Polygon has a fantastic write-up about Alien: Isolation, a first person horror attempt at bringing the Alien franchise back to its roots. While most games try to emulate the space marines feel of James Cameron flick, Isolation plays with your expectations and pits you against one single-minded killing xenomorph.
I will never play this game because I am a wuss, but it sounds awesome.
Finally.
We’re used to slight slumps in gaming. This hobby is defined by periods of feast or famine, it seems, and it’s just one of those things our gaming tummies have grown accustomed to over the years.
But now spring has arrived, and we’ve got a slew of new titles to nom upon, across a variety of platforms. In particular, my Playstation 4 has been mostly unused for the past month, but now it prepares for a helping of InFamous: Second Son, set to arrive later this week. Titanfall likewise graces PC and Xbox One, and Dark Souls II comes out for whatever systems people who care about that game own (if you’re confused about my disdain, listen to the podcast). Continue reading GamerSushi Asks: Spring Releases?
When Watch Dogs was delayed last fall shortly before its release date, we were all sad pandas. Back then we didn’t know that Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag would be a rollicking good time, so Ubisoft’s modern-day tale about oppressive surveillance seemed like a sure-fire way to kick off the next gen.
Now here we are in the early months of 2014 and we’ve not only got Watch Dogs’ new release date of May 27, but also an explanation from the team behind it as to why they decided to delay the game. Continue reading Watch Dogs: New Release Date and the Reason for the Delay
Sony officially confirmed today that Amy Hennig, long-time Naughty Dog employee and the creative director and writer of the Uncharted series, has left that studio. Internet scuttlebutt reports that she was “forced out”, which Sony doesn’t comment on.
Over at Gamasutra, Cliffy B says he’ll “never make another disc-based game for the rest of my career” and that developing for PC is “where [he’s] going to wind up”.
Evolve, the up-coming asymmetrical multiplayer shooter from Turtle RockStudios, of Left 4 Dead fame, made a big splash during its Game Informer cover reveal last month. Recently a passel of gaming journalists, such as Kotaku’s Kirk Hamilton, got to check out the game, which is due to launch on the PS4, Xbox One and the PC later this year. Mr. Hamilton compiled six minutes of Evolve footage, so give it a watch.
Evolve looks like a lot of fun, and this video (I prefer text explanations to narration, at least in this case) shed a lot of light on some mechanics of Evolve that I was previously fuzzy on. The only thing I don’t dig about Evolve are the human characters, but that’s a small gripe. So, how is Evolve shaping up for you?
The GamerSushi Show is back for another week, but this time the intrepid boys from the States are hosting a different Canadian: Patrick, friend of the show, joined us this week to try and defend Nintendo against our usual merciless onslaught.
Since Patrick is a long-time friend of Eddy, Jeff and Nick, he fits right in. In fact, you might not even notice that a certain other Canadian is missing. *sniff*
So, if you enjoyed the cast, why not let Patrick know by rating it? Thanks for listening, and see you next time!
0:00 – 9:51 Intro
9:52 – 23:23 Titanfall and EA
23:24 – 29:21 Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes
29:22 – 32:40 Square Enix
32:41 – 40:03 Bravely Default
40:04 – 59:50 Nintendo
59:51 – 1:16:25 GTA 5 and games as cultural events
1:16:26 – 1:18:30 Outro
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS
Hello podcast faithful, it is time for another GamerSushi Show.
I don’t really have that much to say about this cast, because, as you’re about to find out, it was pretty random. After a lengthy intro about the weather, Nick, Jeff and Eddy go off on whatever tangent pleases them at the time. Eddy spends most of the cast trolling Jeff, and the results are fairly hilarious.
So, listen, rate and see you next time!
0:00 – 12:09 Intro
12:10 – 15:55 Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes
15:56 – 22:49 Xbox One
22:50 – 41:24 Titanfall, RPGs, EVE Online, Fucking Dark Souls
41:25 – 43:46 Outro
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS
What ho, podcast faithful! We’re two casts into this new year and 2014 has been kind to us with many topics to converse about. It’s a three-man cast this week as Anthony and myself were off doing secret best-friend stuff (Askarnian handshakes) so Eddy, Jeff and Nick shared the load. Well, Jeff and Nick tried to, but Eddy was dishing out some USDA-choice trolling. Seriously, it’s kind of ridiculous.
There were also some interruptions which I tried to cut around, but you can probably tell at a couple points that “real life” was calling on our intrepid heroes. Anyways, you know what to do, listen, rate and be merry. See you next time!
0:00 – 3:12 Intro
3:13 – 10:54 The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
10:55 – 18:04 Don’t Starve
18:05 – 47:07 Nintendo in trouble and the Wii U’s development
47:08 – 51:24 Joe Staten leaves Bungie
51:25 – 56:10 SimCity’s Offline mode
56:11 – 1:12:19 DayZ and Early Access
1:12:20 – 1:15:13 Outro
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS
We’re sometimes hard on Nintendo around here, but it’s (for the most part) out of love for what Nintendo was and could be. The Wii U, Nintendo’s latest stab at relevance in the gaming world, has been met with a lack of enthusiasm embodied by abysmal sales.
So how does something like this happen? If you’ve ever wanted an inside look at the development process of an entire console, EuroGamer presented the latest in its series, The Secret Developers. The premise of this feature is that developers write candidly and anonymously about particular subjects. This edition of the Secret Developers just happens to focus on the genesis—and troubling development— of the Wii U by a major third party developer.
And it’s certainly…interesting, to say the least. Continue reading Inside Look at Wii U Reveals Development Woes
In the weeks and months after release, EA and Maxis told SimCity customers that an offline version of the game was not a possibility, due to the way the cities were designed to work with one another in a region. Modders quickly cracked that notion wide open, but the developer didn’t say a peep about an offline mode until late last year.
Now, in a sudden reversal, SimCity will finally be available to play offline. Offline mode will be available in Update 10, which is free for all SimCity owners. Since this is coming nearly a year after release, is this a wasted gesture? Sure, offline mode is a nice add but SimCity still has a lot of the problems that plagued it on day one and I’m not sure that offline mode will get disillusioned purchasers back into the game. What do you guys think? Is this enough to get jaded gamers back into SimCity, or is it too little too late?
Loading ...
As the old saying goes, “bigger is better” although in the case of multiplayer shooter games this isn’t always true. While Titanfall may go big in terms of the giant mechs it features, the player count for Respawn and EA’s upcoming sci-fi shooter is a little on the smaller side.
While we’ve know for a while that Titanfall would contain a smaller number of players in matches (the E3 demo had 7 on 7), Respawn founder Vince Zampella confirmed on Twitter that Titanfall matches would max out at 12 humans, so 6 versus 6. The backlash to this news has been kind of over the top, as is the way with the Internet, but is 6v6 really that bad?
Many of the best competitive shooters out there, from Counter-Strike to Halo, have always had smaller matches because with more people things just get a little too hectic. Battlefield is one of the only games to pull this off because that’s their gimmick, but sometimes a full 64 player match can get kinda of crazy. Respawn additionally confirmed that the Titans, while capable of being directly controlled by a player, can also be automated to defend a specific area or follow a person around, so the matches are essentially 12 v 12 with some AI enemies padding things out.
I played Titanfall at PAX Prime 2013 and I honestly didn’t notice that it was a smaller game. With all of the AI enemies constantly dropping in, the action felt fast and frenetic and captured the feeling of being a small part of a larger battle. I’ll wait to actually play the game proper before making my judgement, but given how Titanfall felt at PAX, I imagine 6 v 6 will be just fine.
What do you guys think about this? Did the Internet overreact? Are more players essential, or do you prefer things to be a bit more…intimate?
Source – Vince Zampella Twitter
Not content to just be the creative force behind one of the most successful cooperative gaming series on the market, the makers of Left 4 Dead, Turtle Rock Studios, is at it again with Evolve, their next-gen only asymmetrical co-op shooter.
In Evolve, four human alien-hunter characters will battle against a single player-controlled creature. While that may sound hilariously lopsided at first, the hook of Evolve is that the monster grows larger and more powerful with each match that goes by. Judging by the short snippet from the Game Informer February cover reveal, each human will have their own bag of tricks, but they alien they’re hunting will be more than able to hold its own. It’s a pretty cool competitive twist on the co-op scene, and the fact that its next-gen/PC only means that Turtle Rock will be able to cram in plenty of bells and whistles.
February’s Game Informer will have a bunch more information about Evolve, but for now consider me intrigued. While I never exactly got into Left 4 Dead’s competitive side, Evolve sounds like enough of a different beast that I’d be willing to give it to go. Having an ever-expanding array of powers and abilities as the alien sounds like it might make for some hilarious screaming matches if you’re on the human side of things.
What do you guys think about Evolve? Is your interest piqued?
Source – Game Informer
Hot off the presses at CES in Las Vegas, it sounds like Valve has finally dropped some details about their upcoming foray into home entertainment—the Steam Machine. While the idea of a Valve system that acts as a vehicle for all of your impulse buying—er, I mean, PC gaming—right from your couch might be appealing, the company has had quite a few questions to answer about price, specs and the like.
It seems we’ve finally got those answers. This week, Valve unveiled specs and designs for 14 of its initial run of Steam Machines. The machines cover a range of hardware capabilities, but in my mind, the most interesting thing about them (aside from many of the hideous designs) would be the price points. Continue reading Pixel Count: Is the Steam Machine for You?
Now that 2014 is here in full force, it only makes sense that we bring out our flatfoots of the gaming force to give their opinions of the biggest issues that gaming faced over the last year or so. That’s right, GameCop, LameCop and PsychoCop are back, and ready to hit the mean streets and the slummiest spots in town.
Since you haven’t seen them in some time, here’s how this feature works: GameCop is a sensible gamer, looking out for your best interests. LameCop is your average forum troll, causing havoc for the lulz, while PsychoCop should be locked up for everyone’s safety.
Here’s how they feel about these issues: Continue reading Battle of the GameCops: 2014
Perhaps you’re unaware, but there’s a group of modders working on bringing out a multiplayer mode for Just Cause 2 (with the official blessing of Avalanche, no less). This mod takes the island nation of Panau, where the game is set, and opens it up for hundreds of player to wreck havoc. Just take a look at this launch trailer if you’re having trouble picturing this.
You can grab the Just Cause 2 multiplayer mod on Steam and, in recognition of the launch, Just Cause 2 itself is on sale for 80% off for the next day.
So, has anyone tried out the multiplayer? Are we thinking a GamerSushi Community Night for this?
While the article about this over on Kotaku reports this leak as legitimate, given what happened with Survivor 2299 and the fact that Bethesda has declined to comment, I’m going to firmly declare this as a rumor until we hear something official.
A series of casting documents obtained by Kotaku apparently confirm the existence of a game codenamed Institute (which if you remember from a Fallout 3 sidequest is the in-universe name for what was once MIT), which you might know better by its proper name, Fallout 4. The word Fallout doesn’t appear in any of the scripts, but it points to Fallout 4 being set in Boston, which makes sense given its codename. The casting script also details the opening monologue (in which the classic “war never changes” line is read by the player character instead of series regular Ron Pearlman) and a few side characters such as Sturges who is apparently a cross between Buddy Holly and Vin Diesel.
While I wish Fallout 4 is real as much as the next person, the rash of hoaxes surrounding the next game in the series over the past few months has made me very skeptical. Although I wouldn’t mind a Fallout game set in Boston and centered around the Institute, the information in this casting document, even if it is real, is subject to change so a lot of what is in there might not even be in the final game.
What do you guys think? Is this the real deal, or yet another hoax?
Source – Kotaku
I have to admit, as much as I generally loathe the production of any gaming television that finds itself in the mainstream, it’s still hard not to get excited about them when you know you’ll be seeing all kinds of new reveals and information. This year, Spike’s Video Game Awards show saw a bit of rebranding as VGX, a streaming only, more quiet affair that ditched the dude bro appeal in favor of something resembling, you know, something gamers might actually care about.
Whether they succeeded or not is another question entirely. While I found the show to be passable, there was no doubt the usual Twitter snark directed at Joel McHale, who really looked like he would have rather been anywhere else as he delivered poorly written jokes. Personally, I tuned in for the video reveals and ignored everything else.
And trust me, there were plenty of those to be had. Continue reading The VGX Round-Up
While I’m enjoying Battlefield 4 a lot, I’ll be the first to admit that the game is broken. While DICE has brought out 13 server-side updates and two-client side patches (with more to come) since the October 29 release date, their next-gen shooter is in a sorry state of disrepair.
Even though China Rising just launched this past Tuesday, work on Battlefield 4’s remaining expansions (and other DICE projects, presumably the Mirror’s Edge prequel and Battlefront) have been halted until the majority of the issues with the game have been sorted out. While the previous client-side patch solved the Commander EMP blur effect and the sound bugs on maps like Golmud Railway, there continues to be a large array of problems on every system.
China Rising was apparently too far along to postpone (no word on Second Assault which is an Xbox One timed-exclusive) which is why it stuck to its original release date. DICE recently held a double-EXP event and gave players a 3.4x scope for the 1911 pistol which was formerly a developer-exclusive attachment as a way to make up for the issues that have been plaguing the game.
To editorialize a bit here, I’m a massive Battlefield fan, but the sorry state of Battlefield 4 (and the fact that EA put it on sale for $30 on Black Friday/Cyber Monday) has made me really wary of pre-ordering Battlefield games in the future. I have a huge amount of respect for DICE, but every Battlefield game has been messed up on launch to varying degrees. While DICE has demonstrated that they are working hard on these issues, and postponing work on future projects and DLC is a good move, the fact that we’re over a month after launch and the game is potentially just as, or more, messed up now as it was on day one is a pretty big black mark on their record.
Has anyone else been playing Battlefield 4? What do you think of this move by DICE/EA?
Source – Polygon
You have to admire Valve, they really think out of the box. Between XP, trading cards, everything going on with Dota 2 (thanks Volvo for Diretide), they’re turning Steam into not only the premier digital game delivery service on the Internet, but also some sort of weird crowdsourced laboratory.
Take this recent move as a prime example. Steam users will now be able to leave reviews on games they have launched via Steam (purchase not required) without having to recommend it, which was the previous method of doing user reviews (indeed, any previous recommendations will be upgraded to reviews).
The user reviews will exist alongside the Metacritic scores on Steam. I think this is a really cool move for Steam, and I’m eager to copy/paste some GS reviews in there to see what happens (kidding!). What do you guys think about this? Have you written any reviews yet?
Source – Steam
