Blog

Developer Harmonix has launched a new page where fans can submit their song requests for tracks they would like to see included in Rock Band universe going forward.

Just head to this page and write in your requested song title and artist. Not sure if the song you want is already in the game? Check out the Rock Band song database here. You can submit as many requests as you like.

Of course, writing a request to Harmonix does not guarantee that your song will make it into the game. “But we will read every request to get a better understanding of what the community most wants to see in Rock Band,” the developer wrote.

Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos recently said that Rock Band 4 will have a “top-tier” soundtrack, though the game’s tracklist remains a mystery. The developer is also planning to release even more DLC for the game outside of the title’s on-disc tracklist.

Rock Band 4 was announced last week and it launches this year for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. For everything you need to know about the game, see GameSpot’s interview with Harmonix.

What songs would you like to see in Rock Band 4? My vote is for Opeth’s “Deliverance” or anything from Led Zeppelin.

Powered by WPeMatico

Microsoft and developer Moon Studios are working on supplying a patch update for its critically acclaimed Metroidvania title, Ori and the Blind Forest.

Just hours after the game shipped on Xbox One on Wednesday, players posted messages on a number of forums, such as GameFAQs, to report technical problems. As well as intermittent screen freezes interrupting the game, user reports suggest that screen blackouts also occur when the Xbox One multi-tasks the game with another app.

A Kotaku reporter went into detail on the nature of the problem:

“Three or four times, the game simply wouldn’t display properly whenever I tried to open it again from my Xbox One dashboard after switching over to something else—showing static or simply an all-white or all-black screen that would intermittently switch over to the game.”

In some instances, uninstalling and reinstalling the 7GB game was cited as a solution to overcome this bug, though Microsoft says this is not necessary.

A patch update to resolve these issues is now being coded. Microsoft said: “We have identified a conflict between Ori and the Blind Forest and the Xbox One’s instant-on feature. We are working to resolve the conflict in an upcoming update. In the meantime, we recommend players fully quit out of the game and restart, rather than resuming their game quickly. There is no need to uninstall and reinstall the game.”

Ori and the Blind Forest has garnered near-unanimous praise from critics.

GameSpot’s Ori and the Blind Forest Review hailed it as a “rapturous platformer that is as fun as it is beautiful”. The video review can be watched above.

This praise was echoed by critics across Europe and the US, with Moon Studios’ breakthrough project receiving glowing write-ups. A review roundup can be found here.

Image gallery

Powered by WPeMatico

Sony Computer Entertainment Australia has revealed details on the upcoming PlayStation 4 system software update version 2.50, named Yukimura. The update will bring the streaming frame rate up to 60fps from 30fps for both Remote and Share Play, and confirms some details which were leaked last week.

Yukimura will introduce the suspend/resume feature, which will allow players to pause and restart games “near-instantly” with the power button. By doing this, the PS4 can be put into standby mode without interrupting the play session. Additionally, the update will have the console take a screenshot at the moment a trophy is earned in-game, giving players the option to share it.

The update will allow players under the age of 18 using PS4 sub-accounts to upgrade to a master account when they turn 18 years-old. In addition, players will have the option to import Facebook friends directly onto their PS4 friends list.

A number of UI options will also be introduced in the update, including an inverted screen colour option, text-to-speech, bolder fonts, and higher contrast options. The PS4 system software update 2.5 will be available “soon” to PS4 users in Australia.

A full list of the PS4’s update features, written by Sony, is copied below:

• Sub-account to master account upgrade: Users with a sub-account will now be able to upgrade to a master account directly from their PS4 when they turn 18, removing restrictions for chat, enabling users to fund their own wallet, make purchases and more. Currently, users can upgrade their sub-accounts online.
• Facebook friend search: Gamers globally have jumped into PS4 as a redefined social gaming experience and connecting with friends over the network is a huge part of what makes the PS4 community so special. PlayStation now lets you go even bigger by connecting with your Facebook friends on PS4 using your linked account. Search for Facebook friends who are PSN members and build on the foundation of Friends you already have in your list.
• Remote Play & Share Play at 60 fps: The ability to customise the frame rate of Remote Play and Share Play will be added with “Yukimura”. Play to your bandwidth strengths and use this option to stream gameplay at 60 or 30 fps when using Remote Play or Share Play.
• Accessibility Options: “Yukimura” introduces a wide variety of options to make the PS4 entertainment experience even more accessible. Options include text to speech, enlarged text, bolder fonts, higher contrast UI, zoom for displayed pictures, invert colours on screen and more. Users will also be able to reassign buttons for DUALSHOCK 4, making it easier for users with limited manual dexterity or limited reach and strength to play.
• Trophy Improvements: We have received a tonne of feedback to improve Trophies. In “Yukimura”, a screenshot will automatically be captured at the moment a Trophy is earned, making it easier than ever for you to share your greatest gaming moments with your friends. We’re also adding more sorting options along with the new ability to remove games from the Trophy list that have 0% completion.
• Share Video Clips to Dailymotion: When sharing standout PS4 moments via the Share button on DualShock 4, “Yukimura” will allow players to upload directly to Dailymotion.

Powered by WPeMatico

Nintendo will be hosting several Amiibo-only tournaments on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U across Japan. Reported by Game Watch (translated by Siliconera), the tournament will be held at various video game and toy stores in the country from March 14.

Entering the tournament is free, although players will need to bring their own trained Amiibo. All participants will receive a branded folder. The tournaments will be held at the following locations:

March 14

• Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Umeda 2F game department (Osaka)

March 15

• Toys R Us, Babies R Us Ichikawa shop store entrance (Chiba Prefecture)
• Wonder Goo Moriya shop game department (Ibaraki Prefecture)

Over 5.7 million Amiibo figures have been sold since the toys were launched last year. Nintendo recently revealed that Japanese distributors had initially dubbed Amiibo too big and costly to be successful. The suggested retail price for select Amiibo figures was lowered down to $9.99 from $12.99 last month. A new wave of figures is expected to be released soon and includes Charizard, Pac-Man, Lucina, and more.

Powered by WPeMatico

Sony today celebrated the grand opening of its PlayStation Gear Store, your one stop shop for officially licensed PlayStation merchandise.

The store offers shirts, hoodies, hats, and other items from some of your favorite PlayStation game series, including Killzone, Uncharted, The Last of Us, inFamous, and more.

There are some good finds in there, especially if you’re a big fan of The Last of Us. If you want to go for the Ellie look, you can get the pink, white, and brown hoodie she wears in the game for $60, as well as her sunset paradise t-shirt for $20. If you’re just looking for The Last of Us swag, there’s the adorable Brock the Brick plush for $25, as well as this mug from the University of Eastern Colorado Ellie and Joel visit in the game.

“We also have many more products and game collections planned throughout 2015 and beyond,” Sony said on the PlayStation Blog. “Some of the collections you can expect to see here shortly are Journey, Bloodborne, God of War, and LittleBigPlanet.”

Powered by WPeMatico

You can now play Cards Against Humanity for free on your smartphone, tablet, or computer, thanks to a developer named Dawson Whitfield.

The web app named Cards Against Originality, which you can find here, has all the cards from the original game including all five expansions.

“It works on smartphones, tablets, and computers so even the guy stuck in ’99 can join in the fun,” Whitfield said. You’ll need an internet connection to play, and Whitfield says you need to be in the same room as the other players, but you could theoretically play over Skype or or pretty much any other online communications portal. To start a game, simply tap the “new game” button at the top. This will start a new match and give you a link you can share with your friends. The link will lead them to the same match.

Whitfield is able to provide what is clearly Cards Against Humanity LLC’s intellectual property for free because the original card game is distributed under a creative commons license. As the Cards Against humanity website itself explains, “That means you can use and remix the game for free, but you can’t sell it without our permission.”

Since Cards Against Humanity allows people to do this, Cards Against Originality isn’t the first digital clone of the game, as a quick Google search will show you. However, it does seem like the digital version the sticks closest to the original game and isn’t trying to charge you for any add-on content, like some of the more unscrupulous versions.

Powered by WPeMatico