Gamespot's Site Mashup

Gamespot's Site MashupE3 2014: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the Assassin's Creed Game I Always WantedE3 2014: The Missing Battle Cries of BattlecryE3 2014: How Sunset Overdrive Returns to the Golden Age of Video GamesE3 2014: Sonic Boom Amy Rose GameplayE3 2014: Terraria Ocram Boss FightE3 2014: The Similarities and Differences Between Bloodborne and Dark SoulsE3 2014: The Next-Gen Scale of Batman: Arkham KnightE3 2014: If You Haven't Heard of Axiom Verge, You're Missing OutE3 2014: The Next-gen begins in 2015E3 2014: Sniper Elite V3 GameplayE3 2014: Devil's Third Combat GameplayE3 2014: Devil's Third Panama Opening SequenceE3 2014: We Released the Kraken in Evolve. And it ate Everybody.E3 2014: Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Marks a Triumphant Return of GreatnessE3 2014: I Piloted a Gyrocopter in Far Cry 4

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Wed, 11 Jun 2014 06:57:29 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor-is-the-assassin-s-creed-game-i-always-wanted/1100-6420384/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419458" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419458/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">I have a difficult task ahead of me. I need to try to convey why, after just the first day of E3, <a href="/middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor/" data-ref-id="false">Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor</a> is quite likely my personal game of the show. This open world stealth-action game, which sees you become a supernatural entity called a wraith and sow chaos amongst the ranks of Orc warlords, is the sum of many parts. Like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed</a>, you can freely climb almost any surface. Like <a href="/batman-arkham-asylum/" data-ref-id="false">Batman: Arkham Asylum</a>, combat is about mashing attack and occasionally responding to counters or special moves. Like <a href="/far-cry-3/" data-ref-id="false">Far Cry 3</a>, you can pit hostile wildlife and opposing factions against each other to accomplish your objectives for you. But it's that Assassin's Creed influence--one that sparked <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-ubisoft-developer-accuses-shadow-of-mordor-of-using-code-from-assassin-s-creed/1100-6417307/" data-ref-id="1100-6417307">developer accusations of identical code</a>--that is strongest.</p><p style="">Assassin's Creed began a series of games that seemed full of possibility. Ubisoft's original intention to explore social stealth and artificial intelligence that reacted to your behaviour, not just your presence, implied whole new kinds of interactions in an open world game. And though the Assassin's Creed series has delivered surprises, I have been unable to shake the sense that its games have iterated too slowly on a now well-established formula. Shadow of Mordor takes that formula and does something seriously impressive with it that doesn't involve adding pirate ships. The game focuses on the consequences of your acts of assassination, and how they ripple through the ranks of the remaining Orc horde.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560487-middleearthshadowofmordor_graugattack_screenshot.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560487" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560487-middleearthshadowofmordor_graugattack_screenshot.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560487"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1536/15366587/2560487-middleearthshadowofmordor_graugattack_screenshot.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The significance of finding and killing a target has been greatly expanded over that of Assassin's Creed. Both Orc captains, and more powerful Orc warlords, have individual levels of power, unique strengths and weaknesses, and important relationships to one another. In Assassin's Creed, you locate and murder a target, then move on to the next scripted chunk of story. In Shadow of Mordor, assassinating a target causes dynamic shifts in power amongst his subordinates. They will fight to be his replacement; possibly even kill each other for the opportunity, completely of their own accord. The strategic side of choosing who to assassinate, and when, is just as important as the skill required to physically close in on a target and take them out.</p><blockquote><p style="">In Shadow of Mordor, assassinating a target causes dynamic shifts in power amongst his subordinates.</p></blockquote><p style="">However, as a wraith, you aren't confined to the physical realm. Your supernatural powers allow you to teleport to enemies and perform ghostly takedowns, or to make them serve your own purpose. This domination mechanic is key to how Shadow of Mordor goes well beyond Assassin's Creed. Removing a target from play isn't the end of that enemy. Dominated Orc captains can be ordered to betray their warlord masters, bringing them out in the open for an easier kill. If a warlord is then dominated, he and his army can be sent to cause a riot with another warlord, creating a power struggle that changes the entire setup of your next assassination mission.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560489-middleearthshadowofmordor_talionfaceoff_screenshot.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560489" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560489-middleearthshadowofmordor_talionfaceoff_screenshot.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560489"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1536/15366587/2560489-middleearthshadowofmordor_talionfaceoff_screenshot.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">What appears to make Shadow of Mordor even deeper is the fact that your choices in dominating Orcs and sending them against their brethren don't result in immediate, scripted consequences. They simply change the landscape of the next major encounter. Once that encounter begins, who lives and who dies is still entirely governed by the systems that determine an enemy NPC's strengths, weaknesses, and combat aptitude. An Orc captain who is scared of fire will still flee from a major battle, regardless of whether you intervene. A warlord who is vulnerable to attacks from aggressive wildlife will still be gored by roaming fauna, even if you did not set up the attack. In my hands-on time with the game, I experienced instances in which significant characters were killed off-screen and entirely without my intervention. The result is a highly ambitious twist on the open-world stealth-action formula established by Assassin's Creed; a twist that makes the act of assassination significant through systems that appear to always be given preference over scripted plot.</p><p style="">It seems like everything I've been wanting from an Assassin's Creed game is at the core of Shadow of Mordor. In the time I played, I was repeatedly flabbergasted by the continual layering of deep systems and large-scale consequences that I never expected. Though it may be comprised of familiar parts, I think Shadow of Mordor has earned the right to own such blatant copying, for the game brings those parts together in ways that make for an entirely fresh open world experience.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 23:58:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor-is-the-assassin-s-creed-game-i-always-wanted/1100-6420384/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-missing-battle-cries-of-battlecry/1100-6420380/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418976" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418976/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">Bethesda's attempt to enter the free-to-play PC space comes in the form of the stylised, fast-paced action game, <a href="/battlecry/" data-ref-id="false">Battlecry</a>. At first glance, it looks like a wannabe <a href="/team-fortress-2/" data-ref-id="false">Team Fortress 2</a>, but a few key twists make for immediately unique gameplay. Battlecry's alternate history is one where gunpowder has been outlawed, so low-tech bows and melee weapons promote close-range, brutal engagements. Exaggerated movement allows each class to jump and dodge freely, whilst grappling hook points allow for even faster locomotion about the map. With no ammo and abilities on cooldowns, the game plays like a hybrid of TF2 and <a href="/dota-2/" data-ref-id="false">DOTA 2</a>. Yet for all its uniqueness, Battlecry's current alpha state shows the game is lacking a few key elements, such as characters who actually speak. I spoke to Rich Vogel, executive producer, about how Battlecry studios (yes, the developer's name came first--it's a long story involving the Candy Crush Saga lawsuit) plans to address this.</p><p style="">"They will have taunts," says Vogel. "They will have battle cries, things like that. We looked a lot at Team Fortress 2 and how [Valve] developed their characters. Our characters will have personality. They'll have backstory. People will understand what their role is in the game by their silhouette."</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560461-head_loss_1401724340.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560461" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560461-head_loss_1401724340.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560461"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1536/15366587/2560461-head_loss_1401724340.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Unlike Team Fortress 2, Battlecry is taking its cartoonish, stylised world seriously--which extends to the nature of the characters' associated fiction. "We wanted the world to be stylised in a sense that this is a war, and this is when you're going to die," Vogel says. "It's an allergory. Everything looks big, mysterious--things change, your perception changes in battle. That's why we did the bright colours. When you die, the sun turns red. In a time of war, that's what things are like--surreal."</p><p style="">So the studio has plans to address the depth of the characters. But what of the multiplayer gameplay itself? Though Battlecry's low-tech melee focus was initially fresh, the only mode I played was team deathmatch, which I have found stale for some time. "We will have modes with more objectives," says Vogel. "Some with creeps, and we'll possibly even add objectives to team deathmatch mode."</p><blockquote><p style="">What should also help lend significance to every match is the a larger, strategic metagames called Wargames.</p></blockquote><p style="">What should also help lend significance to every match is the a larger, strategic metagames called Wargames. Vogel was unwilling to elaborate on how Wargames function right now, but I was shown a world map and told I would be able to earn things for my faction (The British or the Cossacks), my character and my larger war effort.</p><p style="">Another part of the reason my team deathmatch experience felt stale was the fact that players were not really working together. This is common at events like E3, when a handful of journalists who don't know each other are suddenly thrown together on a team in a game they've never played before. Vogel says features will be in place to stop people aimlessly running around the map. "The Squads system is designed for that. After a few matches, you'll start seeing people spread out, understand their roles, and become more confident. They'll act as ranged characters, tanks, and assassins. When this happens, they can form separate squads to work together."</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560463-enforcer_victory_1401724340.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560463" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560463-enforcer_victory_1401724340.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560463"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1536/15366587/2560463-enforcer_victory_1401724340.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">It's the same evolution I experienced over many hours of playing <a href="/world-of-tanks/" data-ref-id="false">World of Tanks</a>--you need to work for a good teamplay experience, and it doesn't come instantly. Vogel cites Wargaming's free-to-play juggernaut as a key source of inspiration for Battlecry. "It's short battles, and it's a lot of fun," he says. "You die, it's not a big deal, you go back to the garage, then go back and fight. But we didn't want to compete with World of Tanks. We didn't want to compete with MOBAs or shooters. We wanted to look for white space. The team action combat game is a white space that no one was doing. I have not seen anybody do what we're doing right now. We see people on the fringes, but not yet. This is definitely something different."</p><p style="">Battlecry is certainly different, yet its alpha state shows it's still not quite there. But there is plenty of time; the game's beta isn't scheduled to launch until 2015. With a metagames, more game modes, and more interesting characters, Battlecry could bring something to the free-to-play space that's not just new, but actually worth your time.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 23:46:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-missing-battle-cries-of-battlecry/1100-6420380/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-how-sunset-overdrive-returns-to-the-golden-age-of-video-games/1100-6420383/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419420" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419420/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">When I first saw <a href="/sunset-overdrive/" data-ref-id="false">Sunset Overdrive</a> in motion, the game's hyper-saturated combination of <a href="/tony-hawks-pro-skater/" data-ref-id="false">Tony Hawk's Pro Skater</a>-like rail grinding with <a href="/dead-rising-3/" data-ref-id="false">Dead Rising 3</a>-like weaponry reminded me of the kinds of games you see someone playing on a TV show. You know, something that's not actually a game, but a collection of random nonsense on the screen--what people who don't play games vaguely <i>think</i> games actually are. "That's us!" laughs Marcus Smith, creative director at Insomniac. "That's totally us."</p><p style="">Smith went on to explain how I could have arrived at such a conclusion. "I think the game is a huge mashup. This is mashup culture, we're in it," he says, as the main character respawned by falling through a couple of orange and blue portals. "If you look back to the golden age of video games, when they were just...fun; the Sega days, the Dreamcast days, Nintendo--it made no god damn sense. There are mushrooms, there are things...I had no idea what was going on, but it was fun as hell. As we started to focus more on technology, everybody started saying, 'I want to make this movie', more than an interactive thing. For us, this is going back to the roots of what video games are."</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560480-2555793-sunset-overdrive-e3-propain-launcher.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560480" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560480-2555793-sunset-overdrive-e3-propain-launcher.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560480"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1536/15366587/2560480-2555793-sunset-overdrive-e3-propain-launcher.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Drew Murray, Sunset Overdrive's game director, agrees. "I think the roots of Insomiac are there too. The bones of Insomniac are in there. So much of this has nothing to do with the original idea we pitched, but just with people feeling free to express themselves."</p><p style="">But with so much happening on-screen--colourful explosions, spurts of orange energy drink erupting from mutant enemies, interface elements blasting onto the screen and away again just as quickly--I wanted to know how Insomniac made Sunset Overdrive at all coherent.</p><p style="">"This is totally toned back," says Murray. "One of our things was, 'Go too far, and we can always pull back.' It's easier to pull back than to inch forward."</p><blockquote><p style="">For us, this is going back to the roots of what video games are.</p></blockquote><p style="">Part of this toning back is limiting you to eight weapons at a time. Many more exist in the game; Murray wouldn't say how many, but explained that players would find themselves overwhelmed when having to choose between teddy bear rocket launchers, vinyl cannons and guns that shot fireworks--whilst grinding on rails.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560482-2555788-sunset-overdrive-chaos-squad-pyro-geyser.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560482" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560482-2555788-sunset-overdrive-chaos-squad-pyro-geyser.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560482"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1536/15366587/2560482-2555788-sunset-overdrive-chaos-squad-pyro-geyser.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Murray hints at dynamic events and special objectives that will appear to keep you grinding onward outside of story missions, and adds that Insomniac wants to introduce at least one new gameplay mechanic with each main mission. We saw one of these in action--a firefight on a rollercoaster track, with a boss that appeared in his own special rollercoaster car. But if you want to get there before the mission, you'll be able to access the entire world map from the start of the game--and even be able to get from one end of it to the other without ever touching the ground.</p><p style="">Sunset Overdrive looks like complete nonsense, in the best possible sense. It appears to be an homage to the golden age of video games, as Insomniac claims--but, in keeping with the game's punk rock attitude, an homage that's turned up to 11.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 23:44:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-how-sunset-overdrive-returns-to-the-golden-age-of-video-games/1100-6420383/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-sonic-boom-amy-rose-gameplay/2300-6419535/ Sonic and Amy Rose team up for battle after some... banter... in Sonic Boom for Wii U. Tue, 10 Jun 2014 23:18:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-sonic-boom-amy-rose-gameplay/2300-6419535/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-terraria-ocram-boss-fight/2300-6419533/ Take on Ocram and his servants while donning a glorious pumpkin head in Terraria. Tue, 10 Jun 2014 23:08:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-terraria-ocram-boss-fight/2300-6419533/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-similarities-and-differences-between-bloodborne-and-dark-souls/1100-6420378/ <p style="">If you <a href="/videos/e3-2014-bloodborne-trailer-at-sony-press-conferenc/2300-6419346/" data-ref-id="2300-6419346">saw the announcement of From Software's upcoming PS4 exclusive Bloodborne at the Sony E3 2014 press conference yesterday</a>, then you probably thought the same thing I did: that this was a Souls game in everything but name. And after seeing the game in action today, I'm still of the same opinion, although it seems that Bloodborne won't merely be a simple transposition of the successful <a href="/demons-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Demon's</a>/<a href="/dark-souls/" data-ref-id="false">Dark Souls</a> formula to a different environment. Bloodborne looks like it may be changing up the sometimes defensive-focused action of its progenitors, forcing you to become more offensive against its dangerous enemies.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419346" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419346/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">First up, Bloodborne has no storyline ties to the Souls games, and has no link to those worlds apart from the fact that it's being developed by From Software and directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, who also oversaw both Demon's Souls and Dark Souls. Bloodborne takes place in a Victorian-era town called Yharnam, which, according to a <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/06/10/bloodborne-coming-exclusively-to-ps4-in-2015-new-details/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">post on the PlayStation blog</a> from Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio producer Masaaki Yamagiwa, is a "terror-filled gothic world, a world full of deranged beings and nightmarish creatures."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The setting may be different to the medieval Souls series, but there are plenty of things that are highly reminiscent of both Demon's and Dark Souls. Everything from the way enemies hide around corners in ambush, or play dead until you walk right past them, to the way "souls" seem to flow out of a slain enemy into your body, or how your character hops backwards to avoid attacks, all looks <em>very</em> Souls. The game's structure also has shades of Dark Souls. In the demo I saw, the main character made his way around the narrow streets and bridges of Yharnam, taking on enemies in small groups and avoiding large gatherings. Eventually, the character was able to open up a shortcut that allowed him to access the area where he first began. While this is certainly more reminiscent of Dark Souls, game director Miyazaki did say that the overall layout of the game would be more akin to that of Demon's Souls.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">What did look different, however, was combat. The character in Bloodborne wields both a melee weapon and a gun at the same time. In this demo I saw, he had a mean-looking weapon called a saw cleaver in one hand, and a blunderbuss in the other. The saw cleaver could transform on the fly--its compact form seemed to allow for quicker swings, but when extended, it seemed to swing slower but deal more damage.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2556884-bloodborne_e3_04.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2556884" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2556884-bloodborne_e3_04.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2556884"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1365/13658182/2556884-bloodborne_e3_04.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">This translated to a faster combat feel in this Bloodborne demo, or certainly faster than most shield-wielding characters in a Souls game can muster. The character in Bloodborne often had to get in close to enemies, blasting them with the blunderbuss before following up with a swing from the saw cleaver. In fact, game director Miyazaki says making players more proactive in combat is one of the key things the team wants to introduce in Bloodborne, a deliberate move away from the defensive engagement he saw many players who played with sword and shield in previous Souls games relied on. In fact, Miyazaki said players who play passively in Bloodborne would be "overwhelmed", and that they needed to be aggressive at most times.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">With aggression comes more death, however, but there may be some relief in that regard (or at the very least some changes). Miyazaki said that while the penalties for dying in Bloodborne had not been finalised yet, he did want the death penalty to be "not too severe this time".</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Bloodborne demo ended with a large boss fight against a towering, emaciated creature with long straggly fur and an exposed chest cavity. It looked tough to beat, which for any Souls fans, is great to hear. How the game's greater focus on aggression and its changes to death penalties will affect the crushing, oppressive, and demanding feel of a Souls game remains to be seen, but there's one thing that's clear about Bloodborne even at this early stage: it's building off a solid base, and I'm excited to see more.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 23:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-similarities-and-differences-between-bloodborne-and-dark-souls/1100-6420378/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-next-gen-scale-of-batman-arkham-knight/1100-6420382/ <p style="">Most of the discussion around Batman: Arkham Knight has been <a href="/articles/in-batman-arkham-knight-the-batmobile-is-more-than-just-a-car-it-s-a-tank/1100-6420042/" data-ref-id="1100-6420042">focused on the batmobile</a>. And justifiably so. It's a central part of Rocksteady's latest outing in the Arkham saga, and a gameplay feature so tightly integrated into the flow of the game that it practically feels like an extension of the batsuit. But now that I've been able to play through some more Arkham Knight here at E3 2014, there's something else I want to talk about.</p><p style="">First, allow me to apologize in advance to everyone who's still clinging to their Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 consoles. Those are wonderful systems and I'm sure you'll still have plenty of fun together. But there's just no nice way to say this: holy crap am I glad Arkham Knight is a next-gen exclusive.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419366" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419366/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">It's just plain to see that leaving behind the limitations of the previous generation of console hardware has allowed Rocksteady to boost the scale of the world in a way that makes you feel like that much more devastating of a superhero. Case in point: the Ace Chemicals facility.</p><p style="">This section of the game plays host to a sequence where Batman must rescue a series of hostages while simultaneously thwarting the Scarecrow's latest bomb-building efforts. As I scaled to the top of the facility's towering central building, I was able to soak in a spectacular view of the decaying metropolis beyond me--a gameworld five times larger than Rocksteady's most recent work in Arkham City--as well as the strategic opportunities for pouncing down on the various thugs below. A moment later, I had my sights set on a room far, far down below. I leapt from the building's rooftop and hit square, setting me into a dive bomb headed straight toward those creeps with only a glass ceiling between us.</p><p style="">Batman dropping down onto thugs from above is nothing new, of course. But the sheer height from which I came careening toward these thugs made the moment I smashed through the ceiling that much more satisfying--as though I was some armored comet falling down from the heavens. That sense of scale and fluidity--you can fling yourself all over the place with nary a loading hitch to be felt--can be seen in the way you ascend buildings, too. No longer must you grapple up ledge by ledge; now Batman can string together multiple grappling targets--letting go of one to begin another--in a way that feels a lot like the grapple hook traversal in Just Cause 2.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2559799-bak_sshot075.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2559799" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1365/13658182/2559799-bak_sshot075.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2559799"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1365/13658182/2559799-bak_sshot075.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">Add the batmobile into the mix and things just get crazy. You can press one button to calmly step out of the vehicle, and another to leap straight out of it. Take the latter approach when driving along at full speed, and that momentum will send Batman rocketing straight up into the air, gliding up and away like some paper airplane being swept off by a strong wind.</p><p style="">It feels like a wonderful continuation of Arkham City's open-world traversal. That game built upon the fabulous combat mechanics of Arkham Asylum with a much more freeform sense of movement and exploration. Now Arkham Knight takes that sense of movement and expands the landscape considerably, giving you more options with which to glide and grapple around the world and the scale to make every vertical takedown far more satisfying.</p><p style="">Yes, the new lighting effects look terrific, and so does the level of visual detail in the new batsuit. But if you ask me to choose my favorite part about a next-gen Batman game, it's the scale of Arkham City.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:57:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-next-gen-scale-of-batman-arkham-knight/1100-6420382/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-if-you-haven-t-heard-of-axiom-verge-you-re-missing-out/1100-6420379/ <p style="">The developer of Axiom Verge, Tom Happ, is sick of people comparing his game to <a href="/metroid/" data-ref-id="false">Metroid</a>. I can understand that need to differentiate yourself, to want people to go beyond an easy cultural touchstone. But even knowing his reticence to draw parallels between his PlayStation opus and one of Samus' space-faring adventures, I can't help myself. Metroid is the first thing that popped into my head as I ventured through these alien environments, searching for weapons that would allow me to explore further within its mysterious world. That Axiom Verge shares similarities to one of the most venerable franchises doesn't diminish its accomplishments in the slightest. This is an incredible game--even months before it's finished--that somehow surpasses the high expectations I had saddled it with. Axiom Verge is a game that demands your attention.</p><p style="">I had first heard of this game at a independent showcase a month or so ago. During a presentation that detailed many of the games headed to the PlayStation Network, Axiom Verge stood out like a shining star. Even with the likes of <a href="/n-plus-plus/" data-ref-id="false">N++</a> and <a href="/the-witness/" data-ref-id="false">The Witness</a>, games that come from impressive pedigrees and that seem to be adding on to the already amazing legacies of their creators, it was Axiom Verge that I most wanted to play. Of course, the one game I most desired wasn't present, which is for the best, because I got to experience promising ideas such as <a href="/source/" data-ref-id="false">Source</a> and <a href="/aztez/" data-ref-id="false">Aztez</a>, instead of spending all of my time with Axiom. Now that it's finally playable, I'm not at all disappointed.</p><div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6372016" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6372016/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">I apologize for gushing, but it's so rare to find a game as immediately captivating as Axiom Verge. Alongside <a href="/the-legend-of-zelda/" data-ref-id="false">The Legend of Zelda</a>, Metroid was the game I played most during my formative years. It has defined who I have become as a player. Games of isolation, that encourage exploration, demand experimentation, and replace suffocating tutorials with empowering freedom are still what excite me most, and Axiom Verge carries the torch of that fantastic ideal.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2560437" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2560437-1923447-667607_20120416_004.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2560437-1923447-667607_20120416_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560437"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2560437-1923447-667607_20120416_004.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Just by looking at a trailer, I could tell this was a world I wanted to inhabit. There were aliens swarming. Some were meager creatures you would have to brush off the soles of your shoes, others towering monstrosities that fill the screen with their girth and fill you with fear. Oh, the joys of killing that which I do not understand. Seeing glimpses of the oddball gadgetry excited me like nothing else can. Samus has never been able to glitch through walls, has she? That's a power you acquire in Axiom Verge, and though Happ told me that it's this element that really separates it strongly from Metroid, I did not possess it during my time with the game. That's something I can look forward to when Axiom Verge is finally released early next year.</p><p style="">What the trailer couldn't tell me is how well the game would play. Controls are everything (everything!), so it was with some hesitation that I picked up the Dual Shock 4. Would my dreams come crumbling down with one tap of the directional pad? Well, it shouldn't surprise you that the answer is no, considering I've done nothing but praise the game thus far. Unlike Samus, who moves with a solid heaviness, the main character in Axiom Verge is sharp and snappy. That's not to say that one method is inherently better than the other. As Happ pointed out, the Screw Attack only feels right because Samus has such an exaggerated jump, but the action-focused style feels great in Axiom Verge.</p><p style="">Writing about controls is the most difficult part of my job. How do I communicate how freeing it felt to bound from narrow platform to narrow platform? Or the joy in shooting a creepy-crawly with pinpoint precision? During an early boss fight, I scooted deftly around the two-dimensional arena, squeezing seamlessly between bullets as I pelted it with my relentless anger. Oh, how frustrated it must have felt as I danced and grooved just out of its reach. When a game can give me such pleasure in just its movement, in how it feels to fire a weapon, I know I'm going to love the end result. No single element matters more to me than how a game feels, and I could have jumped around in one of Axiom Verge's empty rooms for minutes on end without growing bored. That's saying something.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2560436" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2560436-axiom_verge-8.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="right" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2560436-axiom_verge-8.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560436"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2560436-axiom_verge-8.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">I did find weapons that showed me the prizes waiting for me in the future. There was a standard arm cannon that made short work of the simple-brained creatures who dared defy me. Later, I grabbed an explosive orb that was as useful in puzzle solving as it was in attacking. I would fire a lone orb from my chamber that would crash into enemies with destructive might. Or, by pulling the trigger once more, I could cause that orb to explode into eight pieces, raining death in all directions. This was particularly useful when I needed to hit a switch that was crammed in an out-of-the-way crevice. The final weapon I found was a short-range pulverizer. Remember those rocks I happened upon at the beginning? No? Well, there were rocks in the beginning that I couldn't pass. But a couple of blasts from this beauty and away they went.</p><p style="">Games like Axiom Verge often get lost amid the hoopla of E3. We're so enamored by the big-budget games causing havoc in our brains, that more modest fair is easily ignored. Don't make that mistake. Axiom Verge is the best game I've seen thus far, and one that stands toe-to-toe with any of its expensive peers. That one man could create something like this doesn't ultimately matter. I don't care who makes my games, how much money they spent to do so, or how long it was in development. All of that stuff is just trivia. What matters is the end result. And at least from what I've seen, Axiom Verge is something special.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p><p style=""> </p><p style=""> </p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-if-you-haven-t-heard-of-axiom-verge-you-re-missing-out/1100-6420379/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-next-gen-begins-in-2015/1100-6420381/ <p style="">As predicted, E3 2014 has been all about the games. Microsoft and Sony's press conferences were dominated by big names like <a href="/rise-of-the-tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Tomb Raider</a>, <a href="/uncharted-4-a-thiefs-end/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted</a>, and <a href="/halo-5-guardians/" data-ref-id="false">Halo</a>. Nintendo wheeled out <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-legend-of-zelda-is-reborn-on-wii-u/1100-6420321/" data-ref-id="1100-6420321">Zelda</a> and <a href="/mario-maker/" data-ref-id="false">Mario</a>. And there were indie titles too, like the breathtaking <a href="/no-mans-sky/" data-ref-id="false">No Man's Sky</a>, and <a href="/abzu/" data-ref-id="false">Abzu</a>. The one thing they all had in common? 2015. Yes, we got that dazzling array of games to play on our shiny new consoles we'd all been pining for, but it's a long wait until we can actually get our hands on them.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2560475-dsc01614.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560475" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/917/9176928/2560475-dsc01614.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560475"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/917/9176928/2560475-dsc01614.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">While it's true that the games announced at E3 often aren't released until the following year, the introduction of new hardware at last year's show has meant a longer wait than usual while developers get to grips with the shiny new hardware. Games like <a href="/dying-light/" data-ref-id="false">Dying Light </a>and <a href="/tom-clancys-the-division/" data-ref-id="false">The Division</a> that were announced to such fanfare last year are still in development, with an unspecified 2015 release date attached to them. If, like me, you jumped on board the next-gen bandwagon early, this is frustrating trend.</p><p style="">As my esteemed colleague Martin Gaston <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-are-the-2014-games-that-have-been-delayed-to-2015/1100-6420118/" data-ref-id="1100-6420118">reported last week</a>, <a href="/batman-arkham-knight/" data-ref-id="false">Arkham Knight</a>, <a href="/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/" data-ref-id="false">The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt</a>, <a href="/the-order-1886/" data-ref-id="false">The Order: 1866</a>, <a href="/quantum-break/" data-ref-id="false">Quantum Break</a>, <a href="/dying-light/" data-ref-id="false">Dying Light</a>, <a href="/tom-clancys-the-division/" data-ref-id="false">The Division</a>, and <a href="/mad-max/" data-ref-id="false">Mad Max</a> have all had their release dates pushed back to 2015. The E3 press conferences added the likes of <a href="/uncharted-4-a-thiefs-end/" data-ref-id="false">Uncharted 4: A Thief's End</a>, <a href="/rise-of-the-tomb-raider/" data-ref-id="false">Rise Of The Tomb Raider</a>, and <a href="/bloodborne/" data-ref-id="false">Bloodborne</a> to the pile of games we won't be able to play until next year. No doubt Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo were hoping a glut of game announcements would move more units, but--with a few exceptions--I'm wondering why anyone would pick up a new console when their seemingly most impressive games are so far off release.</p><p style="">Big hitters that are seeing a release this year like <a href="/fifa-15/" data-ref-id="false">FIFA 15</a>, <a href="/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/" data-ref-id="false">Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare</a>, and <a href="/dragon-age-inquisition/" data-ref-id="false">Dragon Age: Inquisition</a> are appearing on older platforms, in addition to the PS4 and Xbox One. Making a game that scales across so many different platforms isn't an easy task, and there are sacrifices to be made in order to make games that work on the older hardware. When it comes to games that are appearing only on the Xbox One and/or PS4 (and maybe the PC too) this year, games that I consider truly next-gen, your options are far more limited.</p><p style="">With the first wave of PS4 and Xbox One launch titles long behind us (some <a href="/resogun/" data-ref-id="false">better</a> than <a href="/ryse-son-of-rome/" data-ref-id="false">others</a>), there hasn't been much to fill the gap since. That E3 confirms this year will remain largely a transitionary one simply widens that gap. Sure, <a href="/assassins-creed-unity/" data-ref-id="false">Assassin's Creed Unity</a>, <a href="/evolve/" data-ref-id="false">Evolve</a>, and <a href="/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/" data-ref-id="false">Super Smash Bros.</a> might move a few new consoles later in the year, and you might be tempted to pick one up yourself. Just don't be too disappointed that you won't have much else to play on it afterward. The next generation begins in 2015; E3 told us so.</p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:45:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-next-gen-begins-in-2015/1100-6420381/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-sniper-elite-v3-gameplay/2300-6419532/ If you've ever wanted the satisfaction of watching successful snipes in slow-motion, x-rayed goodness, Sniper Elite V3 has you covered. Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:39:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-sniper-elite-v3-gameplay/2300-6419532/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-devil-s-third-combat-gameplay/2300-6419531/ Flesh, steel, or firepower? Devil's Third lets you take your pick and go to town. Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-devil-s-third-combat-gameplay/2300-6419531/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-devil-s-third-panama-opening-sequence/2300-6419530/ The opening sequence for a mission in Panama gives a glimpse at Ivan's character in Devil's Third. Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/e3-2014-devil-s-third-panama-opening-sequence/2300-6419530/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-we-released-the-kraken-in-evolve-and-it-ate-everybody/1100-6420377/ <p style="">We've already had <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/can-evolve-reinvent-the-co-op-shooter/1100-6417638/" data-ref-id="1100-6417638">hands-on time</a> with <a href="/evolve/" data-ref-id="false">Evolve</a>'s first four hunters and its debut monster, the Goliath. But with a new giant threat to play with, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/evolve-s-new-hunters-provide-four-more-reasons-to-get-excited-about-evolve/1100-6419771/" data-ref-id="1100-6419771">four new hunters</a> to take it down, and an entirely new map to play on, how do GameSpot's writers fare? Does the fact that they are playing with total newbies diminish the experience, or is it still fun? Find out how both hunter and hunted played, below.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419210" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419210/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><h4><strong>Daniel Hindes - The Monster</strong></h4><p style="">I played as the Kraken - the second monster to be revealed by Turtle Rock, after the Goliath. Where the Goliath stomped around the map and unleashed heavy melee attacks, the Kraken played like anything but--it sported wings to fly and glide, and focused on ranged attacks over brute force. If finding success with the Goliath was about punching the hunters off a cliff, the Kraken won matches through subterfuge and constant aerial repositioning.</p><p style="">The Kraken's flight is key to this--by staying off the ground, it avoids straying within the hunters' effective range. This means it's even more important for the hunters to have a good trapper, whose harpoon gun is essential for pulling the Kraken back to earth, where it's most vulnerable. The Kraken still leaves a footprint trail when flying, however, so it can be advantageous to drop to the ground and sneak for a short while. However, the monster loses agility on foot; in the air, it can perform three short but fast swoops which recharge over time. I used this swoop function as a panic button, as it gave me the opportunity to escape a fight--as well as rapidly reposition myself behind the hunters for a surprise attack.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560405-2k_evolve_e3_screenshot_07.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560405" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560405-2k_evolve_e3_screenshot_07.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560405"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1536/15366587/2560405-2k_evolve_e3_screenshot_07.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">The Kraken attacks with a short-range melee strike on the ground, which transforms into a ranged attack with small area-of-effect damage when flying. Keeping the hunters confused is key, by soaring high and firing volleys and intermittently returning to earth for a few close range strikes.</p><p style="">The monster's four special abilities complement this core movement and attack pattern. A ranged lightning strike calls down electrical bolts in a small area, which is useful as the primary means of dealing significant damage to the hunters. An overcharge-like electrical explosion can be emitted in an area around the Kraken--when followed up with some quick swoops, it's perfect for making a quick escape when surrounded by hunters. Electrical mines can be deployed, which lock onto and home in on any hunters who fall for the ambush. Finally a wind vortex can be fired that knocks hunters back a significant distance, which works well to split them up or push them from ledges. These Kraken abilities all felt far more effective and powerful than those of the Goliath.</p><blockquote><p style="">Keeping the hunters confused is key, by soaring high and firing volleys and intermittently returning to earth for a few close range strikes.</p></blockquote><p style="">To this end, I completely demolished the opposing team in my hands-on play session. Whether it was because I had played the game as the Goliath before, and so was familiar with the basic mechanics, or because the Kraken itself was overpowered, I could not tell. As a pure comparison between monster playstyles, I enjoyed the Kraken far more. It required more technique, but its abilities seemed to make more sense, and their effectiveness was more immediately apparent. In short, the monster was far more fun. But when you annihilate four strangers in five minutes and four seconds, when a match can usually go for more than twenty, it's going to feel great no matter what terrifying monstrosity I'm playing as.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6418892" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6418892/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><h4><strong>Mark Walton - The Hunter</strong></h4><p style="">My Evolve experience at this year's E3 wasn't quite as successful as Dan's. I mean, my team of hunters won and everything, but it took quite a bit longer than a mere five minutes. I blame the E3 sleepiness. Still, I'd at least hoped my previous experience with the game would have given me a bit of an advantage, but I suppose when it comes to something like Evolve, teamwork is everything--and sadly, my team were total newbies. Education definitely helped push things along, though. Talking over the team voice line and communicating with my fellow hunters, letting them know what I was doing, and where I'd seen the monster helped matters greatly.</p><p style="">Not that I was in a lead role or anything, or even that there are lead roles in Evolve. Every member of the team has a place, and mine was in the middle of the pack as a trapper, a class designed to snare the monster in one place in order for the stronger characters like the assault class to launch an attack. This time I took on the role of Maggie, one of the recently revealed characters. Her special skills included the infamous mobile arena dome to trap the monster, a set of harpoon mines to ensnare it, and the help of her ugly, yet somehow adorable pet Daisy.</p><blockquote><p style="">There's nothing quite like the sight of a 20-foot-tall Kraken to put the fear of God into you, especially one that looks more like a slobbering version of the evil Cthulu than a mere giant squid.</p></blockquote><p style="">Daisy proved invaluable in helping to track down the monster, with her doglike body bounding across the level to sniff out its scent and chase it down. The glowing blue footprints that the monster left behind helped out too, along with red highlights on the map where it had disturbed a flock of birds. Frankly, it was all a bit too easy to begin with, and I had a sneaking suspicion that our monster opponent was being manned by someone with just as much inexperience as the majority of my team. Or maybe we were just really lucky.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560407-2k_evolve_e3_screenshot_10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560407" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1536/15366587/2560407-2k_evolve_e3_screenshot_10.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560407"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/1536/15366587/2560407-2k_evolve_e3_screenshot_10.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Regardless, there's nothing quite like the sight of a 20-foot-tall Kraken to put the fear of God into you, especially one that looks more like a slobbering version of the evil Cthulu than a mere giant squid. We saw it, we panicked. The team, once a finely tuned hunting machine, was now frantically scrambling around, desperately trying to avoid the Kraken's devastating attacks. There was a call for calm. We needed a plan. I launched the mobile arena, trapping it in front of us. Somehow it stumbled into my hastily laid harpoon mines too, and there, for what seemed like the briefest of moments, the Assault class chipped away at the Kraken's health.</p><p style="">Eventually it escaped, but it was wounded. Mild celebration followed. But we were slow to track it down. Soon it had evolved into its third, most powerful stage, and it was ready to take down the level's generator to win the match. But we stood our ground. We worked together to trap the Kraken once more, the medic firing its sniper rifle to expose its weak points, the hunter laying down mines, and myself bringing up that big blue mobile arena to slow its escape. With a final blast of gunfire from the assault character it was done, and the creature slowly slumped down the ground. Jubilation. We had done it, we had slain the mighty Kraken. "Yep," I thought, "this is one hell of a game."</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 22:04:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-we-released-the-kraken-in-evolve-and-it-ate-everybody/1100-6420377/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-kirby-and-the-rainbow-curse-marks-a-triumphant-return-of-greatness/1100-6420369/ <p style="">Kirby: Canvas Curse justified the existence of the Nintendo DS touchscreen. The mere thought of drawing pathways to guide spherical Kirby through imaginative worlds fills me with utter delight, even though a decade has passed since I've last played the game. Every time another Kirby game is announced, my interest is piqued until I learn that it bears no resemblance to <a href="/kirby-canvas-curse/" data-ref-id="false">Canvas Curse</a>. You could say that my obsession with this game is an illness, a debilitating symptom that has infected my very being. I say that it shows my unwavering loyalty to the finer things in life. When Rainbow Curse debuted during Nintendo's presentation, I squealed so long and loud I felt faint. But it's real. Nintendo has finally revisited this incredible formula, and the world is better for it.</p><p style="">My biggest shock related to Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, even more than its very existence, is the lack of interest in it at Nintendo's own booth. As I surveyed the environment, seeing long lines of people waiting to play <a href="/super-smash-bros-for-wii-u/" data-ref-id="false">Smash Bros</a> and <a href="/splatoon/" data-ref-id="false">Splatoon</a>, and plenty of others who were anxious to get their hands on <a href="/mario-maker/" data-ref-id="false">Mario Maker</a>, I was appalled to see just one person at the Rainbow Curse kiosk. Oh, and it was a Nintendo employee. Clearly, the world is not nearly as hyped as I am for the prodigal son's return, but that doesn't matter one bit to me. At least not yet. I'm sure interest will pick up when people hear word of how good it is.</p><div data-height="100%" data-width="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6419396" data-embed-type="video"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419396/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">So, if you're unfamiliar with Canvas Curse, there's a chance you and I could never be friends. What would we talk about? The weather? I'll give you a brief primer on what makes this so magical. Buttons are nothing in Rainbow Curse. Analog sticks? Directional pads? Feed 'em to the birds. All you need is a stylus. All those people who complain that Nintendo isn't making good use of the tablet can pipe down. In Rainbow Curse, you won't even be looking at your television. Well, you can if you want I guess, but you certainly don't need to. With only a stylus required to move Kirby around, there's little use for large screens or high-def displays. Just peer downward and enjoy the show.</p><figure data-ref-id="1300-2560312" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2560312-large.jpg" data-size="medium" data-align="left" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/725/7253563/2560312-large.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560312"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/725/7253563/2560312-large.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Because he's Kirby and he does what he wants, you have magical ink (and a magical paintbrush because of reasons) that you use to paint pathways to success. Draw a straight line if you're feeling dull, or a swirling, spinning whirlwind of style if you know how to live the high life. Kirby zips along like he's late for a hot date (with another amorphous, world-devouring blob), and constructing dizzying roller coasters is the best way to cruise through this two-dimensional world. Creativity spices up this adventure so its endlessly endearing. Zoom toward a treasure chest hidden up above, and then zip down to the bottom of the screen to nab those hovering stars. It's delightful chaos that's so darn fun I might have laughed with glee.</p><p style="">From what little I played, there's virtually no difference between Rainbow Curse and the game it's based on. Familiarity doesn't always breed contempt, however, especially considering it's been so very long since last we met, but I do hope there are surprises awaiting in the finished version. What would those be? I can only imagine. Just give me varied level design to deftly navitage through, and I'll be happy. Oh, and don't forget an assortment of characters. Canvas Curse had a boatload of unlockable heroes, each with their own attributes, which is why I played the game over and over again until I'd seen everything it offered. Keep your eyes firmly pointing toward Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. Hearing that the likes of <a href="/xenoblade-chronicles-x/" data-ref-id="false">Xenoblade Chronicles X</a> and <a href="/the-legend-of-zelda-wii-u/" data-ref-id="false">The Legend of Zelda</a> are coming next year may have your attention now, bu don't let this one slip by the wayside.</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 21:55:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-kirby-and-the-rainbow-curse-marks-a-triumphant-return-of-greatness/1100-6420369/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-i-piloted-a-gyrocopter-in-far-cry-4/1100-6420374/ <p style="">Fellow GameSpot editor Daniel Hindes had a great time <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-i-rode-an-elephant-in-far-cry-4/1100-6420329/" data-ref-id="1100-6420329">stampeding into an outpost</a> in Far Cry 4 on an elephant. Now don't get me wrong: I like elephants, and the elephants of Far Cry 4 look remarkably fireproof, but I know that even a pachyderm's wrinkled skin can't shield it from flames forever. And so when I played Far Cry 4 today at Ubisoft's E3 2014 booth, I decided to forego the stampede and forget stealth. I wanted to save the elephants, and make sure my victims were of the human variety, so I chose to liberate the outpost by mounting the game's funny-looking gyrocopter and wreaking a different kind of havoc.</p><p style="">That may make me sound remarkably bloodthirsty, and indeed, my assault on the outpost was anything but silent. Once the game loaded, I approached the nearby copter and had a seat. Rising into the air was as simple as holding X on the PlayStation 4 controller, while descending was a matter of holding the circle button. The copter didn't have a weapon of its own, but I was in possession of an automatic pistol, a grenade launcher, and a handful of grenades. The glee was immediate. I aimed my launcher in the general direction of the snipers dogging me, and soon I I watched enemy corpses fly into the air like ragdolls. The gyrocopter might look a little silly, but there was no doubting that I had the upper hand.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419306" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419306/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">I couldn't retain the upper hand for long, however. I could hold triangle and heal myself up in the copter, but I was taking too much damage to stay in the air for much longer, so I bailed and used my windsuit to sail softly to the ground--in the middle of a crowd of combatants. I scurried into a nearby hut, took down a few enemies with my pistol, and then took stock of my situation. I was low on ammo, and I could hear a helicopter whirring overhead. Reinforcements had arrived, and I needed to consider my options.</p><p style="">There was only one true option, however: shoot my way out and grab whatever ammo and guns I could find. Success! I grabbed a semiautomatic rifle from the ground and aimed it at the guardsmen flanking my position. I could see on my minimap that I would need to take care of a few stragglers, but my primary concern was the helicopter firing at me from above. The rifle wasn't much help, so I whipped out my grenade launcher, which had only three grenades left in it.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419350" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419350/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">Grenade one: a perfect shot. The ordnance landed and the helicopter reeled, but the damage wasn't enough to destroy it. I needed to fire again.</p><p style="">Grenade two: a dud. The grenade sails past the helicopter and lands beyond, causing a small blast but taking no one down with it.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="small" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2556082-fc4_screen_paganmin_portrait_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402296002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2556082" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2556082-fc4_screen_paganmin_portrait_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402296002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2556082"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_small/536/5360430/2556082-fc4_screen_paganmin_portrait_e3_140609_4pmpst_1402296002.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Grenade three: another perfect shot. And thank goodness, since it was my last one. The helicopter bursts into flames and falls to the ground. I have vanquished my greatest foe in the short Far Cry 4 demo. Well, aside from the honey badger I made the mistake attacking afterwards. That honey badger really didn't give a s***.</p><p style="">All that was left was a bit of easy cleanup. I headshotted one guard and stabbed the remaining one in the back, and the outpost was mine. Gyrocopter aside, the action was very much in the Far Cry 3 vein, which is to be expected in this circumstance. The sequence was great fun, and I can't wait to discover more ways to get myself into trouble in Far Cry 4. Elephants and gyrocopters are a good start. Now where is the gun I can shoot honey badgers out of?</p><p style=""><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/">See more coverage of E3 2014 →</a></p> Tue, 10 Jun 2014 21:51:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-i-piloted-a-gyrocopter-in-far-cry-4/1100-6420374/

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