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Gamespot's Site MashupMicrosoft's E3 briefing takes place June 9 -- What are you hoping is announced?MLB 14: The Show hits PS4 today, includes stadiums with 1 million polygonsShaq is back: New Shaq Fu fighting game reaches funding goalUltra Street Fighter IV, Hack n' Slash - The LobbyGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Shaun MethodNaughty Dog hires Assassin's Creed 3 animation director to work on Uncharted PS4Godzilla movie tie-in game released -- Here's what it looks likeActivision investing $500 million for Bungie's DestinyThieves going to jail for stealing in-game itemsGrand Theft Auto Online - Video ReviewSony says indie games are the "heartbeat" of gamingMegaBit Donkey Kong Country Super Fail HighlightsGalactic Civilizations III Early Access ReviewGame of the Month April 2014Game of the Month: April 2014

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 06 May 2014 07:38:08 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-s-e3-briefing-takes-place-june-9-what-are-you-hoping-is-announced/1100-6419449/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524483-microsofte3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524483" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524483-microsofte3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524483"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2524483-microsofte3.jpg"></a></figure>Microsoft's 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo briefing will take place on Monday, June 9 starting at 9:30 a.m. PDT. Microsoft is calling its presentation "Xbox: Game On." As in past years, this year's event will be held at the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California.<a href="http://majornelson.com/2014/05/06/heres-how-to-watch-the-xbox-e3-2014-media-briefing/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">According to</a> Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, you can expect to hear more about previously announced games, as well as unannounced games coming in 2014 and beyond. Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, said recently that <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-promises-new-ip-and-sequel-announcements-at-e3/1100-6419419/" data-ref-id="1100-6419419">Microsoft will announce both new IP and new sequels during the event</a>.You can watch Microsoft's "Xbox: Game On" presentation on Xbox.com, Xbox Live, and on Windows Phones. You can also watch the event on Spike TV in the United States and Canada. Major Nelson also teased that Microsoft will hold "fan-centric" events both before and after its E3 presentation on June 9. "Stay tuned for more details on those activities as we get closer to E3!," he said.You may not need to wait until June for details about the future of Xbox, as Spencer said recently that "<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-boss-promises-new-ip-and-sequel-announcements-at-e3/1100-6419419/" data-ref-id="1100-6419419">May should be a good month for news</a>."Monday, June 9 is going to be a day gamers won't want to miss. Other E3 press conferences scheduled so far for that day include <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-dates-its-e3-2014-press-conference-for-june-9/1100-6418911/" data-ref-id="1100-6418911">Electronic Arts (12 p.m. PDT)</a> and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassin-s-creed-publisher-ubisoft-announces-when-it-will-hold-its-annual-e3-presentation/1100-6418990/" data-ref-id="1100-6418990">Ubisoft (3 p.m. PDT)</a>. Sony is also expected to hold its briefing on that day, presumably later in the afternoon/evening.What are you hoping for from Microsoft's E3 showing this year? <table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 06 May 2014 07:06:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-s-e3-briefing-takes-place-june-9-what-are-you-hoping-is-announced/1100-6419449/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mlb-14-the-show-hits-ps4-today-includes-stadiums-with-1-million-polygons/1100-6419448/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524468-ps4baseball.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524468" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524468-ps4baseball.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524468"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2524468-ps4baseball.jpg"></a></figure> The PlayStation 4 version of <a href="/mlb-14-the-show/" data-ref-id="false">MLB 14: The Show </a>is available today, marking the debut of Sony's acclaimed professional baseball series on the company's next-generation console. The PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions launched last month, and while Sony isn't offering an upgrade offer, all your saved progress will carry forward if you decide to upgrade.MLB The Show director of production Chris Cutliff also assured PS4 owners that they are getting much more than a simple port. "We weren't content to simply port over this year's game to PS4; our talented team has invested a great deal of work into this next-gen debut," Cutliff said in a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/05/06/mlb-14-the-show-hits-ps4-today/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">statement on the PlayStation Blog</a>. For the PS4 version of MLB 14: The Show, Sony has "completely" rebuilt all Major League Baseball stadiums "from scratch," with textures that are four times as large and environment polygon counts rising from 150,000 to more than 1 million.Player models are also more detailed and authentic, down to the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/can-you-believe-how-realistic-mlb-14-the-show-looks-on-ps4/1100-6417719/" data-ref-id="1100-6417719">hairs on players' faces</a>, Sony says. MLB 14: The Show on PS4 also boasts "fully rendered" grass and a revamped lighting engine that is most visually impressive during night games, Sony adds. There's also "fully redone" high-definition crowd audio."Our goal every year is to capture as closely as possible the excitement that takes place on the real world field and to show why baseball is the best sport in the world," Cutliff said.For more on MLB 14: The Show, be sure to <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mlb-14-the-show-review/1900-6415718/" data-ref-id="1900-6415718">read GameSpot's review,</a> which includes an update now that the PS4 version is available.<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 06 May 2014 06:34:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/mlb-14-the-show-hits-ps4-today-includes-stadiums-with-1-million-polygons/1100-6419448/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/shaq-is-back-new-shaq-fu-fighting-game-reaches-funding-goal/1100-6419447/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524460-shaqfu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524460" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524460-shaqfu.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524460"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2524460-shaqfu.jpg"></a></figure> Shaq is back. The Indiegogo campaign for <a href="/shaq-fu-a-legend-reborn/" data-ref-id="false">Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn</a> ended last night at midnight, closing above its original $450,000 goal with $473,884 from 1,340 total backers.The game is in development at Big Deez Productions in association with Shaquille O'Neal himself. "We're so excited to be working with you all. You've made this experience a real joy," the studio <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/shaq-fu-a-legend-reborn#activity" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said in an update to its Indiegogo page</a>. "A sincere and heartfelt thank you to all of you."Now that Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is fully funded, Big Deez is gearing up to enter full production, the developer said. The studio will also launch a platform where backers can contribute ideas and suggestions for the game. Big Deez also plans to release "developer diary" videos to keep backers up to date with how development is progressing."Our success is on your shoulders. You have made this happen for all of us and we're thrilled to have had your passion and support from start to finish," the studio said. "Our promise still stands: This time we won't Fu it up!"Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is in development for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, and PC. Stretch goals for iOS/Android ($650,000) and 3DS/PlayStation Vita ($960,000) were not met. It is a sequel to the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/shaq-fu/">1994 2D fighting game</a>, and while there's no release date yet, you can<a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/shaq-fu-a-legend-reborn#home" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> read more about it on the Indiegogo page</a>.Someone even claimed the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-shaq-fu-fighting-game-coming-to-xbox-one-and-ps4-but-there-s-a-catch/1100-6418914/" data-ref-id="1100-6418914">ridiculously expensive $35,000 backer perk</a>, meaning Shaq himself will DJ a party at this lucky person's house.<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 06 May 2014 06:11:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/shaq-is-back-new-shaq-fu-fighting-game-reaches-funding-goal/1100-6419447/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/ultra-street-fighter-iv-hack-n-slash-the-lobby/2300-6418660/ Join us this week on The Lobby as we show off Ultra Street Fighter IV, bring Double Fine on the scene with Hack 'n' Slash, and we're graced by the game master himself, Jon Carnage from Twitch.tv to play some retro action. Tue, 06 May 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/ultra-street-fighter-iv-hack-n-slash-the-lobby/2300-6418660/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-the-shaun-method/2300-6418659/ Shaun revisits San Andreas as he terrorizes the town, and everyone in it! Tue, 06 May 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas-the-shaun-method/2300-6418659/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/naughty-dog-hires-assassin-s-creed-3-animation-director-to-work-on-uncharted-ps4/1100-6419446/ Naughty Dog has hired <a href="/assassins-creed-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed III </a>animation director Jonathan Cooper to work on the <a href="/uncharted-4/" data-ref-id="false">upcoming PlayStation 4 Uncharted game</a>. He officially moved from Ubisoft Montreal to Naughty Dog in late February, though news about his transition has only recently surfaced.<figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524449-cooper.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524449" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524449-cooper.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524449"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/1179/11799911/2524449-cooper.jpg"></a></figure> "When working at an art-centric studio such as Ubisoft Montreal I had been hard-pressed to find anywhere that takes video game animation as seriously as there, but I've long held Naughty Dog up as a titan in video game animation, ultimately being won over by their game-changing work on The Last of Us," Cooper <a href="http://www.gameanim.com/2014/04/14/now-at-naughty-dog/#more-5876" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said on his website</a>. "It's no understatement to say, in my opinion, that that game has set a new standard for tone and characterisation in video games."As for his geographic change in scenery from Montreal (Ubisoft) to Santa Monica (Naughty Dog), Cooper said driving around the Los Angeles area is "a lot like touring GTA 5, only with better graphics and a worse car." He also said he's endured enough snow in Montreal to last a lifetime and he's happy to now live with his wife in a new home close to the beach.Cooper described Naughty Dog's approach to animation as "very different" from what he did at Ubisoft. At Naughty Dog, Cooper said animators are expected to build levels, code scripts, and not only animate but also direct and potentially star in motion-capture itself."It's quite a change from the rigid structure a multi-studio collaboration like Assassin's Creed requires, but after over a month here I am certain this project is going to be another milestone in game animation," Cooper said. "As ever, I really look forward to sharing what we're working on in the future…"Naughty Dog has recently seen numerous high-level staffers leave the company, including<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-lead-artist-quits-naughty-dog/1100-6419110/" data-ref-id="1100-6419110"> The Last of Us lead artist Nate Wells</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-4-director-leaves-naughty-dog-for-riot/1100-6418600/" data-ref-id="1100-6418600">Uncharted 4 director Justin Richmond</a>, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ex-uncharted-creative-director-amy-hennig-joins-ea-to-work-on-star-wars/1100-6418754/" data-ref-id="1100-6418754">writer Amy Hennig</a>. Uncharted PS4 actor Todd Stashwick <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/uncharted-4-actor-recast-after-following-naughty-dog-writer-to-ea/1100-6419118/" data-ref-id="1100-6419118">also left Naughty Dog recently</a>, and his role has been re-cast. The studio has been hiring as well. In addition to Cooper, Naughty Dog has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/naughty-dog-hires-halo-4-programmer-corrinne-yu/1100-6416367/" data-ref-id="1100-6416367">brought on former Halo programmer Corrine Yu</a>.The new Uncharted game for PS4 has reportedly been in development for more than three years. According to a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-uncharted-4-gameplay-may-be-revealed-at-e3-what-do-you-hope-to-see/1100-6419126/" data-ref-id="1100-6419126">report from last month</a>, Sony will for the first time show off gameplay at E3 in June.Prior to his roles at Ubisoft Montreal and Naughty Dog, Cooper worked at BioWare on games like <a href="/jade-empire/" data-ref-id="false">Jade Empire</a> and <a href="/mass-effect/" data-ref-id="false">Mass Effect</a>, before doing pre-production work on <a href="/deus-ex-human-revolution/" data-ref-id="false">Deus Ex: Human Revolution</a> at Eidos Montreal.<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 06 May 2014 05:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/naughty-dog-hires-assassin-s-creed-3-animation-director-to-work-on-uncharted-ps4/1100-6419446/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/godzilla-movie-tie-in-game-released-here-s-what-it-looks-like/1100-6419445/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524443-godzilla.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524443" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524443-godzilla.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524443"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2524443-godzilla.jpg"></a></figure> The upcoming Godzilla movie reboot doesn't come to theaters until next Friday, but you can play a tie-in game for the reboot of the classic sci-fi film franchise today on iOS and Android.You begin Godzilla: Strike Zone by air-dropping into a devastated San Francisco. You must then perform rescue missions to save survivors "before it's too late." Sound interesting? The game, developed by Warner Bros., is available for free today from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/com.wb.godzilla.strikezone/id855556927" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">iTunes</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wb.goog.godzilla.strikezone" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Google Play</a>.Godzilla the movie was directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters) and stars Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston. It opens in theaters on May 16.<figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524447-strikezone.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524447" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2524447-strikezone.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524447"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2524447-strikezone.jpg"></a></figure> <table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 06 May 2014 05:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/godzilla-movie-tie-in-game-released-here-s-what-it-looks-like/1100-6419445/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-investing-500-million-for-bungie-s-destiny/1100-6419444/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2517088-ci78003168030368170.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517088" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2517088-ci78003168030368170.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2517088"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/78/787590/2517088-ci78003168030368170.jpg"></a></figure> Activision will spend $500 million--half a billion dollars--on development and marketing for Bungie's upcoming "shared-world" shooter, <a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false">Destiny</a>. CEO Bobby Kotick revealed the figure during the Milken conference recently, as reported by <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/06/us-activision-destiny-idUSBREA4501F20140506?feedType=RSS&irpc=932" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Reuters</a>.In addition to development costs, the $500 million figure includes marketing, packaging, infrastructure support, royalties, and "other costs," a spokesperson for Activision confirmed.How does that stack up with other AAA games? Analysts estimated the <a href="/grand-theft-auto-v/" data-ref-id="false">Grand Theft Auto V </a>total budget (including development, production, and marketing) at $260 million. However, directly comparing GTAV and Destiny is somewhat problematic.For one, Destiny is expected to unfold over the period of 10 years, while GTAV was a single release. An Activision spokesperson also explained that the company's investment in the game's engine, as well as a "robust backend infrastructure," are upfront costs that they expect should help reduce future development costs. "Over the long term, we expect the ultimate product costs to be roughly in line with other AAA titles," the Activision representative said.GTAV <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-v-sales-reach-1-billion-in-three-days/1100-6414762/" data-ref-id="1100-6414762">generated $1 billion in revenue in three days </a>and has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-5-has-now-shipped-32-5-million-copies/1100-6417498/" data-ref-id="1100-6417498">shipped over 32.5 million copies to date</a>. No matter how you look at the $500 million figure, however, it's obvious that Activision is making a big bet on Destiny. A total budget that large dwarfs other video games and movies. "If you're making a $500 million bet you can't take that chance with someone else's IP," Kotick said. "The stakes for us are getting bigger."Analysts explained that Activision will need to sell between 15 million and 16 million copies of Destiny to break even. Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia said this will be a tough task. "It's a head scratcher," Bhatia said. "For brand new IP, it's tough but it could post a big surprise."Activision's significant investment in Destiny should come as no surprise. After all, the company said earlier this year that it expects Destiny to become Activision Publishing's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-destiny-has-potential-to-be-billion-dollar-series/1100-6412402/" data-ref-id="1100-6412402">third billion-dollar franchise</a>, joining Call of Duty and Skylanders. Activision Blizzard subsidiary Blizzard Entertainment also has major franchises in its portfolio, including World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, and now Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. Destiny launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-announces-destiny-release-date-delays-beta/1100-6416594/" data-ref-id="1100-6416594">September 9 </a>for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. A beta for the game begins this summer, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-beta-hits-ps3-ps4-first/1100-6416200/" data-ref-id="1100-6416200">first on PlayStation platforms</a>.<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">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></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 06 May 2014 04:35:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-investing-500-million-for-bungie-s-destiny/1100-6419444/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/thieves-going-to-jail-for-stealing-in-game-items/1100-6419443/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2524379-dfo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524379" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2524379-dfo.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524379"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2524379-dfo.jpg"></a></figure>Two thieves have been sentenced to prison terms for stealing items in an online game. The two men hail from China's Sichuan province, and are now required to serve time in jail in addition to paying fines for cybertheft.According to <a href="http://kotaku.com/two-gamers-are-going-to-jail-for-stealing-6-405-in-vir-1571780985" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Kotaku</a>, the men were active in multiplayer action-game <a href="/dungeon-fighter-online/" data-ref-id="false">Dungeon Fighter Online</a>. Surnamed Wang and Cai, the unemployed duo realised they could generate cash by selling in-game items for real-world money.The two were able to steal the login information of a player known as Mr. Ma and used this information to clean out his virtual accounts to the amount of $6,405. Wang and Cai were caught within a month by police, and are now facing two years in prison. <table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 05 May 2014 23:38:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/thieves-going-to-jail-for-stealing-in-game-items/1100-6419443/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/grand-theft-auto-online-video-review/2300-6418664/ Carolyn finds Grand Theft Auto Online can be exhilarating at times, but the lack of structure and pointless killing can make the game frustrating. Mon, 05 May 2014 19:36:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/grand-theft-auto-online-video-review/2300-6418664/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-says-indie-games-are-the-heartbeat-of-gaming/1100-6419441/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2524301-6915620080-25240.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524301" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/280/2802776/2524301-6915620080-25240.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524301"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/280/2802776/2524301-6915620080-25240.jpg"></a></figure>Sony VP of developer and publisher relations Adam Boyes has described indie games as "the heartbeat" of the game industry.Speaking in a recent interview with <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/461731/interviews/interview-sonys-adam-boyes-on-the-ps4-indie-lovefest/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">CVG</a>, Boyes explained that promoting creativity and new ideas was "the most important thing in this industry" to him.Speaking on the level of involvement PlayStation has with the indie game community, Boyes said:"...We're very involved, I think. We care very deeply about it. We live it, and breathe it, and bleed it... when we're with these people, these are our friends. These are people we respect, these are people we have dinners with and... I don't know, it's a lovefest."He described the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita's current indie presence as "infinitely better" than that of the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable respectively.Boyes spoke about the importance of transparency and honesty in fostering relationships with indie developers <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-boss-on-indie-relationships-you-have-to-be-transparent-and-honest/1100-6419426/" data-ref-id="1100-6419426">in a recent interview with GameSpot</a>. Last week, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-a-bunch-of-indie-games-for-ps4-including-spelunky/1100-6419337/" data-ref-id="1100-6419337">Sony confirmed a list of indie games for the PlayStation 4</a>.<table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 05 May 2014 19:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-says-indie-games-are-the-heartbeat-of-gaming/1100-6419441/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/megabit-donkey-kong-country-super-fail-highlights/2300-6418663/ Peter Brown and Max Hulburt take a stroll through Donkey Kong Country and Fail Epically Mon, 05 May 2014 18:06:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/megabit-donkey-kong-country-super-fail-highlights/2300-6418663/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/galactic-civilizations-iii-early-access-review/1100-6419440/ GameSpot's early access reviews evaluate unfinished games that are nonetheless available for purchase by the public. While the games in question are not considered finished by their creators, you may still devote money, time, and bandwidth for the privilege of playing them before they are complete. The review below critiques a work in progress, and represents a snapshot of the game at the time of the review's publication.At least it's honest. The alpha version of Galactic Civilizations III currently available on Steam is remarkably up front about what it has to offer, loading with a splash screen informing you that the current build is just for testing. Confusing the experience ahead with having fun apparently leads to nothing but "tragedy." And just in case you're a forgetful sort, a helpful blurb is permanently tacked to the top of the main game screen reminding you yet again that this alpha build is intended solely for the test-happy crowd. So if you somehow wind up enjoying yourself, apologies all around, but the fun is purely accidental.<figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2524269-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524269" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2524269-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524269"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2524269-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Floating space junk worth a random number of credits. You'll see this a lot.</figcaption></figure>OK: some of these warnings are undeniably tongue-in-cheek. But they are also dead-on accurate, because the latest addition to Stardock Entertainment's long-standing 4X space sim family is awfully slender right now. Only the barest bones of the eventual space epic are visible in the current build. That means you can play solo and with others (although you need to manually set up matches right now, which makes it very tough to find opposition) with four races, including the usual milquetoast humans, the whiskery Scots-lizards known as the Drengin, the Altarian Resistance, and the newly playable Iridium Corporation, but all of the other options are grayed out. So you can't build your own ships, peruse the metaverse, or take on any individual scenarios, and even customization features are missing in action. You can't make a galaxy any bigger than "small" or "tiny" right now, difficulty can't be adjusted, and none of the victory conditions are working.Getting into a game reveals that clicking on many features brings up nothing but "Coming Soon" icons. You can't engage in diplomacy, check out planet info when trying to govern your colonies, and so forth. You can automatically make enemy ships go boom simply by sending your own vessels at them and approving the battle, which isn't exactly challenging even while it does allow you to build an empire on demand. A new combat system is apparently being planned for inclusion once the game moves beyond alpha development, but there is no evidence of this new system in the current build. All in all, you're stuck in a developer-friendly sandbox (which, in fairness, pretty much sums up the average alpha build of a game), able to try out the basics of exploration, colonization, starship building, and tech research, but nothing more.<figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2524270-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524270" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2524270-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524270"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2524270-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Everything looks very good, but also remarkably similar to the eight-year-old Gal Civ II.</figcaption></figure>Ideology is the one interesting new feature. This alignment-style tweak lets you embrace peaceful, pragmatic, and warlike philosophies (old-time D&Ders will call this trio lawful, neutral, and chaotic) that sculpt your imperial development with various bonuses. Not all of the possible options are included in the alpha, but what's here functions like an additional tech tree. Instead of techs, you pick societal options like forced labor, which increases factory production, or interplanetary sports, which boosts tourism income and unlocks starbase modules like the zero-g arena. This holds huge promise for customizing empires and adding replay value, so it will be fascinating to see how it works in the full game.Enemy artificial intelligence comes with a room-temperature IQ at present. Your rivals are just sort of there. They colonize the odd planet, scout around various systems, and even threaten you with destruction during first contact, but they can't fight you due to the MIA combat system, and they are too lazy to even pick up all of the random space goodies strewn around their home planets. You barely notice your alien foes as you gallivant around the galaxy, colonizing planets and setting up starbases right under their noses.<blockquote data-size="small" data-align="left">A new combat system is apparently being planned for inclusion once the game moves beyond alpha development, but there is no evidence of this new system in the current build.</blockquote>Repetition is another issue with the alpha. Every planet that you colonize, for instance, comes with either sentient pods that can merge with your citizens to offer enhanced intelligence at the cost of blinding agony or (more rarely) an ancient vessel trapped beneath the ice that you can free at the cost of flooding out inhabitants. Both scenarios are cool, but are derivative of at least a couple of Star Trek episodes and The Thing. The galactic goodie bags that you encounter in space are also problematic. Mysterious alien hardware grants you a 25 percent bonus to research/beam weapons/sensors/whatever, and scrounging through a debris field results in enough space junk to earn you a random number of credits. Then, a wormhole throws you across the galaxy and you do it all over again.Everything looks and sounds good, at least, with pretty map visuals, a smooth interface, and an applaudable lack of bugs and crashes. The look and feel are surprisingly similar to the game's eight-year-old <a href="/galactic-civilizations-ii-ultimate-edition/" data-ref-id="false">Galactic Civilizations II</a> predecessor, with the fonts, main star map (even with the addition of a new hex-based grid), and planetary management screens carrying over many of the earlier game's iconic visuals. That said, there isn't anything here with the presentation values that would seem to demand the 64-bit operating system that the game requires, so all of that horsepower must be needed solely under the hood.<figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2524271-0007.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524271" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2524271-0007.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2524271"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/416/4161502/2524271-0007.jpg"></a><figcaption>In space, no one can hear you yawn.</figcaption></figure>There's a catch, however, and it's a big one. The only option to buy the early access game right now is to pony up $99.99 for the Founder's Elite Edition that serves as a lifetime subscription for all things Galactic Civilizations III. That one price buys you this alpha, all subsequent builds including the final game, and then all of the many planned monthly downloadable content packages and full-fledged expansions. That's a lot of cash up front for a game that likely won't be finished until 2015 (the current production schedule shows beta development right into October of this year), although it could pay off in big savings for hardcore fans who would otherwise purchase all of the content as it is released. Still, you have to have a lot of faith in Stardock to put this amount of money down today, given what you're actually able to play at the present time.Right now, Galactic Civilizations III is more of a billboard than an early access game. This is an ad aimed at hardcore fans who don't want to wait any longer for the next chapter in this 4X epic. You can see everything that this alpha has to offer in no more than a couple of hours. It's a very brief teaser that doesn't tease nearly enough of what the upcoming game will offer--a preaching-to-the-choir release geared solely to hold over diehards until a more meaty build can be finalized.<table data-max-width="true"><tbody><tr><td>What's There?</td><td>Alpha 1 is very limited, with most of the game options and features unavailable at the present time.</td></tr><tr><td>What's to Come?</td><td>New civilizations, larger maps, customization features, scenarios, ship building, and much more remain to be added sometime in the future.</td></tr><tr><td>What Does it Cost?</td><td>$99.99, <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/226860/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">available via Steam</a>, a price that includes this build and all content to be released for Galactic Civilizations III in the future, including monthly DLC and expansions.</td></tr><tr><td>When Will it Be Finished?</td><td>A final release date has not been announced at the present time. But based on the limited content in this alpha build and the design schedule available online, expect to see a 2015 release.</td></tr><tr><td>What's the Verdict?</td><td>It's impossible to come to any conclusions based on how little of Galactic Civilizations III is in this early access release. The game clearly has potential, but that's based mostly on its outstanding pedigree, not on much that is playable right now. </td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 05 May 2014 17:12:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/galactic-civilizations-iii-early-access-review/1100-6419440/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-of-the-month-april-2014/1100-6419357/ After the cacophony that was March, with its enthusiastic reminders of how explosive and intense games can be, the quietude of April was a welcome reprieve. The slow trickle of releases forced us to savor each offering. We spent countless hours willing our <a href="/trials-fusion/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/trials-fusion/">Trials Fusion</a> riders to stay upright, striving for record times as we incessantly belted out the lyrics to the electric opening theme. And we devoured <a href="/reviews/the-wolf-among-us-episode-3-a-crooked-mile-review/1900-6415724/" data-ref-id="1900-6415724" data-mce-href="/reviews/the-wolf-among-us-episode-3-a-crooked-mile-review/1900-6415724/">The Wolf Among Us: A Crooked Mile</a>, relishing each telling growl as this fantastical story infected our very beings. April was that kind of month, a time to dissect each game and to lose ourselves in their enticing worlds.But it was <a href="/child-of-light/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/child-of-light/">Child of Light</a> that had the most profound effect on us. The dreamlike artistic design danced before us, and, coupled with the melodic piano score, captivated our senses in uncommon ways. There's a deep sorrow in Child of Light, borne of the utter hopelessness of a land smothered by totalitarian rule. And so we opened our hearts to this strange place and, in turn, felt as one with its citizens as we took a personal interest in their determined struggles.There's a remarkable maturity present in Child of Light. You can see it in its firm confidence, how it so expertly conjures difficult emotions instead of shying away from them. There's a united focus that's incredibly rare. The dialogue is so defeated, and the landscape is so barren, that you feel the weight of all of the problems of this land, and want nothing more than to bring a little happiness to those who are hurting so. And that's why the shift when you enter battle, when you finally set aside the overbearing difficulties consuming you and focus on the immediate threat, is such a relief. All of your pent-up emotions can be unleashed in a swell of anger as you overcome the enemies before you.Child of Light is so soft-spoken that you have to lean in close to hear what it's saying. But it lifted our spirits despite its sorrowful mood, and reminded us what it's like to be human. That's a singular achievement in the realm of video games, when so many games eagerly transport us away from ourselves, and we are thankful that such a powerful mirror into our own hearts exists. Mon, 05 May 2014 16:47:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-of-the-month-april-2014/1100-6419357/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/game-of-the-month-april-2014/2300-6418658/ The quietude of April was a welcome reprieve. The slow trickle of releases forced us to savor each offering, and GameSpot's Game of the Month for April goes to a game that touched our hearts. Mon, 05 May 2014 16:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/game-of-the-month-april-2014/2300-6418658/

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