http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:39:35 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-optimistic-that-destiny-s-launch-will-go-smoothly/1100-6420696/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419475" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419475/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">As Bungie looks to the release of <a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/destiny/">Destiny </a>in September, the developer said in a new interview that fans can expect a smooth launch, thanks to many months of preparation. "We have been actively preparing," Bungie COO Pete Parsons told <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-23-bungie-coo" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06" data-mce-href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-23-bungie-coo">GamesIndustry International</a>. "We take it super seriously and we've been planning for a long time, we've been investing into it to make sure that we have the best experience possible."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Destiny is an always-online game, and Parsons did not rule out the possibility of some level of launch issues. But overall, he expects the game's release to go off largely without a hitch, thanks in part to Bungie having numerous "safeguards" in place.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I think we have to ultimately see what happens, but we have every expectation of from moment one, having a great experience, and when things happen, whether it's with us or the Internet, we have things in place," Parsons said. "There's elegance in what we do so we have plenty of safeguards for this."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bungie's statement of assurance comes after other high-profile games--like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/simcity/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/simcity/">SimCity</a>, <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/battlefield-4/">Battlefield 4</a>, and <a href="/diablo-iii/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/diablo-iii/">Diablo III</a>--all faced issues at launch, some of which prevented people from playing entirely.</p><p style="">The Destiny alpha on PlayStation 4 <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/6-5-million-games-were-played-during-destiny-alpha/1100-6420682/" data-ref-id="6-5" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/6-5-million-games-were-played-during-destiny-alpha/1100-6420682/">wrapped up earlier this month</a>, and a beta will be held first on PlayStation 3 and PS4<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-destiny-beta-kicks-off-july-17-first-on-ps3-ps4/1100-6420271/" data-ref-id="1100-6420271" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-destiny-beta-kicks-off-july-17-first-on-ps3-ps4/1100-6420271/"> starting July 17</a>, before coming to other platforms later. The full game launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-announces-destiny-release-date-delays-beta/1100-6416594/" data-ref-id="1100-6416594" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-announces-destiny-release-date-delays-beta/1100-6416594/">September 9 </a>across all platforms. There's even a possibility that PS4s sold at retail this year will <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4s-could-be-sold-with-destiny-and-diablo-iii-preloaded-says-analyst/1100-6420517/" data-ref-id="1100-6420517" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4s-could-be-sold-with-destiny-and-diablo-iii-preloaded-says-analyst/1100-6420517/">come bundled with a copy of the game</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true" class="mceItemTable"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow" data-mce-href="mailto:news@gamespot.com">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""><br /></p> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:06:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-optimistic-that-destiny-s-launch-will-go-smoothly/1100-6420696/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/grid-autosport-review/1900-6415799/ <p style="">The tone has changed with Grid Autosport. Gone is the raucous, obtrusive, personality-sapping hullabaloo of the poorly conceived and painfully stereotypical "dude bro" aesthetic that characterised <a href="/grid-2/" data-ref-id="false">Grid 2</a>, replaced by something altogether more subtle. Here's a game that simply asks: what kind of racing driver do you want to be? There's no overarching narrative here, no attempt to coat Career mode in the kind of shallow, scrawny narrative that even the writers of <i>Jack Reacher</i> would be embarrassed to publish. Autosport is about the cars, the tracks, and the opponents.</p><p style="">To that end, variety and choice are placed front and centre right from the off. As with previous Grid games' Career modes, Autosport's brings together a disparate mix of event types under a single umbrella, giving you plenty of options for reaching professional racing stardom. Touring car events, street races, nighttime endurance slogs, time trial runs, and showboating drift sessions are all here and waiting to be conquered; the frequency with which you partake in any given event comes down to how you're feeling at the time.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576672-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576672" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576672-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576672"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2576672-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Touring car events is where Grid Autosport is at its best, the responsive handling and aggressive AI making for dramatic races.</figcaption></figure><p style="">These event types are split into five distinct categories that are progressed through independently of one another. The touring discipline is defined by wheel-to-wheel racing, with cars bumping into each other regularly as they attempt to race three abreast around a corner. Endurance sees you racing at night in longer races that force you to look after your tyres. Open-wheel places you in what are essentially underpowered Formula One cars (think Formula Three and Formula Renault). Tuner focuses on high-powered Japanese imports and American muscle, while street events take place on fictional circuits around famous cities.</p><p style="">At the start of each season within Career mode, you're asked to pick a discipline. Once you've completed that season, you can move on to a new discipline or stick with the same one. The promise is that once you've experienced each of the different categories, you can specialise in a single one and dedicate yourself to fully mastering it. However, doing so restricts your ability to partake in the game's most prestigious competitions.</p><blockquote data-size="small" data-align="left"><p style="">Gone is the raucous, obtrusive, personality-sapping hullabaloo of the poorly conceived and painfully stereotypical "dude bro" aesthetic that characterised Grid 2.</p></blockquote><p style="">You gain experience points for each discipline independently, but only once you've hit a certain level in all of them can you enter the Grid Championship Series events. Unfortunately, this means that in Career mode, you can't opt to play Autosport as just a street racing game or a touring car game--you must indulge in all of the career's facets at some point in order to beat it. The championship events themselves cover all of the included disciplines, so not being suitably practiced in each is a major disadvantage.</p><p style="">This represents a problem. With so many different car and race types on offer, there are sure to be one or two that you don't enjoy. Personally, I'm not a fan of the fiddly drift events or the awkward handling of the American muscle cars, but there's no way to avoid engaging with them if I want to enter and win the championship races. Portions of play, therefore, become a grind. You undertake seasons that you actually want to play, followed by working out the fastest way to level up in the events you don't like in order to unlock new content as quickly as possible.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576738-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576738" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576738-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576738"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2576738-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Open-wheel races require more patience on the throttle and more discipline in sticking to the racing line. </figcaption></figure><p style="">As a general rule, the fastest way to earn experience points is to increase the difficulty. Setting the AI on hard, removing the racing line from the track, turning off traction control and forcing yourself to play using only the in-car cockpit cameras sees your level rise rapidly. Conversely, if you're new to racing games, then you'll want to play with assists on full (in particular, I recommended cosmetic car damage) in order to finish in a respectable position. Finishing first on the easiest difficulty settings earns you more points than finishing last using the most testing, after all.</p><p style="">No matter the difficulty setting, however, you must be open to learning how cars operate within the different disciplines. Touring cars tend to be extremely forgiving, reasonably withstanding knocks with opponents and barriers, and they let you brake late into corners and even perform small drifts without losing too much speed. In contrast, open-wheeled vehicles require more precision, because it's far easier to lose control by applying too much power too early when exiting a corner, while their more fragile chassis often mean bumps are terminal.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="small"><p style="">You undertake seasons that you actually want to play, followed by working out the fastest way to level up in the events you don't like in order to unlock new content as quickly as possible.</p></blockquote><p style="">Make no mistake about it, though: Autosport is not a simulation racer. None of the disciplines require an enormous amount of work to get to grips with, making the game genuinely accessible and fairly simple for veteran racing game players to surmount. In particular, braking and handling are more responsive than you would expect from a real car.</p><p style="">The AI drivers feel human and diverse. Drivers have different personalities; some are daring and liable to attempt risky overtaking moves, while others drive in a more conservative manner until they've got open road in front of them. Resultantly, Autosport never suffers from a lack of drama. Almost every race sees cars hitting one another and reacting to unpredictable maneuvers, adding a sense of exaggerated tension, because you never quite know when and from where the next danger might come.</p><p style="">For touring car and street races, the AI's approach works great, making the two disciplines the most endearing and memorable of the bunch since cars are usually tightly grouped and tussling for position from start to finish. Unfortunately, for open-wheeled and endurance events, the AI is less impressive. The AI doesn't react differently across the disciplines, making races requiring finesse and precision instead feel messy. In one instance, I had to restart the same open-wheel race eight times (no exaggeration) because there was, without fail, a multiple-car pileup on the first corner thanks to one or more drivers acting too aggressively.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576741-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576741" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576741-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576741"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2576741-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>In order to master drift events, you must get to grips with cars that are extremely twitchy, the backend flying out wildly at the slightest opportunity. </figcaption></figure><p style="">In the end, I decided that the only option was to hang back and drive across the grass to avoid trouble, losing time on the leaders but keeping my car intact. Stronger AI could have provided a more realistic front for the technical disciplines, and would have helped make each event feel more unique, limiting the instances such as this in which it's almost impossible to continue to suspend your disbelief.</p><p style="">This failing is possibly a byproduct of Autosport's exhaustive approach. There are a number of nice extra features that similar games have shied away from: split-screen multiplayer, for example, and an online component that is entirely separate from the single-player, which means there are essentially two games to progress through. Play it for a few hours, and the cracks begin to show, though. They're not game-breaking, but they are abrasive, and they dull the shine of the early portions of the game. If you're up for some casual racing, Autosport is a decent option, but when you go deep, the experience is soured by the finer details.</p> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/grid-autosport-review/1900-6415799/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-explains-why-there-s-no-battlefield-bad-company-3-yet/1100-6420695/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2577030-badcompany2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2577030" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2577030-badcompany2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2577030"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2577030-badcompany2.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/battlefield-hardline/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield </a>series developer DICE knows some fans want the Swedish studio to return to the Battlefield: Bad Company series, but doing so is somewhat of a tricky task, according to studio head Karl-Magnus Troedsson. "There were some people who were saying, 'why are you building [<a href="/battlefield-hardline/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield Hardline</a>]? You should build Bad Company 3 instead," he told <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-24-dice-ponders-what-did-people-really-like-about-battlefield-bad-company" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Eurogamer</a> in a new interview.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most recent entry in the Bad Company series--2010's <a href="/battlefield-bad-company-2/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield: Bad Company 2</a>--sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-posts-loss-medal-of-honor-sells-2-million/1100-6283440/" data-ref-id="1100-6283440">nearly six million units</a>. But despite this apparent success, Troedsson says DICE isn't quite sure what gamers really enjoyed about the game, which means making a sequel becomes difficult.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We take all this into account when we think about the future, and do franchise strategy," Troedsson said. "But there's one thing that lingers with Bad Company that we've been asking ourselves: 'What is it that the people really liked about Bad Company?'"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot praised both <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-bad-company/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield: Bad Company (2008) </a>and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-bad-company-2/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (2010)</a>, lauding the games for their excellent campaign and multiplayer modes. And we weren't alone. Both titles are currently <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/battlefield-bad-company-2" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">scored at</a> <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/battlefield-bad-company" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">80+</a> on GameSpot sister site Metacritic.</p><blockquote data-align="left"><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's scary to go back and try to remake an old fan favorite when actually no one can really put their finger on what it is people love" -- Karl-Magnus Troedsson</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">So why hasn't DICE turned around and made another entry in the series? Troedsson went back to what he said before, explaining that it's hard to say just what people enjoyed about the first games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Some people say they found the multiplayer controls faster and more direct," he said. "Some people liked the single-player and the characters and the humor. People love different things about it. It's starting to almost get to that place where, if we were to make a sequel to Bad Company, what would than even imply?"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's scary to go back and try to remake an old fan favorite when actually no one can really put their finger on what it is people love," he added. "Bringing back the characters and creating a great single-player out of that, sure, I can understand that."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This is also true for the multiplayer mode, Troedsson said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"But some people say this: the Bad Company 2 multiplayer is the best you've ever done. Okay, why is that? It's hard for people to articulate what that is, which is actually hard for us," he said. "It would be hard to remake something like that. Can we do it? Of course. We have our theories when it comes to the multiplayer."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Finally, Troedsson made it clear that the Battlefield: Bad Company franchise is one that DICE holds "very near and dear." He went on to point out that just because we haven't seen the franchise in four years and there's no immediate plans about its return, that doesn't mean the franchise is going away forever.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's never dead," he said. "You can always revive it, as with any TV series, movie, or IP. It's going to come down to, if people really want it and if a team inside my group really wants to build it, then sure."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 06:29:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-explains-why-there-s-no-battlefield-bad-company-3-yet/1100-6420695/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battlefield-hardline-ea-ufc-fifa-world-cup-brazil-/2300-6419873/ The Lobby returns after our crazy week at E3 to bring you the Battlefield: Hardline Beta, EA Sports UFC and FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014! Join us in the comments, to talk about the news, new releases and all sorts of fun. Tue, 24 Jun 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battlefield-hardline-ea-ufc-fifa-world-cup-brazil-/2300-6419873/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/far-cry-3-the-shaun-method/2300-6419872/ Danny subs in for Shaun today as he explores the world of Far Cry 3. And there are tigers. FREAKING TIGERS. Tue, 24 Jun 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/far-cry-3-the-shaun-method/2300-6419872/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-first-person-gta-5-looks-like-this/1100-6420694/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JoM6pJylrs" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2F7JoM6pJylrs%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7JoM6pJylrs&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F7JoM6pJylrs%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> Rockstar Games' acclaimed open-world game <a href="/grand-theft-auto-v/" data-ref-id="false">Grand Theft Auto V</a> is a third-person game, but what would it look like if you controlled Michael, Trevor, and Franklin from a first-person perspective? Now we know, thanks to YouTube user <a href="http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8bvwgA8s0g8oPK2gtjodbA" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">XBLToothPik </a>(via <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-24-modder-makes-console-gta-5-a-first-person-game" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Eurogamer</a>), who has published a pair of videos (above and below) showing the familiar world of Los Santos from an entirely new perspective.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Using a modded Xbox 360, XBLToothPik made use of a script to change the perspective. It's a bit rough. But if you've ever wondered what walking the streets of Los Santos or piloting a plane above the mountains of Blaine County looks like from a first-person perspective, here's your chance. You can also imagine the possibility for virtual reality.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">With GTA V<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-gta-5-for-xbox-ps4-pc-has-increased-draw-distances-better-resolution-new-wildlife/1100-6420302/" data-ref-id="1100-6420302"> coming to PC later this year</a>, you can expect the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-4-gets-flappy-bird-mod/1100-6418011/" data-ref-id="1100-6418011">modding community</a> to have a field day with unique and imaginative mods--just <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-4-gets-flappy-bird-mod/1100-6418011/" data-ref-id="1100-6418011">like it did for Grand Theft Auto IV</a>. There's no word yet on when specifically this fall the PC version--or <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-gta-5-for-xbox-ps4-pc-has-increased-draw-distances-better-resolution-new-wildlife/1100-6420302/" data-ref-id="1100-6420302">Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions</a> for that matter--will be released.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3V3pnAYcjI" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fo3V3pnAYcjI%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Do3V3pnAYcjI&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fo3V3pnAYcjI%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 05:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-first-person-gta-5-looks-like-this/1100-6420694/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-rockets-past-47-million-in-funding-how-high-can-it-go/1100-6420693/ <p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576999-star.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576999" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576999-star.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576999"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2576999-star.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/star-citizen/" data-ref-id="false">Star Citizen</a>, the PC space sim from <a href="/wing-commander/" data-ref-id="false">Wing Commander </a>creator Chris Roberts, continues its ascent into the crowdfunding record books. The game, which is already the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-the-top-crowdfunded-project-of-all-time/1100-6410717/" data-ref-id="1100-6410717">most successful crowdfunded project of any kind in history</a>, has now reached $47 million in total funding, which is <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13944-Letter-From-The-Chairman-46-Million" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">up from $46 million just two weeks ago</a>. To put that figure into context, Double Fine spent about half that--<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/brutal-legend-2-i-would-love-to-go-back-there-tim-schafer-says/1100-6417258/" data-ref-id="1100-6417258">$25 million</a>--to make 2009 action game <a href="/brutal-legend/" data-ref-id="false">Brutal Legend</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As always, thank you for your incredible support," Roberts said in a<a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13971-Letter-From-The-Chairman-47-Million" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> post on the game's website</a>. "We're working hard to make Star Citizen a truly special game." Total funding currently stands at $47,058,621 from 486,748 total backers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Now that funding has reached $47 million, backers have unlocked the latest player-voted perk, the Engine Tuning Kit. This virtual toolkit includes "everything the fledgling engineer needs to take a deeper look into the mechanics of their engine." This includes a Tap Analyzer that lets you view your engine's current output, as well as a 38-piece omnitool.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Looking ahead, Star Citizen will continue to receive player-voted reward items, but only barely. Developer Cloud Imperium Games held a vote to see if player-voted bonuses should continue, and 54 percent of backers said they wanted to see the system carry forward. "And we're going to honor that choice," Roberts said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Should funding reach $49 million, Star Citizen backers will receive the Xi'An Space Plant, which is described as being similar to a bonsai tree. More than <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-hires-director-of-persistent-universe/1100-6420648/" data-ref-id="1100-6420648">250 people </a>are currently working on Star Citizen, and Cloud Imperium Games<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-hires-director-of-persistent-universe/1100-6420648/" data-ref-id="1100-6420648"> recently hired someone </a>to fill the role of Director of Persistent Universe.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 05:29:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-rockets-past-47-million-in-funding-how-high-can-it-go/1100-6420693/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/david-hayter-says-he-has-no-role-whatsoever-in-metal-gear-solid-5/1100-6420692/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2560147-mgsvtpp_e3_game_08_web.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560147" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2560147-mgsvtpp_e3_game_08_web.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560147"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1197/11970954/2560147-mgsvtpp_e3_game_08_web.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Ever since it was announced that <em>24 </em>actor <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kiefer-sutherland-confirmed-as-snake-in-metal-gear-solid-v/1100-6409372/" data-ref-id="1100-6409372">Kiefer Sutherland</a>--not <a href="http://www.david-hayter.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">longtime voice actor David Hayter</a>--would play the role of Snake in <a href="/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V</a>, some fans have continued to wonder if someway, somehow Hayter would still appear in the game. Hayter now says it's not going to happen.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Guys, for the millionth--and last--time. I am not in Metal Gear V," Hayter <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidBHayter/status/481168035235913728" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said on Twitter</a>. "In any way. At all. No joke. Just not. True story."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Explaining the decision to go with a new actor--Sutherland--over Hayter, Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/david-hayter-says-he-wasnt-asked-to-voice-mgsv/1100-6406093/" data-ref-id="1100-6406093">said in March 2013</a> that, "It's a new type of Metal Gear game and we wanted to have this reflected in the voice actor as well."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to playing Snake and Big Boss in the Metal Gear Solid series, Hayter wrote the screenplays for movies like<em> X-Men</em>, <em>The Scorpion King</em>, and <em>Watchmen</em>.</p><p style=""><a href="/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes </a>launched in March 2014. It serves as somewhat of a prologue to the upcoming open-world/sandbox game <a href="/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain</a>, which is reportedly<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-metal-gear-solid-5-is-200x-bigger-than-ground-zeroes/1100-6420131/" data-ref-id="1100-6420131"> 200 times larger than Ground Zeroes</a>. Publisher Konami recently published a 30-minute gameplay demo that you can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-30-minutes-of-metal-gear-solid-5-gameplay-on-ps4/1100-6420591/" data-ref-id="1100-6420591">watch right now</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 04:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/david-hayter-says-he-has-no-role-whatsoever-in-metal-gear-solid-5/1100-6420692/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-ps4-hardware-bundle-spotted/1100-6420691/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576986-tloups4bundle.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576986" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576986-tloups4bundle.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576986"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2576986-tloups4bundle.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/amazon-lists-gta-5-for-pc/1100-6417251/" data-ref-id="1100-6417251">often-leaky Amazon France</a> has <a href="http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00L32A7W0/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">posted a product page</a> (via <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/469282/the-last-of-us-remastered-ps4-hardware-bundle-spotted/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">CVG</a>) for an unannounced <a href="/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a> PlayStation 4 bundle that is to include a copy of The Last of Us Remastered, a 500GB black system, and a controller. The listing says the bundle will go on sale July 30 for €429 (~$585).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At E3, Sony announced that The Last of Us Remastered would <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-last-of-us-ps4-launching-july-29/1100-6420290/" data-ref-id="1100-6420290">launch on July 29</a>, though there was no mention of this hardware bundle at the time. For now, though this bundle would seem to make a lot of sense, best to consider this a rumor until we hear directly from Sony about it.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Last of Us Remastered runs in 1080p, features higher resolution character models, as well as improved shadows and lighting. The bundle also includes DLC, director's commentary, and special interviews with voice actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game was originally expected to sell for $60, but Sony just this weekend <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-drops-the-last-of-us-ps4-price-by-10-will-refund-difference-on-pre-orders/1100-6420656/" data-ref-id="1100-6420656">announced a $10 price drop</a>, meaning it will now be sold for $50. If you already preordered, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-drops-the-last-of-us-ps4-price-by-10-will-refund-difference-on-pre-orders/1100-6420656/" data-ref-id="1100-6420656">you can get a refund</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 04:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-ps4-hardware-bundle-spotted/1100-6420691/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-has-surgery-to-remove-bile-duct-growth/1100-6420690/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576983-iwata.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576983" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576983-iwata.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576983"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2576983-iwata.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The nature of Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-not-coming-to-e3-on-doctor-s-advice/1100-6420132/" data-ref-id="1100-6420132">health issue</a> is now known. In a <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/stock/meeting/140627/index.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">post on the company's website today</a>, Iwata revealed that he recently underwent surgery to remove a "bile duct growth," and that as a result, he'll need to miss this month's annual shareholders meeting.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Recently, as the result of one of my routine physical examinations, an issue was detected. Following a more detailed examination, a growth was found in my bile duct," Iwata said. "In general, it is said that a bile duct growth can be difficult-to-treat, partly because of the difficulty of detecting it early. In my case, luckily, it was detected very early and I had no symptoms."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I was counseled that removal at an early stage would be the desirable medical option. Therefore I had surgery last week, and I came through it well, as predicted," he added.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Iwata has already resumed working by email and "other means," he said. However, it's going to take "a little more time" until he is able to return to his normal work schedule, he said. He's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-not-coming-to-e3-on-doctor-s-advice/1100-6420132/" data-ref-id="1100-6420132">already missed E3</a>, and he won't be able to attend this month's shareholder meeting either.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As the president of the company, I regret that I cannot attend the meeting," Iwata said. "However, I understand that I have to prioritize my medical treatment and to recover as soon as possible so that I will again be able to do my best to help the company to grow. I hope that you understand."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 04:25:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-has-surgery-to-remove-bile-duct-growth/1100-6420690/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-iii-auction-house-will-be-completely-gone-on-june-24/1100-6420689/ <p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/0/1/1/2043011-704530_20130611_008.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2043011" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/0/1/1/2043011-704530_20130611_008.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2043011"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/3/0/1/1/2043011-704530_20130611_008.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Auction house users on <a href="/diablo-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo III</a> don't have much longer to retrieve gold and real-money resulting from their transactions. The in-game auction house will be gone for good tomorrow, <a href="http://us.battle.net//d3/en/blog/14510012" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Blizzard </a>has reminded players.</p><p style="">While Blizzard had shut down <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-pulls-the-plug-on-diablo-3-s-infamous-auction-house/1100-6418372/" data-ref-id="1100-6418372">auction house functionality in March this year</a>, players were still able to retrieve unclaimed items or gold from the "Completed" tab in-game. That is, until the auction house window is removed from game for good.</p><p style="">Players who wish to pick up their unclaimed earnings can do so in-game by clicking on the standard gavel icon and selecting one of the two auction houses, gold or real-money, followed by accessing the Completed tab. Up to 50 items can be displayed at once in the Completed tab, with remaining items stored in the "backlog". Backlog items will resurface as space is made by the player.</p><p style="">Blizzard recently announced at the Sony E3 press conference new enemies from <a href="/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a> in a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-last-of-us-infected-coming-to-diablo-iii-ultimate-evil-edition/1100-6420279/" data-ref-id="1100-6420279">PS4- and PS3-exclusive Diablo III dungeon</a>. Including the base game and the Reaper of Souls expansion, Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition will launch on August 19 for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 21:28:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-iii-auction-house-will-be-completely-gone-on-june-24/1100-6420689/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-promises-next-city-building-pc-game-settlers-will-offer-a-new-game-experience/1100-6420688/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNljxdmtNYQ" data-width="100%" data-height="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6419856"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419856/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""><a href="/companies/ubisoft/" data-ref-id="false">Ubisoft</a> has announced The Settlers: Kingdoms of Anteria, the next entry in the long-running real-time strategy Settlers series. Today, developer <a href="/companies/blue-byte/" data-ref-id="false">Blue Byte</a> and Ubisoft published a short teaser trailer revealing the game.</p><p style="">Although very little information is given in the trailer, the game will focus on city-building and real-time strategy. The cinematic trailer highlights heavily armored and armed hero-like characters fighting monsters and settling land. Although all of the games in the series have featured RTS elements, the developer promises that this title "will provide a completely new game experience by combining city-building and real-time strategy action." What exactly this entails is unknown at this time.</p><p style="">Ubisoft also explains that in Kingdoms of Anteria, "you will build up a prosperous economy and lead your champion through dangerous adventures in order to create a wealthy, bustling and glorious kingdom."</p><p style="">Blue Byte is also taking a very different path to creating this game than it did to develop past titles. "By reinventing our approach to the franchise, The Settlers: Kingdoms of Anteria offers players a brand new experience full of new possibilities to explore," director of product development Christopher Schmitz said.</p><p style="">The game launches in 2014 for <a href="/pc/" data-ref-id="false">PC</a>, but Ubisoft and Blue Byte have not announced a specific release date yet. </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-promises-next-city-building-pc-game-settlers-will-offer-a-new-game-experience/1100-6420688/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-elder-scrolls-online-review-familiar-world-str/1900-6415797/ <p style="">As a fan of role-playing games and open-world sandboxes, I've long held a special place in my heart for the Elder Scrolls franchise. Since I was first introduced to the series with <a href="/the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind/" data-ref-id="false">Morrowind</a> back in 2002, I've spent countless hours exploring Bethesda's immense fantasy worlds in search of loot, adventure, and gorgeous views of the surrounding landscapes. It's that love for the series that inspired me to spend time with The Elder Scrolls Online despite one very embarrassing shortcoming in my gaming career: I had never played a massively multiplayer online game before, or at least not for any significant length of time.</p><p style="">I honestly couldn't tell you why that was. There's nothing about MMO games that I necessarily dislike; I just tend to prefer the freedom of solo adventuring over group raids and guild life. But I'm happy that I gave the genre a shot, because after 40 or so hours in The Elder Scrolls Online, I rather liked--though not exactly <i>loved</i>--my time with the game.</p><p style="">Much of that appreciation stems from the overall feel of the world. The Elder Scrolls Online does a great job of capturing the joy of existing within Tamriel, all those sights and sounds that make up a vibrant fantasy setting. My journey began on the bustling medieval streets of Daggerfall, though I quickly found myself exploring the windswept sand dunes of Stros M'Kai, the eerie swampland of the Glenumbra Moors, and the picturesque coastline of Stormhaven. And those are just some of the early-level areas. Even as I proceeded across the world map toward more challenging sections of Tamriel, I always felt like there was some fresh chunk of terrain to explore or some beautiful vista to take in.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419866" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419866/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">The Elder Scrolls Online goes out of its way to immerse you in its world. It's not just the geographical diversity, either. A lush soundtrack provides a stirring backdrop to your adventuring, and a fully voiced collection of non-player characters bring each city and backwater hamlet to life. Sure, there are echoes of <a href="/the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/" data-ref-id="false">Oblivion</a> in the repetition of voice actors, and the dialogue can feel a bit wooden at times, but the overall presentation goes a long way toward delivering a world full of characters rather than quest-giving cardboard cutouts.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="medium"><p style="">The Elder Scrolls Online does a great job of capturing the joy of existing within Tamriel, all those sights and sounds that make up a vibrant fantasy setting.</p></blockquote><p style="">And yet, throughout all my travels, I always felt a vague longing for the serendipitous discoveries of earlier Elder Scrolls games. Enemies always respawn in the same place, and there are no hidden cabins full of clutter to rummage through, no armor waiting to be discovered at the bottom of some lake--this just isn't a game that gives you much of a reason to wander off the beaten path.</p><p style="">That's something that took a while for me to come to terms with. The unpredictable exploration of Elder Scrolls games has always been one of my favorite trademarks of the series. The Elder Scrolls Online does give you plenty of interesting enemies to tangle with and the occasional treasure chest to happen upon, but compared to a game like <a href="/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/" data-ref-id="false">Skyrim</a> with all its environmental storytelling and unpredictable encounters, the world feels static. It's a beautiful place, but a sterile one.</p><p style="">So while I struggled to create my own adventures, The Elder Scrolls Online had plenty of its own exciting tales to tell. Rarely do its quests feel like tedious fluff; quite often, you're asked to navigate labyrinthine stories of backstabbing and political intrigue, fantastical creatures and bloodthirsty cultists, or cursed souls and tormented dreamworlds. What makes these quests interesting is that they're often complex, multipart sagas. You might take on the task of rescuing a kidnapped duke only to find yourself embarking on a murder mystery involving scheming werewolves, supernatural rituals, and the ripple effects of time travel.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575517-screenshot_20140426_153015.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575517" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575517-screenshot_20140426_153015.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575517"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/642/6422750/2575517-screenshot_20140426_153015.png"></a><figcaption>The main storyline is a bit of a mess, but it provides some lovely backdrops.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The best quests are the ones that use <i>just </i>enough of the series' established lore to paint a vivid picture of the task at hand, though there are some--like the messy and ultimately forgettable main storyline--that tend to resemble overzealous fan fiction. But such missteps are infrequent and easy to forgive; for the most part, The Elder Scrolls Online delivers a broad and engaging collection of tales that mesh nicely with its fantasy landscape.</p><p style="">If only they meshed better with the game's fundamental structure. I lost track of how many times I was called upon to perform the esoteric tasks necessary to unseal some long-forgotten chamber, only to discover a parade of player-controlled characters already running about within. These are moments when the quest design and multiplayer nature of the game butt heads, taking any sense of immersion the game might have established and hurling it out the window.</p><p style="">It's a shame, because there are some good group quests available in The Elder Scrolls Online--they're just more the exception than the rule. Some of the most fun I had in the game was teaming up with a group of strangers to make it through the harrowing gauntlet known as Spindleclutch, a creepy dungeon with a relentless assault of arachnid enemies and one very imposing boss fight. But it's rare that The Elder Scrolls Online takes full advantage of its multiplayer structure. Most of my interactions with other players were simply running by them out in the wild, like two ships passing in the night who might occasionally team up to kill a trio of bandits.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575524-screenshot_20140621_162624.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575524" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575524-screenshot_20140621_162624.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575524"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/642/6422750/2575524-screenshot_20140621_162624.png"></a><figcaption>There are some lovely sights to behold out in the wild.</figcaption></figure><p style="">There is a guild system, of course, but in my experience it felt more useful as an economic tool than a means for players to come together as a team. With no auction house, guilds are what allow you to trade items with one another. As a result, you tend to see a lot of guilds that players have forgotten about once their barter is complete--making it tough to find the truly active ones.</p><blockquote data-align="left" data-size="medium"><p style="">It's rare that The Elder Scrolls Online takes full advantage of its multiplayer structure.</p></blockquote><p style="">And so, without much of a meaningful connection to the player population around me, I often found myself defaulting to my old Elder Scrolls ways of wandering alone like some wayward ronin. But don't pity me too much. I was perfectly happy to keep plugging away, leveling up my dragonknight one quest at a time. The Elder Scrolls Online gives you a deep and flexible progression system, one that allows you to tinker around with different builds without ever feeling like you've completely pigeonholed yourself. After beginning the game as a brutish damage-sponge of a tank, I found myself gravitating toward more of a hybrid role where I balanced my sword-and-shield tactics with elemental spells and defensive powers. With a broad selection of active and passive abilities--the former of which can evolve in interesting ways as you level them up--there's a lot of room to mess around with your chosen style.</p><p style="">Those abilities go a long way toward enhancing the combat, which at its core is nothing remarkable. Sure, I enjoyed using my shield bash to stun an enemy mid-cast so that I could knock him to the ground with a powerful heavy attack. But most melee strikes feel limp and sluggish. Layer in those abilities, though, and battles feel a little more lively. I never tired of seeing flaming spikes burst from my character's back as I triggered my razor armor ability, then closing the gap on a distant foe by dashing toward him with a quick and devastating shield charge. Factor in the game's propensity for generous and meaningful loot drops, and I rarely skipped the chance to take on some new group of enemies.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575522-screenshot_20140429_205241.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575522" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575522-screenshot_20140429_205241.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575522"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/642/6422750/2575522-screenshot_20140429_205241.png"></a><figcaption>Fully voiced NPCs add a lot of immersion, even if you tend to hear the same people over and over.</figcaption></figure><p style="">So most of my enjoyment with The Elder Scrolls Online came not from its MMO structure, but from its decent approximation of the games that came before it--that sense of wayward adventure, of gazing out at beautiful landscapes as you explore a lively fantasy world. But for as much as it struggles to reconcile its single-player heritage and multiplayer ambitions, there is one area that makes an awfully convincing argument for its status as an MMO game, and that's player-versus-player combat.</p><p style="">Having never spent any significant amount of time with an MMO before, I went into The Elder Scrolls Online's PvP expecting some form of arena combat--perhaps a matchmaking system that pitted a handful of players from the Daggerfall Covenant against another handful from the Ebonheart Pact. What I found was something much more complex and fascinating.</p><p style="">PvP in The Elder Scrolls Online turns the whole of Cyrodiil into one great big board game, a giant web full of keeps and strongholds that you are constantly fighting for control over. There are resources to consider, siege weapons to employ, and all manner of strategic possibilities. It's a great showcase for the game's combat, which becomes much more exciting when you're pairing complementary abilities together as a team.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575525-screenshot_20140622_181119.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575525" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575525-screenshot_20140622_181119.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575525"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/642/6422750/2575525-screenshot_20140622_181119.png"></a><figcaption>Dark Anchor events are a neat concept for drawing players together, but it's far too easy for players to steamroll each wave of enemies.</figcaption></figure><p style="">But there is one flaw to the scope of the PvP, which is that the map is too big for its own good. Combat was exciting when I could get to it, but I found myself spending the vast majority of my time simply getting from one place to another. I can handle and even enjoy riding around on horseback for 10 straight minutes while questing, but when I'm doing it over and over again each time I die in a pitched multiplayer battle, it becomes tedious.</p><p style="">And that's The Elder Scrolls Online right there: a game that does a lot of things well, but stumbles to get the most out of them. In the end, I was happy to spend time in this version of Tamriel, but it just wasn't the gateway into the MMO genre that I hoped it would be.</p> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-elder-scrolls-online-review-familiar-world-str/1900-6415797/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-ultimate-horror-game-and-manbearpig-in-dreadou/2300-6419877/ Jess and Zorine crack into the scariest game they've ever played on House of Horrors and take it all the way to the end. How will they fare? Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-ultimate-horror-game-and-manbearpig-in-dreadou/2300-6419877/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-ultimate-horror-game-and-manbearpig-in-dreadou/2300-6419871/ Jess and Zorine crack into the scariest game they've ever played on House of Horrors and take it all the way to the end. How will they fare? Mon, 23 Jun 2014 16:31:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-ultimate-horror-game-and-manbearpig-in-dreadou/2300-6419871/
http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:39:35 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-optimistic-that-destiny-s-launch-will-go-smoothly/1100-6420696/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419475" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419475/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style="">As Bungie looks to the release of <a href="/destiny/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/destiny/">Destiny </a>in September, the developer said in a new interview that fans can expect a smooth launch, thanks to many months of preparation. "We have been actively preparing," Bungie COO Pete Parsons told <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-23-bungie-coo" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06" data-mce-href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-06-23-bungie-coo">GamesIndustry International</a>. "We take it super seriously and we've been planning for a long time, we've been investing into it to make sure that we have the best experience possible."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Destiny is an always-online game, and Parsons did not rule out the possibility of some level of launch issues. But overall, he expects the game's release to go off largely without a hitch, thanks in part to Bungie having numerous "safeguards" in place.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I think we have to ultimately see what happens, but we have every expectation of from moment one, having a great experience, and when things happen, whether it's with us or the Internet, we have things in place," Parsons said. "There's elegance in what we do so we have plenty of safeguards for this."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Bungie's statement of assurance comes after other high-profile games--like <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/simcity/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/simcity/">SimCity</a>, <a href="/battlefield-4/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/battlefield-4/">Battlefield 4</a>, and <a href="/diablo-iii/" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="/diablo-iii/">Diablo III</a>--all faced issues at launch, some of which prevented people from playing entirely.</p><p style="">The Destiny alpha on PlayStation 4 <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/6-5-million-games-were-played-during-destiny-alpha/1100-6420682/" data-ref-id="6-5" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/6-5-million-games-were-played-during-destiny-alpha/1100-6420682/">wrapped up earlier this month</a>, and a beta will be held first on PlayStation 3 and PS4<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-destiny-beta-kicks-off-july-17-first-on-ps3-ps4/1100-6420271/" data-ref-id="1100-6420271" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-destiny-beta-kicks-off-july-17-first-on-ps3-ps4/1100-6420271/"> starting July 17</a>, before coming to other platforms later. The full game launches <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-announces-destiny-release-date-delays-beta/1100-6416594/" data-ref-id="1100-6416594" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-announces-destiny-release-date-delays-beta/1100-6416594/">September 9 </a>across all platforms. There's even a possibility that PS4s sold at retail this year will <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4s-could-be-sold-with-destiny-and-diablo-iii-preloaded-says-analyst/1100-6420517/" data-ref-id="1100-6420517" data-mce-href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4s-could-be-sold-with-destiny-and-diablo-iii-preloaded-says-analyst/1100-6420517/">come bundled with a copy of the game</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true" class="mceItemTable"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false" data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow" data-mce-href="mailto:news@gamespot.com">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table><p style=""><br /></p> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:06:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-optimistic-that-destiny-s-launch-will-go-smoothly/1100-6420696/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/grid-autosport-review/1900-6415799/ <p style="">The tone has changed with Grid Autosport. Gone is the raucous, obtrusive, personality-sapping hullabaloo of the poorly conceived and painfully stereotypical "dude bro" aesthetic that characterised <a href="/grid-2/" data-ref-id="false">Grid 2</a>, replaced by something altogether more subtle. Here's a game that simply asks: what kind of racing driver do you want to be? There's no overarching narrative here, no attempt to coat Career mode in the kind of shallow, scrawny narrative that even the writers of <i>Jack Reacher</i> would be embarrassed to publish. Autosport is about the cars, the tracks, and the opponents.</p><p style="">To that end, variety and choice are placed front and centre right from the off. As with previous Grid games' Career modes, Autosport's brings together a disparate mix of event types under a single umbrella, giving you plenty of options for reaching professional racing stardom. Touring car events, street races, nighttime endurance slogs, time trial runs, and showboating drift sessions are all here and waiting to be conquered; the frequency with which you partake in any given event comes down to how you're feeling at the time.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576672-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576672" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576672-0001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576672"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2576672-0001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Touring car events is where Grid Autosport is at its best, the responsive handling and aggressive AI making for dramatic races.</figcaption></figure><p style="">These event types are split into five distinct categories that are progressed through independently of one another. The touring discipline is defined by wheel-to-wheel racing, with cars bumping into each other regularly as they attempt to race three abreast around a corner. Endurance sees you racing at night in longer races that force you to look after your tyres. Open-wheel places you in what are essentially underpowered Formula One cars (think Formula Three and Formula Renault). Tuner focuses on high-powered Japanese imports and American muscle, while street events take place on fictional circuits around famous cities.</p><p style="">At the start of each season within Career mode, you're asked to pick a discipline. Once you've completed that season, you can move on to a new discipline or stick with the same one. The promise is that once you've experienced each of the different categories, you can specialise in a single one and dedicate yourself to fully mastering it. However, doing so restricts your ability to partake in the game's most prestigious competitions.</p><blockquote data-size="small" data-align="left"><p style="">Gone is the raucous, obtrusive, personality-sapping hullabaloo of the poorly conceived and painfully stereotypical "dude bro" aesthetic that characterised Grid 2.</p></blockquote><p style="">You gain experience points for each discipline independently, but only once you've hit a certain level in all of them can you enter the Grid Championship Series events. Unfortunately, this means that in Career mode, you can't opt to play Autosport as just a street racing game or a touring car game--you must indulge in all of the career's facets at some point in order to beat it. The championship events themselves cover all of the included disciplines, so not being suitably practiced in each is a major disadvantage.</p><p style="">This represents a problem. With so many different car and race types on offer, there are sure to be one or two that you don't enjoy. Personally, I'm not a fan of the fiddly drift events or the awkward handling of the American muscle cars, but there's no way to avoid engaging with them if I want to enter and win the championship races. Portions of play, therefore, become a grind. You undertake seasons that you actually want to play, followed by working out the fastest way to level up in the events you don't like in order to unlock new content as quickly as possible.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576738-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576738" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576738-0002.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576738"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2576738-0002.jpg"></a><figcaption>Open-wheel races require more patience on the throttle and more discipline in sticking to the racing line. </figcaption></figure><p style="">As a general rule, the fastest way to earn experience points is to increase the difficulty. Setting the AI on hard, removing the racing line from the track, turning off traction control and forcing yourself to play using only the in-car cockpit cameras sees your level rise rapidly. Conversely, if you're new to racing games, then you'll want to play with assists on full (in particular, I recommended cosmetic car damage) in order to finish in a respectable position. Finishing first on the easiest difficulty settings earns you more points than finishing last using the most testing, after all.</p><p style="">No matter the difficulty setting, however, you must be open to learning how cars operate within the different disciplines. Touring cars tend to be extremely forgiving, reasonably withstanding knocks with opponents and barriers, and they let you brake late into corners and even perform small drifts without losing too much speed. In contrast, open-wheeled vehicles require more precision, because it's far easier to lose control by applying too much power too early when exiting a corner, while their more fragile chassis often mean bumps are terminal.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="small"><p style="">You undertake seasons that you actually want to play, followed by working out the fastest way to level up in the events you don't like in order to unlock new content as quickly as possible.</p></blockquote><p style="">Make no mistake about it, though: Autosport is not a simulation racer. None of the disciplines require an enormous amount of work to get to grips with, making the game genuinely accessible and fairly simple for veteran racing game players to surmount. In particular, braking and handling are more responsive than you would expect from a real car.</p><p style="">The AI drivers feel human and diverse. Drivers have different personalities; some are daring and liable to attempt risky overtaking moves, while others drive in a more conservative manner until they've got open road in front of them. Resultantly, Autosport never suffers from a lack of drama. Almost every race sees cars hitting one another and reacting to unpredictable maneuvers, adding a sense of exaggerated tension, because you never quite know when and from where the next danger might come.</p><p style="">For touring car and street races, the AI's approach works great, making the two disciplines the most endearing and memorable of the bunch since cars are usually tightly grouped and tussling for position from start to finish. Unfortunately, for open-wheeled and endurance events, the AI is less impressive. The AI doesn't react differently across the disciplines, making races requiring finesse and precision instead feel messy. In one instance, I had to restart the same open-wheel race eight times (no exaggeration) because there was, without fail, a multiple-car pileup on the first corner thanks to one or more drivers acting too aggressively.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576741-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576741" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2576741-0003.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576741"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/416/4161502/2576741-0003.jpg"></a><figcaption>In order to master drift events, you must get to grips with cars that are extremely twitchy, the backend flying out wildly at the slightest opportunity. </figcaption></figure><p style="">In the end, I decided that the only option was to hang back and drive across the grass to avoid trouble, losing time on the leaders but keeping my car intact. Stronger AI could have provided a more realistic front for the technical disciplines, and would have helped make each event feel more unique, limiting the instances such as this in which it's almost impossible to continue to suspend your disbelief.</p><p style="">This failing is possibly a byproduct of Autosport's exhaustive approach. There are a number of nice extra features that similar games have shied away from: split-screen multiplayer, for example, and an online component that is entirely separate from the single-player, which means there are essentially two games to progress through. Play it for a few hours, and the cracks begin to show, though. They're not game-breaking, but they are abrasive, and they dull the shine of the early portions of the game. If you're up for some casual racing, Autosport is a decent option, but when you go deep, the experience is soured by the finer details.</p> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/grid-autosport-review/1900-6415799/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-explains-why-there-s-no-battlefield-bad-company-3-yet/1100-6420695/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2577030-badcompany2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2577030" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2577030-badcompany2.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2577030"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2577030-badcompany2.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/battlefield-hardline/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield </a>series developer DICE knows some fans want the Swedish studio to return to the Battlefield: Bad Company series, but doing so is somewhat of a tricky task, according to studio head Karl-Magnus Troedsson. "There were some people who were saying, 'why are you building [<a href="/battlefield-hardline/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield Hardline</a>]? You should build Bad Company 3 instead," he told <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-24-dice-ponders-what-did-people-really-like-about-battlefield-bad-company" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Eurogamer</a> in a new interview.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The most recent entry in the Bad Company series--2010's <a href="/battlefield-bad-company-2/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield: Bad Company 2</a>--sold <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-posts-loss-medal-of-honor-sells-2-million/1100-6283440/" data-ref-id="1100-6283440">nearly six million units</a>. But despite this apparent success, Troedsson says DICE isn't quite sure what gamers really enjoyed about the game, which means making a sequel becomes difficult.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We take all this into account when we think about the future, and do franchise strategy," Troedsson said. "But there's one thing that lingers with Bad Company that we've been asking ourselves: 'What is it that the people really liked about Bad Company?'"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot praised both <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-bad-company/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield: Bad Company (2008) </a>and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-bad-company-2/reviews/" data-ref-id="false">Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (2010)</a>, lauding the games for their excellent campaign and multiplayer modes. And we weren't alone. Both titles are currently <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/battlefield-bad-company-2" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">scored at</a> <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/battlefield-bad-company" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">80+</a> on GameSpot sister site Metacritic.</p><blockquote data-align="left"><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's scary to go back and try to remake an old fan favorite when actually no one can really put their finger on what it is people love" -- Karl-Magnus Troedsson</p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="">So why hasn't DICE turned around and made another entry in the series? Troedsson went back to what he said before, explaining that it's hard to say just what people enjoyed about the first games.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Some people say they found the multiplayer controls faster and more direct," he said. "Some people liked the single-player and the characters and the humor. People love different things about it. It's starting to almost get to that place where, if we were to make a sequel to Bad Company, what would than even imply?"</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's scary to go back and try to remake an old fan favorite when actually no one can really put their finger on what it is people love," he added. "Bringing back the characters and creating a great single-player out of that, sure, I can understand that."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">This is also true for the multiplayer mode, Troedsson said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"But some people say this: the Bad Company 2 multiplayer is the best you've ever done. Okay, why is that? It's hard for people to articulate what that is, which is actually hard for us," he said. "It would be hard to remake something like that. Can we do it? Of course. We have our theories when it comes to the multiplayer."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Finally, Troedsson made it clear that the Battlefield: Bad Company franchise is one that DICE holds "very near and dear." He went on to point out that just because we haven't seen the franchise in four years and there's no immediate plans about its return, that doesn't mean the franchise is going away forever.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"It's never dead," he said. "You can always revive it, as with any TV series, movie, or IP. It's going to come down to, if people really want it and if a team inside my group really wants to build it, then sure."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 06:29:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dice-explains-why-there-s-no-battlefield-bad-company-3-yet/1100-6420695/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battlefield-hardline-ea-ufc-fifa-world-cup-brazil-/2300-6419873/ The Lobby returns after our crazy week at E3 to bring you the Battlefield: Hardline Beta, EA Sports UFC and FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014! Join us in the comments, to talk about the news, new releases and all sorts of fun. Tue, 24 Jun 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/battlefield-hardline-ea-ufc-fifa-world-cup-brazil-/2300-6419873/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/far-cry-3-the-shaun-method/2300-6419872/ Danny subs in for Shaun today as he explores the world of Far Cry 3. And there are tigers. FREAKING TIGERS. Tue, 24 Jun 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/far-cry-3-the-shaun-method/2300-6419872/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-first-person-gta-5-looks-like-this/1100-6420694/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JoM6pJylrs" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2F7JoM6pJylrs%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7JoM6pJylrs&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F7JoM6pJylrs%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> Rockstar Games' acclaimed open-world game <a href="/grand-theft-auto-v/" data-ref-id="false">Grand Theft Auto V</a> is a third-person game, but what would it look like if you controlled Michael, Trevor, and Franklin from a first-person perspective? Now we know, thanks to YouTube user <a href="http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8bvwgA8s0g8oPK2gtjodbA" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">XBLToothPik </a>(via <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-24-modder-makes-console-gta-5-a-first-person-game" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="2014-06">Eurogamer</a>), who has published a pair of videos (above and below) showing the familiar world of Los Santos from an entirely new perspective.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Using a modded Xbox 360, XBLToothPik made use of a script to change the perspective. It's a bit rough. But if you've ever wondered what walking the streets of Los Santos or piloting a plane above the mountains of Blaine County looks like from a first-person perspective, here's your chance. You can also imagine the possibility for virtual reality.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">With GTA V<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-gta-5-for-xbox-ps4-pc-has-increased-draw-distances-better-resolution-new-wildlife/1100-6420302/" data-ref-id="1100-6420302"> coming to PC later this year</a>, you can expect the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-4-gets-flappy-bird-mod/1100-6418011/" data-ref-id="1100-6418011">modding community</a> to have a field day with unique and imaginative mods--just <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-4-gets-flappy-bird-mod/1100-6418011/" data-ref-id="1100-6418011">like it did for Grand Theft Auto IV</a>. There's no word yet on when specifically this fall the PC version--or <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-gta-5-for-xbox-ps4-pc-has-increased-draw-distances-better-resolution-new-wildlife/1100-6420302/" data-ref-id="1100-6420302">Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions</a> for that matter--will be released.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3V3pnAYcjI" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2Fo3V3pnAYcjI%3Fwmode%3Dopaque%26feature%3Doembed&wmode=opaque&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Do3V3pnAYcjI&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fo3V3pnAYcjI%2Fhqdefault.jpg&key=6efca6e5ad9640f180f14146a0bc1392&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 05:53:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-first-person-gta-5-looks-like-this/1100-6420694/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-rockets-past-47-million-in-funding-how-high-can-it-go/1100-6420693/ <p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576999-star.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576999" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576999-star.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576999"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2576999-star.jpg"></a></figure><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="/star-citizen/" data-ref-id="false">Star Citizen</a>, the PC space sim from <a href="/wing-commander/" data-ref-id="false">Wing Commander </a>creator Chris Roberts, continues its ascent into the crowdfunding record books. The game, which is already the <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-the-top-crowdfunded-project-of-all-time/1100-6410717/" data-ref-id="1100-6410717">most successful crowdfunded project of any kind in history</a>, has now reached $47 million in total funding, which is <a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13944-Letter-From-The-Chairman-46-Million" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">up from $46 million just two weeks ago</a>. To put that figure into context, Double Fine spent about half that--<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/brutal-legend-2-i-would-love-to-go-back-there-tim-schafer-says/1100-6417258/" data-ref-id="1100-6417258">$25 million</a>--to make 2009 action game <a href="/brutal-legend/" data-ref-id="false">Brutal Legend</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As always, thank you for your incredible support," Roberts said in a<a href="https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13971-Letter-From-The-Chairman-47-Million" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> post on the game's website</a>. "We're working hard to make Star Citizen a truly special game." Total funding currently stands at $47,058,621 from 486,748 total backers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Now that funding has reached $47 million, backers have unlocked the latest player-voted perk, the Engine Tuning Kit. This virtual toolkit includes "everything the fledgling engineer needs to take a deeper look into the mechanics of their engine." This includes a Tap Analyzer that lets you view your engine's current output, as well as a 38-piece omnitool.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Looking ahead, Star Citizen will continue to receive player-voted reward items, but only barely. Developer Cloud Imperium Games held a vote to see if player-voted bonuses should continue, and 54 percent of backers said they wanted to see the system carry forward. "And we're going to honor that choice," Roberts said.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Should funding reach $49 million, Star Citizen backers will receive the Xi'An Space Plant, which is described as being similar to a bonsai tree. More than <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-hires-director-of-persistent-universe/1100-6420648/" data-ref-id="1100-6420648">250 people </a>are currently working on Star Citizen, and Cloud Imperium Games<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-hires-director-of-persistent-universe/1100-6420648/" data-ref-id="1100-6420648"> recently hired someone </a>to fill the role of Director of Persistent Universe.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 05:29:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-citizen-rockets-past-47-million-in-funding-how-high-can-it-go/1100-6420693/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/david-hayter-says-he-has-no-role-whatsoever-in-metal-gear-solid-5/1100-6420692/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2560147-mgsvtpp_e3_game_08_web.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560147" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2560147-mgsvtpp_e3_game_08_web.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2560147"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1197/11970954/2560147-mgsvtpp_e3_game_08_web.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Ever since it was announced that <em>24 </em>actor <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kiefer-sutherland-confirmed-as-snake-in-metal-gear-solid-v/1100-6409372/" data-ref-id="1100-6409372">Kiefer Sutherland</a>--not <a href="http://www.david-hayter.com/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">longtime voice actor David Hayter</a>--would play the role of Snake in <a href="/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V</a>, some fans have continued to wonder if someway, somehow Hayter would still appear in the game. Hayter now says it's not going to happen.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Guys, for the millionth--and last--time. I am not in Metal Gear V," Hayter <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidBHayter/status/481168035235913728" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">said on Twitter</a>. "In any way. At all. No joke. Just not. True story."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Explaining the decision to go with a new actor--Sutherland--over Hayter, Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/david-hayter-says-he-wasnt-asked-to-voice-mgsv/1100-6406093/" data-ref-id="1100-6406093">said in March 2013</a> that, "It's a new type of Metal Gear game and we wanted to have this reflected in the voice actor as well."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">In addition to playing Snake and Big Boss in the Metal Gear Solid series, Hayter wrote the screenplays for movies like<em> X-Men</em>, <em>The Scorpion King</em>, and <em>Watchmen</em>.</p><p style=""><a href="/metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes </a>launched in March 2014. It serves as somewhat of a prologue to the upcoming open-world/sandbox game <a href="/metal-gear-solid-v-the-phantom-pain/" data-ref-id="false">Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain</a>, which is reportedly<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima-metal-gear-solid-5-is-200x-bigger-than-ground-zeroes/1100-6420131/" data-ref-id="1100-6420131"> 200 times larger than Ground Zeroes</a>. Publisher Konami recently published a 30-minute gameplay demo that you can <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/watch-30-minutes-of-metal-gear-solid-5-gameplay-on-ps4/1100-6420591/" data-ref-id="1100-6420591">watch right now</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 04:59:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/david-hayter-says-he-has-no-role-whatsoever-in-metal-gear-solid-5/1100-6420692/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-ps4-hardware-bundle-spotted/1100-6420691/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576986-tloups4bundle.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576986" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576986-tloups4bundle.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576986"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2576986-tloups4bundle.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/amazon-lists-gta-5-for-pc/1100-6417251/" data-ref-id="1100-6417251">often-leaky Amazon France</a> has <a href="http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00L32A7W0/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">posted a product page</a> (via <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/469282/the-last-of-us-remastered-ps4-hardware-bundle-spotted/" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">CVG</a>) for an unannounced <a href="/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a> PlayStation 4 bundle that is to include a copy of The Last of Us Remastered, a 500GB black system, and a controller. The listing says the bundle will go on sale July 30 for €429 (~$585).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">At E3, Sony announced that The Last of Us Remastered would <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-the-last-of-us-ps4-launching-july-29/1100-6420290/" data-ref-id="1100-6420290">launch on July 29</a>, though there was no mention of this hardware bundle at the time. For now, though this bundle would seem to make a lot of sense, best to consider this a rumor until we hear directly from Sony about it.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The Last of Us Remastered runs in 1080p, features higher resolution character models, as well as improved shadows and lighting. The bundle also includes DLC, director's commentary, and special interviews with voice actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie).</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The game was originally expected to sell for $60, but Sony just this weekend <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-drops-the-last-of-us-ps4-price-by-10-will-refund-difference-on-pre-orders/1100-6420656/" data-ref-id="1100-6420656">announced a $10 price drop</a>, meaning it will now be sold for $50. If you already preordered, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-drops-the-last-of-us-ps4-price-by-10-will-refund-difference-on-pre-orders/1100-6420656/" data-ref-id="1100-6420656">you can get a refund</a>.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 04:41:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-last-of-us-ps4-hardware-bundle-spotted/1100-6420691/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-has-surgery-to-remove-bile-duct-growth/1100-6420690/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576983-iwata.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576983" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1179/11799911/2576983-iwata.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2576983"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/1179/11799911/2576983-iwata.jpg"></a></figure><p style=""> </p><p dir="ltr" style="">The nature of Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-not-coming-to-e3-on-doctor-s-advice/1100-6420132/" data-ref-id="1100-6420132">health issue</a> is now known. In a <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/stock/meeting/140627/index.html" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">post on the company's website today</a>, Iwata revealed that he recently underwent surgery to remove a "bile duct growth," and that as a result, he'll need to miss this month's annual shareholders meeting.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"Recently, as the result of one of my routine physical examinations, an issue was detected. Following a more detailed examination, a growth was found in my bile duct," Iwata said. "In general, it is said that a bile duct growth can be difficult-to-treat, partly because of the difficulty of detecting it early. In my case, luckily, it was detected very early and I had no symptoms."</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"I was counseled that removal at an early stage would be the desirable medical option. Therefore I had surgery last week, and I came through it well, as predicted," he added.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Iwata has already resumed working by email and "other means," he said. However, it's going to take "a little more time" until he is able to return to his normal work schedule, he said. He's <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-not-coming-to-e3-on-doctor-s-advice/1100-6420132/" data-ref-id="1100-6420132">already missed E3</a>, and he won't be able to attend this month's shareholder meeting either.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"As the president of the company, I regret that I cannot attend the meeting," Iwata said. "However, I understand that I have to prioritize my medical treatment and to recover as soon as possible so that I will again be able to do my best to help the company to grow. I hope that you understand."</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on<a href="https://twitter.com/EddieMakuch" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false"> Twitter @EddieMakuch</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Tue, 24 Jun 2014 04:25:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-president-has-surgery-to-remove-bile-duct-growth/1100-6420690/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-iii-auction-house-will-be-completely-gone-on-june-24/1100-6420689/ <p style=""> </p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/0/1/1/2043011-704530_20130611_008.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2043011" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/3/0/1/1/2043011-704530_20130611_008.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2043011"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/mig/3/0/1/1/2043011-704530_20130611_008.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Auction house users on <a href="/diablo-iii/" data-ref-id="false">Diablo III</a> don't have much longer to retrieve gold and real-money resulting from their transactions. The in-game auction house will be gone for good tomorrow, <a href="http://us.battle.net//d3/en/blog/14510012" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Blizzard </a>has reminded players.</p><p style="">While Blizzard had shut down <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-pulls-the-plug-on-diablo-3-s-infamous-auction-house/1100-6418372/" data-ref-id="1100-6418372">auction house functionality in March this year</a>, players were still able to retrieve unclaimed items or gold from the "Completed" tab in-game. That is, until the auction house window is removed from game for good.</p><p style="">Players who wish to pick up their unclaimed earnings can do so in-game by clicking on the standard gavel icon and selecting one of the two auction houses, gold or real-money, followed by accessing the Completed tab. Up to 50 items can be displayed at once in the Completed tab, with remaining items stored in the "backlog". Backlog items will resurface as space is made by the player.</p><p style="">Blizzard recently announced at the Sony E3 press conference new enemies from <a href="/the-last-of-us/" data-ref-id="false">The Last of Us</a> in a <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-last-of-us-infected-coming-to-diablo-iii-ultimate-evil-edition/1100-6420279/" data-ref-id="1100-6420279">PS4- and PS3-exclusive Diablo III dungeon</a>. Including the base game and the Reaper of Souls expansion, Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition will launch on August 19 for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.</p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Zorine Te is an associate editor at GameSpot, and you can follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/ztharli" rel="nofollow" data-ref-id="false">Twitter @ztharli</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong><em>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email <a href="mailto:news@gamespot.com" rel="nofollow">news@gamespot.com</a></em></strong></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 21:28:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/diablo-iii-auction-house-will-be-completely-gone-on-june-24/1100-6420689/ http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-promises-next-city-building-pc-game-settlers-will-offer-a-new-game-experience/1100-6420688/ <div data-embed-type="video" data-src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNljxdmtNYQ" data-width="100%" data-height="100%" data-ref-id="2300-6419856"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419856/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""><a href="/companies/ubisoft/" data-ref-id="false">Ubisoft</a> has announced The Settlers: Kingdoms of Anteria, the next entry in the long-running real-time strategy Settlers series. Today, developer <a href="/companies/blue-byte/" data-ref-id="false">Blue Byte</a> and Ubisoft published a short teaser trailer revealing the game.</p><p style="">Although very little information is given in the trailer, the game will focus on city-building and real-time strategy. The cinematic trailer highlights heavily armored and armed hero-like characters fighting monsters and settling land. Although all of the games in the series have featured RTS elements, the developer promises that this title "will provide a completely new game experience by combining city-building and real-time strategy action." What exactly this entails is unknown at this time.</p><p style="">Ubisoft also explains that in Kingdoms of Anteria, "you will build up a prosperous economy and lead your champion through dangerous adventures in order to create a wealthy, bustling and glorious kingdom."</p><p style="">Blue Byte is also taking a very different path to creating this game than it did to develop past titles. "By reinventing our approach to the franchise, The Settlers: Kingdoms of Anteria offers players a brand new experience full of new possibilities to explore," director of product development Christopher Schmitz said.</p><p style="">The game launches in 2014 for <a href="/pc/" data-ref-id="false">PC</a>, but Ubisoft and Blue Byte have not announced a specific release date yet. </p><table data-max-width="true"><thead><tr><th scope="col"><em>Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/alexbnewhouse" rel="nofollow">Twitter @alexbnewhouse</a></em></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><em><strong>Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com</strong></em></td></tr></tbody></table> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-promises-next-city-building-pc-game-settlers-will-offer-a-new-game-experience/1100-6420688/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-elder-scrolls-online-review-familiar-world-str/1900-6415797/ <p style="">As a fan of role-playing games and open-world sandboxes, I've long held a special place in my heart for the Elder Scrolls franchise. Since I was first introduced to the series with <a href="/the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind/" data-ref-id="false">Morrowind</a> back in 2002, I've spent countless hours exploring Bethesda's immense fantasy worlds in search of loot, adventure, and gorgeous views of the surrounding landscapes. It's that love for the series that inspired me to spend time with The Elder Scrolls Online despite one very embarrassing shortcoming in my gaming career: I had never played a massively multiplayer online game before, or at least not for any significant length of time.</p><p style="">I honestly couldn't tell you why that was. There's nothing about MMO games that I necessarily dislike; I just tend to prefer the freedom of solo adventuring over group raids and guild life. But I'm happy that I gave the genre a shot, because after 40 or so hours in The Elder Scrolls Online, I rather liked--though not exactly <i>loved</i>--my time with the game.</p><p style="">Much of that appreciation stems from the overall feel of the world. The Elder Scrolls Online does a great job of capturing the joy of existing within Tamriel, all those sights and sounds that make up a vibrant fantasy setting. My journey began on the bustling medieval streets of Daggerfall, though I quickly found myself exploring the windswept sand dunes of Stros M'Kai, the eerie swampland of the Glenumbra Moors, and the picturesque coastline of Stormhaven. And those are just some of the early-level areas. Even as I proceeded across the world map toward more challenging sections of Tamriel, I always felt like there was some fresh chunk of terrain to explore or some beautiful vista to take in.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6419866" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6419866/" width="100%" height="100%" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p style=""> </p><p style="">The Elder Scrolls Online goes out of its way to immerse you in its world. It's not just the geographical diversity, either. A lush soundtrack provides a stirring backdrop to your adventuring, and a fully voiced collection of non-player characters bring each city and backwater hamlet to life. Sure, there are echoes of <a href="/the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/" data-ref-id="false">Oblivion</a> in the repetition of voice actors, and the dialogue can feel a bit wooden at times, but the overall presentation goes a long way toward delivering a world full of characters rather than quest-giving cardboard cutouts.</p><blockquote data-align="right" data-size="medium"><p style="">The Elder Scrolls Online does a great job of capturing the joy of existing within Tamriel, all those sights and sounds that make up a vibrant fantasy setting.</p></blockquote><p style="">And yet, throughout all my travels, I always felt a vague longing for the serendipitous discoveries of earlier Elder Scrolls games. Enemies always respawn in the same place, and there are no hidden cabins full of clutter to rummage through, no armor waiting to be discovered at the bottom of some lake--this just isn't a game that gives you much of a reason to wander off the beaten path.</p><p style="">That's something that took a while for me to come to terms with. The unpredictable exploration of Elder Scrolls games has always been one of my favorite trademarks of the series. The Elder Scrolls Online does give you plenty of interesting enemies to tangle with and the occasional treasure chest to happen upon, but compared to a game like <a href="/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/" data-ref-id="false">Skyrim</a> with all its environmental storytelling and unpredictable encounters, the world feels static. It's a beautiful place, but a sterile one.</p><p style="">So while I struggled to create my own adventures, The Elder Scrolls Online had plenty of its own exciting tales to tell. Rarely do its quests feel like tedious fluff; quite often, you're asked to navigate labyrinthine stories of backstabbing and political intrigue, fantastical creatures and bloodthirsty cultists, or cursed souls and tormented dreamworlds. What makes these quests interesting is that they're often complex, multipart sagas. You might take on the task of rescuing a kidnapped duke only to find yourself embarking on a murder mystery involving scheming werewolves, supernatural rituals, and the ripple effects of time travel.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575517-screenshot_20140426_153015.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575517" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575517-screenshot_20140426_153015.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575517"><img src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/642/6422750/2575517-screenshot_20140426_153015.png"></a><figcaption>The main storyline is a bit of a mess, but it provides some lovely backdrops.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The best quests are the ones that use <i>just </i>enough of the series' established lore to paint a vivid picture of the task at hand, though there are some--like the messy and ultimately forgettable main storyline--that tend to resemble overzealous fan fiction. But such missteps are infrequent and easy to forgive; for the most part, The Elder Scrolls Online delivers a broad and engaging collection of tales that mesh nicely with its fantasy landscape.</p><p style="">If only they meshed better with the game's fundamental structure. I lost track of how many times I was called upon to perform the esoteric tasks necessary to unseal some long-forgotten chamber, only to discover a parade of player-controlled characters already running about within. These are moments when the quest design and multiplayer nature of the game butt heads, taking any sense of immersion the game might have established and hurling it out the window.</p><p style="">It's a shame, because there are some good group quests available in The Elder Scrolls Online--they're just more the exception than the rule. Some of the most fun I had in the game was teaming up with a group of strangers to make it through the harrowing gauntlet known as Spindleclutch, a creepy dungeon with a relentless assault of arachnid enemies and one very imposing boss fight. But it's rare that The Elder Scrolls Online takes full advantage of its multiplayer structure. Most of my interactions with other players were simply running by them out in the wild, like two ships passing in the night who might occasionally team up to kill a trio of bandits.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575524-screenshot_20140621_162624.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575524" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575524-screenshot_20140621_162624.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575524"><img src="http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/642/6422750/2575524-screenshot_20140621_162624.png"></a><figcaption>There are some lovely sights to behold out in the wild.</figcaption></figure><p style="">There is a guild system, of course, but in my experience it felt more useful as an economic tool than a means for players to come together as a team. With no auction house, guilds are what allow you to trade items with one another. As a result, you tend to see a lot of guilds that players have forgotten about once their barter is complete--making it tough to find the truly active ones.</p><blockquote data-align="left" data-size="medium"><p style="">It's rare that The Elder Scrolls Online takes full advantage of its multiplayer structure.</p></blockquote><p style="">And so, without much of a meaningful connection to the player population around me, I often found myself defaulting to my old Elder Scrolls ways of wandering alone like some wayward ronin. But don't pity me too much. I was perfectly happy to keep plugging away, leveling up my dragonknight one quest at a time. The Elder Scrolls Online gives you a deep and flexible progression system, one that allows you to tinker around with different builds without ever feeling like you've completely pigeonholed yourself. After beginning the game as a brutish damage-sponge of a tank, I found myself gravitating toward more of a hybrid role where I balanced my sword-and-shield tactics with elemental spells and defensive powers. With a broad selection of active and passive abilities--the former of which can evolve in interesting ways as you level them up--there's a lot of room to mess around with your chosen style.</p><p style="">Those abilities go a long way toward enhancing the combat, which at its core is nothing remarkable. Sure, I enjoyed using my shield bash to stun an enemy mid-cast so that I could knock him to the ground with a powerful heavy attack. But most melee strikes feel limp and sluggish. Layer in those abilities, though, and battles feel a little more lively. I never tired of seeing flaming spikes burst from my character's back as I triggered my razor armor ability, then closing the gap on a distant foe by dashing toward him with a quick and devastating shield charge. Factor in the game's propensity for generous and meaningful loot drops, and I rarely skipped the chance to take on some new group of enemies.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575522-screenshot_20140429_205241.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575522" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575522-screenshot_20140429_205241.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575522"><img src="http://static3.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_medium/642/6422750/2575522-screenshot_20140429_205241.png"></a><figcaption>Fully voiced NPCs add a lot of immersion, even if you tend to hear the same people over and over.</figcaption></figure><p style="">So most of my enjoyment with The Elder Scrolls Online came not from its MMO structure, but from its decent approximation of the games that came before it--that sense of wayward adventure, of gazing out at beautiful landscapes as you explore a lively fantasy world. But for as much as it struggles to reconcile its single-player heritage and multiplayer ambitions, there is one area that makes an awfully convincing argument for its status as an MMO game, and that's player-versus-player combat.</p><p style="">Having never spent any significant amount of time with an MMO before, I went into The Elder Scrolls Online's PvP expecting some form of arena combat--perhaps a matchmaking system that pitted a handful of players from the Daggerfall Covenant against another handful from the Ebonheart Pact. What I found was something much more complex and fascinating.</p><p style="">PvP in The Elder Scrolls Online turns the whole of Cyrodiil into one great big board game, a giant web full of keeps and strongholds that you are constantly fighting for control over. There are resources to consider, siege weapons to employ, and all manner of strategic possibilities. It's a great showcase for the game's combat, which becomes much more exciting when you're pairing complementary abilities together as a team.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575525-screenshot_20140622_181119.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575525" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/642/6422750/2575525-screenshot_20140622_181119.png" data-ref-id="1300-2575525"><img src="http://static4.gamespot.com/uploads/ignore_jpg_scale_super/642/6422750/2575525-screenshot_20140622_181119.png"></a><figcaption>Dark Anchor events are a neat concept for drawing players together, but it's far too easy for players to steamroll each wave of enemies.</figcaption></figure><p style="">But there is one flaw to the scope of the PvP, which is that the map is too big for its own good. Combat was exciting when I could get to it, but I found myself spending the vast majority of my time simply getting from one place to another. I can handle and even enjoy riding around on horseback for 10 straight minutes while questing, but when I'm doing it over and over again each time I die in a pitched multiplayer battle, it becomes tedious.</p><p style="">And that's The Elder Scrolls Online right there: a game that does a lot of things well, but stumbles to get the most out of them. In the end, I was happy to spend time in this version of Tamriel, but it just wasn't the gateway into the MMO genre that I hoped it would be.</p> Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:03:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-elder-scrolls-online-review-familiar-world-str/1900-6415797/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-ultimate-horror-game-and-manbearpig-in-dreadou/2300-6419877/ Jess and Zorine crack into the scariest game they've ever played on House of Horrors and take it all the way to the end. How will they fare? Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-ultimate-horror-game-and-manbearpig-in-dreadou/2300-6419877/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-ultimate-horror-game-and-manbearpig-in-dreadou/2300-6419871/ Jess and Zorine crack into the scariest game they've ever played on House of Horrors and take it all the way to the end. How will they fare? Mon, 23 Jun 2014 16:31:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-ultimate-horror-game-and-manbearpig-in-dreadou/2300-6419871/
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