to Ultra.</figcaption></figure><p style="">While so much of Street Fighter IV has been touched up in this new expansion, Trials mode continues to receive the cold shoulder. This mode is now horribly out of date and still uses character data from Super Street Fighter IV. It lacks trials for all five of Ultra's newcomers, as well as the previous batch of newcomers: Evil Ryu, Oni, Yun, and Yang. Since this mode is a good way to get acquainted with new characters, it's disappointing to see that developer Capcom has not yet updated it. Capcom has said it plans to release some sort of update later on down the line, but the absence of a fully realized Trials mode is certainly felt.</p><p style="">Trials aside, Ultra Street Fighter IV is a great expansion that smartly builds upon the core game. With all of its tweaks, new mechanics, and extra game modes, Ultra will definitely appeal to the diehard Street Fighter IV fans who still remember the tyranny of vanilla Sagat. Nearly every aspect of the game has received some sort of enhancement or upgrade, and the result is an expansion that makes a great game even better.</p> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ultra-street-fighter-iv-review/1900-6415780/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-mario-kart-8/2300-6419098/ Watch extended gameplay footage from Mario Kart 8 featuring the Giant Bomb crew. Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:33:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-mario-kart-8/2300-6419098/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-easter-egg-recalls-xbox-one-kinect-privacy-concerns/1100-6420077/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2543111-watchdogslaunch_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543111" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2543111-watchdogslaunch_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543111"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2543111-watchdogslaunch_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">It all kicked off when Microsoft announced the Xbox One last year, with the corporation originally asking users to pop an always-online, high-definition camera in the middle of their living room. It was right around the time that we learnt UK spy agency GCHQ considered using the 360's Kinect for surveillance, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/british-spy-agency-considered-using-xbox-360-kinect-for-surveillance/1100-6418021/">if you recall</a>. Microsoft later reversed the controversial policy--though it always insisted that it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-confirms-privacy-policy-for-xbox-one/1100-6409427/">would not be able to track</a> what you were doing in front of the lens.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Ubisoft, coincidentally, has snuck a little easter egg into <a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs</a> showing protagonist Aiden Pierce hack into the feed of one gamer's "Kinekt" device. Eurogamer spotted the nod and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5l1x5kQYvU" rel="nofollow">quickly archived it online</a>, so that it can live forever. By the way, there's some swearing. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another quirky mission in Watch Dogs <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-includes-cameo-easter-egg-from-assassin-s-creed-4/1100-6420043/">has you track down the Abstergo Entertainment CEO</a>, last seen in <a href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a>. The game also features the occasional glimpse of Ubisoft's Rabbids.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Watch Dogs, which was released last week, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-sells-4-million-copies-in-first-week-needs-2-million-more-to-match-assassin-s-creed-s-lifetime-tally/1100-6420059/">has already sold over four million copies</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-easter-egg-recalls-xbox-one-kinect-privacy-concerns/1100-6420077/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-press-conferences-what-does-sony-need-to-do/1100-6420070/ <p style="">Sony had a strong E3 press conference last year, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-4-will-cost-399/1100-6409681/">introducing the PS4 at $100 less</a> than the Xbox One and taking <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-supports-used-games-and-features-no-online-check-in/1100-6409677/">direct aim at Microsoft's since-reversed policies on used games and online connectivity</a>. And that PS4 momentum seems to have carried over to the current year; it's been the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-outsells-xbox-one-in-us-during-april-titanfall-remains-top-seller/1100-6419672/">top-selling console in the US every month</a> since its launch and garnered <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/">over 7 million sales</a> worldwide.</p><p style="">But as we saw with the rapid, sudden success of the Nintendo Wii, a scrappy underdog can shake things up at any time. In this feature, GameSpot's editors discuss what Sony needs to talk about during their upcoming E3 press conference to ensure they <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-says-ps4-unlike-their-previous-consoles-is-already-contributing-profit/1100-6419822/" data-ref-id="1100-6419822">stay in the number one spot for another year</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548715-5954820629-PS4-C.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548715" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548715-5954820629-PS4-C.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548715"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2548715-5954820629-PS4-C.jpg"></a></figure><h3><strong>Don't Get Cocky, Kid - Thomas Mc Shea</strong></h3><p style="">Do. Not. Get. Cocky. Everyone loves Sony now. They've been doing all the right things, saying all the right things, and we've grown to put our trust in them. And that's a terrible position to be in. Sony is not our friend, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-06-ps3-launches-11-17-499-for-20gb-599-for-60gb/1100-6149470/">as we've seen in the past, it can make terrible decisions</a> when they feel as though they're comfortably in first place. Sony has overcome the failings the PlayStation 3 went through in its first few years through hard work, and though it took a long time, all of that effort paid off. Sony has to continue down that path. And that doesn't just mean debuting more independent and AAA games.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Now would be a perfect time for Sony to cut the price of the PlayStation 4. We know they're already making a profit on the system, and there's no reason to let the Xbox One gain momentum when it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/399-xbox-one-without-kinect-launching-in-june/1100-6419601/">reaches price parity in June</a>. So, get the jump on Microsoft early, make the console more palatable for those sitting on the fence, and show that you're willing to cut into your own profits to keep people happy. Pair that with a new bundle that packs the PlayStation 4 and Vita together, and Sony is poised to continue the good feelings they've engendered of late.</p><h3><strong>Greatness Can't Wait, We Need to See It Now - Edward Makuch</strong></h3><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548719-3342478335-24575.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548719" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548719-3342478335-24575.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548719"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1534/15343359/2548719-3342478335-24575.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony comes into E3 2014 as the top dog. The PS4 is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-aiming-to-sell-5-million-ps4-consoles-before-march-2014/1100-6414644/" data-ref-id="1100-6414644">performing above expectations</a> with<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/"> 7 million units sold</a>, well ahead of the Xbox One and Wii U. But this isn't to say Sony can breeze through E3 and hope to stay on top. They can't. The PS4's $100 price advantage over the Xbox One is gone, and Sony needs to demonstrate at E3 why the PS4 is a better value offer than the Xbox One. They can do this by focusing on software and services.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">First, Sony needs to finally give us pricing and title availability details for PlayStation Now, their upcoming streaming service expected to roll out this summer in the US. The PS4's lack of backwards compatibility was a major pain point for me when considering upgrading from PS3 to PS4. Letting users stream older games on their new box--if the price is right and the library is deep enough--could help drive further adoption of the PS4.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Also during Sony's E3 press conference, they need to give us an update on Naughty Dog's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-4/">Uncharted game for the PlayStation 4</a>. Though Sony assures us that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-heads-stepping-in-to-lead-uncharted-ps4/1100-6420030/" data-ref-id="1100-6420030">everything at Naughty Dog is fine</a>, the recent spate of high-level staff departures (<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-ps4-writer-leaves-naughty-dog/1100-6418113/">Justin Richmond, Amy Hennig, and others</a>) cast a shadow of doubt over the studio. That was offset by the return of Druckmann and Straley, but the negativity will be entirely erased if we get a look at Uncharted 4 gameplay and it leaves us with our jaws on the floor.</p><h3><strong>Show, Don't Tell - Dan Hindes</strong></h3><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548717-9805376738-uncha.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548717" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548717-9805376738-uncha.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548717"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1534/15343359/2548717-9805376738-uncha.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Alright, Sony--you're winning. Well done. Now show us what early adopters get for their loyalty. I don't want to see any Wonderbook-like nonsense or PlayStation Move-exclusive hand-waving. To use your own marketing on you--show us something for the players. Look at how you ended your 2012 press conference: the lights dimmed, someone from Naughty Dog walked on stage and played through a few minutes of The Last of Us, then walked off--and not a word was spoken. The game, in motion, was more than enough. Show us that confidence once again.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">And show us what your intense courting of indie developers has produced. I don't want to see ports of PC games, or titles that will be available day-and-date on Steam. Show us why PlayStation--both the PS4 and Vita--is THE place for indies. And I want to see new games that could only exist on the Vita; games that are built FOR the hardware's unique input, not games that pay it lip service. Finally, if you don't show us that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-last-guardian/">The Last Guardian</a> still exists, then I may have to stage an editorial walk-out.</p><h3><strong>Keep It Simple - Justin Haywald</strong></h3><p style="">Price-wise, I think the PlayStation 4 is fine for the next year or so. What I want to see is a system for downloading digital PSN content I already own. The idea of PlayStation Now, and being able to rent PS2 games on PS4, is nice but I don't want to pay to access them again.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">But if I were shooting for something pie-in-the-sky that could make the PS4 my de facto console of choice, it would be a PlayStation Now service that integrates with PlayStation Plus and allows unlimited access to Sony's previous-gen digital content. That would be a bombshell that would ensure everyone is talking about the PS4 well after E3 (and I really want a reason to finally unplug my PS3).</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6409835" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6409835/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><h3><strong>Where's the Killer App? - Mark Walton</strong></h3><p style=""> </p><p style="">Thanks to some stellar sales numbers for the PlayStation 4, Sony doesn't have anywhere near as much work to do as its competitors at this year's E3. That said, if it wants to hang onto its prime position as the best-selling next-gen console, it needs to get some games out there, particularly from its many first-party studios. Sony's lineup of indie titles across both the PS4 and Vita is great, but there's hardly been a killer app that makes the PS4 seem like an essential purchase for those still waiting to make the jump. The likes of Naughty Dog and Quantic Dream all have the design chops to produce something seriously impressive. This E3, Sony needs to show the world what the PS4 can really do.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""><em>You've read our thoughts, but what do you think Sony needs to talk about at this year's press conference? Let us know in the comments below!</em></p><p style=""><em>Or, tell us <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-we-d-like-to-see-at-e3-from-sony/1100-6420028/" data-ref-id="1100-6420028">what games you want to see at E3 from Sony over in this discussion</a>.</em></p> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:16:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-press-conferences-what-does-sony-need-to-do/1100-6420070/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-flash-sale-slashes-prices-of-rpgs-like-dark-souls-2-mass-effect-3-and-more/1100-6420073/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417601" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417601/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Sony has kicked off <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/06/03/flash-sale-over-15-rpgs-add-ons-up-to-75-off/#sf3167274" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">the newest flash sale on Playstation Network</a> for a variety of PlayStation 3 and Vita RPGs. Fifteen titles are on sale now from 25-75% until Friday, June 6th, at 12:00 P.M. PST.</p><p style="">You can pick up hits such as <a href="/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-remaster/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD</a> for $30, <a href="/tales-of-xillia/" data-ref-id="false">Tales of Xillia</a> for $20, and <a href="/demons-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Demon's Souls</a> for $10. <a href="/reviews/ni-no-kuni-wrath-of-the-white-witch-review/1900-6402702/" data-ref-id="1900-6402702">The critically-acclaimed Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch</a> is on sale for a ridiculously low $5, and all of the <a href="/mass-effect-3/" data-ref-id="false">Mass Effect 3</a> DLC is 75% off. You can get <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/game-of-the-month-march-2014/2300-6418124/" data-ref-id="2300-6418124">GameSpot's March 2014 Game of the Month</a>, <a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls II</a>, for only $39, as well.</p><p style="">Here is the full list of deals:</p><ul><li><a href="/atelier-escha-and-logy-alchemists-of-the-dusk-sky/" data-ref-id="false">Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky</a> - PS3, $24.99 (Was $49.99)</li><li><a href="/conception-ii-children-of-the-seven-stars/" data-ref-id="false">Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars</a> - Vita, $29.99 (Was $39.99)</li><li><a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls II</a> - PS3, $38.99 (Was $59.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/demons-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Demon's Souls</a> - PS3, $9.99 (Was $19.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/dragon-age-origins/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age: Origins</a> - PS3, $4.99 (Was $19.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/dragons-dogma/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen</a> - PS3, $19.99 (Was $39.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-remaster/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster</a> - PS3/Vita, $29.99 (Was $39.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning/" data-ref-id="false">Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning</a> - PS3, $4.99 (Was $19.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/mass-effect-3/" data-ref-id="false">Mass Effect 3</a> DLC - PS3, prices vary</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/mass-effect-trilogy/" data-ref-id="false">Mass Effect Trilogy</a> - PS3, $14.99 (Was $29.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/ni-no-kuni-wrath-of-the-white-witch/" data-ref-id="false">Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch</a> - PS3, $4.99 (Was $19.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/soul-sacrifice/" data-ref-id="false">Soul Sacrifice</a> - Vita, $6.49 (Was $26.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/south-park-the-stick-of-truth/" data-ref-id="false">South Park: The Stick of Truth</a> - PS3, $41.99 (Was $59.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/tales-of-graces-f/" data-ref-id="false">Tales of Graces F</a> - PS3, $17.49 (Was $34.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/tales-of-xillia/" data-ref-id="false">Tales of Xillia</a> - PS3, $19.99 (Was $39.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/toukiden/" data-ref-id="false">Toukiden: The Age of Demons</a> - Vita, $19.99 (Was $39.99)</li></ul><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:16:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-flash-sale-slashes-prices-of-rpgs-like-dark-souls-2-mass-effect-3-and-more/1100-6420073/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-s-first-free-games-with-gold-titles-now-available/1100-6420074/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548833-halo-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548833" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548833-halo-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548833"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2548833-halo-.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The first two Xbox One games to be offered for free through the Games With Gold promotion, <a href="/halo-spartan-assault/" data-ref-id="false">Halo: Spartan Assault</a> and <a href="/max-the-curse-of-brotherhood/" data-ref-id="false">Max: The Curse of Brotherhood</a>, are now available to Xbox Live Gold members.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Halo: Spartan Assault is a download-only title that launched on Xbox One last year. Spartan Assault was originally release as a mobile game for Windows Phone and Windows 8 last summer before being <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-spartan-assault-for-xbox-one-launches-christmas-eve-runs-in-1080p-at-60fps/1100-6416618/" data-ref-id="1100-6416618">ported to Xbox One</a> in December (and, more recently, Xbox 360 and Steam). While enjoyable, the twin-stick shooter is on the short side and has limited co-op play, as noted in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-spartan-assault-review/1900-6415616/" data-ref-id="1900-6415616">GameSpot's review</a>.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548834-max.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548834" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548834-max.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548834"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/123/1239113/2548834-max.jpg"></a><figcaption>Click for a full-size view.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is another download-only game released on Xbox One in December. It's a platformer with some intriguing puzzles, although <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/max-the-curse-of-brotherhood-review/1900-6415617/" data-ref-id="1900-6415617">GameSpot's review</a> described it as "competent but largely unremarkable."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-games-with-gold-kicks-off-in-june-resembles-playstation-plus/1100-6419602/" data-ref-id="1100-6419602">announced last month</a>, Microsoft has finally made good on its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-free-games-in-game-with-gold-program/1100-6416194/" data-ref-id="1100-6416194">promise</a> to bring Games With Gold--which gives away two free games per month to Xbox Live Gold subscribers--to its newest console. There will, however be some changes from the way things worked in the past; namely, the titles will begin being offered with "subscription-based access," which makes it sound as if the service will work more like the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Xbox Live Gold members can grab both games for free right now, as well as <a href="/crimson-dragon/" data-ref-id="false">Crimson Dragon</a> at a 50 percent discount. Those with an Xbox 360 can also get <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-free-on-xbox-live/1100-6420013/" data-ref-id="1100-6420013">Dark Souls for free</a> and, later this month, both <a href="/charlie-murder/" data-ref-id="false">Charlie Murder</a> and <a href="/super-street-fighter-iv/" data-ref-id="false">Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-s-first-free-games-with-gold-titles-now-available/1100-6420074/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-batman-arkham-knight-delayed-forza-horizon/2300-6419100/ Batman: Arkham Knight gets a meaty delay, we get a glimpse of Forza Horizon 2, and the PS4 gets a new update! Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-batman-arkham-knight-delayed-forza-horizon/2300-6419100/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-2-completed-in-20-minutes/1100-6420071/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwc9LE7Pt_4" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FXwc9LE7Pt_4%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXwc9LE7Pt_4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FXwc9LE7Pt_4%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="">Few people can say that they've completed <a href="/companies/from-software/" data-ref-id="false">From Software's</a> brutally difficult <a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls II</a>. Fewer still can claim to have beaten it without dying hundreds of times.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwc9LE7Pt_4" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">YouTube user Distortion2 has posted a speedrun of Dark Souls II</a> that is near flawless... but also only twenty minutes long.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the video, the player uses glitches and bugs to basically fling himself through the game, avoiding almost every battle and peril in the Dark Souls world. Interestingly, he relies heavily on in-game binoculars, which allow him to move around at a ridiculous pace. This is an impressive speedrun, even though it utilizes broken parts of the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">And yet, Distortion2 isn't done yet. He states in the caption of the video that his goal is a run that breaks the 20-minute mark.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dark-souls-2-review/1900-6415691/" data-ref-id="1900-6415691">You can read GameSpot's review of a more traditional playthrough of Dark Souls II here.</a></p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:54:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-2-completed-in-20-minutes/1100-6420071/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-pro-players-banned-for-toxic-behavior/1100-6420072/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548764-lol.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548764" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548764-lol.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548764"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2548764-lol.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a> maker Riot Games hasn't shied away from banning even professional players from the game for poor behavior in the past, a trend it continued this week when it suspended two such players for the remainder of the year.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As it has in the past, Riot announced the moves on its <a href="http://forums.euw.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=1749326" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">forums</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/2/5772642/riot-league-of-legends-ban-pro-players" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>), offering a detailed breakdown of what the offenders did, the specific rules they broke, and the penalties they'll now suffer. The two players are Alfonso "Mithy" Rodriguez and Erlend "Nukeduck" Holm. Both have been slapped with the same discipline: They'll each be suspended from the League Championship Series and the Challenger Series for the remainder of the year.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The two players' offenses were similar; both are said to have "exhibited extremely toxic behavior in solo queue" in recent months. This includes "in-game harassment, verbal abuse, and continual use of racial slurs" in Rodriguez's case, and "in-game harassment, verbal abuse, and general toxicity" in Holm's.</p><blockquote data-align="right"><p dir="ltr" style="">"I must agree I didn't have the best behaviour so the the ban is deserved." -- League of Legends player Alfonso "Mithy" Rodriguez</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">"In the past month, Rodriguez has been reported in over 30% of the games he played, with nearly 60% of those reports being for Offensive Language, Negative Attitude, and Verbal Abuse," Riot reports. "During this period, his harassment score rose to be within the top 1% of all players on EUW. Additionally, he was reported over 30 times for leaving the game/going AFK."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Rodriguez responded on <a href="https://twitter.com/mithyxd" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter</a>, admitting, "I must agree I didn't have the best behaviour so the the ban is deserved." He said he intends to work as a coach in the meantime while working "on my behaviour" so that he can "try and come back to the scene." He also added, "Forgot to apologize to everyone I disappointed the fans and most importantly my teammates as well as [eSports group Ninjas in Pyjamas] who always treated us well. SORRY."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the case of Holm, Riot claims, "In the past month, Holm has been reported in nearly 30% of the games he played, with over 65% of those reports being for Offensive Language, Negative Attitude, and Verbal Abuse. Despite previous punishments for his toxicity, Holm's behavior has shown no improvement over the past months, even after his account became Chat Restricted."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Holm, too, took to <a href="https://twitter.com/nukeducklol" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter</a> to comment on the ban. "I don't disagree with Riot at all but I wish I would get a proper warning. I didn't get a ban on my account in 14 months or any other warning." He added, "It's not too bad for me. I'll take it as a learning experience and try to come back stronger."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Riot has been penalizing players, both of the professional and casual variety, for years. This includes <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/riot-fines-league-of-legends-cheaters-30000/1100-6398055/" data-ref-id="1100-6398055">fines for cheating</a> in tournaments and bans for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-players-banned-for-exploit/1100-6375379/" data-ref-id="1100-6375379">using exploits</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/riot-bans-professional-league-of-legends-player-christian-iwilldominate-rivera/1100-6401080/" data-ref-id="1100-6401080">toxic behavior</a>, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-league-of-legends-player-banned-for-anti-semitism/1100-6402913/" data-ref-id="1100-6402913">anti-semitism</a>.</p><p style="">League of Legends' wild popularity continues to grow; back in January, Riot boasted that the game now sees an astonishing <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-now-boasts-27-million-daily-players/1100-6417374/" data-ref-id="1100-6417374">27 million daily players</a>. The game is popular among not just players, but also eSports viewers--it was the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamers-watched-2-4-billion-hours-of-esports-in-2013/1100-6420035/" data-ref-id="1100-6420035">most-watched eSports game in 2013</a>, and the Season 3 World Championships were watched by <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/32-million-people-watched-league-of-legends-season-3-world-championships/1100-6416259/" data-ref-id="1100-6416259">more than 32 million people</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-pro-players-banned-for-toxic-behavior/1100-6420072/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-quashes-the-last-of-us-ps4-release-date-rumor-after-retailer-blunder/1100-6420069/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/7/1/0/1990710-652686_20120814_003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1990710" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/7/1/0/1990710-652686_20120814_003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1990710"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/0/7/1/0/1990710-652686_20120814_003.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony has moved to quash fresh speculation that <a href="/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-confirmed-for-ps4-by-sony/1100-6418860/" data-ref-id="1100-6418860">The Last of Us Remastered</a> would be released on PlayStation 4 next week.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">What? June 13? We know The Last of Us Remastered is coming to PS4 this summer, but where did next week come from? It turns out a blunder from <a href="http://www.game.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">UK retailer Game</a> recently stated, multiple times, that the game would be released on June 13. The retailer later removed the dates, and now Sony has now outright denied them.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2548711-screen+shot+2014-06-03+at+13.10.30.png" data-ref-id="1300-2548711" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2548711-screen+shot+2014-06-03+at+13.10.30.png" data-ref-id="1300-2548711"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1493/14930800/2548711-screen+shot+2014-06-03+at+13.10.30.png"></a><figcaption>Uh oh.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">"The release date is not June 13," said a Sony representative to GameSpot.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As we've announced, The Last of Us Remastered for PS4 will release this summer," adds Sony. "We will keep you posted on an official release date."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony has had a rough time keeping its The Last of Us announcements under wraps, with the PlayStation Store accidentally revealing both <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-left-behind-release-date-spotted-on-playstation-store/1100-6417134/" data-ref-id="1100-6417134">the release date of Left Behind DLC</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-confirmed-for-ps4-by-sony/1100-6418860/" data-ref-id="1100-6418860">the PS4 version of the game</a> earlier this year.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The head honchos on Last of Us, Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann, are now <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-heads-stepping-in-to-lead-uncharted-ps4/1100-6420030/" data-ref-id="1100-6420030">overseeing development of Uncharted on PS4</a>. Before The Last of Us, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-heads-stepping-in-to-lead-uncharted-ps4/1100-6420030/" data-ref-id="1100-6420030">duo worked on</a> <a href="/uncharted-2-among-thieves/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 2</a>, which is widely regarded as the best in the series.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-quashes-the-last-of-us-ps4-release-date-rumor-after-retailer-blunder/1100-6420069/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/murdered-soul-suspect-review-roundup/1100-6420067/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418934" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418934/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""><a href="/murdered-soul-suspect/" data-ref-id="false">Murdered: Soul Suspect</a>, the supernatural detective thriller from Square Enix and Airtight Games (<a href="/dark-void/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Void</a>, <a href="/quantum-conundrum/" data-ref-id="false">Quantum Conundrum</a>), launched today on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in North America and on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-s-supernatural-thriller-murdered-soul-suspect-gets-release-date/1100-6418100/" data-ref-id="1100-6418100">June 6 in Europe</a>. With its release comes no shortage of reviews, a sampling of which we've collected here to provide you with some sense of what the critics are saying.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Murdered takes place in Salem, Mass. and stars the newly deceased Ronan O'Connor, who sets out to learn the identity of his killer. It <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/murdered-soul-suspect-to-be-scored-by-bafta-award-winning-composer/1100-6419974/" data-ref-id="1100-6419974">features music</a> from BAFTA award winner Jason Graves, composer of the soundtracks for <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space</a> and the 2013 reboot of <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a>. Despite being multiplatform, Murdered <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-talks-1080p-for-murdered-on-xbox-one-ps4-and-why-there-s-no-wii-u-version/1100-6417990/" data-ref-id="1100-6417990">will not be coming to Wii U</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Reviews of the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are hard to come by, but many (but not all) of those for the Xbox One and PS4 versions have been neither especially positive nor especially negative. The Xbox One and PS4 versions currently hold average review scores of 50 and 59, respectively, on <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/murdered-soul-suspect" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot sister site Metacritic</a>.</p><h3 dir="ltr">Destructoid -- 4.5/10</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"I truly wanted to like this game. It combines several of my favorite tropes and ideas into one cohesive whole, and I respect what it was trying to attain. But combining an underdeveloped hide-and-seek operation with a ghost story that seems ripped straight from a casual game isn't the way to hold my attention. It's a half-baked concoction full of lofty ideas that don't quite mesh well together topped with a fedora. And I don't think that's a confection anyone really wants to devour. Save this one for a rental." [<a href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-murdered-soul-suspect-275828.phtml" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">Joystiq -- 3.5/5</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"Acquired taste though its investigative gameplay may be, Murdered gets everything nearly exactly right until its final act, at which point it seems determined to wreck everything it's achieved. That said, the mystery at the heart of Murdered really is excellent, and putting the pieces together crime scene by crime scene should satisfy many an armchair sleuth. The hidden ghost stories are well worth finding, and though Ronan is a bit of a dull fish, the people who surround him are worth getting to know, however briefly. With some truly great ideas and some unfortunate choices, Murdered: Soul Suspect and its ghostly hero is neither heaven nor hell, but something in between." [<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/03/murdered-soul-suspect-review-good-cop-dead-cop/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">GameSpot -- review in progress</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"The deliberate pacing immediately pulled me in, because I do love slowly figuring out how and why a crime took place. Murdered is similar to <a href="/ghost-trick-phantom-detective/" data-ref-id="false">Ghost Trick</a> in that regard, only without the titular ghost tricking, or like <a href="/l-a-noire/" data-ref-id="false">L.A. Noire</a>, but without the aggressive interrogations. So there's not a hook that demands your attention. Rather, it's the story that bears the brunt of the weight, and that's where Murdered struggles so far." [<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/murdered-soul-suspect-review-in-progress/1100-6420061/" data-ref-id="1100-6420061">Review in progress</a>]</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548690-murdered-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548690" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548690-murdered-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548690"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2548690-murdered-.jpg"></a></figure><h3 dir="ltr">Polygon -- 7/10</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"Murdered: Soul Suspect is awash in tropes, but somehow, that's part of the charm. It's a pulpy detective tale remixed as a classic ghost story, and it works as a sort of playable B-movie. It's linear and mechanically simple, but it flows well and keeps a fast pace, at least as long as I wasn't chasing down demons. Supernatural Salem was a rich, sad, beautiful place to visit, and as it turned out, Ronan was the perfect tour guide." [<a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/3/5765892/murdered-soul-suspect-review" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">Edge -- 4/10</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"With so little systemic support, Murdered puts all its emphasis on its story, which just can't bear the weight. The writing aims for hardboiled horror – Dick Tracy by way of <em>Paranormal Activity</em> – but feels undercooked. O'Connor spouts trite observations full of false import. The ghost writing that accompanies clues rarely has anything to say ('Troubled' floats by a scribble on a mental asylum wall) and the ending is an anticlimax, spitting on any connections you've bothered to make and mechanically relying on a baseless leap of logic under time pressure. On every level, then, Murdered throttles its premise. Much as it saddens us, given the promise of seeing a 3D Ghost Trick, we pronounce this dead on arrival." [<a href="http://www.edge-online.com/review/murdered-soul-suspect-review/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">Eurogamer - 6/10</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"And it's that underdog likeability that rescues Soul Suspect from the lower reaches of the score table. It's a Good 6, that delightful strata of games that stumble in the technical aspects, but compensate with personality and charm, somehow all the more enjoyable for their imperfections. I can't pretend that Soul Suspect is a particularly great game, but I do know that it's the sort of game I'll still remember - and remember fondly - in five years' time, which is more than can be said for most of its glossier rivals." [<a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-03-murdered-soul-suspect-review" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">GamesBeat -- 89/100</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"Murdered: Soul Suspect is one of the most surprisingly good games I've played in a long time. It manages to sell its bizarre premise and builds a solid, moving story out of it, and the plot-propelling investigations add immensely to the detective feel. Walking around as a ghost is clever and entertaining, and it even manages to inject variety into some of gaming's most overused elements." [<a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/06/02/murdered-soul-suspect-transcends-a-silly-premise-to-deliver-law-order-with-ghosts-review/view-all/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/murdered-soul-suspect-review-roundup/1100-6420067/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-metal-gear-fan-remake-not-happening/1100-6420017/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2546767-5835305586-Outer.png" data-ref-id="1300-2546767" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2546767-5835305586-Outer.png" data-ref-id="1300-2546767"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2546767-5835305586-Outer.png"></a></figure><p style="">[UPDATE] The Metal Gear Remake project is no longer in development. </p><p style="">Although the mod developer provided no explanation, an update on the <a href="http://www.moddb.com/mods/metal-gear-remake/news/all-clear-from-konami-new-jobs-opening1" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">mod site</a> reads: "The mod you are trying to view has ceased development and consequently been archived. If you are a member of this mod, can demonstrate that it is being actively developed and will be able to keep this profile up to date with the latest news, images, videos and downloads, please contact us with all details and we will consider its re-activation."</p><p style="">Although the project was originally pitched as including Konami's approval, Konami is currently offering no comment on the closure.</p><p style=""><em>The original story appears below.</em></p><p style="">A group of amateur developers going by the name Outer Heaven is currently working on a remake of the original Metal Gear from 1988, and it recently received Konami's blessing.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A lot of the time publishers who own the rights to old games send cease-and-desist letters when they hear about something like this (Square Enix shutting down the Chrono Trigger remake <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrono_Resurrection" rel="nofollow">Chrono Resurrection</a> comes to mind), but Outer Heaven recently announced it got word from Konami that it's free to continue its work under one condition: Outer Heaven can't make a profit or accept donations for the project.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The post to <a href="http://www.moddb.com/mods/metal-gear-remake/news/all-clear-from-konami-new-jobs-opening1" rel="nofollow">the project's Moddb</a> (via <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/06/01/konami-gives-the-okay-to-fan-made-metal-gear-remake.aspx?utm_content=bufferd1f1b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" rel="nofollow">Game Informer</a>) page also says that Outer Heaven received another email stating that "if the project goes well and there will be public interest in it, Konami will surely get to know this and consider further step accordingly."</p><p style="">That sounds a little ominous, but Outer Heaven is moving ahead with development. If you're a fan of the original game, Outer Heaven is looking to expand its team with level designers, texture artists, voice actors, and more. Head to <a href="http://www.moddb.com/mods/metal-gear-remake/news/all-clear-from-konami-new-jobs-opening1" rel="nofollow">its Moddb page</a> to see exactly what it needs, how to get involved, and more of the project's early assets.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-metal-gear-fan-remake-not-happening/1100-6420017/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-what-you-missed-in-the-mortal-kombat-x-trailer/1100-6420036/ <p style="">Developer NetherRealm Studios has finally pulled back the curtain on their next entry in the long-running Mortal Kombat franchise--Mortal Kombat X--with a bone-breaking, head-severing <a href="/videos/mortal-kombat-x-announcement-trailer/2300-6419058/" data-ref-id="2300-6419058">new trailer</a>. It's a trailer filled to the brim with Scorpion-on-Sub-Zero violence, but there are several little details hidden within all the brutality that may give some extra insight into this fighting franchise's tenth installment.</p><p style="">Since releasing the trailer, Mortal Kombat publisher Warner Bros. has offered up some extra tidbits about the game. <a href="/articles/next-mortal-kombat-launching-in-2015-for-xbox-360-xbox-one-ps3-ps4-and-pc/1100-6420023/" data-ref-id="1100-6420023">As we reported</a>, Mortal Kombat X will deliver a "cinematic" presentation with "all-new gameplay" as well as offering a significant online component involving a "persistent online contest where every fight matters in a global battle for supremacy." Players will be able to choose from multiple variations on the same character, a first for the series, as well as take part in an "original story" introducing new challengers that "represent the forces of good and evil."</p><p style="">New modes, new characters, and new mechanics: we already know a lot about this new Mortal Kombat, but what more can we learn from that teaser trailer? Let's get started.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419094" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419094/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><h4>BREAKERS & X-RAY ATTACKS</h4><p style="">These should come as no surprise, as both were present in the previous Mortal Kombat. Scorpion's signature scorpion sting X-ray attack can be clearly seen at roughly the 1:05 mark (embed below), with upgraded visuals showing all that juicy organ trauma. Breakers also seem to have received an upgrade. In the previous <a href="/mortal-kombat-2011/" data-ref-id="false">Mortal Kombat</a>, breakers interrupted an opponent's combo and didn't deal any damage. Both of these aspects seem to have changed in Mortal Kombat X.</p><p style="">All the breakers (read: counter attacks) shown in the trailer had some sort of painful-looking follow-up attack to the appropriate appendage. In addition, at around the 43 second mark, Scorpion charges Sub-Zero and gets countered. Scorpion's attack wasn't part of some long combo--it was just a single attack that got squashed. Could this mean Mortal Kombat is adopting a more complex counter system similar to, perhaps, the one in <a href="/reviews/dead-or-alive-5-review/1900-6397081/" data-ref-id="1900-6397081">Dead or Alive</a>?</p><h4>STAGE BREAKING & WEAPONS</h4><p style="">Sub-Zero uses weapons and background objects constantly in the Mortal Kombat X trailer. In order of appearance, Sub-Zero throws Scorpion through a tree to access a new part of the stage, removes a tree branch and uses it as a frozen club, performs a swinging kick using another tree branch, and finally picks up and attacks with a frozen sword that has been lying in the background (interesting to note that sword then disappears in the scenes after Sub-Zero drops it).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">These sorts of background interactions and stage transitions were also present in NeatherRealm's previous fighting game foray, <a href="/injustice-gods-among-us/" data-ref-id="false">Injustice</a>, so it would make sense to find improved versions of them here. However, in Mortal Kombat X's case, less could mean more since these sequences were far more subdued than the car-smashing, office-building-destroying environmental attacks in Injustice.</p><h4 dir="ltr">ONLINE CONNECTIVITY</h4><p dir="ltr" style="">One important thing to note that wasn't in the trailer is Warner Bros.'s comment about Mortal Kombat X being a "fully-connected experience that launches players into a persistent online contest." The fighting game landscape has changed a bit since 2011 and the days of the last Mortal Kombat. Love it or hate it, the free-to-play business model is gaining traction within the fighting genre. Bandai Namco has been running F2P experiments, with varying degrees of success, for the past few years with <a href="/tekken-revolution/" data-ref-id="false">Tekken Revolution</a>, <a href="/soulcalibur-lost-swords/" data-ref-id="false">SoulCalibur: Lost Swords</a>, and <a href="/jojos-bizarre-adventure-all-star-battle/" data-ref-id="false">JoJo's Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle</a>. Here in the West, <a href="/killer-instinct/" data-ref-id="false">Killer Instinct</a> was designed from the ground up to be a F2P experience. It's not too great of a stretch to imagine NetherRealm is going to use its online functionality for a little more than just some leaderboard challenges.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419058" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419058/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><h4 dir="ltr">GIVE US SMOOTH</h4><p dir="ltr" style="">Free-to-play speculations aside, one thing we can all get excited about is the silky smooth fighting seen in this trailer. The Mortal Kombat series has always caught flack for feeling too robotic or--to use the parlance of our times--herky-jerky, but this trailer seems to go out of its way to demonstrate how fluid a Mortal Kombat game can be. Of course, it's likely this trailer isn't entirely representative of how the actual game will play, but the fact that NetherRealm wants to set the expectation in all our minds that maybe, just maybe, their next game won't feel quite so <em>stiff</em> is promising.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last, but not least, Warner Bros. has announced that Mortal Kombat X will not be a purely next-gen experience. The game is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 in 2015. You can expect more information about the game to drop at this year's E3, as well as our impression of the game from the show floor. Until then, all we have is this trailer. Was there anything we missed? Leave your thoughts, rumors, and speculations in the comments below.</p> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-what-you-missed-in-the-mortal-kombat-x-trailer/1100-6420036/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-ps4-get-demo-for-ea-sports-ufc/1100-6420066/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2548674-ufcdemo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548674" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2548674-ufcdemo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548674"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2548674-ufcdemo.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/try-ea-sports-ufc-on-june-3-with-free-ps4-xbox-one-demo/1100-6419967/" data-ref-id="1100-6419967">previously announced EA Sports UFC demo </a>is out now on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, allowing anyone to try Electronic Arts' upcoming MMA brawler. The demo features a rematch of last year's UFC 165, pitting Jon Jones against Alexander Gustafsson. Both athletes are featured on the game's cover.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also included with the EA Sports UFC demo is the game's full tutorial system, which should help you get up to speed with the game's basics. EA has also <a href="http://www.easports.com/ufc/tipsandtricks" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">drafted a collection of tips and tricks</a> for you to use to up your game.</p><p style="">EA Sports UFC runs on the EA Sports Ignite engine and is coming exclusively to Xbox One and PS4. The full game launches on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-sports-ufc-coming-june-17/1100-6418803/" data-ref-id="1100-6418803">June 17 </a>in North America and June 20 in Europe. For more on EA Sports UFC, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ufc-ultimate-fighting-championship/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>, including our <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-sports-ufc-gameplay-vs-realism/1100-6417624/" data-ref-id="1100-6417624">"Gameplay vs. Realism" feature</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></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-ps4-get-demo-for-ea-sports-ufc/1100-6420066/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-player-testing-results-in-new-update-improving-netcode/1100-6420065/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419093" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419093/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">DICE continues to work on fixing <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 4</a>, the latest evidence of which can be seen in a newly released patch improving the game's online performance.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The new update is now available for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 releases coming "later this week." One of the changes included in the PC, Xbox One, and PS4 versions of the update is what's called the "High Frequency Bubble." This allows the game to receive updates from the server more frequently for things going on "within a certain radius of the player." According to a DICE <a href="http://blogs.battlefield.com/2014/06/new-netcode-update-rolling-out/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">blog post</a>, "This normally results in a smoother, more 'correct' player experience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">By default, this option is turned off in this initial patch. You can enable it from the Options menu, and depending upon your Internet speed, you'll have three different settings for doing so. (If your connection is at least 1 Mbit/second, you should be able to make use of the "High" setting.) Those who rent servers on PC will be free to enable support for High Frequency Bubbles; on Xbox One and PS4, all 48-player servers will have the feature enabled right out of the gate, as well as "a small set" of 64-player servers. DICE hopes to turn the feature on within 24 hours if all goes well.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The video above demonstrates what the High Frequency Bubble makes possible--put simply, what you see on screen more closely represents what's actually going on. There will be less of a delay between the time a player jumps or shoots, for instance, and when another player sees that action take place.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This is the first patch to be released that makes use of improvements tested in the Community Test Environment. The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-dev-turns-to-fans-for-help-testing-new-improvements/1100-6419516/" data-ref-id="1100-6419516">CTE launched last month</a> as a platform for allowing DICE to test new fixes and improvements with a larger group of people--specifically, PC players who opted in--than it otherwise would have access to. DICE recently promised that the announcement of <a href="/battlefield-hardline/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield Hardline</a> wouldn't impact <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-vows-to-continue-fixing-battlefield-4-after-battlefield-hardline-reveal/1100-6419948/" data-ref-id="1100-6419948">continued support for Battlefield 4</a> and announced that a "major update" for the netcode was in the works.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The number of changes possible in this update would be difficult to pull off without the continued support from our community, both through direct constructive feedback and telemetry data gathered on the CTE," DICE said. Battlefield 4 players on PC with a Battlefield Premium membership are free to register for the CTE at the official <a href="http://cte.battlelog.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">website</a>. The developer plans to continue making use of it as it works on more improvements.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A full list of changes in the new update for all five versions of the game can be seen <a href="http://blogs.battlefield.com/2014/06/new-netcode-update-rolling-out/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">here</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-player-testing-results-in-new-update-improving-netcode/1100-6420065/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Wed, 04 Jun 2014 00:33:07 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ultra-street-fighter-iv-review/1900-6415780/ <p style="">With Ultra Street Fighter IV, the masterful Street Fighter IV series has reached its fifth, and possibly final, incarnation. Five years of tournaments, balance patches, and community input have coalesced to form the definitive version of a fighter that continues to evolve to this day. <a href="/reviews/street-fighter-iv-review/1900-6204782/" data-ref-id="1900-6204782">In his review</a>, former GameSpot editor Dan Chiappini described Street Fighter IV as "undoubtedly one of the finest examples of the fighting genre in this generation." It's a worthy accolade, and one that still holds true today.</p><p style="">Ultra Street Fighter IV brings with it a whole host of changes and additions to the game's previous releases: Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition and its 2012 update. Six new stages, five new characters, and three new game mechanics are successfully integrated into an already feature-rich game and introduce new strategies that help keep this seasoned fighter feeling fresh.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419101" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419101/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Any major Street Fighter expansion wouldn't be complete without adding some new fighters to the fray. Poison, Rolento, Hugo, and Elena will be instantly recognizable to Street Fighter fans from their recent outing in <a href="/street-fighter-x-tekken/" data-ref-id="false">Street Fighter X Tekken</a>. However, these characters aren't just cut-and-paste copies from SFXT; instead, they have been reworked to fit naturally within SFIV's play style. Newcomer <a href="/articles/why-decapre-is-ultra-street-fighter-4-s-next-world-warrior/1100-6418599/" data-ref-id="1100-6418599">Decapre</a> rounds out the roster. While she bears a striking resemblance to another world warrior, Decapre has her own distinct fighting style, which deftly mixes charge-based attacks with rushdown tactics, two fighting styles that traditionally do not mix.</p><p style="">Outside of the five new challengers, Ultra Street Fighter IV brings with it a myriad of tweaks and changes for the existing cast. None of the existing 39 characters have gone untouched in this expansion; however, the bulk of those changes will likely go unnoticed to the untrained eye. Increasing the damage of Rose's crouching light punch by 10 or reducing the startup of Dudley's medium kick by one frame may not sound like much on paper, but taken as a whole, these changes and dozens more combine to create a more equally balanced roster.</p><p style="">While the character-specific tweaks are not as apparent, ultra combo double, red focus attacks, and delayed wake-up are much more disruptive additions to the core mechanics of Street Fighter IV. The ultra combo double is a third ultra combo option that lets you go into battle armed with both of your character's ultra combos, but at reduced damage for both. This gives you more options in the fight, and is an especially effective addition for characters such as Zangief who have both antiair and close-range ultras.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2548846-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+03-55-03.mp4.still001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548846" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2548846-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+03-55-03.mp4.still001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548846"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/949/9490474/2548846-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+03-55-03.mp4.still001.jpg"></a><figcaption>You can now change your button layout on the character select screen.</figcaption></figure><p style="">A red focus attack functions in much the same way as the standard focus attack, except that it can absorb multiple hits at the cost of one energy block. This makes it a great tool for absorbing multi-hit attacks--looking at you, E. Honda--or for punishing a random ultra combo. Rounding out the trio is the delayed wake-up. Being able to delay when your character rises is a much more subtle addition, but an important one nonetheless. The delay does not last long, but it is enough to throw off the timing of a practiced opponent's next attack. Together, these three changes have a tremendous impact on the higher-level strategies of Street Fighter IV and offer new strategies for series veterans.</p><p style="">Ultra Street Fighter IV's updates don't stop at its characters. Online, you can compete in the new Elimination mode or work alongside distant friends in the Online Training mode. Elimination is a competitive mode where two teams of three duke it out to see which team is the best. When a player is defeated, the next one on his or her team swaps in until one side has no combatants left. To help prevent one player from steamrolling an entire team, Elimination mode does not restore health between rounds (naturally) or matches, similar in structure to the King of Fighters series.</p><p style="">A couple of new options for the truly dedicated round out Training mode. Save states let you take a snapshot of the current battle and return to it at any time with the push of a button. This is a handy addition for those who want to practice location-specific attacks or combos rapid-fire without having to reset the character blocking over and over again. Network simulation is the other upgrade, but it's really more of a novelty. This option lets you simulate increasingly severe levels of input lag to make you feel as if you're playing against someone with a poor Internet connection.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2548847-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+04-36-26.mp4.still002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548847" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/949/9490474/2548847-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+04-36-26.mp4.still002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548847"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/949/9490474/2548847-usfiv+-+capture+-+2014-06-03+04-36-26.mp4.still002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Edition Select lets you play different iterations of the same character, from vanilla Street Fighter IV to Ultra.</figcaption></figure><p style="">While so much of Street Fighter IV has been touched up in this new expansion, Trials mode continues to receive the cold shoulder. This mode is now horribly out of date and still uses character data from Super Street Fighter IV. It lacks trials for all five of Ultra's newcomers, as well as the previous batch of newcomers: Evil Ryu, Oni, Yun, and Yang. Since this mode is a good way to get acquainted with new characters, it's disappointing to see that developer Capcom has not yet updated it. Capcom has said it plans to release some sort of update later on down the line, but the absence of a fully realized Trials mode is certainly felt.</p><p style="">Trials aside, Ultra Street Fighter IV is a great expansion that smartly builds upon the core game. With all of its tweaks, new mechanics, and extra game modes, Ultra will definitely appeal to the diehard Street Fighter IV fans who still remember the tyranny of vanilla Sagat. Nearly every aspect of the game has received some sort of enhancement or upgrade, and the result is an expansion that makes a great game even better.</p> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ultra-street-fighter-iv-review/1900-6415780/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-mario-kart-8/2300-6419098/ Watch extended gameplay footage from Mario Kart 8 featuring the Giant Bomb crew. Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:33:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/quick-look-mario-kart-8/2300-6419098/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-easter-egg-recalls-xbox-one-kinect-privacy-concerns/1100-6420077/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2543111-watchdogslaunch_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543111" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2543111-watchdogslaunch_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2543111"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2543111-watchdogslaunch_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">It all kicked off when Microsoft announced the Xbox One last year, with the corporation originally asking users to pop an always-online, high-definition camera in the middle of their living room. It was right around the time that we learnt UK spy agency GCHQ considered using the 360's Kinect for surveillance, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/british-spy-agency-considered-using-xbox-360-kinect-for-surveillance/1100-6418021/">if you recall</a>. Microsoft later reversed the controversial policy--though it always insisted that it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-confirms-privacy-policy-for-xbox-one/1100-6409427/">would not be able to track</a> what you were doing in front of the lens.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Ubisoft, coincidentally, has snuck a little easter egg into <a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs</a> showing protagonist Aiden Pierce hack into the feed of one gamer's "Kinekt" device. Eurogamer spotted the nod and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5l1x5kQYvU" rel="nofollow">quickly archived it online</a>, so that it can live forever. By the way, there's some swearing. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another quirky mission in Watch Dogs <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-includes-cameo-easter-egg-from-assassin-s-creed-4/1100-6420043/">has you track down the Abstergo Entertainment CEO</a>, last seen in <a href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a>. The game also features the occasional glimpse of Ubisoft's Rabbids.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Watch Dogs, which was released last week, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-sells-4-million-copies-in-first-week-needs-2-million-more-to-match-assassin-s-creed-s-lifetime-tally/1100-6420059/">has already sold over four million copies</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-easter-egg-recalls-xbox-one-kinect-privacy-concerns/1100-6420077/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-press-conferences-what-does-sony-need-to-do/1100-6420070/ <p style="">Sony had a strong E3 press conference last year, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-4-will-cost-399/1100-6409681/">introducing the PS4 at $100 less</a> than the Xbox One and taking <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-supports-used-games-and-features-no-online-check-in/1100-6409677/">direct aim at Microsoft's since-reversed policies on used games and online connectivity</a>. And that PS4 momentum seems to have carried over to the current year; it's been the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-outsells-xbox-one-in-us-during-april-titanfall-remains-top-seller/1100-6419672/">top-selling console in the US every month</a> since its launch and garnered <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/">over 7 million sales</a> worldwide.</p><p style="">But as we saw with the rapid, sudden success of the Nintendo Wii, a scrappy underdog can shake things up at any time. In this feature, GameSpot's editors discuss what Sony needs to talk about during their upcoming E3 press conference to ensure they <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-says-ps4-unlike-their-previous-consoles-is-already-contributing-profit/1100-6419822/" data-ref-id="1100-6419822">stay in the number one spot for another year</a>.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548715-5954820629-PS4-C.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548715" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548715-5954820629-PS4-C.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548715"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1534/15343359/2548715-5954820629-PS4-C.jpg"></a></figure><h3><strong>Don't Get Cocky, Kid - Thomas Mc Shea</strong></h3><p style="">Do. Not. Get. Cocky. Everyone loves Sony now. They've been doing all the right things, saying all the right things, and we've grown to put our trust in them. And that's a terrible position to be in. Sony is not our friend, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-06-ps3-launches-11-17-499-for-20gb-599-for-60gb/1100-6149470/">as we've seen in the past, it can make terrible decisions</a> when they feel as though they're comfortably in first place. Sony has overcome the failings the PlayStation 3 went through in its first few years through hard work, and though it took a long time, all of that effort paid off. Sony has to continue down that path. And that doesn't just mean debuting more independent and AAA games.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Now would be a perfect time for Sony to cut the price of the PlayStation 4. We know they're already making a profit on the system, and there's no reason to let the Xbox One gain momentum when it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/399-xbox-one-without-kinect-launching-in-june/1100-6419601/">reaches price parity in June</a>. So, get the jump on Microsoft early, make the console more palatable for those sitting on the fence, and show that you're willing to cut into your own profits to keep people happy. Pair that with a new bundle that packs the PlayStation 4 and Vita together, and Sony is poised to continue the good feelings they've engendered of late.</p><h3><strong>Greatness Can't Wait, We Need to See It Now - Edward Makuch</strong></h3><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548719-3342478335-24575.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548719" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548719-3342478335-24575.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548719"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1534/15343359/2548719-3342478335-24575.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony comes into E3 2014 as the top dog. The PS4 is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-aiming-to-sell-5-million-ps4-consoles-before-march-2014/1100-6414644/" data-ref-id="1100-6414644">performing above expectations</a> with<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-reports-7-million-playstation-4-consoles-sold-worldwide/1100-6419044/"> 7 million units sold</a>, well ahead of the Xbox One and Wii U. But this isn't to say Sony can breeze through E3 and hope to stay on top. They can't. The PS4's $100 price advantage over the Xbox One is gone, and Sony needs to demonstrate at E3 why the PS4 is a better value offer than the Xbox One. They can do this by focusing on software and services.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">First, Sony needs to finally give us pricing and title availability details for PlayStation Now, their upcoming streaming service expected to roll out this summer in the US. The PS4's lack of backwards compatibility was a major pain point for me when considering upgrading from PS3 to PS4. Letting users stream older games on their new box--if the price is right and the library is deep enough--could help drive further adoption of the PS4.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Also during Sony's E3 press conference, they need to give us an update on Naughty Dog's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-4/">Uncharted game for the PlayStation 4</a>. Though Sony assures us that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-heads-stepping-in-to-lead-uncharted-ps4/1100-6420030/" data-ref-id="1100-6420030">everything at Naughty Dog is fine</a>, the recent spate of high-level staff departures (<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-ps4-writer-leaves-naughty-dog/1100-6418113/">Justin Richmond, Amy Hennig, and others</a>) cast a shadow of doubt over the studio. That was offset by the return of Druckmann and Straley, but the negativity will be entirely erased if we get a look at Uncharted 4 gameplay and it leaves us with our jaws on the floor.</p><h3><strong>Show, Don't Tell - Dan Hindes</strong></h3><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548717-9805376738-uncha.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548717" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2548717-9805376738-uncha.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548717"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1534/15343359/2548717-9805376738-uncha.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Alright, Sony--you're winning. Well done. Now show us what early adopters get for their loyalty. I don't want to see any Wonderbook-like nonsense or PlayStation Move-exclusive hand-waving. To use your own marketing on you--show us something for the players. Look at how you ended your 2012 press conference: the lights dimmed, someone from Naughty Dog walked on stage and played through a few minutes of The Last of Us, then walked off--and not a word was spoken. The game, in motion, was more than enough. Show us that confidence once again.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">And show us what your intense courting of indie developers has produced. I don't want to see ports of PC games, or titles that will be available day-and-date on Steam. Show us why PlayStation--both the PS4 and Vita--is THE place for indies. And I want to see new games that could only exist on the Vita; games that are built FOR the hardware's unique input, not games that pay it lip service. Finally, if you don't show us that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-last-guardian/">The Last Guardian</a> still exists, then I may have to stage an editorial walk-out.</p><h3><strong>Keep It Simple - Justin Haywald</strong></h3><p style="">Price-wise, I think the PlayStation 4 is fine for the next year or so. What I want to see is a system for downloading digital PSN content I already own. The idea of PlayStation Now, and being able to rent PS2 games on PS4, is nice but I don't want to pay to access them again.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">But if I were shooting for something pie-in-the-sky that could make the PS4 my de facto console of choice, it would be a PlayStation Now service that integrates with PlayStation Plus and allows unlimited access to Sony's previous-gen digital content. That would be a bombshell that would ensure everyone is talking about the PS4 well after E3 (and I really want a reason to finally unplug my PS3).</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6409835" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6409835/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><h3><strong>Where's the Killer App? - Mark Walton</strong></h3><p style=""> </p><p style="">Thanks to some stellar sales numbers for the PlayStation 4, Sony doesn't have anywhere near as much work to do as its competitors at this year's E3. That said, if it wants to hang onto its prime position as the best-selling next-gen console, it needs to get some games out there, particularly from its many first-party studios. Sony's lineup of indie titles across both the PS4 and Vita is great, but there's hardly been a killer app that makes the PS4 seem like an essential purchase for those still waiting to make the jump. The likes of Naughty Dog and Quantic Dream all have the design chops to produce something seriously impressive. This E3, Sony needs to show the world what the PS4 can really do.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""><em>You've read our thoughts, but what do you think Sony needs to talk about at this year's press conference? Let us know in the comments below!</em></p><p style=""><em>Or, tell us <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-we-d-like-to-see-at-e3-from-sony/1100-6420028/" data-ref-id="1100-6420028">what games you want to see at E3 from Sony over in this discussion</a>.</em></p> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:16:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-press-conferences-what-does-sony-need-to-do/1100-6420070/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-flash-sale-slashes-prices-of-rpgs-like-dark-souls-2-mass-effect-3-and-more/1100-6420073/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417601" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417601/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Sony has kicked off <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/06/03/flash-sale-over-15-rpgs-add-ons-up-to-75-off/#sf3167274" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">the newest flash sale on Playstation Network</a> for a variety of PlayStation 3 and Vita RPGs. Fifteen titles are on sale now from 25-75% until Friday, June 6th, at 12:00 P.M. PST.</p><p style="">You can pick up hits such as <a href="/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-remaster/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD</a> for $30, <a href="/tales-of-xillia/" data-ref-id="false">Tales of Xillia</a> for $20, and <a href="/demons-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Demon's Souls</a> for $10. <a href="/reviews/ni-no-kuni-wrath-of-the-white-witch-review/1900-6402702/" data-ref-id="1900-6402702">The critically-acclaimed Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch</a> is on sale for a ridiculously low $5, and all of the <a href="/mass-effect-3/" data-ref-id="false">Mass Effect 3</a> DLC is 75% off. You can get <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/game-of-the-month-march-2014/2300-6418124/" data-ref-id="2300-6418124">GameSpot's March 2014 Game of the Month</a>, <a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls II</a>, for only $39, as well.</p><p style="">Here is the full list of deals:</p><ul><li><a href="/atelier-escha-and-logy-alchemists-of-the-dusk-sky/" data-ref-id="false">Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky</a> - PS3, $24.99 (Was $49.99)</li><li><a href="/conception-ii-children-of-the-seven-stars/" data-ref-id="false">Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars</a> - Vita, $29.99 (Was $39.99)</li><li><a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls II</a> - PS3, $38.99 (Was $59.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/demons-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Demon's Souls</a> - PS3, $9.99 (Was $19.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/dragon-age-origins/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age: Origins</a> - PS3, $4.99 (Was $19.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/dragons-dogma/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen</a> - PS3, $19.99 (Was $39.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-remaster/" data-ref-id="false">Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster</a> - PS3/Vita, $29.99 (Was $39.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning/" data-ref-id="false">Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning</a> - PS3, $4.99 (Was $19.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/mass-effect-3/" data-ref-id="false">Mass Effect 3</a> DLC - PS3, prices vary</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/mass-effect-trilogy/" data-ref-id="false">Mass Effect Trilogy</a> - PS3, $14.99 (Was $29.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/ni-no-kuni-wrath-of-the-white-witch/" data-ref-id="false">Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch</a> - PS3, $4.99 (Was $19.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/soul-sacrifice/" data-ref-id="false">Soul Sacrifice</a> - Vita, $6.49 (Was $26.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/south-park-the-stick-of-truth/" data-ref-id="false">South Park: The Stick of Truth</a> - PS3, $41.99 (Was $59.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/tales-of-graces-f/" data-ref-id="false">Tales of Graces F</a> - PS3, $17.49 (Was $34.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/tales-of-xillia/" data-ref-id="false">Tales of Xillia</a> - PS3, $19.99 (Was $39.99)</li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/toukiden/" data-ref-id="false">Toukiden: The Age of Demons</a> - Vita, $19.99 (Was $39.99)</li></ul><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:16:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-flash-sale-slashes-prices-of-rpgs-like-dark-souls-2-mass-effect-3-and-more/1100-6420073/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-s-first-free-games-with-gold-titles-now-available/1100-6420074/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548833-halo-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548833" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548833-halo-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548833"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2548833-halo-.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The first two Xbox One games to be offered for free through the Games With Gold promotion, <a href="/halo-spartan-assault/" data-ref-id="false">Halo: Spartan Assault</a> and <a href="/max-the-curse-of-brotherhood/" data-ref-id="false">Max: The Curse of Brotherhood</a>, are now available to Xbox Live Gold members.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Halo: Spartan Assault is a download-only title that launched on Xbox One last year. Spartan Assault was originally release as a mobile game for Windows Phone and Windows 8 last summer before being <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-spartan-assault-for-xbox-one-launches-christmas-eve-runs-in-1080p-at-60fps/1100-6416618/" data-ref-id="1100-6416618">ported to Xbox One</a> in December (and, more recently, Xbox 360 and Steam). While enjoyable, the twin-stick shooter is on the short side and has limited co-op play, as noted in <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-spartan-assault-review/1900-6415616/" data-ref-id="1900-6415616">GameSpot's review</a>.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548834-max.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548834" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548834-max.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548834"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/123/1239113/2548834-max.jpg"></a><figcaption>Click for a full-size view.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is another download-only game released on Xbox One in December. It's a platformer with some intriguing puzzles, although <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/max-the-curse-of-brotherhood-review/1900-6415617/" data-ref-id="1900-6415617">GameSpot's review</a> described it as "competent but largely unremarkable."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-games-with-gold-kicks-off-in-june-resembles-playstation-plus/1100-6419602/" data-ref-id="1100-6419602">announced last month</a>, Microsoft has finally made good on its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-free-games-in-game-with-gold-program/1100-6416194/" data-ref-id="1100-6416194">promise</a> to bring Games With Gold--which gives away two free games per month to Xbox Live Gold subscribers--to its newest console. There will, however be some changes from the way things worked in the past; namely, the titles will begin being offered with "subscription-based access," which makes it sound as if the service will work more like the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Xbox Live Gold members can grab both games for free right now, as well as <a href="/crimson-dragon/" data-ref-id="false">Crimson Dragon</a> at a 50 percent discount. Those with an Xbox 360 can also get <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-free-on-xbox-live/1100-6420013/" data-ref-id="1100-6420013">Dark Souls for free</a> and, later this month, both <a href="/charlie-murder/" data-ref-id="false">Charlie Murder</a> and <a href="/super-street-fighter-iv/" data-ref-id="false">Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-s-first-free-games-with-gold-titles-now-available/1100-6420074/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-batman-arkham-knight-delayed-forza-horizon/2300-6419100/ Batman: Arkham Knight gets a meaty delay, we get a glimpse of Forza Horizon 2, and the PS4 gets a new update! Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-batman-arkham-knight-delayed-forza-horizon/2300-6419100/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-2-completed-in-20-minutes/1100-6420071/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwc9LE7Pt_4" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FXwc9LE7Pt_4%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXwc9LE7Pt_4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FXwc9LE7Pt_4%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="">Few people can say that they've completed <a href="/companies/from-software/" data-ref-id="false">From Software's</a> brutally difficult <a href="/dark-souls-ii/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls II</a>. Fewer still can claim to have beaten it without dying hundreds of times.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwc9LE7Pt_4" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">YouTube user Distortion2 has posted a speedrun of Dark Souls II</a> that is near flawless... but also only twenty minutes long.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the video, the player uses glitches and bugs to basically fling himself through the game, avoiding almost every battle and peril in the Dark Souls world. Interestingly, he relies heavily on in-game binoculars, which allow him to move around at a ridiculous pace. This is an impressive speedrun, even though it utilizes broken parts of the game.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">And yet, Distortion2 isn't done yet. He states in the caption of the video that his goal is a run that breaks the 20-minute mark.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dark-souls-2-review/1900-6415691/" data-ref-id="1900-6415691">You can read GameSpot's review of a more traditional playthrough of Dark Souls II here.</a></p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:54:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-2-completed-in-20-minutes/1100-6420071/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-pro-players-banned-for-toxic-behavior/1100-6420072/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548764-lol.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548764" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548764-lol.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548764"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2548764-lol.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="/league-of-legends/" data-ref-id="false">League of Legends</a> maker Riot Games hasn't shied away from banning even professional players from the game for poor behavior in the past, a trend it continued this week when it suspended two such players for the remainder of the year.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">As it has in the past, Riot announced the moves on its <a href="http://forums.euw.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=1749326" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">forums</a> (via <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/2/5772642/riot-league-of-legends-ban-pro-players" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>), offering a detailed breakdown of what the offenders did, the specific rules they broke, and the penalties they'll now suffer. The two players are Alfonso "Mithy" Rodriguez and Erlend "Nukeduck" Holm. Both have been slapped with the same discipline: They'll each be suspended from the League Championship Series and the Challenger Series for the remainder of the year.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The two players' offenses were similar; both are said to have "exhibited extremely toxic behavior in solo queue" in recent months. This includes "in-game harassment, verbal abuse, and continual use of racial slurs" in Rodriguez's case, and "in-game harassment, verbal abuse, and general toxicity" in Holm's.</p><blockquote data-align="right"><p dir="ltr" style="">"I must agree I didn't have the best behaviour so the the ban is deserved." -- League of Legends player Alfonso "Mithy" Rodriguez</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">"In the past month, Rodriguez has been reported in over 30% of the games he played, with nearly 60% of those reports being for Offensive Language, Negative Attitude, and Verbal Abuse," Riot reports. "During this period, his harassment score rose to be within the top 1% of all players on EUW. Additionally, he was reported over 30 times for leaving the game/going AFK."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Rodriguez responded on <a href="https://twitter.com/mithyxd" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter</a>, admitting, "I must agree I didn't have the best behaviour so the the ban is deserved." He said he intends to work as a coach in the meantime while working "on my behaviour" so that he can "try and come back to the scene." He also added, "Forgot to apologize to everyone I disappointed the fans and most importantly my teammates as well as [eSports group Ninjas in Pyjamas] who always treated us well. SORRY."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the case of Holm, Riot claims, "In the past month, Holm has been reported in nearly 30% of the games he played, with over 65% of those reports being for Offensive Language, Negative Attitude, and Verbal Abuse. Despite previous punishments for his toxicity, Holm's behavior has shown no improvement over the past months, even after his account became Chat Restricted."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Holm, too, took to <a href="https://twitter.com/nukeducklol" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter</a> to comment on the ban. "I don't disagree with Riot at all but I wish I would get a proper warning. I didn't get a ban on my account in 14 months or any other warning." He added, "It's not too bad for me. I'll take it as a learning experience and try to come back stronger."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Riot has been penalizing players, both of the professional and casual variety, for years. This includes <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/riot-fines-league-of-legends-cheaters-30000/1100-6398055/" data-ref-id="1100-6398055">fines for cheating</a> in tournaments and bans for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-players-banned-for-exploit/1100-6375379/" data-ref-id="1100-6375379">using exploits</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/riot-bans-professional-league-of-legends-player-christian-iwilldominate-rivera/1100-6401080/" data-ref-id="1100-6401080">toxic behavior</a>, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pro-league-of-legends-player-banned-for-anti-semitism/1100-6402913/" data-ref-id="1100-6402913">anti-semitism</a>.</p><p style="">League of Legends' wild popularity continues to grow; back in January, Riot boasted that the game now sees an astonishing <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-now-boasts-27-million-daily-players/1100-6417374/" data-ref-id="1100-6417374">27 million daily players</a>. The game is popular among not just players, but also eSports viewers--it was the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamers-watched-2-4-billion-hours-of-esports-in-2013/1100-6420035/" data-ref-id="1100-6420035">most-watched eSports game in 2013</a>, and the Season 3 World Championships were watched by <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/32-million-people-watched-league-of-legends-season-3-world-championships/1100-6416259/" data-ref-id="1100-6416259">more than 32 million people</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/league-of-legends-pro-players-banned-for-toxic-behavior/1100-6420072/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-quashes-the-last-of-us-ps4-release-date-rumor-after-retailer-blunder/1100-6420069/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/7/1/0/1990710-652686_20120814_003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1990710" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static5.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/0/7/1/0/1990710-652686_20120814_003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1990710"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/0/7/1/0/1990710-652686_20120814_003.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony has moved to quash fresh speculation that <a href="/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-confirmed-for-ps4-by-sony/1100-6418860/" data-ref-id="1100-6418860">The Last of Us Remastered</a> would be released on PlayStation 4 next week.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">What? June 13? We know The Last of Us Remastered is coming to PS4 this summer, but where did next week come from? It turns out a blunder from <a href="http://www.game.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">UK retailer Game</a> recently stated, multiple times, that the game would be released on June 13. The retailer later removed the dates, and now Sony has now outright denied them.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2548711-screen+shot+2014-06-03+at+13.10.30.png" data-ref-id="1300-2548711" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2548711-screen+shot+2014-06-03+at+13.10.30.png" data-ref-id="1300-2548711"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1493/14930800/2548711-screen+shot+2014-06-03+at+13.10.30.png"></a><figcaption>Uh oh.</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">"The release date is not June 13," said a Sony representative to GameSpot.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As we've announced, The Last of Us Remastered for PS4 will release this summer," adds Sony. "We will keep you posted on an official release date."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony has had a rough time keeping its The Last of Us announcements under wraps, with the PlayStation Store accidentally revealing both <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-left-behind-release-date-spotted-on-playstation-store/1100-6417134/" data-ref-id="1100-6417134">the release date of Left Behind DLC</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-remastered-confirmed-for-ps4-by-sony/1100-6418860/" data-ref-id="1100-6418860">the PS4 version of the game</a> earlier this year.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The head honchos on Last of Us, Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann, are now <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-heads-stepping-in-to-lead-uncharted-ps4/1100-6420030/" data-ref-id="1100-6420030">overseeing development of Uncharted on PS4</a>. Before The Last of Us, the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-heads-stepping-in-to-lead-uncharted-ps4/1100-6420030/" data-ref-id="1100-6420030">duo worked on</a> <a href="/uncharted-2-among-thieves/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 2</a>, which is widely regarded as the best in the series.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-quashes-the-last-of-us-ps4-release-date-rumor-after-retailer-blunder/1100-6420069/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/murdered-soul-suspect-review-roundup/1100-6420067/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418934" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418934/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""><a href="/murdered-soul-suspect/" data-ref-id="false">Murdered: Soul Suspect</a>, the supernatural detective thriller from Square Enix and Airtight Games (<a href="/dark-void/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Void</a>, <a href="/quantum-conundrum/" data-ref-id="false">Quantum Conundrum</a>), launched today on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in North America and on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-s-supernatural-thriller-murdered-soul-suspect-gets-release-date/1100-6418100/" data-ref-id="1100-6418100">June 6 in Europe</a>. With its release comes no shortage of reviews, a sampling of which we've collected here to provide you with some sense of what the critics are saying.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Murdered takes place in Salem, Mass. and stars the newly deceased Ronan O'Connor, who sets out to learn the identity of his killer. It <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/murdered-soul-suspect-to-be-scored-by-bafta-award-winning-composer/1100-6419974/" data-ref-id="1100-6419974">features music</a> from BAFTA award winner Jason Graves, composer of the soundtracks for <a href="/dead-space/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Space</a> and the 2013 reboot of <a href="/tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a>. Despite being multiplatform, Murdered <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-talks-1080p-for-murdered-on-xbox-one-ps4-and-why-there-s-no-wii-u-version/1100-6417990/" data-ref-id="1100-6417990">will not be coming to Wii U</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Reviews of the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are hard to come by, but many (but not all) of those for the Xbox One and PS4 versions have been neither especially positive nor especially negative. The Xbox One and PS4 versions currently hold average review scores of 50 and 59, respectively, on <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/murdered-soul-suspect" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot sister site Metacritic</a>.</p><h3 dir="ltr">Destructoid -- 4.5/10</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"I truly wanted to like this game. It combines several of my favorite tropes and ideas into one cohesive whole, and I respect what it was trying to attain. But combining an underdeveloped hide-and-seek operation with a ghost story that seems ripped straight from a casual game isn't the way to hold my attention. It's a half-baked concoction full of lofty ideas that don't quite mesh well together topped with a fedora. And I don't think that's a confection anyone really wants to devour. Save this one for a rental." [<a href="http://www.destructoid.com/review-murdered-soul-suspect-275828.phtml" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">Joystiq -- 3.5/5</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"Acquired taste though its investigative gameplay may be, Murdered gets everything nearly exactly right until its final act, at which point it seems determined to wreck everything it's achieved. That said, the mystery at the heart of Murdered really is excellent, and putting the pieces together crime scene by crime scene should satisfy many an armchair sleuth. The hidden ghost stories are well worth finding, and though Ronan is a bit of a dull fish, the people who surround him are worth getting to know, however briefly. With some truly great ideas and some unfortunate choices, Murdered: Soul Suspect and its ghostly hero is neither heaven nor hell, but something in between." [<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/03/murdered-soul-suspect-review-good-cop-dead-cop/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">GameSpot -- review in progress</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"The deliberate pacing immediately pulled me in, because I do love slowly figuring out how and why a crime took place. Murdered is similar to <a href="/ghost-trick-phantom-detective/" data-ref-id="false">Ghost Trick</a> in that regard, only without the titular ghost tricking, or like <a href="/l-a-noire/" data-ref-id="false">L.A. Noire</a>, but without the aggressive interrogations. So there's not a hook that demands your attention. Rather, it's the story that bears the brunt of the weight, and that's where Murdered struggles so far." [<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/murdered-soul-suspect-review-in-progress/1100-6420061/" data-ref-id="1100-6420061">Review in progress</a>]</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548690-murdered-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548690" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2548690-murdered-.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548690"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/123/1239113/2548690-murdered-.jpg"></a></figure><h3 dir="ltr">Polygon -- 7/10</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"Murdered: Soul Suspect is awash in tropes, but somehow, that's part of the charm. It's a pulpy detective tale remixed as a classic ghost story, and it works as a sort of playable B-movie. It's linear and mechanically simple, but it flows well and keeps a fast pace, at least as long as I wasn't chasing down demons. Supernatural Salem was a rich, sad, beautiful place to visit, and as it turned out, Ronan was the perfect tour guide." [<a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/3/5765892/murdered-soul-suspect-review" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">Edge -- 4/10</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"With so little systemic support, Murdered puts all its emphasis on its story, which just can't bear the weight. The writing aims for hardboiled horror – Dick Tracy by way of <em>Paranormal Activity</em> – but feels undercooked. O'Connor spouts trite observations full of false import. The ghost writing that accompanies clues rarely has anything to say ('Troubled' floats by a scribble on a mental asylum wall) and the ending is an anticlimax, spitting on any connections you've bothered to make and mechanically relying on a baseless leap of logic under time pressure. On every level, then, Murdered throttles its premise. Much as it saddens us, given the promise of seeing a 3D Ghost Trick, we pronounce this dead on arrival." [<a href="http://www.edge-online.com/review/murdered-soul-suspect-review/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">Eurogamer - 6/10</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"And it's that underdog likeability that rescues Soul Suspect from the lower reaches of the score table. It's a Good 6, that delightful strata of games that stumble in the technical aspects, but compensate with personality and charm, somehow all the more enjoyable for their imperfections. I can't pretend that Soul Suspect is a particularly great game, but I do know that it's the sort of game I'll still remember - and remember fondly - in five years' time, which is more than can be said for most of its glossier rivals." [<a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-03-murdered-soul-suspect-review" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Full review</a>]</p><h3 dir="ltr">GamesBeat -- 89/100</h3><p dir="ltr" style="">"Murdered: Soul Suspect is one of the most surprisingly good games I've played in a long time. It manages to sell its bizarre premise and builds a solid, moving story out of it, and the plot-propelling investigations add immensely to the detective feel. Walking around as a ghost is clever and entertaining, and it even manages to inject variety into some of gaming's most overused elements." [<a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/06/02/murdered-soul-suspect-transcends-a-silly-premise-to-deliver-law-order-with-ghosts-review/view-all/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Full review</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/murdered-soul-suspect-review-roundup/1100-6420067/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-metal-gear-fan-remake-not-happening/1100-6420017/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2546767-5835305586-Outer.png" data-ref-id="1300-2546767" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1535/15354745/2546767-5835305586-Outer.png" data-ref-id="1300-2546767"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1535/15354745/2546767-5835305586-Outer.png"></a></figure><p style="">[UPDATE] The Metal Gear Remake project is no longer in development. </p><p style="">Although the mod developer provided no explanation, an update on the <a href="http://www.moddb.com/mods/metal-gear-remake/news/all-clear-from-konami-new-jobs-opening1" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">mod site</a> reads: "The mod you are trying to view has ceased development and consequently been archived. If you are a member of this mod, can demonstrate that it is being actively developed and will be able to keep this profile up to date with the latest news, images, videos and downloads, please contact us with all details and we will consider its re-activation."</p><p style="">Although the project was originally pitched as including Konami's approval, Konami is currently offering no comment on the closure.</p><p style=""><em>The original story appears below.</em></p><p style="">A group of amateur developers going by the name Outer Heaven is currently working on a remake of the original Metal Gear from 1988, and it recently received Konami's blessing.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A lot of the time publishers who own the rights to old games send cease-and-desist letters when they hear about something like this (Square Enix shutting down the Chrono Trigger remake <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrono_Resurrection" rel="nofollow">Chrono Resurrection</a> comes to mind), but Outer Heaven recently announced it got word from Konami that it's free to continue its work under one condition: Outer Heaven can't make a profit or accept donations for the project.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The post to <a href="http://www.moddb.com/mods/metal-gear-remake/news/all-clear-from-konami-new-jobs-opening1" rel="nofollow">the project's Moddb</a> (via <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/06/01/konami-gives-the-okay-to-fan-made-metal-gear-remake.aspx?utm_content=bufferd1f1b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" rel="nofollow">Game Informer</a>) page also says that Outer Heaven received another email stating that "if the project goes well and there will be public interest in it, Konami will surely get to know this and consider further step accordingly."</p><p style="">That sounds a little ominous, but Outer Heaven is moving ahead with development. If you're a fan of the original game, Outer Heaven is looking to expand its team with level designers, texture artists, voice actors, and more. Head to <a href="http://www.moddb.com/mods/metal-gear-remake/news/all-clear-from-konami-new-jobs-opening1" rel="nofollow">its Moddb page</a> to see exactly what it needs, how to get involved, and more of the project's early assets.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/emanuelmaiberg" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @emanuelmaiberg</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/116710591398405257934/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google+</a>.<br /></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><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></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/update-metal-gear-fan-remake-not-happening/1100-6420017/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-what-you-missed-in-the-mortal-kombat-x-trailer/1100-6420036/ <p style="">Developer NetherRealm Studios has finally pulled back the curtain on their next entry in the long-running Mortal Kombat franchise--Mortal Kombat X--with a bone-breaking, head-severing <a href="/videos/mortal-kombat-x-announcement-trailer/2300-6419058/" data-ref-id="2300-6419058">new trailer</a>. It's a trailer filled to the brim with Scorpion-on-Sub-Zero violence, but there are several little details hidden within all the brutality that may give some extra insight into this fighting franchise's tenth installment.</p><p style="">Since releasing the trailer, Mortal Kombat publisher Warner Bros. has offered up some extra tidbits about the game. <a href="/articles/next-mortal-kombat-launching-in-2015-for-xbox-360-xbox-one-ps3-ps4-and-pc/1100-6420023/" data-ref-id="1100-6420023">As we reported</a>, Mortal Kombat X will deliver a "cinematic" presentation with "all-new gameplay" as well as offering a significant online component involving a "persistent online contest where every fight matters in a global battle for supremacy." Players will be able to choose from multiple variations on the same character, a first for the series, as well as take part in an "original story" introducing new challengers that "represent the forces of good and evil."</p><p style="">New modes, new characters, and new mechanics: we already know a lot about this new Mortal Kombat, but what more can we learn from that teaser trailer? Let's get started.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419094" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419094/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><h4>BREAKERS & X-RAY ATTACKS</h4><p style="">These should come as no surprise, as both were present in the previous Mortal Kombat. Scorpion's signature scorpion sting X-ray attack can be clearly seen at roughly the 1:05 mark (embed below), with upgraded visuals showing all that juicy organ trauma. Breakers also seem to have received an upgrade. In the previous <a href="/mortal-kombat-2011/" data-ref-id="false">Mortal Kombat</a>, breakers interrupted an opponent's combo and didn't deal any damage. Both of these aspects seem to have changed in Mortal Kombat X.</p><p style="">All the breakers (read: counter attacks) shown in the trailer had some sort of painful-looking follow-up attack to the appropriate appendage. In addition, at around the 43 second mark, Scorpion charges Sub-Zero and gets countered. Scorpion's attack wasn't part of some long combo--it was just a single attack that got squashed. Could this mean Mortal Kombat is adopting a more complex counter system similar to, perhaps, the one in <a href="/reviews/dead-or-alive-5-review/1900-6397081/" data-ref-id="1900-6397081">Dead or Alive</a>?</p><h4>STAGE BREAKING & WEAPONS</h4><p style="">Sub-Zero uses weapons and background objects constantly in the Mortal Kombat X trailer. In order of appearance, Sub-Zero throws Scorpion through a tree to access a new part of the stage, removes a tree branch and uses it as a frozen club, performs a swinging kick using another tree branch, and finally picks up and attacks with a frozen sword that has been lying in the background (interesting to note that sword then disappears in the scenes after Sub-Zero drops it).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">These sorts of background interactions and stage transitions were also present in NeatherRealm's previous fighting game foray, <a href="/injustice-gods-among-us/" data-ref-id="false">Injustice</a>, so it would make sense to find improved versions of them here. However, in Mortal Kombat X's case, less could mean more since these sequences were far more subdued than the car-smashing, office-building-destroying environmental attacks in Injustice.</p><h4 dir="ltr">ONLINE CONNECTIVITY</h4><p dir="ltr" style="">One important thing to note that wasn't in the trailer is Warner Bros.'s comment about Mortal Kombat X being a "fully-connected experience that launches players into a persistent online contest." The fighting game landscape has changed a bit since 2011 and the days of the last Mortal Kombat. Love it or hate it, the free-to-play business model is gaining traction within the fighting genre. Bandai Namco has been running F2P experiments, with varying degrees of success, for the past few years with <a href="/tekken-revolution/" data-ref-id="false">Tekken Revolution</a>, <a href="/soulcalibur-lost-swords/" data-ref-id="false">SoulCalibur: Lost Swords</a>, and <a href="/jojos-bizarre-adventure-all-star-battle/" data-ref-id="false">JoJo's Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle</a>. Here in the West, <a href="/killer-instinct/" data-ref-id="false">Killer Instinct</a> was designed from the ground up to be a F2P experience. It's not too great of a stretch to imagine NetherRealm is going to use its online functionality for a little more than just some leaderboard challenges.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419058" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419058/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><h4 dir="ltr">GIVE US SMOOTH</h4><p dir="ltr" style="">Free-to-play speculations aside, one thing we can all get excited about is the silky smooth fighting seen in this trailer. The Mortal Kombat series has always caught flack for feeling too robotic or--to use the parlance of our times--herky-jerky, but this trailer seems to go out of its way to demonstrate how fluid a Mortal Kombat game can be. Of course, it's likely this trailer isn't entirely representative of how the actual game will play, but the fact that NetherRealm wants to set the expectation in all our minds that maybe, just maybe, their next game won't feel quite so <em>stiff</em> is promising.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last, but not least, Warner Bros. has announced that Mortal Kombat X will not be a purely next-gen experience. The game is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 in 2015. You can expect more information about the game to drop at this year's E3, as well as our impression of the game from the show floor. Until then, all we have is this trailer. Was there anything we missed? Leave your thoughts, rumors, and speculations in the comments below.</p> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-what-you-missed-in-the-mortal-kombat-x-trailer/1100-6420036/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-ps4-get-demo-for-ea-sports-ufc/1100-6420066/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2548674-ufcdemo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548674" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2548674-ufcdemo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2548674"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2548674-ufcdemo.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/try-ea-sports-ufc-on-june-3-with-free-ps4-xbox-one-demo/1100-6419967/" data-ref-id="1100-6419967">previously announced EA Sports UFC demo </a>is out now on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, allowing anyone to try Electronic Arts' upcoming MMA brawler. The demo features a rematch of last year's UFC 165, pitting Jon Jones against Alexander Gustafsson. Both athletes are featured on the game's cover.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Also included with the EA Sports UFC demo is the game's full tutorial system, which should help you get up to speed with the game's basics. EA has also <a href="http://www.easports.com/ufc/tipsandtricks" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">drafted a collection of tips and tricks</a> for you to use to up your game.</p><p style="">EA Sports UFC runs on the EA Sports Ignite engine and is coming exclusively to Xbox One and PS4. The full game launches on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-sports-ufc-coming-june-17/1100-6418803/" data-ref-id="1100-6418803">June 17 </a>in North America and June 20 in Europe. For more on EA Sports UFC, check out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ufc-ultimate-fighting-championship/" data-ref-id="false">GameSpot's previous coverage</a>, including our <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-sports-ufc-gameplay-vs-realism/1100-6417624/" data-ref-id="1100-6417624">"Gameplay vs. Realism" feature</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></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:07:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-ps4-get-demo-for-ea-sports-ufc/1100-6420066/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-player-testing-results-in-new-update-improving-netcode/1100-6420065/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419093" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419093/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">DICE continues to work on fixing <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 4</a>, the latest evidence of which can be seen in a newly released patch improving the game's online performance.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The new update is now available for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 releases coming "later this week." One of the changes included in the PC, Xbox One, and PS4 versions of the update is what's called the "High Frequency Bubble." This allows the game to receive updates from the server more frequently for things going on "within a certain radius of the player." According to a DICE <a href="http://blogs.battlefield.com/2014/06/new-netcode-update-rolling-out/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">blog post</a>, "This normally results in a smoother, more 'correct' player experience."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">By default, this option is turned off in this initial patch. You can enable it from the Options menu, and depending upon your Internet speed, you'll have three different settings for doing so. (If your connection is at least 1 Mbit/second, you should be able to make use of the "High" setting.) Those who rent servers on PC will be free to enable support for High Frequency Bubbles; on Xbox One and PS4, all 48-player servers will have the feature enabled right out of the gate, as well as "a small set" of 64-player servers. DICE hopes to turn the feature on within 24 hours if all goes well.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The video above demonstrates what the High Frequency Bubble makes possible--put simply, what you see on screen more closely represents what's actually going on. There will be less of a delay between the time a player jumps or shoots, for instance, and when another player sees that action take place.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This is the first patch to be released that makes use of improvements tested in the Community Test Environment. The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-dev-turns-to-fans-for-help-testing-new-improvements/1100-6419516/" data-ref-id="1100-6419516">CTE launched last month</a> as a platform for allowing DICE to test new fixes and improvements with a larger group of people--specifically, PC players who opted in--than it otherwise would have access to. DICE recently promised that the announcement of <a href="/battlefield-hardline/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield Hardline</a> wouldn't impact <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-vows-to-continue-fixing-battlefield-4-after-battlefield-hardline-reveal/1100-6419948/" data-ref-id="1100-6419948">continued support for Battlefield 4</a> and announced that a "major update" for the netcode was in the works.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The number of changes possible in this update would be difficult to pull off without the continued support from our community, both through direct constructive feedback and telemetry data gathered on the CTE," DICE said. Battlefield 4 players on PC with a Battlefield Premium membership are free to register for the CTE at the official <a href="http://cte.battlelog.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">website</a>. The developer plans to continue making use of it as it works on more improvements.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A full list of changes in the new update for all five versions of the game can be seen <a href="http://blogs.battlefield.com/2014/06/new-netcode-update-rolling-out/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">here</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> Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-player-testing-results-in-new-update-improving-netcode/1100-6420065/
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