http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 25 Mar 2014 06:59:20 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/funding-for-ultima-creator-richard-garriott-s-ultimate-rpg-reaches-3-5-million/1100-6418523/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487052-shroud.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487052" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487052-shroud.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487052"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2487052-shroud.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Richard Garriott created the beloved Ultima role-playing game series. He <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-space-travel-influenced-ultima-creator/1100-6405008/" data-ref-id="1100-6405008">traveled to the International Space Station and dove to the depths of the ocean to see the Titanic wreckage first-hand</a>. He owns a <a href="http://britanniamanor.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">stately castle-style home in Texas called Britannia Manor</a>. Now he can add another accomplishment to his resume.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Garriott's crowdfunding campaign for his "ultimate RPG" <a href="/shroud-of-the-avatar-forsaken-virtues/" data-ref-id="false">Shroud of the Avatar</a> has now reached $3.5 million from more than 30,000 total backers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Shroud of the Avatar Kickstarter campaign went live in March 2013 and ended in April that year with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/richard-garriotts-ultimate-rpg-closes-with-19-million-on-kickstarter/1100-6406543/" data-ref-id="1100-6406543">$1.9 million</a>, well above its $1 million target. Since then, Garriott and developer Portalarium have kept donations open at the game's website, where more than $1.58 million has come through so far.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Thank you!!! We will deliver the best game we can!!!," Garriott <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGarriott/status/447317131609522176" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said on Twitter</a> about the funding accomplishment.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Episode One of Shroud of the Avatar, called Forsaken Virtues, is expected to launch later this year for Windows, Mac, and Linux.</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, 25 Mar 2014 06:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/funding-for-ultima-creator-richard-garriott-s-ultimate-rpg-reaches-3-5-million/1100-6418523/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/for-the-first-time-in-pax-east-history-nintendo-won-t-attend/1100-6418522/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487048-nintendono.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487048" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487048-nintendono.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487048"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2487048-nintendono.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Nintendo will not have an official presence at PAX East next month, marking the first time since the show's inception in 2010 that the Mario maker won't attend the Boston industry event.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Interacting directly with our fans and letting them play our games firsthand is a key component of our approach," a Nintendo spokesperson told <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/24/5544118/nintendo-to-skip-pax-east-2014" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>. "That doesn't include PAX East this year, but we will offer our fans a variety of opportunities to get their hands on Nintendo products in 2014."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Nintendo did not elaborate as to why it won't attend this year's event. The company also <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-not-hosting-press-conference-at-e3-2013/1100-6407521/" data-ref-id="1100-6407521">scaled back its E3 presence last year</a>, trading its traditional main presentation for more intimate briefings.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">PlayStation developer Sony is also not attending PAX East 2014, making Microsoft the only company of the "Big Three" to attend next month's show. Other high-profile exhibitors include Ubisoft, Oculus VR, Twitch, Square Enix, Blizzard, 2K Games, and Double Fine.</p><p style="">PAX East runs April 11-13 in Boston, Mass. GameSpot will be in attendance.</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, 25 Mar 2014 05:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/for-the-first-time-in-pax-east-history-nintendo-won-t-attend/1100-6418522/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/need-for-speed-movie-hits-100m-at-box-office-becomes-18-best-performing-game-movie-of-all-time/1100-6418521/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487045-nfsmovie1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487045" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487045-nfsmovie1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487045"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2487045-nfsmovie1.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><em>Need for Speed</em>, the film based on Electronic Arts' racing franchise and starring <em>Breaking Bad</em>'s Aaron Paul, has cruised to over $100 million in total lifetime box office grosses. In the United States, the movie has banked $30.5 million, while international receipts total over $96.1 million.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Combined, Need for Speed's worldwide box office performance so far has reached $126.6 million. The data comes from Hollywood box office reporting service <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=needforspeed.htm" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Box Office Mojo</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><em>Need for Speed</em> had a $66 million production budget, so the film has now reached profitability, just two weeks after its initial debut on March 14.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to the site's <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?view=main&id=videogameadaptation.htm&p=.htm" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Video Game Adaptation chart</a>, <em>Need for Speed</em> is now the 18th best-performing movie based on a video game in United States box office history. The number one film, by a large margin, is 2001's <em>Lara Croft: Tomb Raider</em>.</p><p style=""><em>I saw Need for Speed and found it to be<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-need-for-speed-movie-is-great-and-terrible/1100-6418267/?preview=1/" data-ref-id="1100-6418267"> both great and terrible</a>. Have you seen it? Let us know what you think of the high-octane action racing movie in the comments below.</em></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, 25 Mar 2014 05:25:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/need-for-speed-movie-hits-100m-at-box-office-becomes-18-best-performing-game-movie-of-all-time/1100-6418521/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/now-even-microsoft-is-offering-the-titanfall-xbox-one-bundle-for-450/1100-6418520/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487042-xboxonebundles.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487042" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487042-xboxonebundles.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487042"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2487042-xboxonebundles.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The official Microsoft Store is now offering the <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/list/Console/categoryID.64724200" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall Xbox One bundle for $450</a>, joining third-party retailers like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-titanfall-bundle-drops-to-450-at-wal-mart-best-buy/1100-6418457/" data-ref-id="1100-6418457">Amazon, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart in selling the system for $50 off</a>. Microsoft's deal is also good for the <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/list/Console/categoryID.64724200" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Forza 5 Xbox One bundle</a>, which includes a copy of Turn 10's racing game and a system for $450.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The offers will be available for a "limited time," Microsoft said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Getting an Xbox One and Titanfall for $450 means that, at least in theory, the Xbox One is more affordable than the $400 PlayStation 4 if you want to buy a new system <em>and</em> a new game. Sony is not currently offering any PS4 software bundles.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It remains to be see what effect the release of Titanfall, a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-titanfall-is-a-game-changer-that-will-help-sell-xbox-ones/1100-6418170/" data-ref-id="1100-6418170">system-seller</a>, and the $450 price promotion will have on Xbox One sales for March. Research firm the NPD Group will release its industry sales report for March early next month.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417583" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417583/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 05:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/now-even-microsoft-is-offering-the-titanfall-xbox-one-bundle-for-450/1100-6418520/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/smite-cinematic-teaser/2300-6417927/ Check out this cinematic teaser for SMITE. Tue, 25 Mar 2014 05:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/smite-cinematic-teaser/2300-6417927/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-layoffs-hit-driveclub-killzone-and-the-playroom-developers/1100-6418519/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/6/3/2051363-704524_20130820_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051363" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/6/3/2051363-704524_20130820_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051363"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/1/3/6/3/2051363-704524_20130820_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony has laid off an undisclosed amount of staff at three of its UK developers: Evolution Studios, Guerrilla Cambridge, and SCE London Studio.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.videogamer.com/ps4/driveclub/news/driveclub_development_not_affected_by_evolution_layoffs_2.html" rel="nofollow">VideoGamer</a> reported that "numerous" people from each studio have been let go.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a statement, Sony said that a recent internal review triggered the need for restructuring at the studios</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony also adds that developer of delayed PlayStation 4 racer <a href="/driveclub/" data-ref-id="false">Driveclub</a> was "unaffected" at Evolution Studios. It is not known what projects Guerrilla Cambridge or SCE London Studio were currently working on.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Regular reviews take place throughout SCE Worldwide Studios, ensuring that the resources that we have in such a competitive business can create and produce high quality, innovative and commercially viable projects," said Sony.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As part of this process, we have reviewed and assessed all current projects and have decided to make some changes to some of our European Studios. As a result of this, there will be a focused restructure within London Studio, Guerrilla Cambridge Studio and Evolution Studio to ensure that the SCE WWS is in the best position to achieve their goals going forward.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Our first party development studios are key to our creative strategy and we are very excited about the future projects being worked on."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6409973" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6409973/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 04:50:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-layoffs-hit-driveclub-killzone-and-the-playroom-developers/1100-6418519/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-naval-strike-dlc-hiccup-causes-pc-delay/1100-6418518/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2457816-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+carrier+assault_wm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2457816" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2457816-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+carrier+assault_wm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2457816"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1197/11970954/2457816-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+carrier+assault_wm.png"></a><figcaption>Here's something you won't be seeing today on the PC version of Battlefield 4.</figcaption></figure><p style="">DICE has delayed the PC launch of <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 4</a>'s Naval Strike DLC due to a technical issue.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We've detected an issue and it needs to be solved," wrote DICE on the <a href="http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf4/news/view/take-the-fight-to-the-sea-with-battlefield-4-naval-strike/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield site</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The developer is not saying when it expects to be able to launch Naval Strike on PC. The DLC will still hit Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 today.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Quality is our number one priority and we will not release Battlefield 4 Naval Strike on PC until we feel it meets the highest quality level possible," adds DICE. "Once we have a confirmed date for PC, we'll be sure to update those players on our official channels. We appreciate your patience and look forward to seeing everyone on the Battlefield."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Naval Strike contains four new maps which revolve around fighting at sea, and a swishy hovercraft vehicle to zip about in. There's also <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-how-battlefield-4-s-homage-to-battlefield-2142-s-titan-mode-will-work/1100-6418169/">the new Carrier Assault mode</a>, which revives the Titan mode from Battlefield 2142.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6413397" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6413397/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 03:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-naval-strike-dlc-hiccup-causes-pc-delay/1100-6418518/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps-vita-3-10-update-out-now-includes-swish-calendar-and-more-apps/1100-6418517/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2487022-0287241418-23768.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487022" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2487022-0287241418-23768.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487022"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1493/14930800/2487022-0287241418-23768.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">A new system update for the PlayStation Vita--version 3.10 for those keeping count--has quintupled the amount of applications allowed on your home screen, up from 100 to 500.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Other updates include the ability to record voice messages, which can be used to whizz audio notes over to Vita and PlayStation 4 owners.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2487026-13381552555_7e0204d2c8_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487026" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2487026-13381552555_7e0204d2c8_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487026"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1493/14930800/2487026-13381552555_7e0204d2c8_o.jpg"></a><figcaption>March looks pretty empty for this poor guy!</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">A new calendar application allows you to schedule events, sync with Google Calendar, and share invites with the Messages and Email applications.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The update also features a tweaked Parental Controls menu, alongside the option to more easily manage content stored on your memory card.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony has also <a href="http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2014/03/25/playstation-vita-system-software-update-3-10-coming-soon/" rel="nofollow">detailed the other features</a> that form the PlayStation Vita 3.10 system update:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><strong>Music</strong>: You will now be able to search for content saved on a connected device such as a PC.</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Video:</strong> You'll be able to now sort content by size.</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Photo:</strong> Rotate Screen Automatically has been added to Photos to control tilt sensor for rotation of image, freeform has been added to the Panoramic mode selection list.</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Settings:</strong> Adjust Daylight Saving Automatically has been added, and 30 minutes has been added in Enter Standby Mode Automatically.</li></ul> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 03:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps-vita-3-10-update-out-now-includes-swish-calendar-and-more-apps/1100-6418517/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/lady-gaga-uses-minecraft-to-revive-michael-jackson-in-new-music-video/1100-6418516/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2486933-lady+gaga.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2486933" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2486933-lady+gaga.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2486933"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/280/2802776/2486933-lady+gaga.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sandbox game <a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft </a>has been referenced in the latest music video to be released by music artist Lady Gaga.</p><p style="">The game is a featured in a scene at the 5:20 mark of music video "G.U.Y.". In the scene, YouTube personality <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyDoesMinecraf/status/447531339513081857" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Adam "SkyDoesMinecraft" Dahlberg</a> types "/gamemode ARTPOP" into a game that bears visual similarities to Minecraft. Like the name suggests, the "/gamemode" command is usually used to switch between different game modes in Minecraft.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Following this scene several figures rise from coffins, one of them bearing the likeness of Michael Jackson.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Minecraft <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-passes-100-million-registered-users-14-3-million-sales-on-pc/1100-6417972/" data-ref-id="1100-6417972">recently surpassed 100 million registered users</a>, which included 14.3 million sales of the PC version. Developer <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-maker-mojang-made-a-whopping-326m-last-year/1100-6418397/" data-ref-id="1100-6418397">Mojang made $326 million in revenue last year</a>, raking in $128 million in profit. Minecraft has been released for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Versions of the game are also in development for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita, but there's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-on-minecrafts-absence-from-wii-u-3ds/1100-6413958/" data-ref-id="1100-6413958">no word yet on a potential Wii U or 3DS version</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6409584" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6409584/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Mon, 24 Mar 2014 21:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/lady-gaga-uses-minecraft-to-revive-michael-jackson-in-new-music-video/1100-6418516/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/hammerwatch-multiple-players/2300-6417931/ Chris brings some friends along a fun, dungeon crawling adventure in HammerWatch! Mon, 24 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/hammerwatch-multiple-players/2300-6417931/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/godus-early-access-review/1100-6418467/ <p style=""><i>GameSpot's early access reviews evaluate unfinished games that are nonetheless available for purchase by the public. While the games in question are not considered finished by their creators, you may still devote money, time, and bandwidth for the privilege of playing them before they are complete. The review below critiques a work in progress, and represents a snapshot of the game at the time of the review's publication.</i></p><p style="">Auteur game designer Peter Molyneux is probably best known for his tendency to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fate-of-god-game-genre-depends-on-success-of-godus-molyneux-says/1100-6418462/" data-ref-id="1100-6418462">oversell his work</a> without the slightest hint of irony. Recently, Molyneux has been claiming that Godus is "Zen-like," and most of the time, that's a pretty fair assessment. Godus sways to a steady rhythm, reinforced by the gentle chimes and tones of the user interface, creating a superb sense of relaxation and belonging.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481916-growth.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481916" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481916-growth.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481916"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/416/4161502/2481916-growth.jpg"></a><figcaption>Shrines must be worked before they are activated. When triggered, they expand your lands and unlock the gray areas just beyond.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Godus begins in a more or less conventional manner: You clear out some rocks and trees to make way for your followers to build houses and settle down. This is the most basic level of interaction you have with the gameworld. Every flat piece of land you can clear or carve automatically generates a plot on which people can build houses. From here, you build up two of the game's vital resources: number of followers and belief. Reaching certain numbers of followers unlocks new powers and abilities called "cards," while belief is continuously generated at homes. Belief is the fuel for your god powers. Causing drastic changes of any sort uses exponentially more belief than working with the land. Some manipulation of the world is required, but the excessive cost of radical changes limits the possibilities.</p><p style="">Once these elements have been introduced, Godus gradually breaks away from the norm. Belief, for example, doesn't automatically go from your followers' houses to your pool; instead, you must collect it from each individual house. That probably sounds annoying, and indeed it was before a recent update. Now with a click and drag of the mouse, you can trace over homes and collect your tributes, with a soothing chime punctuating the process. It reminded me of gathering fruit or flowers from a garden, and while the idea that humans are basically plants to be cultivated by a supreme being is an odd one, it really does feel special.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481918-treasure.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481918" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481918-treasure.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481918"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/416/4161502/2481918-treasure.jpg"></a><figcaption>Treasure chests contain stickers that you can use to activate powers that you've unlocked.</figcaption></figure><p style="">As you gradually sculpt the world, you also uncover little stickers that activate your earned cards, as well as a smattering of strange artifacts, temples, and shrines--all seemingly left by a long-dead civilization. These disparate ruins and treasures don't reveal any real threat, either from resource scarcity or other civilizations, and exist largely to encourage exploration. Shrines, once restored, unlock more of the game's main map, as well as more stickers and land for your people to work in the process. In time, you unlock settlements and more advanced housing, which build up your stores of belief faster, thus allowing you to exert your will upon the world a bit more...forcefully. Despite its generally relaxing nature, this is still a god game, and you can use your divine fingers to snuff out your followers if you need a quick laugh.</p><p style="">Eventually, your search for stickers in the main portion of the map will have you coming up empty. That's where this build's biggest addition comes into play: voyages of discovery. Within the first few areas, you find a special temple from which you can launch expeditions to far-off lands. Your followers, upon your command, begin island hopping in your name. Each new island has a puzzle wherein you must guide your followers from their landing to their goal in a set amount of time. Completing these challenges requires you to use your god powers with some degree of haste and cleverness. Failure is punished with the loss of some followers, but adventures also let you resupply your pilgrims with belief, so there is effectively no long-term penalty.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481920-houses.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481920" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481920-houses.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481920"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/416/4161502/2481920-houses.jpg"></a><figcaption>I opted for a very dense housing system, constantly reworking the land to let me pack more and more people in, but that wasn't necessarily the best strategy.</figcaption></figure><p style="">This diversion helps fill in what Godus otherwise has too little of: something interesting to do. Waiting for belief to regenerate takes time, and without belief, you can't do much. Expeditions help close that gap and keep you busy instead of simply waiting for things to happen. Unfortunately, they are also out of place. Nothing else in Godus is limited by time or is in any way dangerous to anything or anyone, and so the possibility of failure in a voyage of discovery isn't a comfortable fit.</p><p style="">Then again, Godus isn't finished yet, and clearly has a long road ahead of it. Developer 22Cans says on the game's splash screen that it's currently at 49 percent completion, and that feels about right. There are plenty of bugs that, while by no means game-breaking, forced me to close and reopen the game about a dozen times. Despite the discomforts, Godus is still enjoyable. Gathering belief and gently guiding villagers to build and grow is rewarding in a strangely ephemeral way. When you're not on a voyage of discovery, play feels therapeutic if not meditative, though the relaxation is far too often cut short by a lack of belief or an insufficient number of stickers to activate cards. Nevertheless, there's a pleasurable ebb and flow to collecting belief from your followers and then using that to sculpt the land beneath you.</p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><strong>What's There?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>A serene gardening god game built from a dozen or so great ideas, all loosely placed together in one package.</strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What's to Come?</strong></td><td><p style=""><strong><em>22Cans hasn't said exactly what else we can expect, but Molyneux has repeatedly said that at the very least, the game needs a fair bit of refinement.</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What Does it Cost?</strong></td><td><p style=""><strong><em>As of right now, the game runs for $20.</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>When Will it be Finished?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>There have been no indications about how much longer the game will take to finish other than Molyneux's statement and the game's splash screen suggesting the game is 49 percent done. </strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What's the Verdict?</strong></td><td><p style=""><strong><em>Godus has a striking style and a gorgeous, if glitchy, presentation. Exercise caution before investing too much emotion in Godus: the most recent update wiped a lot of people's save data, and it's unclear what future updates might bring.</em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:58:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/godus-early-access-review/1100-6418467/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/godus-gameplay-voyage-of-discovery-and-terraformin/2300-6417929/ Check out this civilization embarking on a Voyage of Discovery in this gameplay from Peter Molyneux's latest: Godus. Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/godus-gameplay-voyage-of-discovery-and-terraformin/2300-6417929/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/double-fine-introduces-escape-goat-2-with-second-funniest-trailer-of-the-year-so-far/1100-6418515/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417918" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417918/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">In a rare case of a company sending along a press release and announcement trailer you'd want to experience in their entirety, Double Fine announced that <a href="/escape-goat-2/" data-ref-id="false">Escape Goat 2</a> is available for download starting today. According to the press release, developer MagicalTimeBean has been working in one of Double Fine's spare offices. Double Fine's founder and CEO Tim Schafer was "unaware of said development." You should read the rest yourself, copied below in its entirety:</p><blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">"When I first started this project, it was really just an experiment to see how Escape Goat would look with high res art. I never imagined it would come this far, launching along with a nod of approval and publishing support from Double Fine."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game's final weeks of development were completed at the Double Fine Productions offices in San Francisco as part of the Indie Omega Jam.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Wait, what has been going on?" questioned Double Fine Founder and CEO Tim Schafer in the midst of a Broken Age Act 2 writing stupor. "Does this have something to do with the people that broke into the office and stole a bunch of our computers a while back?"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Actually I told Ian they could use our now totally secure spare office space while we weren't using it." said an amiable Justin Bailey, COO of Double Fine. "And security cameras have since confirmed that the MagicalTimeBean developers were just enjoying the many fine amenities and services that Double Fine has to offer and had nothing to do with the recent thefts at Double Fine Headquarters."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"This has been totally awesome!" remarked an overly excited Greg Rice, Double Fine's Senior Publishing Manager. "It's super rad to be surrounded by other independent developers who are making cool stuff and are passionate about what they are doing. I'm really glad we could help them out and hope we can do this with more developers in the future!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I guess that IS pretty cool." said a suddenly agreeable Tim Schafer. "I get to take credit for everything though, right?"</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">Escape Goat 2 releases today on Windows, Mac, and Linux via <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/255340/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>, the <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com/store/p/escapegoat2_storefront" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Humble Store</a>, and <a href="http://www.gog.com/game/escape_goat_2" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GOG.com</a>. For launch week, the game is available at a 10% discount off the regular $9.99 price. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">And join us on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/shows/the-lobby/" data-ref-id="false">The Lobby, GameSpot's weekly liveshow</a>, on Tuesday March 25 as we sit down and play Escape Goat 2 with the developers!</p><p style="">And in case you missed it, the Behemoth also put out a pretty <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battleblock-theater-steam-announcement-trailer/2300-6417554/" data-ref-id="2300-6417554">funny trailer to announce Battle Block Theatre coming to Steam</a>. And in other goat-related news, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/goat-simulator-is-a-real-game-that-s-really-happening/1100-6417672/" data-ref-id="1100-6417672">Goat Simulator is a real game that's really happening</a>. </p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong>Justin Haywald is a senior editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinHaywald" rel="nofollow"> Twitter @JustinHaywald</a>. Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/double-fine-introduces-escape-goat-2-with-second-funniest-trailer-of-the-year-so-far/1100-6418515/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tackling-the-horrors-of-war-from-a-civilian-perspective-in-this-war-of-mine/1100-6418503/ <p style="">Pawel Miechowski of 11 Bit Studios wants his upcoming game, This War of Mine, to challenge the way that games typically portray war by presenting it from the perspective of civilians who must survive from day to day in a war-torn city. When I met with him at the Game Developers Conference, he said to me, "You've seen the trailer, we have this Call of Duty feeling, and then bang, no, it's not about this, it's about the other side. We are breaking this scheme in the game itself as well."</p><p style="">Miechowski took me through a brief demonstration of some of the game's mechanics, emphasizing that the struggles your group of civilians will have to deal with in the game are the real struggles civilians face in times of war. "Whatever gameplay mechanics are in the game," he said, "it's not our idea but our translation of the facts that we know about war as seen from the perspective of civilians. So for example, I think I saw it on GameSpot actually, in the comments section, that people were writing, 'This is pretty stupid. Why can a sniper hunt me in the night?' That's what we found out in the research. For example, in the siege of Sarajevo in the early '90s--the city was under siege for four years--people couldn't have left their buildings because snipers were hunting for people to keep the city under control. In the night, they were not able to do so as effectively, but still, they were doing it, and it was risky. Same situation when it comes to water, soap, such items. We perceive them as natural because we have them, like tap water, and we have stores. When there is war breaking out, you have nothing. You are left with only what you got and your knowledge and skills. So whatever you find in the game is a translation into game mechanics of the facts of how civilians [experience] war."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417645" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417645/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">I asked him if the siege of Sarajevo was a particular inspiration for This War of Mine, or if the game is set during any specific real-world conflict. He responded, "No, actually not. We've been looking at data of how it looks now in Syria, how it looked in Libya, how, yes, how it looked in Sarajevo, but the Yugoslavian wars are the best documented, but we want to deliver the message, and I hope the game does it well, that it could be any city; it could be your city. America is a great power--I hope it never happens--but if you are in such circumstances, you're going to behave similarly to all other civilians all around the world. You'd be doing the same things people do in Libya and Sarajevo. You're gonna be needing rainwater, you're gonna need a collector for the rainwater, you're gonna be trading water for food or for hygiene items because you will not have enough soap. You will probably need to stick to a group because on your own, you're not as effective as a group of people, because people support each other. This is the knowledge we found out, and the pattern is similar everywhere. So the same experience people have had in Syria, in Yugoslavia--moreover, because we're from Poland, which is a country that was struck by war many, many times, and I remember what my grandmother told me about her experiences during the war. She survived Nazi invasions and Soviet invasions, and her experiences were the same."</p><p style="">When Miechowski launched the game, I was presented with a side view of a damaged structure with holes blasted in the walls. The visuals are black and white, and have the look of an animated hand-drawn sketch. I noticed that each of the three civilians residing in the structure had a talent listed under his or her name--"handyman," "sneaks quietly," "bargaining skills." Miechowski asked me to imagine myself and people I care about in such a grim situation. "You surely have some useful skills. Other people have different skills. I know it may sound funny, but since I'm a father, I wouldn't, in a terrible situation, be sending my family to fight for anything, I would do it. We translate this into the game."</p><blockquote><p style="">"The pattern, once again, is pretty much the same for any conflict, so this is why we don't want to say it's Sarajevo or Libya or Damascus; it could just be your city."</p></blockquote><p style="">Miechowski used supplies that his survivors had scavenged from the area to make a few items. "I already have enough wood or a piece of metal, so I can make a shovel. I can make a bed which I know I will need since they don't have one; they just sleep on the floor." Miechowski said that he was deliberately avoiding using the common term "crafting" for the process of constructing items from acquired supplies. "It implies a gaming mindset, and I'm trying to say that this form of art is telling you about how things look when war breaks out. You don't craft; you create things. You take a hammer and nails, and from the wood, you create a table."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2484911-this_war_of_mine_screen_02.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2484911" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2484911-this_war_of_mine_screen_02.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2484911"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/78/787590/2484911-this_war_of_mine_screen_02.gif"></a><figcaption>Civilians start the war in decent shape, but conditions grow increasingly dire as time passes.</figcaption></figure><p style="">He moused over an item some might question the importance of in times of war and explained its value. "A moonshine still. Why? Because we found out that the most tradable item when war breaks out is [alcohol]." But he said that making booze, like making just about anything in the game, would not be easy. "First you need to find a collector and collect rainwater. Then you need to find or trade for a filter to filter your water. You need to find wood, pipes, and glass to create a distillery machine. You need yeast to create alcohol. And if you spend time on creating moonshine, you lose time for creating food. So everything will be balanced in a way forced by the situation of war."</p><p style="">Night rolled around and he prepared to take one of his characters out on a scavenging run. The capacity of the character's backpack is limited, and he wanted to travel light, so he chose a lock pick and a shovel and ventured out into the night. As his scavenger arrived at another damaged building, Miechowski pointed out a clock on the screen and said that it's important to keep an eye on it and return home before sunrise. He also talked about the other people you might encounter while scavenging. "People may be aggressive toward you, so you can either run away, or you can decide to kill someone and rob him. How good morally it is, you will judge yourself." As he stepped into the building, a woman panicked and retreated to a back room. "If you meet someone who's not scared of you, maybe he or she will want to trade with you or join you. If you find a hungry man, you may decide, OK, I will feed you. If you feed a hungry man, it's more likely he's going to be your friend rather than your enemy. So he may want to join you, and then you decide, OK, join me, but then you will have to care for four people or five people or six people, so you need to balance."</p><p style="">When it comes to weighing the cost versus the benefits of taking on new members of your group, Miechowski said, "What we found out doing the research from especially one particular interview is that when you make a decision, you can't see the consequences, but after 10 days, you'll see them." I asked him if the team making the game is conducting the research interviews themselves. "We have found a few people, yes, including one American who is a veteran of the battle of Fallujah. He's very anti-war after that event, and it's not up to me to judge why, but he saw a lot of civilians suffer during the conflict. Plus, yes, after the siege of Sarajevo, many people moved to Poland. And the pattern, once again, is pretty much the same for any conflict, so this is why we don't want to say it's Sarajevo or Libya or Damascus; it could just be your city." He mentioned the possibility of putting your own name and photo into the game for a survivor to make the experience feel more personal, which reminded me of how the Facebook connectivity option in the multiplayer for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a>, which populates your camp with people from your Facebook friends list, made some players feel more invested in that experience.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2484913-this_war_of_mine_screen_03.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2484913" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2484913-this_war_of_mine_screen_03.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2484913"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/78/787590/2484913-this_war_of_mine_screen_03.gif"></a><figcaption>The game has a look reminiscent of an animated charcoal sketch.</figcaption></figure><p style="">After rummaging around for a bit, his scavenger attracted some hostile attention, so he fled the scene and returned to the shelter, where he had the exhausted scavenger go to sleep and instructed a hungry civilian to eat. Miechowski said that as time passes, the conditions change, and you can find new items that let you create new things. "But there's only one goal," he said, "and that's just to survive."</p><p style="">I asked him if he thought players would be receptive to an experience that is clearly not just about being fun but about being morally challenging. He replied, "If you play <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/papers-please/" data-ref-id="false">Papers, Please</a>, on one hand, it's a very simple game. On the other, it's a very emotionally deep game. So I'm pretty convinced that we are not just talking about games but an art form." He mentioned how he saw people arguing in the comments sections of news stories about the game's announcement. "Some were going, 'Amazing concept.' And others were saying, 'No, I prefer just shooting people in the head.'" So he said that while perhaps not all gamers are receptive to games that are trying to confront meaningful issues in serious ways, there are those who are looking for games to do different things than they've traditionally done in the past. "I should try to think of what I do as a kind of art form, because why shouldn't I? In movies, in books, you're a spectator. This is the perfect media to talk about important things because they put you through the experience."</p> Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tackling-the-horrors-of-war-from-a-civilian-perspective-in-this-war-of-mine/1100-6418503/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/godus-early-access-video-review/2300-6417928/ Godus is a relaxing, entertaining, and incohesive game that induces a meditative state of mind. Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:31:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/godus-early-access-video-review/2300-6417928/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 25 Mar 2014 06:59:20 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/funding-for-ultima-creator-richard-garriott-s-ultimate-rpg-reaches-3-5-million/1100-6418523/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487052-shroud.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487052" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487052-shroud.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487052"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2487052-shroud.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Richard Garriott created the beloved Ultima role-playing game series. He <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-space-travel-influenced-ultima-creator/1100-6405008/" data-ref-id="1100-6405008">traveled to the International Space Station and dove to the depths of the ocean to see the Titanic wreckage first-hand</a>. He owns a <a href="http://britanniamanor.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">stately castle-style home in Texas called Britannia Manor</a>. Now he can add another accomplishment to his resume.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Garriott's crowdfunding campaign for his "ultimate RPG" <a href="/shroud-of-the-avatar-forsaken-virtues/" data-ref-id="false">Shroud of the Avatar</a> has now reached $3.5 million from more than 30,000 total backers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Shroud of the Avatar Kickstarter campaign went live in March 2013 and ended in April that year with <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/richard-garriotts-ultimate-rpg-closes-with-19-million-on-kickstarter/1100-6406543/" data-ref-id="1100-6406543">$1.9 million</a>, well above its $1 million target. Since then, Garriott and developer Portalarium have kept donations open at the game's website, where more than $1.58 million has come through so far.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Thank you!!! We will deliver the best game we can!!!," Garriott <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGarriott/status/447317131609522176" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said on Twitter</a> about the funding accomplishment.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Episode One of Shroud of the Avatar, called Forsaken Virtues, is expected to launch later this year for Windows, Mac, and Linux.</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, 25 Mar 2014 06:24:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/funding-for-ultima-creator-richard-garriott-s-ultimate-rpg-reaches-3-5-million/1100-6418523/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/for-the-first-time-in-pax-east-history-nintendo-won-t-attend/1100-6418522/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487048-nintendono.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487048" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487048-nintendono.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487048"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2487048-nintendono.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Nintendo will not have an official presence at PAX East next month, marking the first time since the show's inception in 2010 that the Mario maker won't attend the Boston industry event.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Interacting directly with our fans and letting them play our games firsthand is a key component of our approach," a Nintendo spokesperson told <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/24/5544118/nintendo-to-skip-pax-east-2014" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Polygon</a>. "That doesn't include PAX East this year, but we will offer our fans a variety of opportunities to get their hands on Nintendo products in 2014."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Nintendo did not elaborate as to why it won't attend this year's event. The company also <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-not-hosting-press-conference-at-e3-2013/1100-6407521/" data-ref-id="1100-6407521">scaled back its E3 presence last year</a>, trading its traditional main presentation for more intimate briefings.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">PlayStation developer Sony is also not attending PAX East 2014, making Microsoft the only company of the "Big Three" to attend next month's show. Other high-profile exhibitors include Ubisoft, Oculus VR, Twitch, Square Enix, Blizzard, 2K Games, and Double Fine.</p><p style="">PAX East runs April 11-13 in Boston, Mass. GameSpot will be in attendance.</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, 25 Mar 2014 05:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/for-the-first-time-in-pax-east-history-nintendo-won-t-attend/1100-6418522/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/need-for-speed-movie-hits-100m-at-box-office-becomes-18-best-performing-game-movie-of-all-time/1100-6418521/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487045-nfsmovie1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487045" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487045-nfsmovie1.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487045"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2487045-nfsmovie1.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><em>Need for Speed</em>, the film based on Electronic Arts' racing franchise and starring <em>Breaking Bad</em>'s Aaron Paul, has cruised to over $100 million in total lifetime box office grosses. In the United States, the movie has banked $30.5 million, while international receipts total over $96.1 million.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Combined, Need for Speed's worldwide box office performance so far has reached $126.6 million. The data comes from Hollywood box office reporting service <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=needforspeed.htm" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Box Office Mojo</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><em>Need for Speed</em> had a $66 million production budget, so the film has now reached profitability, just two weeks after its initial debut on March 14.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">According to the site's <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?view=main&id=videogameadaptation.htm&p=.htm" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Video Game Adaptation chart</a>, <em>Need for Speed</em> is now the 18th best-performing movie based on a video game in United States box office history. The number one film, by a large margin, is 2001's <em>Lara Croft: Tomb Raider</em>.</p><p style=""><em>I saw Need for Speed and found it to be<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-need-for-speed-movie-is-great-and-terrible/1100-6418267/?preview=1/" data-ref-id="1100-6418267"> both great and terrible</a>. Have you seen it? Let us know what you think of the high-octane action racing movie in the comments below.</em></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, 25 Mar 2014 05:25:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/need-for-speed-movie-hits-100m-at-box-office-becomes-18-best-performing-game-movie-of-all-time/1100-6418521/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/now-even-microsoft-is-offering-the-titanfall-xbox-one-bundle-for-450/1100-6418520/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487042-xboxonebundles.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487042" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2487042-xboxonebundles.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487042"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/2487042-xboxonebundles.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The official Microsoft Store is now offering the <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/list/Console/categoryID.64724200" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Titanfall Xbox One bundle for $450</a>, joining third-party retailers like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-titanfall-bundle-drops-to-450-at-wal-mart-best-buy/1100-6418457/" data-ref-id="1100-6418457">Amazon, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart in selling the system for $50 off</a>. Microsoft's deal is also good for the <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/list/Console/categoryID.64724200" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Forza 5 Xbox One bundle</a>, which includes a copy of Turn 10's racing game and a system for $450.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The offers will be available for a "limited time," Microsoft said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Getting an Xbox One and Titanfall for $450 means that, at least in theory, the Xbox One is more affordable than the $400 PlayStation 4 if you want to buy a new system <em>and</em> a new game. Sony is not currently offering any PS4 software bundles.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It remains to be see what effect the release of Titanfall, a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-titanfall-is-a-game-changer-that-will-help-sell-xbox-ones/1100-6418170/" data-ref-id="1100-6418170">system-seller</a>, and the $450 price promotion will have on Xbox One sales for March. Research firm the NPD Group will release its industry sales report for March early next month.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417583" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417583/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 05:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/now-even-microsoft-is-offering-the-titanfall-xbox-one-bundle-for-450/1100-6418520/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/smite-cinematic-teaser/2300-6417927/ Check out this cinematic teaser for SMITE. Tue, 25 Mar 2014 05:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/smite-cinematic-teaser/2300-6417927/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-layoffs-hit-driveclub-killzone-and-the-playroom-developers/1100-6418519/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/6/3/2051363-704524_20130820_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051363" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/6/3/2051363-704524_20130820_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051363"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/1/3/6/3/2051363-704524_20130820_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony has laid off an undisclosed amount of staff at three of its UK developers: Evolution Studios, Guerrilla Cambridge, and SCE London Studio.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.videogamer.com/ps4/driveclub/news/driveclub_development_not_affected_by_evolution_layoffs_2.html" rel="nofollow">VideoGamer</a> reported that "numerous" people from each studio have been let go.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In a statement, Sony said that a recent internal review triggered the need for restructuring at the studios</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony also adds that developer of delayed PlayStation 4 racer <a href="/driveclub/" data-ref-id="false">Driveclub</a> was "unaffected" at Evolution Studios. It is not known what projects Guerrilla Cambridge or SCE London Studio were currently working on.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Regular reviews take place throughout SCE Worldwide Studios, ensuring that the resources that we have in such a competitive business can create and produce high quality, innovative and commercially viable projects," said Sony.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As part of this process, we have reviewed and assessed all current projects and have decided to make some changes to some of our European Studios. As a result of this, there will be a focused restructure within London Studio, Guerrilla Cambridge Studio and Evolution Studio to ensure that the SCE WWS is in the best position to achieve their goals going forward.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Our first party development studios are key to our creative strategy and we are very excited about the future projects being worked on."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6409973" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6409973/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 04:50:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-layoffs-hit-driveclub-killzone-and-the-playroom-developers/1100-6418519/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-naval-strike-dlc-hiccup-causes-pc-delay/1100-6418518/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2457816-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+carrier+assault_wm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2457816" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2457816-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+carrier+assault_wm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2457816"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1197/11970954/2457816-battlefield+4+naval+strike+-+carrier+assault_wm.png"></a><figcaption>Here's something you won't be seeing today on the PC version of Battlefield 4.</figcaption></figure><p style="">DICE has delayed the PC launch of <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield 4</a>'s Naval Strike DLC due to a technical issue.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We've detected an issue and it needs to be solved," wrote DICE on the <a href="http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf4/news/view/take-the-fight-to-the-sea-with-battlefield-4-naval-strike/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield site</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The developer is not saying when it expects to be able to launch Naval Strike on PC. The DLC will still hit Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 today.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Quality is our number one priority and we will not release Battlefield 4 Naval Strike on PC until we feel it meets the highest quality level possible," adds DICE. "Once we have a confirmed date for PC, we'll be sure to update those players on our official channels. We appreciate your patience and look forward to seeing everyone on the Battlefield."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Naval Strike contains four new maps which revolve around fighting at sea, and a swishy hovercraft vehicle to zip about in. There's also <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-how-battlefield-4-s-homage-to-battlefield-2142-s-titan-mode-will-work/1100-6418169/">the new Carrier Assault mode</a>, which revives the Titan mode from Battlefield 2142.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6413397" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6413397/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 03:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-4-naval-strike-dlc-hiccup-causes-pc-delay/1100-6418518/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps-vita-3-10-update-out-now-includes-swish-calendar-and-more-apps/1100-6418517/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2487022-0287241418-23768.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487022" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2487022-0287241418-23768.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487022"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1493/14930800/2487022-0287241418-23768.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">A new system update for the PlayStation Vita--version 3.10 for those keeping count--has quintupled the amount of applications allowed on your home screen, up from 100 to 500.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Other updates include the ability to record voice messages, which can be used to whizz audio notes over to Vita and PlayStation 4 owners.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2487026-13381552555_7e0204d2c8_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487026" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2487026-13381552555_7e0204d2c8_o.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2487026"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1493/14930800/2487026-13381552555_7e0204d2c8_o.jpg"></a><figcaption>March looks pretty empty for this poor guy!</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">A new calendar application allows you to schedule events, sync with Google Calendar, and share invites with the Messages and Email applications.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The update also features a tweaked Parental Controls menu, alongside the option to more easily manage content stored on your memory card.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Sony has also <a href="http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2014/03/25/playstation-vita-system-software-update-3-10-coming-soon/" rel="nofollow">detailed the other features</a> that form the PlayStation Vita 3.10 system update:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><strong>Music</strong>: You will now be able to search for content saved on a connected device such as a PC.</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Video:</strong> You'll be able to now sort content by size.</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Photo:</strong> Rotate Screen Automatically has been added to Photos to control tilt sensor for rotation of image, freeform has been added to the Panoramic mode selection list.</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Settings:</strong> Adjust Daylight Saving Automatically has been added, and 30 minutes has been added in Enter Standby Mode Automatically.</li></ul> Tue, 25 Mar 2014 03:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps-vita-3-10-update-out-now-includes-swish-calendar-and-more-apps/1100-6418517/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/lady-gaga-uses-minecraft-to-revive-michael-jackson-in-new-music-video/1100-6418516/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2486933-lady+gaga.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2486933" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2486933-lady+gaga.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2486933"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/280/2802776/2486933-lady+gaga.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sandbox game <a href="/minecraft/" data-ref-id="false">Minecraft </a>has been referenced in the latest music video to be released by music artist Lady Gaga.</p><p style="">The game is a featured in a scene at the 5:20 mark of music video "G.U.Y.". In the scene, YouTube personality <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyDoesMinecraf/status/447531339513081857" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Adam "SkyDoesMinecraft" Dahlberg</a> types "/gamemode ARTPOP" into a game that bears visual similarities to Minecraft. Like the name suggests, the "/gamemode" command is usually used to switch between different game modes in Minecraft.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Following this scene several figures rise from coffins, one of them bearing the likeness of Michael Jackson.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Minecraft <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-passes-100-million-registered-users-14-3-million-sales-on-pc/1100-6417972/" data-ref-id="1100-6417972">recently surpassed 100 million registered users</a>, which included 14.3 million sales of the PC version. Developer <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-maker-mojang-made-a-whopping-326m-last-year/1100-6418397/" data-ref-id="1100-6418397">Mojang made $326 million in revenue last year</a>, raking in $128 million in profit. Minecraft has been released for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Versions of the game are also in development for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita, but there's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-on-minecrafts-absence-from-wii-u-3ds/1100-6413958/" data-ref-id="1100-6413958">no word yet on a potential Wii U or 3DS version</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6409584" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6409584/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Mon, 24 Mar 2014 21:40:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/lady-gaga-uses-minecraft-to-revive-michael-jackson-in-new-music-video/1100-6418516/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/hammerwatch-multiple-players/2300-6417931/ Chris brings some friends along a fun, dungeon crawling adventure in HammerWatch! Mon, 24 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/hammerwatch-multiple-players/2300-6417931/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/godus-early-access-review/1100-6418467/ <p style=""><i>GameSpot's early access reviews evaluate unfinished games that are nonetheless available for purchase by the public. While the games in question are not considered finished by their creators, you may still devote money, time, and bandwidth for the privilege of playing them before they are complete. The review below critiques a work in progress, and represents a snapshot of the game at the time of the review's publication.</i></p><p style="">Auteur game designer Peter Molyneux is probably best known for his tendency to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/fate-of-god-game-genre-depends-on-success-of-godus-molyneux-says/1100-6418462/" data-ref-id="1100-6418462">oversell his work</a> without the slightest hint of irony. Recently, Molyneux has been claiming that Godus is "Zen-like," and most of the time, that's a pretty fair assessment. Godus sways to a steady rhythm, reinforced by the gentle chimes and tones of the user interface, creating a superb sense of relaxation and belonging.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481916-growth.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481916" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481916-growth.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481916"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/416/4161502/2481916-growth.jpg"></a><figcaption>Shrines must be worked before they are activated. When triggered, they expand your lands and unlock the gray areas just beyond.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Godus begins in a more or less conventional manner: You clear out some rocks and trees to make way for your followers to build houses and settle down. This is the most basic level of interaction you have with the gameworld. Every flat piece of land you can clear or carve automatically generates a plot on which people can build houses. From here, you build up two of the game's vital resources: number of followers and belief. Reaching certain numbers of followers unlocks new powers and abilities called "cards," while belief is continuously generated at homes. Belief is the fuel for your god powers. Causing drastic changes of any sort uses exponentially more belief than working with the land. Some manipulation of the world is required, but the excessive cost of radical changes limits the possibilities.</p><p style="">Once these elements have been introduced, Godus gradually breaks away from the norm. Belief, for example, doesn't automatically go from your followers' houses to your pool; instead, you must collect it from each individual house. That probably sounds annoying, and indeed it was before a recent update. Now with a click and drag of the mouse, you can trace over homes and collect your tributes, with a soothing chime punctuating the process. It reminded me of gathering fruit or flowers from a garden, and while the idea that humans are basically plants to be cultivated by a supreme being is an odd one, it really does feel special.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481918-treasure.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481918" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481918-treasure.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481918"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/416/4161502/2481918-treasure.jpg"></a><figcaption>Treasure chests contain stickers that you can use to activate powers that you've unlocked.</figcaption></figure><p style="">As you gradually sculpt the world, you also uncover little stickers that activate your earned cards, as well as a smattering of strange artifacts, temples, and shrines--all seemingly left by a long-dead civilization. These disparate ruins and treasures don't reveal any real threat, either from resource scarcity or other civilizations, and exist largely to encourage exploration. Shrines, once restored, unlock more of the game's main map, as well as more stickers and land for your people to work in the process. In time, you unlock settlements and more advanced housing, which build up your stores of belief faster, thus allowing you to exert your will upon the world a bit more...forcefully. Despite its generally relaxing nature, this is still a god game, and you can use your divine fingers to snuff out your followers if you need a quick laugh.</p><p style="">Eventually, your search for stickers in the main portion of the map will have you coming up empty. That's where this build's biggest addition comes into play: voyages of discovery. Within the first few areas, you find a special temple from which you can launch expeditions to far-off lands. Your followers, upon your command, begin island hopping in your name. Each new island has a puzzle wherein you must guide your followers from their landing to their goal in a set amount of time. Completing these challenges requires you to use your god powers with some degree of haste and cleverness. Failure is punished with the loss of some followers, but adventures also let you resupply your pilgrims with belief, so there is effectively no long-term penalty.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481920-houses.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481920" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2481920-houses.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2481920"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_small/416/4161502/2481920-houses.jpg"></a><figcaption>I opted for a very dense housing system, constantly reworking the land to let me pack more and more people in, but that wasn't necessarily the best strategy.</figcaption></figure><p style="">This diversion helps fill in what Godus otherwise has too little of: something interesting to do. Waiting for belief to regenerate takes time, and without belief, you can't do much. Expeditions help close that gap and keep you busy instead of simply waiting for things to happen. Unfortunately, they are also out of place. Nothing else in Godus is limited by time or is in any way dangerous to anything or anyone, and so the possibility of failure in a voyage of discovery isn't a comfortable fit.</p><p style="">Then again, Godus isn't finished yet, and clearly has a long road ahead of it. Developer 22Cans says on the game's splash screen that it's currently at 49 percent completion, and that feels about right. There are plenty of bugs that, while by no means game-breaking, forced me to close and reopen the game about a dozen times. Despite the discomforts, Godus is still enjoyable. Gathering belief and gently guiding villagers to build and grow is rewarding in a strangely ephemeral way. When you're not on a voyage of discovery, play feels therapeutic if not meditative, though the relaxation is far too often cut short by a lack of belief or an insufficient number of stickers to activate cards. Nevertheless, there's a pleasurable ebb and flow to collecting belief from your followers and then using that to sculpt the land beneath you.</p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><strong>What's There?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>A serene gardening god game built from a dozen or so great ideas, all loosely placed together in one package.</strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What's to Come?</strong></td><td><p style=""><strong><em>22Cans hasn't said exactly what else we can expect, but Molyneux has repeatedly said that at the very least, the game needs a fair bit of refinement.</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What Does it Cost?</strong></td><td><p style=""><strong><em>As of right now, the game runs for $20.</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>When Will it be Finished?</strong></td><td><p style=""><em><strong>There have been no indications about how much longer the game will take to finish other than Molyneux's statement and the game's splash screen suggesting the game is 49 percent done. </strong></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>What's the Verdict?</strong></td><td><p style=""><strong><em>Godus has a striking style and a gorgeous, if glitchy, presentation. Exercise caution before investing too much emotion in Godus: the most recent update wiped a lot of people's save data, and it's unclear what future updates might bring.</em></strong></p><p style=""> </p></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:58:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/godus-early-access-review/1100-6418467/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/godus-gameplay-voyage-of-discovery-and-terraformin/2300-6417929/ Check out this civilization embarking on a Voyage of Discovery in this gameplay from Peter Molyneux's latest: Godus. Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/godus-gameplay-voyage-of-discovery-and-terraformin/2300-6417929/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/double-fine-introduces-escape-goat-2-with-second-funniest-trailer-of-the-year-so-far/1100-6418515/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417918" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417918/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">In a rare case of a company sending along a press release and announcement trailer you'd want to experience in their entirety, Double Fine announced that <a href="/escape-goat-2/" data-ref-id="false">Escape Goat 2</a> is available for download starting today. According to the press release, developer MagicalTimeBean has been working in one of Double Fine's spare offices. Double Fine's founder and CEO Tim Schafer was "unaware of said development." You should read the rest yourself, copied below in its entirety:</p><blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">"When I first started this project, it was really just an experiment to see how Escape Goat would look with high res art. I never imagined it would come this far, launching along with a nod of approval and publishing support from Double Fine."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game's final weeks of development were completed at the Double Fine Productions offices in San Francisco as part of the Indie Omega Jam.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Wait, what has been going on?" questioned Double Fine Founder and CEO Tim Schafer in the midst of a Broken Age Act 2 writing stupor. "Does this have something to do with the people that broke into the office and stole a bunch of our computers a while back?"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Actually I told Ian they could use our now totally secure spare office space while we weren't using it." said an amiable Justin Bailey, COO of Double Fine. "And security cameras have since confirmed that the MagicalTimeBean developers were just enjoying the many fine amenities and services that Double Fine has to offer and had nothing to do with the recent thefts at Double Fine Headquarters."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"This has been totally awesome!" remarked an overly excited Greg Rice, Double Fine's Senior Publishing Manager. "It's super rad to be surrounded by other independent developers who are making cool stuff and are passionate about what they are doing. I'm really glad we could help them out and hope we can do this with more developers in the future!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I guess that IS pretty cool." said a suddenly agreeable Tim Schafer. "I get to take credit for everything though, right?"</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">Escape Goat 2 releases today on Windows, Mac, and Linux via <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/255340/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Steam</a>, the <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com/store/p/escapegoat2_storefront" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Humble Store</a>, and <a href="http://www.gog.com/game/escape_goat_2" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">GOG.com</a>. For launch week, the game is available at a 10% discount off the regular $9.99 price. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">And join us on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/shows/the-lobby/" data-ref-id="false">The Lobby, GameSpot's weekly liveshow</a>, on Tuesday March 25 as we sit down and play Escape Goat 2 with the developers!</p><p style="">And in case you missed it, the Behemoth also put out a pretty <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battleblock-theater-steam-announcement-trailer/2300-6417554/" data-ref-id="2300-6417554">funny trailer to announce Battle Block Theatre coming to Steam</a>. And in other goat-related news, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/goat-simulator-is-a-real-game-that-s-really-happening/1100-6417672/" data-ref-id="1100-6417672">Goat Simulator is a real game that's really happening</a>. </p><p style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td><p style=""><strong>Justin Haywald is a senior editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinHaywald" rel="nofollow"> Twitter @JustinHaywald</a>. Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/double-fine-introduces-escape-goat-2-with-second-funniest-trailer-of-the-year-so-far/1100-6418515/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tackling-the-horrors-of-war-from-a-civilian-perspective-in-this-war-of-mine/1100-6418503/ <p style="">Pawel Miechowski of 11 Bit Studios wants his upcoming game, This War of Mine, to challenge the way that games typically portray war by presenting it from the perspective of civilians who must survive from day to day in a war-torn city. When I met with him at the Game Developers Conference, he said to me, "You've seen the trailer, we have this Call of Duty feeling, and then bang, no, it's not about this, it's about the other side. We are breaking this scheme in the game itself as well."</p><p style="">Miechowski took me through a brief demonstration of some of the game's mechanics, emphasizing that the struggles your group of civilians will have to deal with in the game are the real struggles civilians face in times of war. "Whatever gameplay mechanics are in the game," he said, "it's not our idea but our translation of the facts that we know about war as seen from the perspective of civilians. So for example, I think I saw it on GameSpot actually, in the comments section, that people were writing, 'This is pretty stupid. Why can a sniper hunt me in the night?' That's what we found out in the research. For example, in the siege of Sarajevo in the early '90s--the city was under siege for four years--people couldn't have left their buildings because snipers were hunting for people to keep the city under control. In the night, they were not able to do so as effectively, but still, they were doing it, and it was risky. Same situation when it comes to water, soap, such items. We perceive them as natural because we have them, like tap water, and we have stores. When there is war breaking out, you have nothing. You are left with only what you got and your knowledge and skills. So whatever you find in the game is a translation into game mechanics of the facts of how civilians [experience] war."</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417645" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417645/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">I asked him if the siege of Sarajevo was a particular inspiration for This War of Mine, or if the game is set during any specific real-world conflict. He responded, "No, actually not. We've been looking at data of how it looks now in Syria, how it looked in Libya, how, yes, how it looked in Sarajevo, but the Yugoslavian wars are the best documented, but we want to deliver the message, and I hope the game does it well, that it could be any city; it could be your city. America is a great power--I hope it never happens--but if you are in such circumstances, you're going to behave similarly to all other civilians all around the world. You'd be doing the same things people do in Libya and Sarajevo. You're gonna be needing rainwater, you're gonna need a collector for the rainwater, you're gonna be trading water for food or for hygiene items because you will not have enough soap. You will probably need to stick to a group because on your own, you're not as effective as a group of people, because people support each other. This is the knowledge we found out, and the pattern is similar everywhere. So the same experience people have had in Syria, in Yugoslavia--moreover, because we're from Poland, which is a country that was struck by war many, many times, and I remember what my grandmother told me about her experiences during the war. She survived Nazi invasions and Soviet invasions, and her experiences were the same."</p><p style="">When Miechowski launched the game, I was presented with a side view of a damaged structure with holes blasted in the walls. The visuals are black and white, and have the look of an animated hand-drawn sketch. I noticed that each of the three civilians residing in the structure had a talent listed under his or her name--"handyman," "sneaks quietly," "bargaining skills." Miechowski asked me to imagine myself and people I care about in such a grim situation. "You surely have some useful skills. Other people have different skills. I know it may sound funny, but since I'm a father, I wouldn't, in a terrible situation, be sending my family to fight for anything, I would do it. We translate this into the game."</p><blockquote><p style="">"The pattern, once again, is pretty much the same for any conflict, so this is why we don't want to say it's Sarajevo or Libya or Damascus; it could just be your city."</p></blockquote><p style="">Miechowski used supplies that his survivors had scavenged from the area to make a few items. "I already have enough wood or a piece of metal, so I can make a shovel. I can make a bed which I know I will need since they don't have one; they just sleep on the floor." Miechowski said that he was deliberately avoiding using the common term "crafting" for the process of constructing items from acquired supplies. "It implies a gaming mindset, and I'm trying to say that this form of art is telling you about how things look when war breaks out. You don't craft; you create things. You take a hammer and nails, and from the wood, you create a table."</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2484911-this_war_of_mine_screen_02.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2484911" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2484911-this_war_of_mine_screen_02.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2484911"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/78/787590/2484911-this_war_of_mine_screen_02.gif"></a><figcaption>Civilians start the war in decent shape, but conditions grow increasingly dire as time passes.</figcaption></figure><p style="">He moused over an item some might question the importance of in times of war and explained its value. "A moonshine still. Why? Because we found out that the most tradable item when war breaks out is [alcohol]." But he said that making booze, like making just about anything in the game, would not be easy. "First you need to find a collector and collect rainwater. Then you need to find or trade for a filter to filter your water. You need to find wood, pipes, and glass to create a distillery machine. You need yeast to create alcohol. And if you spend time on creating moonshine, you lose time for creating food. So everything will be balanced in a way forced by the situation of war."</p><p style="">Night rolled around and he prepared to take one of his characters out on a scavenging run. The capacity of the character's backpack is limited, and he wanted to travel light, so he chose a lock pick and a shovel and ventured out into the night. As his scavenger arrived at another damaged building, Miechowski pointed out a clock on the screen and said that it's important to keep an eye on it and return home before sunrise. He also talked about the other people you might encounter while scavenging. "People may be aggressive toward you, so you can either run away, or you can decide to kill someone and rob him. How good morally it is, you will judge yourself." As he stepped into the building, a woman panicked and retreated to a back room. "If you meet someone who's not scared of you, maybe he or she will want to trade with you or join you. If you find a hungry man, you may decide, OK, I will feed you. If you feed a hungry man, it's more likely he's going to be your friend rather than your enemy. So he may want to join you, and then you decide, OK, join me, but then you will have to care for four people or five people or six people, so you need to balance."</p><p style="">When it comes to weighing the cost versus the benefits of taking on new members of your group, Miechowski said, "What we found out doing the research from especially one particular interview is that when you make a decision, you can't see the consequences, but after 10 days, you'll see them." I asked him if the team making the game is conducting the research interviews themselves. "We have found a few people, yes, including one American who is a veteran of the battle of Fallujah. He's very anti-war after that event, and it's not up to me to judge why, but he saw a lot of civilians suffer during the conflict. Plus, yes, after the siege of Sarajevo, many people moved to Poland. And the pattern, once again, is pretty much the same for any conflict, so this is why we don't want to say it's Sarajevo or Libya or Damascus; it could just be your city." He mentioned the possibility of putting your own name and photo into the game for a survivor to make the experience feel more personal, which reminded me of how the Facebook connectivity option in the multiplayer for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a>, which populates your camp with people from your Facebook friends list, made some players feel more invested in that experience.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2484913-this_war_of_mine_screen_03.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2484913" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2484913-this_war_of_mine_screen_03.gif" data-ref-id="1300-2484913"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/78/787590/2484913-this_war_of_mine_screen_03.gif"></a><figcaption>The game has a look reminiscent of an animated charcoal sketch.</figcaption></figure><p style="">After rummaging around for a bit, his scavenger attracted some hostile attention, so he fled the scene and returned to the shelter, where he had the exhausted scavenger go to sleep and instructed a hungry civilian to eat. Miechowski said that as time passes, the conditions change, and you can find new items that let you create new things. "But there's only one goal," he said, "and that's just to survive."</p><p style="">I asked him if he thought players would be receptive to an experience that is clearly not just about being fun but about being morally challenging. He replied, "If you play <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/papers-please/" data-ref-id="false">Papers, Please</a>, on one hand, it's a very simple game. On the other, it's a very emotionally deep game. So I'm pretty convinced that we are not just talking about games but an art form." He mentioned how he saw people arguing in the comments sections of news stories about the game's announcement. "Some were going, 'Amazing concept.' And others were saying, 'No, I prefer just shooting people in the head.'" So he said that while perhaps not all gamers are receptive to games that are trying to confront meaningful issues in serious ways, there are those who are looking for games to do different things than they've traditionally done in the past. "I should try to think of what I do as a kind of art form, because why shouldn't I? In movies, in books, you're a spectator. This is the perfect media to talk about important things because they put you through the experience."</p> Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tackling-the-horrors-of-war-from-a-civilian-perspective-in-this-war-of-mine/1100-6418503/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/godus-early-access-video-review/2300-6417928/ Godus is a relaxing, entertaining, and incohesive game that induces a meditative state of mind. Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:31:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/godus-early-access-video-review/2300-6417928/
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Gamespot's Site Mashup
Dengan url
http://sehatbergayaraya.blogspot.com/2014/03/gamespots-site-mashup_25.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Gamespot's Site Mashup
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar