http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 15 Apr 2014 07:31:43 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-360-spring-sale-is-on-but-it-doesn-t-feature-the-best-bargain-on-xbox-live-right-now/1100-6419007/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2012/151/reviews/1949236-670223_20120531_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1949236" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2012/151/reviews/1949236-670223_20120531_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1949236"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/gamespot/images/2012/151/reviews/1949236-670223_20120531_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">There's an Xbox 360 spring sale on! Only, the best deal on Xbox Live right now has nothing to do with Microsoft's Xbox 360 spring sale. Instead, if you're an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, you can pick up <a href="/batman-arkham-asylum/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham Asylum</a> and <a href="/batman-arkham-city/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham City</a> for $4.99 a piece as part of a weekly deal. Both are certainly worth a punt if you're yet to play them and you enjoy having fun.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Highlights of the actual (less good) Xbox 360 spring sale are <a href="/borderlands-2/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands 2</a> for $6.99, the <a href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a> season pass for $13.39, and <a href="/saints-row-iv/" data-ref-id="false">Saints Row IV</a> for $14.99.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There's also discounts on a chunk of DLC, including for Saints Row IV, Dead Island, Dishonored, Borderlands 2, Skyrim, Fallout 3 and New Vegas, Thief, and State of Decay. Discounts range from 33 percent to 75 percent: <a href="http://majornelson.com/2014/04/15/xbox-360-spring-sale-and-this-weeks-deals-with-gold/" rel="nofollow">check out Major Nelson's blog for a full list of what's on sale</a>.</p><p style="">These deals are valid until April 21, Microsoft adds.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6340098" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6340098/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-360-spring-sale-is-on-but-it-doesn-t-feature-the-best-bargain-on-xbox-live-right-now/1100-6419007/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/2014-fifa-world-cup-brazil-review/1900-6415732/ <p style="">There are people out there who are more jaded by FIFA's yearly release cycle than they are by the schoolboy "tactics" Roy Hodgson employs as England manager. Year after year we're asked to part with our hard-earned cash in exchange for a game that, on the surface at least, changes little with each iteration. Stand-alone tournament editions, such as 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, are sandwiched between releases of full FIFA games and do little to quell such negative opinion.</p><p style="">However, perhaps even more so than the criminally forgotten gems like <a href="/uefa-euro-2008/" data-ref-id="false">UEFA Euro 2008</a> and <a href="/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/" data-ref-id="false">2010 World Cup South Africa FIFA</a>, World Cup Brazil comes with more than enough content and ideas to justify its existence as a game in its own right. Although, to what extent depends on how you're currently fulfilling your FIFA needs. If you've already made the step up to <a href="/videos/fifa-14-next-gen-video-review/2300-6416287/" data-ref-id="2300-6416287">FIFA 14</a> on either the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, then you're going to be disappointed by what's on offer. With World Cup Brazil available only on previous-gen consoles, the absence of the slick animations and upgraded physics system of the next-gen versions is very much visible here.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418323" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418323/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">While there's a nice array of new passing, shooting, and jostling animations, the core mechanics driving the action on the field lack the finesse and depth of the PS4 and Xbox One FIFA 14 experience. This rings especially true when you're defending, with the AI largely unable to deal with players boasting a combination of raw pace and accuracy of shooting. Time and time again, the greatest defenders on earth (the likes of Vincent Kompany, Thiago Silva, and Giorgio Chiellini) are made to look the fool by mediocre strikers packing just those two attributes.</p><p style="">This may all be part of the plan, though. These tournament editions have always been seen as a chance for the FIFA design team to let loose and have a bit of fun, so the favouring of attacking flair over defensive nuance is very likely a case of intended design over inferior AI. In practice, this creates a game that's more fun than realistic, offering an experience that is markedly different from that of FIFA 14.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505954-screen_5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505954" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505954-screen_5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505954"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2505954-screen_5.jpg"></a><figcaption>Every team in the game features the official kits that they'll be wearing this summer.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Shooting, in particular, has been made much more accessible. A well-struck ball flies through the air as though tethered to a guided missile, making the taking of long-range potshots a more viable option than it has been in recent years. Invariably, this leads to some spectacular attempts on goal, which naturally lead to spectacular goals. These kinds of goals, from the audacious to the sublime, very much belong in a game that so heavily features the vibrant backdrop of Brazil and its football team--a team that is seen as the embodiment of exciting, attacking football.</p><p style="">In a bid to counter the venom of shooting, goalies seem to have been given an ability boost and are thus able to prevent the scoreline from getting out of hand. They don't always catch the ball or knock it into a safe area, but they are more likely to push it away for a corner or punch it to the edge of the box and give their defenders a chance to clear it properly.</p><p style="">Additionally, it's now much more difficult to score from corners thanks to the new over-the-back headers players can employ. Rather than simply standing limp and lifeless as an attacker cuts in front to score with his head at the near post (a trick that could be ruthlessly exploited to great success in previous FIFA games), defenders can now jump up using the shoulders of anyone in their way in a desperate bid to head the ball first. This new trick helps, perhaps more than any other element, in keeping the number of goals to a believable tally in the face of the improved shooting.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505953-3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505953" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505953-3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505953"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2505953-3.jpg"></a><figcaption>Much more focus has been spent on making each and every match feel like a genuine spectacle. Hopefully this will carry on to future FIFA titles.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Any and all of these gameplay tweaks would be rendered useless without sufficient content within which to make use of them. Captain Your Country and Road to the FIFA World Cup are the most robust and exhaustive game modes to conquer, joining the obvious inclusions of the World Cup tournament itself and the essential set of online and offline exhibition matches. Captain Your Country sees you take control of a single player as your team sets out to qualify for, and win, the World Cup. As its name suggests, your goal within that framework is to distinguish yourself and become national captain along the way.</p><p style="">Road to the FIFA World Cup allows you to rewrite the course of history and take a team from the qualification rounds, on to the tournament proper, and into Rio's Estadio do Maracana to contest the final on 13 July. All 203 officially recognised FIFA national teams are included and available for selection, allowing you to undo the injustices associated with the likes of Sweden and Poland failing to qualify for this summer's carnival. If you prefer to take your game online and compete with other human players, then Road to Rio De Janeiro is the mode with the most staying power. There you're promoted and relegated through different divisions in a bid to match you with players that are roughly your equal, which makes for some compelling matches.</p><p style="">What makes World Cup Brazil a different proposition to other recent FIFA games is the care and dedication that have gone into the little details. You've got the option of choosing between two prerecorded radio stations as you navigate menus, both of which are excellent and add colour to events by way of dissecting your future opponents and commenting on the journey teams took to reach the World Cup.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505960-screen_2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505960" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505960-screen_2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505960"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2505960-screen_2.jpg"></a><figcaption>Here's a sight we'll hopefully see this summer.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Then there are the little visual presentation touches: managers that shout and command from the sidelines, cutaways to fans celebrating goals in front of screens in their home country, and goalkeepers who can perform dances and shuffles to unnerve penalty takers, and there's even a digital Sepp Blatter who attends important fixtures. Unfortunately, the graphical quality of the crowds remains as terrible as it has ever been on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but at least there's more variety to their celebrations this time around.</p><p style="">It's best to consider 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil as a less serious, more accessible accompaniment to the main FIFA series. Focused more on giving you a good time than on advancing the quest for realism in sports games, this is a football game that's perfect for fans who are looking for a way to pass the hours between World Cup matches this summer. Beyond that, it may not be as exhaustive as the likes of FIFA 14, but with its own distinct feel and modes to explore, there's more than enough to keep you distracted before FIFA 15 lands later in the year.</p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/2014-fifa-world-cup-brazil-review/1900-6415732/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-dlc-comes-to-a-close-today/1100-6419006/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2506006-bl2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2506006" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2506006-bl2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2506006"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2506006-bl2.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">After more than 18 months of ongoing support through various expansions, Gearbox Software today released the final digital add-on for its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-is-now-the-best-selling-game-in-2k-s-history/1100-6418865/" data-ref-id="1100-6418865">record-setting </a>shooter <a href="/borderlands-2/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands 2</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The final DLC pack is the fifth installment in the Headhunter series, officially called Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of Crawmerax. It's available today for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC/Mac through Steam for $2.99 / GBP £2.39 / EUR €2,99.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the DLC, you'll join Sir Hammerlock along with Brick, Mordecai, and Lilith on Wam Bam Island in the "biggest Headhunter add-on in the series." At the end of the content, you'll square off against Crawmerax Jr., son of the the crab worm from The Secret Armory of General Knoxx from the <a href="/borderlands/" data-ref-id="false">original Borderlands game</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">During a panel at PAX East this past weekend, Gearbox said that though Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of Crawmerax is the final expansion for Borderlands 2, the studio will continue to support the game through general updates. No new content is in the works, though.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Gearbox is currently working alongside 2K Australia on <a href="/borderlands-the-pre-sequel/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel </a>for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The studio is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gearbox-working-on-two-new-ips-for-next-gen/1100-6413961/" data-ref-id="1100-6413961">also working on unannounced new games for next-generation consoles</a>. Gearbox president Randy Pitchford said recently that the studio will "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-dev-will-probably-announce-an-xbox-one-ps4-game-this-year/1100-6418698/" data-ref-id="1100-6418698">probably</a>" have a new game for new consoles to announce as early as later this year.</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, 15 Apr 2014 06:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-dlc-comes-to-a-close-today/1100-6419006/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/georgia-gov-t-extends-tax-credit-to-developers-same-day-that-made-in-georgia-world-of-darkness-mmo-is-canceled/1100-6419005/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2505993-georgia.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505993" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2505993-georgia.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505993"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2505993-georgia.jpg"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Governor Nathan Deal / Office of the Governor</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Georgia governor Nathan Deal <a href="https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2014-04-14/deal-signs-bill-extending-tax-free-holiday-weekends" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-04">on Monday signed a bill </a>that extends the state's $25 million tax credit to local video game developers. Deal signed the bill, <a href="https://gov.georgia.gov/sites/gov.georgia.gov/files/related_files/document/143729.pdf" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">HB 958</a>, on the same day that CCP Games' Georgia-based development studio <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eve-online-developer-cancels-vampire-mmo-world-of-darkness/1100-6418989/" data-ref-id="1100-6418989">canceled its World of Darkness MMO and laid off dozens of staffers</a> as a result. It's unknown if the bill could have helped save the game or its developers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">To be eligible for the tax break, "qualified entertainment production companies" need to maintain a business that is physically located in Georgia, have a total aggregate payroll of $500,000 or more, and have gross income of less than $100 million for the taxable year. Companies must also be primarily engaged in production activities that are "related to interactive entertainment which have been approved by the Department of Economic Development."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">HB 958 goes on to state that the maximum credit for any qualified interactive entertainment production company can be $5 million for a taxable year. When the $25 million cap is reached, the tax credit for such qualified companies will expire. You can <a href="http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/display/20132014/HB/958" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">read HB 958 in full at the state of Georgia's website</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This is not the first time Georgia has attempted to lure developers to its state with a tax break package. In 2008, the state <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/georgia-law-aims-to-lure-game-makers/1100-6191124/" data-ref-id="1100-6191124">adopted a new law </a>called the Entertainment Industry Investment Act that would give eligible companies a 20 percent tax credit.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">While Georgia may not be considered a hot-bed for video game development, the state currently is currently home to <a href="http://www.georgia.org/industries/entertainment/digital-entertainment/game-digital-media-companies/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">more than a dozen game and digital media companies</a>. Some of these include CCP North America (<a href="/world-of-darkness-online/" data-ref-id="false">World of Darkness</a>), Tripwire Interactive (<a href="/killing-floor/" data-ref-id="false">Killing Floor</a>), and Xaviant (<a href="/lichdom-battlemage/" data-ref-id="false">Lichdom: Battlemage</a>).</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 06:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/georgia-gov-t-extends-tax-credit-to-developers-same-day-that-made-in-georgia-world-of-darkness-mmo-is-canceled/1100-6419005/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-playstation-now-streaming-service-load-times-improving/1100-6419004/ <p style=""> </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416765" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416765/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The beta period for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/everything-we-know-about-playstation-now-so-far/1100-6417069/" data-ref-id="1100-6417069">Sony's new streaming service PlayStation Now </a>has moved into its second phase, and one user is reporting that load times are improving substantially.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A <a href="http://www.dualshockers.com/2014/04/14/leaked-playstation-now-loading-times-for-all-games-show-large-improvement-across-the-board/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">DualShockers</a> tipster provided a list of all the games included in the PlayStation Now beta and compares the load times with that of the first phase. The load times were clocked using the same Internet connection and are shown to improve across the board.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the chart below, you can see a list of all the games included with the PlayStation Now beta so far, as well as load time comparisons (in seconds) where available.</p><ul><li>Shadow of the Colossus -- 46.72 <strong>(old time: 53.98)</strong></li><li>WipeOut HD -- 57.19</li><li>Dead Nation -- 40.05</li><li>PixelJunk Monsters -- 39.90</li><li>Shatter -- 38.86 <strong>(old time: 39.77)</strong></li><li>Guacamelee! -- 32.36</li><li>Disgaea 4 -- 33.30 <strong>(old time: 47.12)</strong></li><li>Dead or Alive 5 -- 36.55 <strong>(old time: 51.10)</strong></li><li>Critter Crunch -- 38.37</li><li>Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond -- 35.81</li><li>Zeno Clash II -- 35.62</li><li>Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon -- 32.28</li><li>Puzzle Quest: Galactrix – 36.45</li><li>Rise of the Guardians -- 35.12</li><li>Dead Island -- 36.22</li><li>PAYDAY: The Heist -- 37.03</li><li>Order Up!! -- 35.66</li><li>Alien Rage -- 39.27</li><li>Real Steel -- 35.82</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="">Dualshockers notes that in the first wave of the PlayStation Now beta, all of the games (except one) had a loading time of "well above" 40 seconds, while half were above 50 seconds. In the second phase of the beta, all but three required 40 seconds of shorter to load.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Obviously, load times will vary depending on your available bandwidth. For its part, Sony says you'll want<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/will-your-internet-be-fast-enough-to-stream-playstation-now/1100-6417023/" data-ref-id="1100-6417023"> at least a 5Mbps Internet connection</a> to enjoy a good experience, but we don't know what kind of Internet connection the supplier of this data had.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">An improvement in loading times for PlayStation Now throughout the various stages of beta is to be expected. After all, that is what a beta is for. Still, the load time improvement is good news and with months to go before its targeted "summer" launch, it's possible that the service could get even better.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">PlayStation Now runs on technology from Gaikai, the streaming service provider Sony <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-to-acquire-cloud-gaming-service-gaikai-for-380m/1100-6385186/" data-ref-id="1100-6385186">purchased in 2012 for $380 million</a>. You'll be able to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/renting-a-ps3-game-from-playstation-now-could-cost-5-is-that-the-sweet-spot/1100-6418204/" data-ref-id="1100-6418204">rent games on a title-by-title basis </a>or as part of a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-now-will-offer-netflix-like-subscription-options/1100-6417035/" data-ref-id="1100-6417035">wider Netflix-like subscription package</a>. The service is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita, as well as Bravia TVs and an array of smartphones and tablets.</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, 15 Apr 2014 05:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-playstation-now-streaming-service-load-times-improving/1100-6419004/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-space-sim-star-citizen-hits-a-mind-blowing-42-million/1100-6419003/ <p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/3/8/3/2013383-684995_20121009_022.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2013383" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/3/8/3/2013383-684995_20121009_022.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2013383"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/3/3/8/3/2013383-684995_20121009_022.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another week, another funding milestone for PC space sim <a href="/star-citizen/" data-ref-id="false">Star Citizen</a>. The game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-reaches-41-million-in-funding-now-getting-procedurally-generated-content/1100-6418669/" data-ref-id="1100-6418669">already wildly successful crowdfunding effort </a>has now reached a mind-blowing $42 million. This comes just days after creator Chris Roberts <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-space-sim-star-citizen-s-dogfighting-mode-looks-epic-even-in-pre-alpha/1100-6418939/" data-ref-id="1100-6418939">demonstrated the game's epic dogfighting mode at PAX East in Boston, Mass.</a></p><p dir="ltr" style="">Roberts <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13812-Letter-From-The-Chairman-42-Million" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said in a statement </a>that, "I can't think of a better symbolic victory than reaching that number in crowdfunding. The 'meaning of life, the universe, and everything' is now the amount pledged to let us build a new universe!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The number 42 is popular with science-fiction fans based on its inclusion in <em>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</em> as a means to explain what life is all about.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At $42 million, the game's backers will receive an Updated Observist Guide (featuring holographic ships, items, and navigation interface in 3D), as well as the Explorer-class mobiGlas Rig--available to all players who backed before the campaign reached $42. In addition, now that the campaign has reached $42 million, developer Cloud Imperium Games will add a new fighter ship called Gladius, as well as a towel for their hangar.</p><p style="">Cloud Imperium did not say what the $43 million stretch goal is, but outlined plans for $44 million and beyond. Players will receive an additional hangar room at $44 million and you can <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13812-Letter-From-The-Chairman-42-Million" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">vote right now on what you want for the $45 million goal</a>. The options are a new ship's gun, updated scanner software, a new role-specific outfit, an engine tuning kit, a ship skin, a space plant, or a "mystery object."</p><p style="">To put Star Citizen's $42 million into context, Epic Games revealed in 2006 that development on the <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/rein-puts-dev-cost-for-gears-of-war-at-10m" rel="nofollow">original Gears of War cost $10 million</a>, while Tim Schafer's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/brutal-legend-2-i-would-love-to-go-back-there-tim-schafer-says/1100-6417258/">2008 action game Brutal Legend had a budget of around $25 million</a>. It's still well below, however, the development budget for MMOs, which can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-wars-the-old-republic-cost-200-million-to-develop/1100-6348959/" data-ref-id="1100-6348959">run into the hundreds of millions</a>.</p><p style="">Star Citizen is due to launch in full sometime in 2015. A total of 429,367 people have backed the project so far.</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, 15 Apr 2014 04:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-space-sim-star-citizen-hits-a-mind-blowing-42-million/1100-6419003/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crysis-and-crysis-2-pc-multiplayer-going-offline-at-the-end-of-the-month/1100-6419002/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2011/177/1737802-960489_20110628_013.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1737802" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2011/177/1737802-960489_20110628_013.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1737802"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/gamespot/images/2011/177/1737802-960489_20110628_013.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">If you want to play the PC versions of <a href="/crysis/" data-ref-id="false">Crysis</a> and <a href="/crysis-2/" data-ref-id="false">Crysis 2</a> online, you'll need to get moving. Developer Crytek <a href="http://www.crysis.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=69126" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">announced in the game's forums</a> that as a result of the closure of GameSpy's online matching client, the multiplayer modes for both games will no longer be playable after May 31. The console versions are unaffected, and neither is <a href="/crysis-3/" data-ref-id="false">Crysis 3</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As of May 31 this year, the multiplayer modes in Crysis and Crysis 2 for PC will no longer be playable," Crytek said. "The single-player campaigns in both games are unaffected by this transition."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We'd like to thank everyone who has taken up arms in Crysis and Crysis 2's multiplayer modes in the last few years, and apologize to the small but dedicated community of PC players who are still actively competing against one another," Crytek added.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Beyond categorizing the PC community as "small," Crytek did not reveal a specific figure for just how many people continue to play Crysis and Crysis 2 to this day. GameSpy's forthcoming shutdown is affecting many games, though one publisher--Electronic Arts--has <a href="https://twitter.com/OriginInsider/status/453955565182783488" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">pledged to find other means to keep old Battlefield games alive after May 31</a>.</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, 15 Apr 2014 04:31:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crysis-and-crysis-2-pc-multiplayer-going-offline-at-the-end-of-the-month/1100-6419002/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-dev-says-watch-dogs-delay-sent-an-important-message/1100-6419001/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2448815-behdsv0ciaanwr3.png" data-ref-id="1300-2448815" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2448815-behdsv0ciaanwr3.png" data-ref-id="1300-2448815"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/536/5360430/2448815-behdsv0ciaanwr3.png"></a></figure><p style="">Ubisoft studio Massive Entertainment, the primary studio behind upcoming PS4 and Xbox One shooter <a href="/tom-clancys-the-division/" data-ref-id="false">The Division</a>, has labelled <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-delayed-to-spring-2014/1100-6415591/">the decision to delay the release of Watch Dogs to May 2014</a> as a "tremendously important" one.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's tremendously important for us as a developer studio, to know that the owner and the publisher are ready to take that hit, and [delaying <a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs</a>] ] was a massive hit. I think their shares fell 25 per cent on the day it was announced it was being delayed," said Massive Entertainment boss David Polfeldt to <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/massive-entertainment-talks-ubisoft-s-commitment-and-the-watch-dogs-delay" rel="nofollow">Examiner</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It takes so much courage to live through that day and still think that was a good decision. So for us in the development [team], that's an important message that ultimately the management will back up the goals that we have, which is the game has to be great."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"That's ultimately the end goal and then it's a million times better if it's on time," Polfeldt continued, "but if there is a choice between time and quality, then quality will win."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">But will The Division see a delay of its own? Earlier this year a Massive Entertainment employee was reported to have <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-s-2014-release-window-is-laughable-claims-ubisoft-source-report/1100-6416976/">branded the idea of The Division launching in 2014 as "laughable"</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417537" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417537/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 03:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-dev-says-watch-dogs-delay-sent-an-important-message/1100-6419001/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-announces-vita-owners-in-the-us-and-europe-will-get-three-new-games-to-play/1100-6419000/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505947-1344022875-13839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505947" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505947-1344022875-13839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505947"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2505947-1344022875-13839.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony's Japan studio has announced it will be bringing three of its upcoming Vita titles to the US and Europe.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/freedom-wars/" data-ref-id="false">Freedom Wars</a>, which was announced for Japan last year, is the first. It's an action RPG set in a penal colony in the far future, where people are sentenced to prison for one million years for the crime of living. Up to eight players can take part online, with support for four-player ad-hoc play.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It'll be coming to Vita in 2014, and a new trailer for the game was also released:</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqrx9yfLa4E" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fzqrx9yfLa4E%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dzqrx9yfLa4E&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fzqrx9yfLa4E%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Next up is Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines, a JRPG revolving around Japanese mythology, where players lead a clan seeking to lift a curse that's given its members a two year lifespan. The game sounds like it will span multiple generations, as you're charged with ensuring the clan's bloodline becomes more powerful with each new birth. There's no word of a release date.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505950-3240994179-13839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505950" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505950-3240994179-13839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505950"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2505950-3240994179-13839.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Finally, <a href="/soul-sacrifice-delta/" data-ref-id="false">Soul Sacrifice Delta</a>--a spruced up version of last year's monster-hunting title. The Delta version will bring new Archfiends, sorcerers, arenas, spells, and quests. Sony says the graphics have been spruced up, and that save data from the original Soul Sacrifice will carry over.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Soul Sacrifice Delta is due for release on May 14.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dnwCmX5c8k" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2F0dnwCmX5c8k%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0dnwCmX5c8k&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F0dnwCmX5c8k%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 02:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-announces-vita-owners-in-the-us-and-europe-will-get-three-new-games-to-play/1100-6419000/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-april-system-update-rolling-out-now/1100-6418999/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505943-9148697848-24188.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505943" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505943-9148697848-24188.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505943"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2505943-9148697848-24188.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/about-time-xbox-one-friend-notifications-to-return-in-next-update/1100-6418374/">The Xbox One system update for April</a> is in the process of being rolled out to all consoles now, Microsoft has said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The update should beam itself into your console over the next few hours, provided you're connected to the Internet and your provider isn't messing up. Chief among the new features is that friends notifications have returned: you'll be able to see when your pals sign into Xbox Live, and when they start playing games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There's also new progress bars that show you the status of apps and game saves, and an easier way of seeing what games and apps have most recently been updated.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another new feature for the console is that it can now reboot itself after system updates, and there's an option for users to manually search for, and install, new updates when available.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">50Hz Blu-ray output has also been added, alongside other improvements to GameDVR and Kinect.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416197" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416197/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 02:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-april-system-update-rolling-out-now/1100-6418999/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/conception-ii-review/1900-6415727/ <p style="">Many parents call childbirth a magical experience, but few fathers can say that they've helped to magically conceive dozens of children with multiple mothers and taken them into dungeons on a quest to save the world.</p><p style="">Such is the conceit of Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars, a love child of role-playing and dating sim parents, though it's not a master of either genre. It mixes many Japanese role-playing game cliches with occasionally questionable treatment of its female characters, and then piles the concoction atop a turn-based battle system that doesn't live up to its potential. The resulting game is decidedly, painfully average.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504074-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504074" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504074-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504074"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2504074-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>They may be small, but star children can pack a punch.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Areas of darkness called dusk circles are opening all over the world, and from them are emerging monsters hell-bent on destruction. Many teenagers are blessed by the star god with special powers for fighting the dusk monsters, and these disciples are sent to a special school to be trained accordingly. Because of your unique ability as God's gift to enter these labyrinths at the center of dusk circles, it is up to you to put a stop to them.</p><p style="">You won't be going in alone. In addition to a female disciple of your choosing, you enter each labyrinth with a squad of star children--magical children created through a process called classmating. In a process not unlike fusing demons in a Persona game, you and one of the game's heroines come together and give birth to a tiny human that fights alongside you. You can take up to nine star children into a labyrinth, and they operate in teams of three.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504076-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504076" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504076-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504076"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2504076-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Dialogue strives for a weird balance between mature and sophomoric.</figcaption></figure><p style="">At birth, star children are each assigned one of a wide variety of classes, such as magician, gunslinger, cleric, and hunter. Each class not only uses different types of weapons and armor, but also learns different abilities as the child levels up. Nothing will stop you from giving birth to nothing but archers, but it's smarter to experiment with different options, mixing and matching teams as you go. Each child also has an affinity for a certain element (such as fire or wind), which also contributes to which abilities a child team ultimately has.</p><p style="">Once you're inside a labyrinth, the basic flow of turn-based battle feels immediately familiar. Each team of three star children operates as one collective party member, while you and your chosen female companion do the same, rounding out a group of four. Your options are what you would expect if you've played a turn-based role-playing game in the past: You can attack, defend, flee battle, or use a variety of offensive and defensive skills that require mana. You conduct combat through floor after floor of randomized dungeons that look far too similar to each other, each sporting mazelike hallways and paths that often lead to obvious dead ends. From beginning to end, these labyrinths are nothing but bland.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504077-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504077" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504077-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504077"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2504077-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>Creepy older guy? Check.</figcaption></figure><p style="">There are a few ways that Conception II tries to differentiate itself with its combat, most obviously in character and enemy placement. Every enemy has four points around it in which you can stand when attacking, and one or more of those positions is designated as a weak spot. Different attacks do damage in different directions, so you must give some thought to where you attack each turn. The system doesn't require much brainpower, though, because a helpful red arrow tells you explicitly if you're going to hit an enemy's weak spot. Usually, the simple strategy of "aim for the weak spot" is all you need to succeed.</p><p style="">The other features of battle focus on letting you manipulate the turn order and move faster than your opponents. The chain drive, for instance, is a meter that rises incrementally as you attack, climbing higher if you attack from more dangerous positions (that is, not at an enemy's weak point or in a spot where you know an enemy attack is imminent). When the gauge reaches certain points, the monster you hit last will be chained and its turn temporarily pushed back. Similarly, there is a meter representing the current density of an element called ether; the higher the ether level, the faster your party moves.</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">You conduct combat through floor after floor of randomized dungeons that look far too similar to each other, each sporting mazelike hallways and paths that often lead to obvious dead ends.</p></blockquote><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504079-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504079" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504079-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504079"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2504079-0005.jpg"></a><figcaption>Your direction of attack becomes increasingly important late in the game.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The problem is that for most of the game, these elements can be more or less ignored. Chaining enemies, while useful, is rarely necessary for success until late in the game. The same goes for the ether density, a number that is always present at the bottom corner of the battle screen but that is easy to forget about.</p><p style="">Classmating is where the dating sim aspect of Conception II comes in. In order to make more powerful star children, the people classmating together must have good relationships with each other. Therefore, it's necessary to get to know the game's seven lead females outside of classes and labyrinths.</p><p style="">The story presents the classmating ritual as innocent enough, and the act is initially accomplished by both "parents" merely holding hands. But while the game states that classmating is a pure-hearted process, it implies inappropriate levels of lasciviousness. All conversations about classmating are packed with blatant innuendo, and the game doesn't shy away from adolescent levels of sexual humor, featuring talk of bust sizes and looking up girls' skirts, and depicting an uncomfortably perverted priest. There are moments when the game does an acceptable job of at least contextualizing the sexual overtones and providing balance to this kind of sexism; there are even times when the story explores its themes of teenage sexuality on a mature level. Too often, however, the winks and nudges of the dialogue go too far into the realm of crassness, as if the writers are constantly poking you and shouting, "Get it? It's like we're talking about sex even when we're not!"</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504080-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504080" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504080-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504080"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2504080-0004.jpg"></a><figcaption>This is the most tasteful shot of the classmating ritual. </figcaption></figure><p style="">Even if much of the innuendo seems harmless enough, each time you perform the classmating ritual, you view animations of the girls' naked silhouettes in increasingly suggestive poses. These scenes lack the playful dialogue surrounding the ritual and come across as gross pandering as a result, so it's fortunate that they can be skipped with the tap of a button.</p><p style="">Whether or not you're bothered by the overtly sexual content, neither getting to know the heroines nor fighting with them in dungeons is as entertaining in Conception II as in games that are more focused on either of those tasks. The relationships are too shallow and too simple to be meaningful. While you often have different choices and dialogue options in each scenario, most situations are straightforward and almost always lead to an improved relationship. You can also give the girls gifts from time to time, but their affection for you rises so quickly that gift giving is wholly unnecessary. It's also relatively brainless; it doesn't take Casanova to deduce that the girl whose storyline revolves around photography might like receiving a camera badge. Finishing the game with all seven lead females in love with you is not a difficult feat.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="small"><p style="">All conversations about classmating are packed with blatant innuendo, and the game doesn't shy away from adolescent levels of sexual humor, featuring talk of bust sizes and looking up girls' skirts, and depicting an uncomfortably perverted priest.</p></blockquote><p style="">Perhaps the biggest problem with all this socializing, though, is that most of the plotlines are uninteresting. One girl's story tells a decent ghost tale, and there are touching moments here and there with the other girls, most of which are innocent despite the hints at more mature subject matter, but for the most part, it's difficult to care about any of these stories.</p><p style="">Sadly, that rings true for the main plot as well. While it kicks off with an interesting Harry Potter-esque vibe with its school setting and three initial characters that reflect the Harry Potter universe's main trio (the main character is a "chosen one," the best friend is a clumsy redhead, and the female best friend has book smarts), Conception II never makes you care about the bigger picture, and you can see its twists a mile away. If you prefer to hear the tale in the original Japanese, you'll be disappointed with the lack of a Japanese voice-over option, stuck as you are with English voice acting that runs the gamut from terrible to halfway decent.</p><p style="">Conception II's combat shows hints of being novel early on, but is neither difficult enough nor entertaining enough to warrant much attention. In fact, you can turn on an auto-battle function at the press of a button, and provided you've set your party's tactics appropriately, you can automate your way through the majority of the game, stopping only when the game hits a difficulty spike toward the end. The game functions as intended but lacks imagination and spark, leaving a lot of potential untapped. <a href="/persona-4-golden/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/persona-4-golden/">Persona 4 Golden</a> on the Vita and <a href="/shin-megami-tensei-iv/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/shin-megami-tensei-iv/">Shin Megami Tensei IV</a> on the 3DS are far superior options, but if you've already exhausted those games and want something in the same vein, Conception II can scratch that itch. It's competent, certainly, but it's hard to shake the feeling that the stork could have left us something a little more interesting.</p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 00:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/conception-ii-review/1900-6415727/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/moebius-empire-rising-review/1900-6415730/ <p style="">It is said that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The axiom is often used by politicians and history professors as a warning, but the story behind Moebius: Empire Rising suggests we may not have a choice. The game presents a theory that space and time are connected in a twisted loop, and at any given moment, important figures from the past reemerge, sparking an event that may change the world for good or ill. At first blush,the story seems intriguing. But the brief moments of exuberance are hampered by mundane puzzle solving and uninteresting characters, making this 10-hour adventure not worth the time spent.</p><p style="">The plot, crafted by game design veteran Jane Jensen, has all the fluff and dramatic flair of a Dan Brown novel. Malachi Rector, the protagonist in this point-and-click adventure, is a brilliant man of considerable ego and antipathy. His coveted skills in art appraisal have him traveling the globe to evaluate ancient artifacts and search them for signs of authenticity or fraud. His abilities earn him the attention of a secret branch of the government, which hands him the task of identifying and attaining special persons of interest who resemble particular people in history pivotal in changing the course of the world. The organization believes that these individuals are destined to re-create a certain past event, bringing about a second Golden Age. Malachi soon finds himself paired with ex-soldier David Walker, whom he hires as a bodyguard. Together, they find themselves in a race against time hunting down their targets before a shadow group discovers them first.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505684-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505684" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505684-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505684"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2505684-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Searching environments yields clues to be used in your investigations.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The story moves at a brisk pace, with the two protagonists traveling the world in search of their quarry, all the while being targeted by mysterious men in masks who always seem to be one step ahead of them. They travel through the cities of New York and Boston, walk the sandy streets of Cairo, and explore the dank recesses of ancient catacombs under Paris. Puzzle solving and exploration adhere to the traditional point-and-click formula, where mouse clicks allow for movement and interacting with objects. The in-game menu lets you briefly highlight points of interest, removing the need to blindly click around the environment. Items that you pick up are stored in your inventory and, when necessary, are used or combined to solve puzzles.</p><p style="">Acquiring items isn't as typical as in other adventure games. Malachi often refuses to pocket every loose item, which falls in line with his stoic personality. After all, it's normal in games in the genre for characters to pick up anything lying around, from paper clips to wads of chewed gum, and then rub them against objects to progress, but to Malachi, it's unnecessary. He sometimes lets items be until the use for them becomes apparent.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505698-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505698" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505698-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505698"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2505698-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Gather evidence to link characters to famous historical figures.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The limitation makes narrative sense, but it causes issues later in the game. In one instance, I had to travel across Manhattan from Central Park to Malachi's apartment to grab an MP3 player, and then travel back, because he wouldn't let me get the device earlier. In another sequence, I had to leave a conversation and travel from Washington, DC, by plane to New York to pick up a pair of earrings and a bottle of alcohol before flying back to continue said conversation. Moments like this make progress tedious and contrived without providing any clear gameplay advantage.</p><p style="">Difficult puzzles are rare; there were few occasions when I was stumped. Many of the puzzles are conventional to the genre, such as looking for hidden keys and passcodes, or moving objects into a certain order. Most puzzles lack any sort of complexity, and the absence of challenge gives way to boredom long before the halfway point of the game. If you do find yourself at a loss, though, the game includes a hint system that nudges you in the right direction. During your investigations, you are given the option to use applied psychology on certain characters before talking to them, opening up more conversation options. Evaluating a person opens a menu screen where you examine a point of interest, such as a facial expression or body language, and pick from a list of choices, giving you a clearer picture of the person's personality.</p><blockquote data-align="right"><p style="">The brief moments of exuberance are hampered by mundane puzzle solving and uninteresting characters.</p></blockquote><p style="">Breaking up exploration and puzzle solving are the moments when you must analyze a person and match him or her up with a figure in history. This is done through investigation, where you discover clues through exploration and conversation. After you gather enough evidence, you open up a menu and scroll through a list of historical figures. You match the person's data points with possible candidates, removing those who don't stack up. When only several remain, you then choose the person who matches your subject the most. It's an interesting concept, but it wears thin rather quickly. Differences between candidates become more precise, and staring at the screen for too long tests your patience.</p><p style="">Malachi and David have a Sherlock and Watson type of relationship. Malachi is antisocial and has little concern for the troubles of those around him, and is motivated only by his chosen profession, which allows him to use impressive observational skills to evaluate people and objects. His partner, David, left the military disillusioned, wandering aimlessly without much purpose. He becomes Malachi's friend and moral compass, and eventually moves into Malachi's apartment. The two travel to various locations solving mysteries.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505699-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505699" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505699-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505699"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2505699-0005.jpg"></a><figcaption>Speak to various characters to gather evidence. </figcaption></figure><p style="">But unlike the friendships between other detectives of fiction, the friendship between Malachi and David feels forced. There is little to suggest that the two have chemistry, mostly because of their flat personalities. David is a two-dimensional military man, ending many sentences with "sir." He shows little depth other than his penchant for lame jokes, which manage to draw a dry chuckle from Malachi. And then there is Malachi, whose nature is more abrasive than charming.</p><p style="">Character models are not high quality and stand out against the colorful hand-painted backdrops of the environment. Many of the characters, Malachi especially, frequently spasm during their walking animations. Conversations sometimes take an interesting turn as arms occasionally clip into torsos. Other animations are equally peculiar, such as low-quality lip-syncing, which ranges from silly to downright creepy. In one of my early cases, I spoke with a woman who would pick up a cup of espresso, put it back down, and then repeat the motion while rarely taking sips. An investigator would normally see such a movement as nervousness on the subject's part, betraying a feeling of guilt. In Moebius, however, such exaggerated animations, ranging from waving hands to slouching shoulders, are meaningless, and are more distracting then helpful.</p><blockquote data-size="large" data-align="center"><p style="">David is a two-dimensional military man, ending many sentences with "sir." He shows little depth other than his penchant for lame jokes.</p></blockquote><p style="">The most enjoyable moments come when you have to use Malachi's keen intellect and vast historical knowledge to appraise ancient artifacts from across cultures and nations. Though it boils down to clicking through sliding images and choosing one that matches the object, it's still exciting to confirm whether the owner of the item in question is granted the satisfaction of claiming a piece of history or a prison sentence for fraud. These moments are sadly too few, because the game typically sets your deductive gaze upon characters, which isn't nearly as gratifying.</p><p style="">Moebius: Empire Rising starts with an interesting idea, but the plot never takes off. Some moments may briefly grab your interest, but disappointing puzzles, shallow characters, and tedious methods behind investigations keep the game feeling lethargic all the way to its uninspiring climax. Instantly forgettable, this game is better off lost to time.</p> Mon, 14 Apr 2014 21:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/moebius-empire-rising-review/1900-6415730/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/lego-the-hobbit-review/1900-6415731/ <p style="">Lego The Hobbit is immediately charming. The title screen shows Bilbo puttering around in his cozy hobbit hole of Bag End, and the wizard Gandalf poking his head in the window. As Howard Shore's beautiful score from the films plays, you can almost feel the warmth from the fire. And from these quaint beginnings, Lego The Hobbit whisks you off on a journey across Middle-earth, getting all the visual details right to transport you to the world of Peter Jackson's films. But despite the game's endearing Lego characters, its appealing sense of humor, and its faithfulness to the films, the act of actually playing Lego The Hobbit is a chore that leaves you firmly grounded in reality.</p><p style="">All of the most memorable scenes and locations from the first two Hobbit films are represented here. You traipse through the lush elegance of Rivendell and the rough-hewn majesty of the dwarven kingdom of Erebor. You battle the mysterious necromancer in Dol Guldur and encounter the dragon Smaug under the lonely mountain. And it's all presented with a humorous touch that only makes this version of Middle-earth more appealing: at one point, for instance, the dwarves construct a key to open a large, forbidding door, but rather than inserting the key into the lock, they simply hurl the key at the door, smashing both to bits. But though it all looks appropriately epic and imaginative, this is one sleepy quest. As you make your way through an environment, your progress is constantly hindered, and figuring out how to advance is never remotely stimulating or enjoyable.</p><div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6418322" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418322/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Maybe you need to just run around smashing Lego objects until you destroy the one that gives you the pieces that let you build something that lets you advance. This building process requires no ingenuity on your part; you usually just hold down a button for several seconds as your character tosses the pieces into place. This is how it's been since the earliest days of the Lego games, and the simplicity of the process is getting tiresome. Occasionally, the building process involves a basic minigame in which you see which piece is needed to continue building the object and have to select that particular piece from among several pieces, but even the young children whom this game is designed to appeal to deserve more engaging problem-solving than this.</p><p style="">In some situations, you need specific types of "loot" to construct the Lego object you need to progress. These occasions can be especially frustrating, sending you on a quest far and wide through the game's large environments looking for the type of object you need to destroy to get the loot you need. There are traders here and there who let you exchange one type of loot for another, but they rarely offer the specific loot you might be in dire need of when you encounter them.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2505729" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2505729-ci6155876830365717.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2505729-ci6155876830365717.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505729"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/78/787590/2505729-ci6155876830365717.jpg"></a><figcaption>As in just about every Lego game, you can play local split-screen co-op.</figcaption></figure><p style="">You also often need to rely on the abilities of one character or another to advance. You might need to switch to Dori and use his flail to pull hooks loose. Perhaps Dwalin's hefty hammer is required to whack a block into place. Or maybe Bombur needs to sit on a picnic blanket and let other hobbits toss food into his mouth so that his belly can be used as a springy jumping pad. Whatever it is, there's never any sense of accomplishment that comes from doing these things, because the game makes it abundantly clear what you need to do. You don't need to think about it, or play skillfully to do it. You just go through the motions, dutifully switching to the correct character and using his or her ability in the designated spot.</p><p style="">And then there's the combat. Sluggish conflicts that require no skill and have no feeling of impact drag the game down constantly. Again, the presentation does the source material justice: combat often takes place amid massive crowds, and even if they are Lego minifigs rather than highly detailed character models, the way the screen swarms with orcs, goblins, or other foes makes these skirmishes look large and alive and dangerous. When you face powerful enemies, the camera zooms in, and the minifigs perform stylish fight choreography that wouldn't be out of place in Jackson's films. But as usual, the chasm dividing how the fights look and how they feel is wide. Like so much of the action in Lego The Hobbit, winning these battles is a matter of responding to onscreen cues.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2505741" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2505741-ci-148474852830365717.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2505741-ci-148474852830365717.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505741"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/78/787590/2505741-ci-148474852830365717.jpg"></a><figcaption>Yes, even the controversial barrel scene is represented. </figcaption></figure><p style="">There's no shortage of content in Lego The Hobbit. The main story quest covers the narrative films in detail, though frustratingly, it ends on the same cliff-hanger that the second Hobbit film ends on, so there is no resolution offered here. And of course, there are tons of collectibles that you have to return to levels as different characters to nab, perhaps using an elf's ability to walk on tightropes or a goblin's knack for climbing certain walls. There are also plenty of optional side quests to complete across Middle-earth, but they all involve the same tedious mechanics employed by the story quests. Lego The Hobbit proves that having plenty of variety in terms of objectives and gameplay mechanics doesn't make much difference if none of those objectives and mechanics are much fun, and that capturing the look of an epic quest isn't the same as capturing the feel of one.</p> Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/lego-the-hobbit-review/1900-6415731/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/stone-giants-lego-the-hobbit-gameplay/2300-6418322/ This is no thunder storm... it's a thunder battle! Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/stone-giants-lego-the-hobbit-gameplay/2300-6418322/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lego-the-hobbit-video-review/2300-6418321/ LEGO The Hobbit is charming, funny, faithful to the films, yet it can be incredibly tedious to play. Mon, 14 Apr 2014 18:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lego-the-hobbit-video-review/2300-6418321/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 15 Apr 2014 07:31:43 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-360-spring-sale-is-on-but-it-doesn-t-feature-the-best-bargain-on-xbox-live-right-now/1100-6419007/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2012/151/reviews/1949236-670223_20120531_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1949236" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2012/151/reviews/1949236-670223_20120531_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1949236"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/gamespot/images/2012/151/reviews/1949236-670223_20120531_001.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">There's an Xbox 360 spring sale on! Only, the best deal on Xbox Live right now has nothing to do with Microsoft's Xbox 360 spring sale. Instead, if you're an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, you can pick up <a href="/batman-arkham-asylum/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham Asylum</a> and <a href="/batman-arkham-city/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham City</a> for $4.99 a piece as part of a weekly deal. Both are certainly worth a punt if you're yet to play them and you enjoy having fun.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Highlights of the actual (less good) Xbox 360 spring sale are <a href="/borderlands-2/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands 2</a> for $6.99, the <a href="/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag</a> season pass for $13.39, and <a href="/saints-row-iv/" data-ref-id="false">Saints Row IV</a> for $14.99.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There's also discounts on a chunk of DLC, including for Saints Row IV, Dead Island, Dishonored, Borderlands 2, Skyrim, Fallout 3 and New Vegas, Thief, and State of Decay. Discounts range from 33 percent to 75 percent: <a href="http://majornelson.com/2014/04/15/xbox-360-spring-sale-and-this-weeks-deals-with-gold/" rel="nofollow">check out Major Nelson's blog for a full list of what's on sale</a>.</p><p style="">These deals are valid until April 21, Microsoft adds.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6340098" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6340098/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Martin Gaston is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/squidmania" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @squidmania</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-360-spring-sale-is-on-but-it-doesn-t-feature-the-best-bargain-on-xbox-live-right-now/1100-6419007/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/2014-fifa-world-cup-brazil-review/1900-6415732/ <p style="">There are people out there who are more jaded by FIFA's yearly release cycle than they are by the schoolboy "tactics" Roy Hodgson employs as England manager. Year after year we're asked to part with our hard-earned cash in exchange for a game that, on the surface at least, changes little with each iteration. Stand-alone tournament editions, such as 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, are sandwiched between releases of full FIFA games and do little to quell such negative opinion.</p><p style="">However, perhaps even more so than the criminally forgotten gems like <a href="/uefa-euro-2008/" data-ref-id="false">UEFA Euro 2008</a> and <a href="/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/" data-ref-id="false">2010 World Cup South Africa FIFA</a>, World Cup Brazil comes with more than enough content and ideas to justify its existence as a game in its own right. Although, to what extent depends on how you're currently fulfilling your FIFA needs. If you've already made the step up to <a href="/videos/fifa-14-next-gen-video-review/2300-6416287/" data-ref-id="2300-6416287">FIFA 14</a> on either the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, then you're going to be disappointed by what's on offer. With World Cup Brazil available only on previous-gen consoles, the absence of the slick animations and upgraded physics system of the next-gen versions is very much visible here.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418323" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418323/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">While there's a nice array of new passing, shooting, and jostling animations, the core mechanics driving the action on the field lack the finesse and depth of the PS4 and Xbox One FIFA 14 experience. This rings especially true when you're defending, with the AI largely unable to deal with players boasting a combination of raw pace and accuracy of shooting. Time and time again, the greatest defenders on earth (the likes of Vincent Kompany, Thiago Silva, and Giorgio Chiellini) are made to look the fool by mediocre strikers packing just those two attributes.</p><p style="">This may all be part of the plan, though. These tournament editions have always been seen as a chance for the FIFA design team to let loose and have a bit of fun, so the favouring of attacking flair over defensive nuance is very likely a case of intended design over inferior AI. In practice, this creates a game that's more fun than realistic, offering an experience that is markedly different from that of FIFA 14.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505954-screen_5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505954" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505954-screen_5.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505954"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2505954-screen_5.jpg"></a><figcaption>Every team in the game features the official kits that they'll be wearing this summer.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Shooting, in particular, has been made much more accessible. A well-struck ball flies through the air as though tethered to a guided missile, making the taking of long-range potshots a more viable option than it has been in recent years. Invariably, this leads to some spectacular attempts on goal, which naturally lead to spectacular goals. These kinds of goals, from the audacious to the sublime, very much belong in a game that so heavily features the vibrant backdrop of Brazil and its football team--a team that is seen as the embodiment of exciting, attacking football.</p><p style="">In a bid to counter the venom of shooting, goalies seem to have been given an ability boost and are thus able to prevent the scoreline from getting out of hand. They don't always catch the ball or knock it into a safe area, but they are more likely to push it away for a corner or punch it to the edge of the box and give their defenders a chance to clear it properly.</p><p style="">Additionally, it's now much more difficult to score from corners thanks to the new over-the-back headers players can employ. Rather than simply standing limp and lifeless as an attacker cuts in front to score with his head at the near post (a trick that could be ruthlessly exploited to great success in previous FIFA games), defenders can now jump up using the shoulders of anyone in their way in a desperate bid to head the ball first. This new trick helps, perhaps more than any other element, in keeping the number of goals to a believable tally in the face of the improved shooting.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505953-3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505953" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505953-3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505953"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2505953-3.jpg"></a><figcaption>Much more focus has been spent on making each and every match feel like a genuine spectacle. Hopefully this will carry on to future FIFA titles.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Any and all of these gameplay tweaks would be rendered useless without sufficient content within which to make use of them. Captain Your Country and Road to the FIFA World Cup are the most robust and exhaustive game modes to conquer, joining the obvious inclusions of the World Cup tournament itself and the essential set of online and offline exhibition matches. Captain Your Country sees you take control of a single player as your team sets out to qualify for, and win, the World Cup. As its name suggests, your goal within that framework is to distinguish yourself and become national captain along the way.</p><p style="">Road to the FIFA World Cup allows you to rewrite the course of history and take a team from the qualification rounds, on to the tournament proper, and into Rio's Estadio do Maracana to contest the final on 13 July. All 203 officially recognised FIFA national teams are included and available for selection, allowing you to undo the injustices associated with the likes of Sweden and Poland failing to qualify for this summer's carnival. If you prefer to take your game online and compete with other human players, then Road to Rio De Janeiro is the mode with the most staying power. There you're promoted and relegated through different divisions in a bid to match you with players that are roughly your equal, which makes for some compelling matches.</p><p style="">What makes World Cup Brazil a different proposition to other recent FIFA games is the care and dedication that have gone into the little details. You've got the option of choosing between two prerecorded radio stations as you navigate menus, both of which are excellent and add colour to events by way of dissecting your future opponents and commenting on the journey teams took to reach the World Cup.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505960-screen_2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505960" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2505960-screen_2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505960"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/917/9176928/2505960-screen_2.jpg"></a><figcaption>Here's a sight we'll hopefully see this summer.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Then there are the little visual presentation touches: managers that shout and command from the sidelines, cutaways to fans celebrating goals in front of screens in their home country, and goalkeepers who can perform dances and shuffles to unnerve penalty takers, and there's even a digital Sepp Blatter who attends important fixtures. Unfortunately, the graphical quality of the crowds remains as terrible as it has ever been on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but at least there's more variety to their celebrations this time around.</p><p style="">It's best to consider 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil as a less serious, more accessible accompaniment to the main FIFA series. Focused more on giving you a good time than on advancing the quest for realism in sports games, this is a football game that's perfect for fans who are looking for a way to pass the hours between World Cup matches this summer. Beyond that, it may not be as exhaustive as the likes of FIFA 14, but with its own distinct feel and modes to explore, there's more than enough to keep you distracted before FIFA 15 lands later in the year.</p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/2014-fifa-world-cup-brazil-review/1900-6415732/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-dlc-comes-to-a-close-today/1100-6419006/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2506006-bl2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2506006" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2506006-bl2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2506006"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2506006-bl2.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">After more than 18 months of ongoing support through various expansions, Gearbox Software today released the final digital add-on for its <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-is-now-the-best-selling-game-in-2k-s-history/1100-6418865/" data-ref-id="1100-6418865">record-setting </a>shooter <a href="/borderlands-2/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands 2</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The final DLC pack is the fifth installment in the Headhunter series, officially called Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of Crawmerax. It's available today for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC/Mac through Steam for $2.99 / GBP £2.39 / EUR €2,99.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the DLC, you'll join Sir Hammerlock along with Brick, Mordecai, and Lilith on Wam Bam Island in the "biggest Headhunter add-on in the series." At the end of the content, you'll square off against Crawmerax Jr., son of the the crab worm from The Secret Armory of General Knoxx from the <a href="/borderlands/" data-ref-id="false">original Borderlands game</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">During a panel at PAX East this past weekend, Gearbox said that though Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of Crawmerax is the final expansion for Borderlands 2, the studio will continue to support the game through general updates. No new content is in the works, though.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Gearbox is currently working alongside 2K Australia on <a href="/borderlands-the-pre-sequel/" data-ref-id="false">Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel </a>for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The studio is <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gearbox-working-on-two-new-ips-for-next-gen/1100-6413961/" data-ref-id="1100-6413961">also working on unannounced new games for next-generation consoles</a>. Gearbox president Randy Pitchford said recently that the studio will "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-dev-will-probably-announce-an-xbox-one-ps4-game-this-year/1100-6418698/" data-ref-id="1100-6418698">probably</a>" have a new game for new consoles to announce as early as later this year.</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, 15 Apr 2014 06:37:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-2-dlc-comes-to-a-close-today/1100-6419006/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/georgia-gov-t-extends-tax-credit-to-developers-same-day-that-made-in-georgia-world-of-darkness-mmo-is-canceled/1100-6419005/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2505993-georgia.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505993" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2505993-georgia.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505993"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2505993-georgia.jpg"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Governor Nathan Deal / Office of the Governor</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Georgia governor Nathan Deal <a href="https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2014-04-14/deal-signs-bill-extending-tax-free-holiday-weekends" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-04">on Monday signed a bill </a>that extends the state's $25 million tax credit to local video game developers. Deal signed the bill, <a href="https://gov.georgia.gov/sites/gov.georgia.gov/files/related_files/document/143729.pdf" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">HB 958</a>, on the same day that CCP Games' Georgia-based development studio <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/eve-online-developer-cancels-vampire-mmo-world-of-darkness/1100-6418989/" data-ref-id="1100-6418989">canceled its World of Darkness MMO and laid off dozens of staffers</a> as a result. It's unknown if the bill could have helped save the game or its developers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">To be eligible for the tax break, "qualified entertainment production companies" need to maintain a business that is physically located in Georgia, have a total aggregate payroll of $500,000 or more, and have gross income of less than $100 million for the taxable year. Companies must also be primarily engaged in production activities that are "related to interactive entertainment which have been approved by the Department of Economic Development."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">HB 958 goes on to state that the maximum credit for any qualified interactive entertainment production company can be $5 million for a taxable year. When the $25 million cap is reached, the tax credit for such qualified companies will expire. You can <a href="http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/display/20132014/HB/958" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">read HB 958 in full at the state of Georgia's website</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This is not the first time Georgia has attempted to lure developers to its state with a tax break package. In 2008, the state <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/georgia-law-aims-to-lure-game-makers/1100-6191124/" data-ref-id="1100-6191124">adopted a new law </a>called the Entertainment Industry Investment Act that would give eligible companies a 20 percent tax credit.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">While Georgia may not be considered a hot-bed for video game development, the state currently is currently home to <a href="http://www.georgia.org/industries/entertainment/digital-entertainment/game-digital-media-companies/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">more than a dozen game and digital media companies</a>. Some of these include CCP North America (<a href="/world-of-darkness-online/" data-ref-id="false">World of Darkness</a>), Tripwire Interactive (<a href="/killing-floor/" data-ref-id="false">Killing Floor</a>), and Xaviant (<a href="/lichdom-battlemage/" data-ref-id="false">Lichdom: Battlemage</a>).</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 06:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/georgia-gov-t-extends-tax-credit-to-developers-same-day-that-made-in-georgia-world-of-darkness-mmo-is-canceled/1100-6419005/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-playstation-now-streaming-service-load-times-improving/1100-6419004/ <p style=""> </p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416765" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416765/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The beta period for <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/everything-we-know-about-playstation-now-so-far/1100-6417069/" data-ref-id="1100-6417069">Sony's new streaming service PlayStation Now </a>has moved into its second phase, and one user is reporting that load times are improving substantially.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A <a href="http://www.dualshockers.com/2014/04/14/leaked-playstation-now-loading-times-for-all-games-show-large-improvement-across-the-board/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">DualShockers</a> tipster provided a list of all the games included in the PlayStation Now beta and compares the load times with that of the first phase. The load times were clocked using the same Internet connection and are shown to improve across the board.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In the chart below, you can see a list of all the games included with the PlayStation Now beta so far, as well as load time comparisons (in seconds) where available.</p><ul><li>Shadow of the Colossus -- 46.72 <strong>(old time: 53.98)</strong></li><li>WipeOut HD -- 57.19</li><li>Dead Nation -- 40.05</li><li>PixelJunk Monsters -- 39.90</li><li>Shatter -- 38.86 <strong>(old time: 39.77)</strong></li><li>Guacamelee! -- 32.36</li><li>Disgaea 4 -- 33.30 <strong>(old time: 47.12)</strong></li><li>Dead or Alive 5 -- 36.55 <strong>(old time: 51.10)</strong></li><li>Critter Crunch -- 38.37</li><li>Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond -- 35.81</li><li>Zeno Clash II -- 35.62</li><li>Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon -- 32.28</li><li>Puzzle Quest: Galactrix – 36.45</li><li>Rise of the Guardians -- 35.12</li><li>Dead Island -- 36.22</li><li>PAYDAY: The Heist -- 37.03</li><li>Order Up!! -- 35.66</li><li>Alien Rage -- 39.27</li><li>Real Steel -- 35.82</li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="">Dualshockers notes that in the first wave of the PlayStation Now beta, all of the games (except one) had a loading time of "well above" 40 seconds, while half were above 50 seconds. In the second phase of the beta, all but three required 40 seconds of shorter to load.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Obviously, load times will vary depending on your available bandwidth. For its part, Sony says you'll want<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/will-your-internet-be-fast-enough-to-stream-playstation-now/1100-6417023/" data-ref-id="1100-6417023"> at least a 5Mbps Internet connection</a> to enjoy a good experience, but we don't know what kind of Internet connection the supplier of this data had.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">An improvement in loading times for PlayStation Now throughout the various stages of beta is to be expected. After all, that is what a beta is for. Still, the load time improvement is good news and with months to go before its targeted "summer" launch, it's possible that the service could get even better.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">PlayStation Now runs on technology from Gaikai, the streaming service provider Sony <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-to-acquire-cloud-gaming-service-gaikai-for-380m/1100-6385186/" data-ref-id="1100-6385186">purchased in 2012 for $380 million</a>. You'll be able to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/renting-a-ps3-game-from-playstation-now-could-cost-5-is-that-the-sweet-spot/1100-6418204/" data-ref-id="1100-6418204">rent games on a title-by-title basis </a>or as part of a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-now-will-offer-netflix-like-subscription-options/1100-6417035/" data-ref-id="1100-6417035">wider Netflix-like subscription package</a>. The service is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita, as well as Bravia TVs and an array of smartphones and tablets.</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, 15 Apr 2014 05:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/report-playstation-now-streaming-service-load-times-improving/1100-6419004/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-space-sim-star-citizen-hits-a-mind-blowing-42-million/1100-6419003/ <p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/3/8/3/2013383-684995_20121009_022.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2013383" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/3/8/3/2013383-684995_20121009_022.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2013383"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/3/3/8/3/2013383-684995_20121009_022.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another week, another funding milestone for PC space sim <a href="/star-citizen/" data-ref-id="false">Star Citizen</a>. The game's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-reaches-41-million-in-funding-now-getting-procedurally-generated-content/1100-6418669/" data-ref-id="1100-6418669">already wildly successful crowdfunding effort </a>has now reached a mind-blowing $42 million. This comes just days after creator Chris Roberts <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-space-sim-star-citizen-s-dogfighting-mode-looks-epic-even-in-pre-alpha/1100-6418939/" data-ref-id="1100-6418939">demonstrated the game's epic dogfighting mode at PAX East in Boston, Mass.</a></p><p dir="ltr" style="">Roberts <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13812-Letter-From-The-Chairman-42-Million" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said in a statement </a>that, "I can't think of a better symbolic victory than reaching that number in crowdfunding. The 'meaning of life, the universe, and everything' is now the amount pledged to let us build a new universe!"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The number 42 is popular with science-fiction fans based on its inclusion in <em>The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</em> as a means to explain what life is all about.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At $42 million, the game's backers will receive an Updated Observist Guide (featuring holographic ships, items, and navigation interface in 3D), as well as the Explorer-class mobiGlas Rig--available to all players who backed before the campaign reached $42. In addition, now that the campaign has reached $42 million, developer Cloud Imperium Games will add a new fighter ship called Gladius, as well as a towel for their hangar.</p><p style="">Cloud Imperium did not say what the $43 million stretch goal is, but outlined plans for $44 million and beyond. Players will receive an additional hangar room at $44 million and you can <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13812-Letter-From-The-Chairman-42-Million" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">vote right now on what you want for the $45 million goal</a>. The options are a new ship's gun, updated scanner software, a new role-specific outfit, an engine tuning kit, a ship skin, a space plant, or a "mystery object."</p><p style="">To put Star Citizen's $42 million into context, Epic Games revealed in 2006 that development on the <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/rein-puts-dev-cost-for-gears-of-war-at-10m" rel="nofollow">original Gears of War cost $10 million</a>, while Tim Schafer's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/brutal-legend-2-i-would-love-to-go-back-there-tim-schafer-says/1100-6417258/">2008 action game Brutal Legend had a budget of around $25 million</a>. It's still well below, however, the development budget for MMOs, which can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-wars-the-old-republic-cost-200-million-to-develop/1100-6348959/" data-ref-id="1100-6348959">run into the hundreds of millions</a>.</p><p style="">Star Citizen is due to launch in full sometime in 2015. A total of 429,367 people have backed the project so far.</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, 15 Apr 2014 04:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-space-sim-star-citizen-hits-a-mind-blowing-42-million/1100-6419003/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crysis-and-crysis-2-pc-multiplayer-going-offline-at-the-end-of-the-month/1100-6419002/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2011/177/1737802-960489_20110628_013.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1737802" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/gamespot/images/2011/177/1737802-960489_20110628_013.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1737802"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/gamespot/images/2011/177/1737802-960489_20110628_013.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">If you want to play the PC versions of <a href="/crysis/" data-ref-id="false">Crysis</a> and <a href="/crysis-2/" data-ref-id="false">Crysis 2</a> online, you'll need to get moving. Developer Crytek <a href="http://www.crysis.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=69126" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">announced in the game's forums</a> that as a result of the closure of GameSpy's online matching client, the multiplayer modes for both games will no longer be playable after May 31. The console versions are unaffected, and neither is <a href="/crysis-3/" data-ref-id="false">Crysis 3</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As of May 31 this year, the multiplayer modes in Crysis and Crysis 2 for PC will no longer be playable," Crytek said. "The single-player campaigns in both games are unaffected by this transition."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We'd like to thank everyone who has taken up arms in Crysis and Crysis 2's multiplayer modes in the last few years, and apologize to the small but dedicated community of PC players who are still actively competing against one another," Crytek added.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Beyond categorizing the PC community as "small," Crytek did not reveal a specific figure for just how many people continue to play Crysis and Crysis 2 to this day. GameSpy's forthcoming shutdown is affecting many games, though one publisher--Electronic Arts--has <a href="https://twitter.com/OriginInsider/status/453955565182783488" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">pledged to find other means to keep old Battlefield games alive after May 31</a>.</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, 15 Apr 2014 04:31:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/crysis-and-crysis-2-pc-multiplayer-going-offline-at-the-end-of-the-month/1100-6419002/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-dev-says-watch-dogs-delay-sent-an-important-message/1100-6419001/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2448815-behdsv0ciaanwr3.png" data-ref-id="1300-2448815" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2448815-behdsv0ciaanwr3.png" data-ref-id="1300-2448815"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/536/5360430/2448815-behdsv0ciaanwr3.png"></a></figure><p style="">Ubisoft studio Massive Entertainment, the primary studio behind upcoming PS4 and Xbox One shooter <a href="/tom-clancys-the-division/" data-ref-id="false">The Division</a>, has labelled <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-dogs-delayed-to-spring-2014/1100-6415591/">the decision to delay the release of Watch Dogs to May 2014</a> as a "tremendously important" one.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's tremendously important for us as a developer studio, to know that the owner and the publisher are ready to take that hit, and [delaying <a href="/watch-dogs/" data-ref-id="false">Watch Dogs</a>] ] was a massive hit. I think their shares fell 25 per cent on the day it was announced it was being delayed," said Massive Entertainment boss David Polfeldt to <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/massive-entertainment-talks-ubisoft-s-commitment-and-the-watch-dogs-delay" rel="nofollow">Examiner</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It takes so much courage to live through that day and still think that was a good decision. So for us in the development [team], that's an important message that ultimately the management will back up the goals that we have, which is the game has to be great."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"That's ultimately the end goal and then it's a million times better if it's on time," Polfeldt continued, "but if there is a choice between time and quality, then quality will win."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">But will The Division see a delay of its own? Earlier this year a Massive Entertainment employee was reported to have <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-s-2014-release-window-is-laughable-claims-ubisoft-source-report/1100-6416976/">branded the idea of The Division launching in 2014 as "laughable"</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6417537" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6417537/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 03:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-dev-says-watch-dogs-delay-sent-an-important-message/1100-6419001/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-announces-vita-owners-in-the-us-and-europe-will-get-three-new-games-to-play/1100-6419000/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505947-1344022875-13839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505947" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505947-1344022875-13839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505947"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2505947-1344022875-13839.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony's Japan studio has announced it will be bringing three of its upcoming Vita titles to the US and Europe.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/freedom-wars/" data-ref-id="false">Freedom Wars</a>, which was announced for Japan last year, is the first. It's an action RPG set in a penal colony in the far future, where people are sentenced to prison for one million years for the crime of living. Up to eight players can take part online, with support for four-player ad-hoc play.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">It'll be coming to Vita in 2014, and a new trailer for the game was also released:</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqrx9yfLa4E" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fzqrx9yfLa4E%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dzqrx9yfLa4E&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fzqrx9yfLa4E%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Next up is Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines, a JRPG revolving around Japanese mythology, where players lead a clan seeking to lift a curse that's given its members a two year lifespan. The game sounds like it will span multiple generations, as you're charged with ensuring the clan's bloodline becomes more powerful with each new birth. There's no word of a release date.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505950-3240994179-13839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505950" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505950-3240994179-13839.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505950"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2505950-3240994179-13839.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style="">Finally, <a href="/soul-sacrifice-delta/" data-ref-id="false">Soul Sacrifice Delta</a>--a spruced up version of last year's monster-hunting title. The Delta version will bring new Archfiends, sorcerers, arenas, spells, and quests. Sony says the graphics have been spruced up, and that save data from the original Soul Sacrifice will carry over.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Soul Sacrifice Delta is due for release on May 14.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dnwCmX5c8k" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2F0dnwCmX5c8k%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0dnwCmX5c8k&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F0dnwCmX5c8k%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 02:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-announces-vita-owners-in-the-us-and-europe-will-get-three-new-games-to-play/1100-6419000/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-april-system-update-rolling-out-now/1100-6418999/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505943-9148697848-24188.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505943" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2505943-9148697848-24188.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505943"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1493/14930800/2505943-9148697848-24188.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/about-time-xbox-one-friend-notifications-to-return-in-next-update/1100-6418374/">The Xbox One system update for April</a> is in the process of being rolled out to all consoles now, Microsoft has said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The update should beam itself into your console over the next few hours, provided you're connected to the Internet and your provider isn't messing up. Chief among the new features is that friends notifications have returned: you'll be able to see when your pals sign into Xbox Live, and when they start playing games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">There's also new progress bars that show you the status of apps and game saves, and an easier way of seeing what games and apps have most recently been updated.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Another new feature for the console is that it can now reboot itself after system updates, and there's an option for users to manually search for, and install, new updates when available.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">50Hz Blu-ray output has also been added, alongside other improvements to GameDVR and Kinect.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416197" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416197/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 02:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-april-system-update-rolling-out-now/1100-6418999/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/conception-ii-review/1900-6415727/ <p style="">Many parents call childbirth a magical experience, but few fathers can say that they've helped to magically conceive dozens of children with multiple mothers and taken them into dungeons on a quest to save the world.</p><p style="">Such is the conceit of Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars, a love child of role-playing and dating sim parents, though it's not a master of either genre. It mixes many Japanese role-playing game cliches with occasionally questionable treatment of its female characters, and then piles the concoction atop a turn-based battle system that doesn't live up to its potential. The resulting game is decidedly, painfully average.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504074-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504074" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504074-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504074"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2504074-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>They may be small, but star children can pack a punch.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Areas of darkness called dusk circles are opening all over the world, and from them are emerging monsters hell-bent on destruction. Many teenagers are blessed by the star god with special powers for fighting the dusk monsters, and these disciples are sent to a special school to be trained accordingly. Because of your unique ability as God's gift to enter these labyrinths at the center of dusk circles, it is up to you to put a stop to them.</p><p style="">You won't be going in alone. In addition to a female disciple of your choosing, you enter each labyrinth with a squad of star children--magical children created through a process called classmating. In a process not unlike fusing demons in a Persona game, you and one of the game's heroines come together and give birth to a tiny human that fights alongside you. You can take up to nine star children into a labyrinth, and they operate in teams of three.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504076-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504076" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504076-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504076"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2504076-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Dialogue strives for a weird balance between mature and sophomoric.</figcaption></figure><p style="">At birth, star children are each assigned one of a wide variety of classes, such as magician, gunslinger, cleric, and hunter. Each class not only uses different types of weapons and armor, but also learns different abilities as the child levels up. Nothing will stop you from giving birth to nothing but archers, but it's smarter to experiment with different options, mixing and matching teams as you go. Each child also has an affinity for a certain element (such as fire or wind), which also contributes to which abilities a child team ultimately has.</p><p style="">Once you're inside a labyrinth, the basic flow of turn-based battle feels immediately familiar. Each team of three star children operates as one collective party member, while you and your chosen female companion do the same, rounding out a group of four. Your options are what you would expect if you've played a turn-based role-playing game in the past: You can attack, defend, flee battle, or use a variety of offensive and defensive skills that require mana. You conduct combat through floor after floor of randomized dungeons that look far too similar to each other, each sporting mazelike hallways and paths that often lead to obvious dead ends. From beginning to end, these labyrinths are nothing but bland.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504077-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504077" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504077-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504077"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2504077-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>Creepy older guy? Check.</figcaption></figure><p style="">There are a few ways that Conception II tries to differentiate itself with its combat, most obviously in character and enemy placement. Every enemy has four points around it in which you can stand when attacking, and one or more of those positions is designated as a weak spot. Different attacks do damage in different directions, so you must give some thought to where you attack each turn. The system doesn't require much brainpower, though, because a helpful red arrow tells you explicitly if you're going to hit an enemy's weak spot. Usually, the simple strategy of "aim for the weak spot" is all you need to succeed.</p><p style="">The other features of battle focus on letting you manipulate the turn order and move faster than your opponents. The chain drive, for instance, is a meter that rises incrementally as you attack, climbing higher if you attack from more dangerous positions (that is, not at an enemy's weak point or in a spot where you know an enemy attack is imminent). When the gauge reaches certain points, the monster you hit last will be chained and its turn temporarily pushed back. Similarly, there is a meter representing the current density of an element called ether; the higher the ether level, the faster your party moves.</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">You conduct combat through floor after floor of randomized dungeons that look far too similar to each other, each sporting mazelike hallways and paths that often lead to obvious dead ends.</p></blockquote><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504079-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504079" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504079-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504079"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2504079-0005.jpg"></a><figcaption>Your direction of attack becomes increasingly important late in the game.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The problem is that for most of the game, these elements can be more or less ignored. Chaining enemies, while useful, is rarely necessary for success until late in the game. The same goes for the ether density, a number that is always present at the bottom corner of the battle screen but that is easy to forget about.</p><p style="">Classmating is where the dating sim aspect of Conception II comes in. In order to make more powerful star children, the people classmating together must have good relationships with each other. Therefore, it's necessary to get to know the game's seven lead females outside of classes and labyrinths.</p><p style="">The story presents the classmating ritual as innocent enough, and the act is initially accomplished by both "parents" merely holding hands. But while the game states that classmating is a pure-hearted process, it implies inappropriate levels of lasciviousness. All conversations about classmating are packed with blatant innuendo, and the game doesn't shy away from adolescent levels of sexual humor, featuring talk of bust sizes and looking up girls' skirts, and depicting an uncomfortably perverted priest. There are moments when the game does an acceptable job of at least contextualizing the sexual overtones and providing balance to this kind of sexism; there are even times when the story explores its themes of teenage sexuality on a mature level. Too often, however, the winks and nudges of the dialogue go too far into the realm of crassness, as if the writers are constantly poking you and shouting, "Get it? It's like we're talking about sex even when we're not!"</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504080-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504080" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2504080-0004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2504080"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2504080-0004.jpg"></a><figcaption>This is the most tasteful shot of the classmating ritual. </figcaption></figure><p style="">Even if much of the innuendo seems harmless enough, each time you perform the classmating ritual, you view animations of the girls' naked silhouettes in increasingly suggestive poses. These scenes lack the playful dialogue surrounding the ritual and come across as gross pandering as a result, so it's fortunate that they can be skipped with the tap of a button.</p><p style="">Whether or not you're bothered by the overtly sexual content, neither getting to know the heroines nor fighting with them in dungeons is as entertaining in Conception II as in games that are more focused on either of those tasks. The relationships are too shallow and too simple to be meaningful. While you often have different choices and dialogue options in each scenario, most situations are straightforward and almost always lead to an improved relationship. You can also give the girls gifts from time to time, but their affection for you rises so quickly that gift giving is wholly unnecessary. It's also relatively brainless; it doesn't take Casanova to deduce that the girl whose storyline revolves around photography might like receiving a camera badge. Finishing the game with all seven lead females in love with you is not a difficult feat.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="small"><p style="">All conversations about classmating are packed with blatant innuendo, and the game doesn't shy away from adolescent levels of sexual humor, featuring talk of bust sizes and looking up girls' skirts, and depicting an uncomfortably perverted priest.</p></blockquote><p style="">Perhaps the biggest problem with all this socializing, though, is that most of the plotlines are uninteresting. One girl's story tells a decent ghost tale, and there are touching moments here and there with the other girls, most of which are innocent despite the hints at more mature subject matter, but for the most part, it's difficult to care about any of these stories.</p><p style="">Sadly, that rings true for the main plot as well. While it kicks off with an interesting Harry Potter-esque vibe with its school setting and three initial characters that reflect the Harry Potter universe's main trio (the main character is a "chosen one," the best friend is a clumsy redhead, and the female best friend has book smarts), Conception II never makes you care about the bigger picture, and you can see its twists a mile away. If you prefer to hear the tale in the original Japanese, you'll be disappointed with the lack of a Japanese voice-over option, stuck as you are with English voice acting that runs the gamut from terrible to halfway decent.</p><p style="">Conception II's combat shows hints of being novel early on, but is neither difficult enough nor entertaining enough to warrant much attention. In fact, you can turn on an auto-battle function at the press of a button, and provided you've set your party's tactics appropriately, you can automate your way through the majority of the game, stopping only when the game hits a difficulty spike toward the end. The game functions as intended but lacks imagination and spark, leaving a lot of potential untapped. <a href="/persona-4-golden/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/persona-4-golden/">Persona 4 Golden</a> on the Vita and <a href="/shin-megami-tensei-iv/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/shin-megami-tensei-iv/">Shin Megami Tensei IV</a> on the 3DS are far superior options, but if you've already exhausted those games and want something in the same vein, Conception II can scratch that itch. It's competent, certainly, but it's hard to shake the feeling that the stork could have left us something a little more interesting.</p> Tue, 15 Apr 2014 00:01:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/conception-ii-review/1900-6415727/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/moebius-empire-rising-review/1900-6415730/ <p style="">It is said that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The axiom is often used by politicians and history professors as a warning, but the story behind Moebius: Empire Rising suggests we may not have a choice. The game presents a theory that space and time are connected in a twisted loop, and at any given moment, important figures from the past reemerge, sparking an event that may change the world for good or ill. At first blush,the story seems intriguing. But the brief moments of exuberance are hampered by mundane puzzle solving and uninteresting characters, making this 10-hour adventure not worth the time spent.</p><p style="">The plot, crafted by game design veteran Jane Jensen, has all the fluff and dramatic flair of a Dan Brown novel. Malachi Rector, the protagonist in this point-and-click adventure, is a brilliant man of considerable ego and antipathy. His coveted skills in art appraisal have him traveling the globe to evaluate ancient artifacts and search them for signs of authenticity or fraud. His abilities earn him the attention of a secret branch of the government, which hands him the task of identifying and attaining special persons of interest who resemble particular people in history pivotal in changing the course of the world. The organization believes that these individuals are destined to re-create a certain past event, bringing about a second Golden Age. Malachi soon finds himself paired with ex-soldier David Walker, whom he hires as a bodyguard. Together, they find themselves in a race against time hunting down their targets before a shadow group discovers them first.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505684-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505684" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505684-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505684"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2505684-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Searching environments yields clues to be used in your investigations.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The story moves at a brisk pace, with the two protagonists traveling the world in search of their quarry, all the while being targeted by mysterious men in masks who always seem to be one step ahead of them. They travel through the cities of New York and Boston, walk the sandy streets of Cairo, and explore the dank recesses of ancient catacombs under Paris. Puzzle solving and exploration adhere to the traditional point-and-click formula, where mouse clicks allow for movement and interacting with objects. The in-game menu lets you briefly highlight points of interest, removing the need to blindly click around the environment. Items that you pick up are stored in your inventory and, when necessary, are used or combined to solve puzzles.</p><p style="">Acquiring items isn't as typical as in other adventure games. Malachi often refuses to pocket every loose item, which falls in line with his stoic personality. After all, it's normal in games in the genre for characters to pick up anything lying around, from paper clips to wads of chewed gum, and then rub them against objects to progress, but to Malachi, it's unnecessary. He sometimes lets items be until the use for them becomes apparent.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505698-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505698" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505698-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505698"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2505698-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Gather evidence to link characters to famous historical figures.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The limitation makes narrative sense, but it causes issues later in the game. In one instance, I had to travel across Manhattan from Central Park to Malachi's apartment to grab an MP3 player, and then travel back, because he wouldn't let me get the device earlier. In another sequence, I had to leave a conversation and travel from Washington, DC, by plane to New York to pick up a pair of earrings and a bottle of alcohol before flying back to continue said conversation. Moments like this make progress tedious and contrived without providing any clear gameplay advantage.</p><p style="">Difficult puzzles are rare; there were few occasions when I was stumped. Many of the puzzles are conventional to the genre, such as looking for hidden keys and passcodes, or moving objects into a certain order. Most puzzles lack any sort of complexity, and the absence of challenge gives way to boredom long before the halfway point of the game. If you do find yourself at a loss, though, the game includes a hint system that nudges you in the right direction. During your investigations, you are given the option to use applied psychology on certain characters before talking to them, opening up more conversation options. Evaluating a person opens a menu screen where you examine a point of interest, such as a facial expression or body language, and pick from a list of choices, giving you a clearer picture of the person's personality.</p><blockquote data-align="right"><p style="">The brief moments of exuberance are hampered by mundane puzzle solving and uninteresting characters.</p></blockquote><p style="">Breaking up exploration and puzzle solving are the moments when you must analyze a person and match him or her up with a figure in history. This is done through investigation, where you discover clues through exploration and conversation. After you gather enough evidence, you open up a menu and scroll through a list of historical figures. You match the person's data points with possible candidates, removing those who don't stack up. When only several remain, you then choose the person who matches your subject the most. It's an interesting concept, but it wears thin rather quickly. Differences between candidates become more precise, and staring at the screen for too long tests your patience.</p><p style="">Malachi and David have a Sherlock and Watson type of relationship. Malachi is antisocial and has little concern for the troubles of those around him, and is motivated only by his chosen profession, which allows him to use impressive observational skills to evaluate people and objects. His partner, David, left the military disillusioned, wandering aimlessly without much purpose. He becomes Malachi's friend and moral compass, and eventually moves into Malachi's apartment. The two travel to various locations solving mysteries.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505699-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505699" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2505699-0005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505699"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2505699-0005.jpg"></a><figcaption>Speak to various characters to gather evidence. </figcaption></figure><p style="">But unlike the friendships between other detectives of fiction, the friendship between Malachi and David feels forced. There is little to suggest that the two have chemistry, mostly because of their flat personalities. David is a two-dimensional military man, ending many sentences with "sir." He shows little depth other than his penchant for lame jokes, which manage to draw a dry chuckle from Malachi. And then there is Malachi, whose nature is more abrasive than charming.</p><p style="">Character models are not high quality and stand out against the colorful hand-painted backdrops of the environment. Many of the characters, Malachi especially, frequently spasm during their walking animations. Conversations sometimes take an interesting turn as arms occasionally clip into torsos. Other animations are equally peculiar, such as low-quality lip-syncing, which ranges from silly to downright creepy. In one of my early cases, I spoke with a woman who would pick up a cup of espresso, put it back down, and then repeat the motion while rarely taking sips. An investigator would normally see such a movement as nervousness on the subject's part, betraying a feeling of guilt. In Moebius, however, such exaggerated animations, ranging from waving hands to slouching shoulders, are meaningless, and are more distracting then helpful.</p><blockquote data-size="large" data-align="center"><p style="">David is a two-dimensional military man, ending many sentences with "sir." He shows little depth other than his penchant for lame jokes.</p></blockquote><p style="">The most enjoyable moments come when you have to use Malachi's keen intellect and vast historical knowledge to appraise ancient artifacts from across cultures and nations. Though it boils down to clicking through sliding images and choosing one that matches the object, it's still exciting to confirm whether the owner of the item in question is granted the satisfaction of claiming a piece of history or a prison sentence for fraud. These moments are sadly too few, because the game typically sets your deductive gaze upon characters, which isn't nearly as gratifying.</p><p style="">Moebius: Empire Rising starts with an interesting idea, but the plot never takes off. Some moments may briefly grab your interest, but disappointing puzzles, shallow characters, and tedious methods behind investigations keep the game feeling lethargic all the way to its uninspiring climax. Instantly forgettable, this game is better off lost to time.</p> Mon, 14 Apr 2014 21:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/moebius-empire-rising-review/1900-6415730/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/lego-the-hobbit-review/1900-6415731/ <p style="">Lego The Hobbit is immediately charming. The title screen shows Bilbo puttering around in his cozy hobbit hole of Bag End, and the wizard Gandalf poking his head in the window. As Howard Shore's beautiful score from the films plays, you can almost feel the warmth from the fire. And from these quaint beginnings, Lego The Hobbit whisks you off on a journey across Middle-earth, getting all the visual details right to transport you to the world of Peter Jackson's films. But despite the game's endearing Lego characters, its appealing sense of humor, and its faithfulness to the films, the act of actually playing Lego The Hobbit is a chore that leaves you firmly grounded in reality.</p><p style="">All of the most memorable scenes and locations from the first two Hobbit films are represented here. You traipse through the lush elegance of Rivendell and the rough-hewn majesty of the dwarven kingdom of Erebor. You battle the mysterious necromancer in Dol Guldur and encounter the dragon Smaug under the lonely mountain. And it's all presented with a humorous touch that only makes this version of Middle-earth more appealing: at one point, for instance, the dwarves construct a key to open a large, forbidding door, but rather than inserting the key into the lock, they simply hurl the key at the door, smashing both to bits. But though it all looks appropriately epic and imaginative, this is one sleepy quest. As you make your way through an environment, your progress is constantly hindered, and figuring out how to advance is never remotely stimulating or enjoyable.</p><div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6418322" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418322/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Maybe you need to just run around smashing Lego objects until you destroy the one that gives you the pieces that let you build something that lets you advance. This building process requires no ingenuity on your part; you usually just hold down a button for several seconds as your character tosses the pieces into place. This is how it's been since the earliest days of the Lego games, and the simplicity of the process is getting tiresome. Occasionally, the building process involves a basic minigame in which you see which piece is needed to continue building the object and have to select that particular piece from among several pieces, but even the young children whom this game is designed to appeal to deserve more engaging problem-solving than this.</p><p style="">In some situations, you need specific types of "loot" to construct the Lego object you need to progress. These occasions can be especially frustrating, sending you on a quest far and wide through the game's large environments looking for the type of object you need to destroy to get the loot you need. There are traders here and there who let you exchange one type of loot for another, but they rarely offer the specific loot you might be in dire need of when you encounter them.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2505729" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2505729-ci6155876830365717.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2505729-ci6155876830365717.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505729"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/78/787590/2505729-ci6155876830365717.jpg"></a><figcaption>As in just about every Lego game, you can play local split-screen co-op.</figcaption></figure><p style="">You also often need to rely on the abilities of one character or another to advance. You might need to switch to Dori and use his flail to pull hooks loose. Perhaps Dwalin's hefty hammer is required to whack a block into place. Or maybe Bombur needs to sit on a picnic blanket and let other hobbits toss food into his mouth so that his belly can be used as a springy jumping pad. Whatever it is, there's never any sense of accomplishment that comes from doing these things, because the game makes it abundantly clear what you need to do. You don't need to think about it, or play skillfully to do it. You just go through the motions, dutifully switching to the correct character and using his or her ability in the designated spot.</p><p style="">And then there's the combat. Sluggish conflicts that require no skill and have no feeling of impact drag the game down constantly. Again, the presentation does the source material justice: combat often takes place amid massive crowds, and even if they are Lego minifigs rather than highly detailed character models, the way the screen swarms with orcs, goblins, or other foes makes these skirmishes look large and alive and dangerous. When you face powerful enemies, the camera zooms in, and the minifigs perform stylish fight choreography that wouldn't be out of place in Jackson's films. But as usual, the chasm dividing how the fights look and how they feel is wide. Like so much of the action in Lego The Hobbit, winning these battles is a matter of responding to onscreen cues.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2505741" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2505741-ci-148474852830365717.jpg" data-size="large" data-align="center" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2505741-ci-148474852830365717.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2505741"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/78/787590/2505741-ci-148474852830365717.jpg"></a><figcaption>Yes, even the controversial barrel scene is represented. </figcaption></figure><p style="">There's no shortage of content in Lego The Hobbit. The main story quest covers the narrative films in detail, though frustratingly, it ends on the same cliff-hanger that the second Hobbit film ends on, so there is no resolution offered here. And of course, there are tons of collectibles that you have to return to levels as different characters to nab, perhaps using an elf's ability to walk on tightropes or a goblin's knack for climbing certain walls. There are also plenty of optional side quests to complete across Middle-earth, but they all involve the same tedious mechanics employed by the story quests. Lego The Hobbit proves that having plenty of variety in terms of objectives and gameplay mechanics doesn't make much difference if none of those objectives and mechanics are much fun, and that capturing the look of an epic quest isn't the same as capturing the feel of one.</p> Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/lego-the-hobbit-review/1900-6415731/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/stone-giants-lego-the-hobbit-gameplay/2300-6418322/ This is no thunder storm... it's a thunder battle! Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:17:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/stone-giants-lego-the-hobbit-gameplay/2300-6418322/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lego-the-hobbit-video-review/2300-6418321/ LEGO The Hobbit is charming, funny, faithful to the films, yet it can be incredibly tedious to play. Mon, 14 Apr 2014 18:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/lego-the-hobbit-video-review/2300-6418321/
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