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Category: Gamespot

  • Two Years After Development Ceased, Tribes: Ascend Being Supported Again

    Hi-Rez Studios plans to again support its free-to-play shooter, Tribes: Ascend, beginning with the release of a new map.

    This was announced by Hi-Rez CEO Erez Goren on Twitter this afternoon, where he explained that this is being made possible by the success of Hi-Rez’s two most recent games.

    “With the success of Smite and Paladins, we have more resources than ever in the Studio,” he wrote. “We can now afford to go back and improve older game [sic].”

    Exactly what Hi-Rez has in store for the game is unclear; Goren would only say it’s “getting a new map and some other small changes as well as continuing support.” He also suggested that the plan is for public test servers for this to go live “in about two weeks.”

    Sean McBride, the former art director on Ascend and Smite, will now serve as Ascend’s creative director.

    Back in July 2013, Hi-Rez announced on Reddit that it would be putting development of Ascend on hold, at least temporarily, in order to focus on Smite. This didn’t sit well with many fans, who hoped that development would continue. It’s a strange situation, with the game responsible for Ascend’s development being discontinued (Smite) now apparently being the reason it will continue.

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  • Xbox One Getting Another $150 Controller, This One From Razer

    Xbox One Getting Another $150 Controller, This One From Razer

    Much like the $150 Elite controller Microsoft unveiled for the Xbox One at this year’s E3, Razer today announced a $150 Xbox One controller of its own.

    Called the Razer Wildcat, Razer describes it as a “pro-gamer-validated, tournament-grade” controller. It adds four buttons to the top and rear of the device, which otherwise sports the usual assortment of two analog sticks, a directional pad, four face buttons, two triggers, and two shoulder buttons.

    The extra buttons, as you can see in the image gallery above, come in the form of two bumpers and two triggers. The latter are removable, while the standard triggers have optional stops that allow you to more quickly reach full input.

    Every button on the controller can be bound to whatever input you choose, and the controller sports a “quick control panel” that allows you to quickly switch between different profiles. These can each have a different button configuration setup for various games.

    Also of note is a 3.5 mm audio jack similar to what the standard Xbox One controller now features.

    The Wildcat comes with optional rubber palm and analog stick grips (the green things seen in most of the images above), a carrying case, and a detachable 10-foot micro USB cable. The controller weighs 0.57 pounds, which Razer claims makes it more than 20 percent lighter than competing tournament-grade controllers.

    Razer plans to launch the Wildcat in October for $150–the same month and price as Microsoft’s Elite controller, which offers some of the same features, but also allows its d-pad and analog sticks to be swapped out.

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  • As an Apology for the Delay, Might No. 9 Backers Receiving Special Trial Version

    As an Apology for the Delay, Might No. 9 Backers Receiving Special Trial Version

    Following the recent delay of Mighty No. 9, developer Comcept has announced that its Kickstarter backers will receive temporary access to a trial on September 15, the full game’s previously scheduled release date.

    In a backer-only Kickstarter update, Comcept revealed its plans for Mighty No. 9’s “Trial Ver.” Backers have previously gotten to go hands-on with a beta version of the game, but this demo will offer new and updated content.

    Trial Version consists of the first six Challenge mode levels and the “complete states” of the opening stage and the No. 1, 3, and 5 stages. “Changes have been made to the content including enemy placement adjustments and an extra layer of polish has been added to the graphics, so even backers who spent time with the beta should also check out this Trial Ver. to see what has changed since then,” the update states.

    None of the story content in these levels is being removed; players can see all of their cutscenes. New UI options will be added from the beta, and the 8-bit version of the soundtrack can be toggled on from the options menu.

    This demo will only be available for a month after its launch on Steam on September 15. Codes will be distributed to backers “a few days earlier.” The update didn’t specify if there will be a version available for other platforms.

    Mighty No. 9’s delay was officially announced earlier in August; it’s now not due out until 2016. The delay was rumored back in July, and its eventual announcement angered some fans. This was not just because of the delay itself, but because they believed the news was held back until another Comcept Kickstarter campaign (Red Ash, which didn’t reach its goal) ran its course.

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  • Watch PS4/Xbox One/PC Bombshell's New Boss Battle Trailer

    3D Realms and Interceptor Entertainment have published a new trailer for their upcoming isometric action role-playing game, Bombshell, which is in development for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

    In this new video, Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison, does battle with an evil boss named Zeroth Guardian. This creature actually takes the form of a pair of beasts, who have ice-themed powers and are independently armed with a sword and a shield. You’ll also notice that the boss battle plays out across multiple stages, and Bombshell must us her various skills and abilities–both offensive and defensive–to survive.

    Bombshell must defeat this enemy, and the rest, to save the president from an “apocalyptic alien threat.”

    Here’s the plot overview for Bombshell, which is every bit as over-the-top as you might think/hope.

    “Once a respected bomb technician in the Global Defense Force, Shelly Harrison donned the codename Bombshell after she failed to disarm an alien explosive that led to the loss of her entire squad and her right arm. Deemed responsible for the resulting casualties in what became known as ‘The Washington Incident’, Shelly was stripped of her rank but later approached by a private military contractor promising her a chance at redemption. Harnessing the alien technology responsible for the dramatic turn in her life, Shelly became Bombshell–a tough-as-nails mercenary-for-hire touting a powerful bionic arm and a fierce attitude.

    The game will be playable this weekend in Seattle during PAX Prime, where 3D Realms will also have on display a full-size scale replica of Bombshell’s cybernetic arm.

    Bombshell is scheduled to launch later this year across all three platforms. For more, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.

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  • Valve's Vive VR Only Getting "Limited" Release This Year

    Valve's Vive VR Only Getting "Limited" Release This Year

    Valve has confirmed launch plans for its upcoming Vive virtual reality headset, which the Half-Life and Steam company is developing through a partnership with technology giant HTC.

    As expected, the first Vive units will be available to the public “later this year,” Valve said in a statement. However, only a “limited quantity” of these commercial units will be available at that time. The wider Vive product launch is slated for the first quarter of 2016, meaning sometime in the January-March window.

    Pricing for the commercial Vive headset models has not been announced.

    A special version of the Vive headset made specifically for developers has been available–for free-since May. HTC and Valve report that they’ve received “over 10,000” requests for development kits since then. Though it’s not clear how many units are actually in developers’ hands, Valve says over 80 virtual reality games/experiences are in production for the Vive headset.

    The Vive world tour continues this weekend at PAX Prime in Seattle, where anyone can try a number of demos, including the impressive-looking Portal experience we took for a spin at GDC. New games Final Approach and Fantastic Contraption will also be on display during the event.

    GameSpot editor Peter Brown tried Vive at GDC in March and said that Valve “demonstrates the future of VR better than anyone.”

    For more on how Vive compares to Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus, check out this feature.

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  • Hannibal Star to Play Villain in Marvel's Dr Strange

    Hannibal Star to Play Villain in Marvel's Dr Strange

    He’s known for playing one of the most iconic bad guys on TV–Hannibal Lector, in NBC’s now sadly cancelled Hannibal. Now Mads Mikkelsen may once again play a villain in Marvel’s upcoming fantasy adventure Dr Strange.

    Variety have reported that the Danish actor is in “early talks” to star alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in the film, due for release next year. The movie will form the second part of Marvel Studios’s Phase Three, and is directed by Scott Derrickson, best known for horror films such as Sinister and The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

    The role that Mikkelsen is being touted for is unknown, but Variety’s sources confirm that he will join 12 Years a Slave Oscar-winner Chiwetel Ejiofor as one of Stephen Strange’s adversaries. Ejiofor has been cast as the evil Baron Mordo, while Tilda Swinton is playing Strange’s mentor, the Ancient One.

    At Disney’s recent D23 expo, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige revealed concept art for the film, and commented that it would be “as weird as anything we’ve done.” In an interview for JoBlo.com, Derrickson explained why he felt that he was the right man for the job: “I think when you consider the work that I’ve done, it makes sense that he’d be my favorite comic book character, at least in the Marvel universe,” he said. “Probably the only comic character in that mainstream world that I’m suited to.

    “I feel such an affinity for the character and the story and the ambition of those comics. I wanted it really bad. More than any other project that I’ve gone after, I felt compelled to do everything in my power to get on that project. Genuinely felt like I was the right guy to do it.”

    Dr Strange will be only the second Marvel film to break from the tradition of a summer release. Appropriately enough it is coming to cinemas a few days after Halloween, on November 4, 2016. Mikkelsen is also part of the cast of the first Star Wars spinoff, Rogue One, due a few weeks later on December 16, 2016.

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  • PS4, Xbox One Getting War Game Where You Play from Child's Perspective

    11bit Studios has announced that a new version of This War of Mine, a game about war that is told from the perspective of civilians, is coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The new game is called “The Little Ones,” and in it, you control a group of civilians trapped in a warzone.

    What’s new this time around is, as its name suggests, you play from the perspective of a child. Take a look at the trailer below for more, which uses the famous Offspring song, “The Kids Aren’t Alright.”

    “The Little Ones focuses not only on the reality of enduring war, but also the fact that even in times of conflict, kids are still kids,” 11bit said in a statement. “They laugh, cry, play with toys, and see the world differently. In addition to thinking about survival, you’ll have to bring back the kid in yourself to understand how to protect the little ones. Their faith, and their futures, are in your hands.”

    Like its predecessor, The Little Ones features a day/night cycle that affects how the game plays out. During daytime, the threat of snipers keeps you from leaving your camp. At night, you’ll have to venture out to scavenge for items to help you stay alive. Ultimately, the game asks the question: “How far will you go to make it through another day?”

    The Little Ones launches on January 29, 2016 for PS4 and Xbox One.

    GameSpot’s This War of Mine review for PC scored the game an 8/10.

    “Is this a game you want to play? No. Is it a game anyone with a beating heart should play? Yes. A million times yes,” reviewer Justin Clark wrote. “It’s a longform exercise in empathy, a sobering piece of work that fills in the blanks left when all we see of war are the headshots. It’s a much-needed course correct in the current shoot-first-ask-questions-never gaming landscape that supposes war is won because one supreme badguy caught a bullet through his brainstem. No: It’s won when the people who lived under his boot get to go home.”

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  • Prometheus 2 Confirmed by Director Ridley Scott

    Prometheus 2 Confirmed by Director Ridley Scott

    He might turn 78 in November, but Ridley Scott’s work rate shows no sign of slowing. While it is often hard to keep track of the various projects that he is attached to, Scott has now confirmed that the next movie he directs will be Prometheus 2.

    A sequel to his 2012 sci-fi horror film–a semi-prequel to his 1979 smash Alien–has been on the cards for some time, but until now it was very much an unconfirmed rumour. But in an interview with Empire to promote his latest film, The Martian, the director let slip that the project was well underway.

    Replying to Martian star Matt Damon’s joke that “Ridley was done with the movie about two weeks after we shot”, Scott replies: “I was already on to my next movie! I was starting to look for locations for my next movie, which is Prometheus 2.”

    The film is yet to be officially announced by studio 20th Century Fox, but Slashfilm.com have previously suggested that it might start production in January, 2016. There have also been reports that the other upcoming movie in the Alien universe–Neill Blomkamp’s direct sequel Alien 5–has now moved back in Fox’s schedule to make way for Scott’s Prometheus follow-up.

    Prometheus was released in May 2012, and starred Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Idris Elba. It went on to earn $403 million worldwide.

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  • Xbox One's Metal Gear Solid 5 "Holds Its Own" vs. PS4 Version

    Xbox One's Metal Gear Solid 5 "Holds Its Own" vs. PS4 Version

    The Xbox One edition of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain performs at a technical standard very similar to the PlayStation 4 version, according to early tests.

    An independent technical analysis of the game, by Digital Foundry, found that the Xbox One edition delivers on offering a native 1600×900 resolution at 60 frames-per-second. The PlayStation 4 version, meanwhile, rendered at a slightly more advanced 1080p60, but the perceptible difference between the two versions was described as negligible.

    The report reads: “Sony’s platform wins out in direct comparisons of course, having no need to upscale its image. However, it must be said Xbox One acquits itself very nicely at 900p, and despite some softening to foliage elements, its resolution is no longer a tangible limiting factor to the experience.”

    Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, which shipped last year as the prologue to The Phantom Pain, presented a more significant difference between both consoles, rendering on Xbox One at 720p, and full HD on the PS4.

    “But with the resolution gap narrowed to 900p versus 1080p, Xbox One at least holds its own in the visual comparison,” Digital Foundry wrote.

    “At 900p, there’s a sense that optimisations have been made and we’re moving forward.”

    The report also details that some minor advantages can be found on both versions, but concluded: “In gameplay, both PS4 and Xbox One run at a near-flawless 60fps, with v-sync engaged at all times to avoid tearing. The heightened pixel count on Xbox One doesn’t appear to hamper this, even when faced with a valley filled with foliage elements. Travelling at speed across busy terrain gives us 60fps as well–an impressive feat.”

    Click on the thumbnails below to view in full-screen.

    Since the release of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, in late 2013, the initial wave of third-party games tended to render at a lower resolution on Xbox One as they did on PlayStation 4. Although Sony’s console carries a raw computational advantage, the perceptible differences between both machines has begun to narrow.

    In GameSpot’s Metal Gear Solid 5 Review, Hideo Kojima’s steal title was awarded a 10/10. It is the twelfth game in history to be awarded the score.

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  • Amazon's Gaming Division Loses Three Key Figures

    Amazon's Gaming Division Loses Three Key Figures

    [Update 2] Clint Hocking, the director of numerous triple-A projects including Far Cry 2, has returned to Ubisoft after a five-year spell away. Since leaving the publisher in 2010, Hocking bounced between LucasArts, Valve, and finally Amazon. He returns to his erstwhile employer as creative director at Ubisoft Toronto.

    [Update 1] It’s been brought to our attention that, in addition to Hocking and Nylund, Amazon principal game designer Jonathan Hamel has also left the company. He joined Amazon in April 2014, coming to the company after spending more than five years at Tomb Raider studio Crystal Dynamics.

    The original story is below.

    Amazon Game Studios, the retailer’s internal division dedicated to video games, has lost a pair of its highest-profile employees. Industry veterans Clint Hocking and Eric Nylund have left the company.

    Hocking joined Amazon in early 2014 alongside Portal designer Kim Swift. He came to the company after more than a decade at Ubisoft, where he worked on Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Far Cry 2. Following his run at Ubisoft, Hocking worked at Valve and LucasArts on unannounced projects.

    It was never clear what Hocking was working on at Amazon. He only confirmed that he had joined the company as a senior game designer for an unspecified project. IGN first reported Hocking’s departure.

    The other Amazon key hire who has now left the company is Eric Nylund, whose LinkedIn profile states that he quit in July 2015. Nylund, who spent more than 13 years at Microsoft working on the Halo franchise and others, originally joined Amazon as its director of narrative design in July 2013.

    Nylund worked at Amazon as its narrative director for first- and second-party games. His job was to lead the “effort to create and manage the story of multiple game titles, create new intellectual properties, and develop connected media strategies for proprietary platfroms.”

    Amazon Game Studios has published a number of mobile games, including the latest game from Prey developer Human Head. But the company might now being eyeing another platform. Earlier this summer, a job listing suggested the company was working on an “ambitious” PC game. The company also acquired Killer Instinct developer Double Helix and bought video streaming site Twitch.

    This past weekend, The New York Times published an in-depth feature about the working conditions inside of Amazon, but it’s unclear if the departure of Hocking and Nylund is in any way related. They have not announced any future plans, but we’ll have those details for you as they become available.

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