GameSpasm

by Joseph Leray

The last time I wrote about "Shelter," the new stealth game about baby badgers from Swedish outfit Might & Delight, I mentioned that I would have a full-on come-apart if any of my cubs were harmed. This is, predictably, exactly what happens in this new gameplay trailer.

"Behold," Might & Magic seem to say. "Behold the dangers that await your precious cete of badgers: starvation, fox attacks, forest fires, the talons of a swooping eagle!" The ESRB warns that this "Shelter" trailer "may contain content inappropriate for children," which is true: watching a badger cub be snatched up by some hungry raptor is the worst thing I've seen all day. Zombies notwithstanding, this is survival horror.

Luckily, our mustelid matriarch has a mean headbutt: smash a tree to make fruit fall out; smash a fox to make him leave your cubs alone.

In any case, nature's cruel indifference to the suffering of cute, squeaky things is the kind of gutpunch that I look for in games, so you better believe I Greenlighted "Shelter" with all deliberate speed.

"Shelter" will be available on Windows and Mac sometime this summer.

[Shelter on Steam Greenlight]

Tags: Indie Games, mac, Might & Delight, NEWS, PC, shelter

by Joseph Leray

One of the attractive things, I think, about 4A Games' "Metro: Last Light" is how different it is from other first-person shooters. Where "Call of Duty" is bombastic and jingoistic, "Metro" is atmospheric, tense, and reserved. It's about hardscrabble refugees instead of over-muscled soldiers, about dire oppression more than empowerment.

"Metro: Last Light" falls in lockstep with its big-budget brethren when it comes to business, though: publisher Deep Silver have announced a crop of downloadable content and a season pass for the recently released title.

“"Artyom’'s story may have been concluded in 'Metro: Last Light,' but there are other characters with stories to tell, some familiar locations that fans of the 'Metro' series wanted to revisit, and some new challenges that 4A wanted to explore,"” said Andrew Prokhorov, Creative Director at 4A Games, in a press release. "“Since completing the game we have been working on these new stories and hope to release them throughout the summer.”"

The first of those new stories will be available next month, in the Faction Pack. I'm sure we'll get more details as June draws near, but here's what we know about "Last Light"'s four planned campaigns, straight from the horse's mouth.

 The ‘Faction Pack’ and the ‘Chronicles Pack’ will include new, original single player gameplay that expands on the "Metro: Last Light" universe and story. The ‘Tower Pack’ will present a unique solo challenge to "Metro" veterans. Meanwhile, the ‘Developer Pack’ will give creative players some interesting tools with which to explore the world of "Metro."

As is the norm now, devoted "Metro" players can pre-buy all of this DLC at a discount if they choose. "Last Light"'s Season Pass will run you $14.99 on Steam and the PlayStation Network  or 1200 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live. It's worth noting that PSN is running a 25% discount on the "Last Light" pass until June 4th.

Lastly, buying the Season Pass also nets you the Abzats, a semi-automatic shotgun that shoots six shells at a time.

The Faction Pack will be out next month, but the controversial Ranger Mode difficulty setting has been available for a princely $5.00 since "Metro: Last Light"'s release earlier this month.

Tags: 4a-games, Deep Silver, DLC, metro last light, NEWS, PC, PS3, season-pass, Xbox 360

by Joseph Leray

One of the attractive things, I think, about 4A Games' "Metro: Last Light" is how different it is from other first-person shooters. Where "Call of Duty" is bombastic and jingoistic, "Metro" is atmospheric, tense, and reserved. It's about hardscrabble refugees instead of over-muscled soldiers, about dire oppression more than empowerment.

"Metro: Last Light" falls in lockstep with its big-budget brethren when it comes to business, though: publisher Deep Silver have announced a crop of downloadable content and a season pass for the recently released title.

“"Artyom’'s story may have been concluded in 'Metro: Last Light,' but there are other characters with stories to tell, some familiar locations that fans of the 'Metro' series wanted to revisit, and some new challenges that 4A wanted to explore,"” said Andrew Prokhorov, Creative Director at 4A Games, in a press release. "“Since completing the game we have been working on these new stories and hope to release them throughout the summer.”"

The first of those new stories will be available next month, in the Faction Pack. I'm sure we'll get more details as June draws near, but here's what we know about "Last Light"'s four planned campaigns, straight from the horse's mouth.

 The ‘Faction Pack’ and the ‘Chronicles Pack’ will include new, original single player gameplay that expands on the "Metro: Last Light" universe and story. The ‘Tower Pack’ will present a unique solo challenge to "Metro" veterans. Meanwhile, the ‘Developer Pack’ will give creative players some interesting tools with which to explore the world of "Metro."

As is the norm now, devoted "Metro" players can pre-buy all of this DLC at a discount if they choose. "Last Light"'s Season Pass will run you $14.99 on Steam and the PlayStation Network  or 1200 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live. It's worth noting that PSN is running a 25% discount on the "Last Light" pass until June 4th.

Lastly, buying the Season Pass also nets you the Abzats, a semi-automatic shotgun that shoots six shells at a time.

The Faction Pack will be out next month, but the controversial Ranger Mode difficulty setting has been available for a princely $5.00 since "Metro: Last Light"'s release earlier this month.

Tags: 4a-games, Deep Silver, DLC, metro last light, NEWS, PC, PS3, season-pass, Xbox 360

Until I can purchase a spiky, foam, blonde wig for cosplaying Cloud or an officially licensed Besaid Aurochs Blitzball then I have absolutely no use for the grand opening of Square Enix's online store. But if you're interested in the fantastic plastic figures from the awesome Play Arts Kai series or adorable Chocobo plushies, then you'll find them in one convenient location.

Additonally, pre-orders are now open for THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY PLAY ARTS -KAI- BATMAN which will be a SDCC exclusive. He's got a pretty sweet metalic finish and if the other PRK figures are any indication, will sell out in the blink of an eye.

Related Posts:
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Follow @MTVGeek on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: batman, NEWS, Square Play Arts Kai, square-enix

Until I can purchase a spiky, foam, blonde wig for cosplaying Cloud or an officially licensed Besaid Aurochs Blitzball then I have absolutely no use for the grand opening of Square Enix's online store. But if you're interested in the fantastic plastic figures from the awesome Play Arts Kai series or adorable Chocobo plushies, then you'll find them in one convenient location.

Additonally, pre-orders are now open for THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY PLAY ARTS -KAI- BATMAN which will be a SDCC exclusive. He's got a pretty sweet metalic finish and if the other PRK figures are any indication, will sell out in the blink of an eye.

Related Posts:
'Diablo III' Infographic Sheds Light on One Year's Worth of Demon-Slaying

--

Follow @MTVGeek on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: batman, NEWS, SDCC 2013, Square Play Arts Kai, square-enix

by Joseph Leray

Show of hands: who remembers "N" or Metanet Software? Way back in Ye Olden Days of 2004, Metanet released "N," a physics-enabled ninja platforming game. It was popular for a time, eventually warranting the release of "N+" to Xbox Live Arcade, the DS, and the PSP.

You could also argue that "N" paved the way for future platformers like Team Meat's "Super Meat Boy," games that focused on speed, precision, and quick, brutal death."N" may feel barebones in comparison, but it's one of the most successful and longest-running Flash-based games I can think of. A whopping eight years into things, Metanet have released "N" 2.0.

It's a free download for Mac, Windows, and Linux and it includes a host of new features. The latest and greatest version of "N" introduces an account system which gives players access to a massive database of user-generated levels, including some from "N+." You'll also be able to create and share your own levels with a built-in editor (called Ned). Lastly, "N" version 2.0 includes local co-op multiplayer.

A full account of the changes and updates can be found here.

Metanet Software are ostensibly working on a new game, too: the creatively titled "N++." Details there are predictably scarce, but in the meantime, while away the workday with a playable web version of "N" 2.o.

[Metanet Software]

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Follow @MTVGeek on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: Flash Games, linux, mac, metanet-software, N+, NEWS, PC

by Joseph Leray

Show of hands: who remembers "N" or Metanet Software? Way back in Ye Olden Days of 2004, Metanet released "N," a physics-enabled ninja platforming game. It was popular for a time, eventually warranting the release of "N+" to Xbox Live Arcade, the DS, and the PSP.

You could also argue that "N" paved the way for future platformers like Team Meat's "Super Meat Boy," games that focused on speed, precision, and quick, brutal death."N" may feel barebones in comparison, but it's one of the most successful and longest-running Flash-based games I can think of. A whopping eight years into things, Metanet have released "N" 2.0.

It's a free download for Mac, Windows, and Linux and it includes a host of new features. The latest and greatest version of "N" introduces an account system which gives players access to a massive database of user-generated levels, including some from "N+." You'll also be able to create and share your own levels with a built-in editor (called Ned). Lastly, "N" version 2.0 includes local co-op multiplayer.

A full account of the changes and updates can be found here.

Metanet Software are ostensibly working on a new game, too: the creatively titled "N++." Details there are predictably scarce, but in the meantime, while away the workday with a playable web version of "N" 2.o.

[Metanet Software]

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'Clash of Clans' Update 4.14 Decreases Building Times and More
Nintendo eShop Update 5.23.13

--

Follow @MTVGeek on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: Flash Games, linux, mac, metanet-software, N+, NEWS, PC

by Joseph Leray

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of "Diablo III," Blizzard have concocted a handy-dandy infographic full of stats, curios, and comparisons to illustrate, I'm assuming, how successful and popular the game has been.

It's a big, meaty graphic, though, so the best way to view it is to navigate to the "Diablo III" blog and embiggen it from there. It's the easiest way to see, for example, that 14.5 million different people created characters in "Diablo III," or that Witch Doctor is the least popular class in normal and Hardcore modes.

I do have a quibble, though: the average number of daily users since "Diablo III"'s launch last year is listed at 2.1 million, while the average number of hours played per day is 8.2 million. I'm no statistician, but this would suggest that the average player logs into "Diablo III" four hours per day. Maybe I'm underestimating the people's devotion to slaughtering demons and putting things into the Nephalem Cube, but I doubt most adults have four hours of free time every day.

The "Diablo III" infographic is also a neat case study in the power of comparative statistics. Blizzard notes that 67.1 million different characters have been created in the past year, which is roughly the population of Thailand. I can use my imagination and more or less understand that Thailand is a small county full of people cooking delicious food.

However, Blizzard also explains that "Diablo III" players have burned almost 4.7 billion calories, just by click-click-clicking on monsters, apparently enough to work off over 28 million donuts. That's neat, but I don't really have a framework to think about 28 million donuts. 

If Blizzard really wanted to make me understand the countless players enjoying their product, they'd do well to give me numbers that are easier to work with.

[Battle.net]

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Follow @MTVGeek on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: blizzard, diablo III, Inforgraphic, NEWS, PC, rpg

by Joseph Leray

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of "Diablo III," Blizzard have concocted a handy-dandy infographic full of stats, curios, and comparisons to illustrate, I'm assuming, how successful and popular the game has been.

It's a big, meaty graphic, though, so the best way to view it is to navigate to the "Diablo III" blog and embiggen it from there. It's the easiest way to see, for example, that 14.5 million different people created characters in "Diablo III," or that Witch Doctor is the least popular class in normal and Hardcore modes.

I do have a quibble, though: the average number of daily users since "Diablo III"'s launch last year is listed at 2.1 million, while the average number of hours played per day is 8.2 million. I'm no statistician, but this would suggest that the average player logs into "Diablo III" four hours per day. Maybe I'm underestimating the people's devotion to slaughtering demons and putting things into the Nephalem Cube, but I doubt most adults have four hours of free time every day.

The "Diablo III" infographic is also a neat case study in the power of comparative statistics. Blizzard notes that 67.1 million different characters have been created in the past year, which is roughly the population of Thailand. I can use my imagination and more or less understand that Thailand is a small county full of people cooking delicious food.

However, Blizzard also explains that "Diablo III" players have burned almost 4.7 billion calories, just by click-click-clicking on monsters, apparently enough to work off over 28 million donuts. That's neat, but I don't really have a framework to think about 28 million donuts. 

If Blizzard really wanted to make me understand the countless players enjoying their product, they'd do well to give me numbers that are easier to work with.

[Battle.net]

Related Posts:
'Grand Theft Auto V' Special Editions Revealed

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Follow @MTVGeek on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!

Tags: blizzard, diablo III, Inforgraphic, NEWS, PC, rpg

By Kevin Kelly

Warning: the following might be complete gibberish to you if you have never touching a card from Magic: The Gathering. If you haven't, that's okay. We're a geek support group that is here to help you. If you need a crash course in the phenomenon that is Magic, we suggest you check out Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 on XBLA, PSN, PC, or iOS and immerse yourself into some fantasy-based, card-gaming nerdery. Or you can stroll into your local board game store, and step up to the bar and ask them "What the hell is this Magic stuff all about, anyhow." They will derisively sneer at you, and then initiate you into your newfound addiction.

Of course, if you already know Magic, then this is all moot. Magic 2014 - Duels of the Planeswalkers is on the way to those same systems again, along with Android devices for the very first time, and the new Magic 2014 Core Set is coming as well, featuring many of the same cards and adding new features. Wizard of the Coast was good enough to send us this exclusive image of a new card from the set, which will be available in both Duels and the paper set. Looks like Young Pyromancers get to dabble in street fashion, while simultaneously burning things with their hands.

Read on for more details from the upcoming game, and start tapping some mana, baby.

 

 

Wizards of the Coast today announced two exciting new features coming to Magic 2014 – Duels of the Planeswalkers: Sealed Play and a new take on the popular Slivers creature type will both make their debut in the Duels of the Planeswalkers franchise with Magic 2014.

The addition of Sealed Play will allow players to open booster packs and build decks to play against the AI and other players. Each sealed pool is comprised of 84 cards, mimicking paper TCG booster packs. The PvE experience includes a six-deck ladder where players take on mono-colored Sealed decks each corresponding with a particular Planeswalker, and finally facing a ‘boss’ Sealed deck.

Another feature debuting in Magic 2014 is a new take on the popular Slivers creature type. A fan-favorite, new playable Slivers in Magic 2014 decks will include the following:

• Sliver Construct
• Predatory Sliver
• Groundshaker Sliver
• Megantic Sliver
• Blur Sliver
• Striking Sliver
• Thorncaster Sliver
• Battle Sliver
• Sentinel Sliver
• Bonescythe Sliver

In addition, Hive Stirrings, a sorcery that creates Sliver tokens, will also be included in Magic 2014.

The Magic 2014 – Duels of the Planeswalkers video game will be available for PC, Xbox Live Arcade, PSN, iPad, and Android tablet for the first time when it launches this summer. The Magic 2014 product line-up also includes the Magic 2014 – Core Set for the paper trading card game (TCG) and Magic Online.

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Tags: duels-of-the-planeswalkers, iPhone / iPad, magic-the-gathering, Magic:, NEWS, PC, PS3, wizards-of-the-coast, Xbox 360