Monthly Archives: January 2015
Screamride is 2 Parts RollerCoaster Tycoon, 1 Part Burnout Crash Mode
In very rare moments, failure can be fun. Screamride managed to make one of the most penalizing moments in a game not a burden, but a chance for awesome destruction. So instead of trying to complete the difficult time bonus challenges in Screamrider mode, I looked for opportune moments where I could derail my exploding car and crash into buildings.
Screamride takes place in futuristic roller coaster testing facility, so there are tons of cool tools for players to construct, test, and destroy coasters in the sandbox mode and in campaign. The campaign features three jobs — Screamrider, Demolition Expert, and Engineer — so there’s a nice mix of simulation, puzzles, and action.
$400 Next-Gen Borderlands Pack Comes with Remote-Controlled Claptrap
Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel are coming to Xbox One and PS4 in Borderlands: The Handsome Collection.
The pack, which covers Handsome Jack's story line, includes both games listed above and all of their DLC for £50 / $60 USD. Yes, that includes all the extra character customization packs, in addition to the larger campaign add-ons.
DLC is still on the way for The Pre-Sequel, so The Handsome Collection includes a season pass. As new DLC rolls out, you'll have access to it.
Additionally, a special "Claptrap-in-a-Box Edition" for The Handsome Collection is on the way. It costs £270 / $400 and comes with a remote-controlled Claptrap. It looks and sounds like Claptrap, and it rolls around on one wheel. Check it out in the gallery below.
Researchers are Teaching Super Mario to Think and Feel
German researchers are creating a sentient Mario capable of learning, independent thought and self-control.
The team of cognitive modelling researchers at the University of Tübingen in Germany have put together a video showcasing Mario in action titled ‘Mario Lives! An Adaptive Learning AI Approach for Generating a Living and Conversing Mario Agent.’ The video itself shows Mario answering simple questions, performing tasks, and learning based on what he observes.
Towards the end of the video, Mario is asked what he knows about Goombas, to which he replies “I do not know anything about it.” Then, Mario is told to kill the enemy on screen, which happens to be a Goomba. Following that Mario says “Okay, I’ll look for an enemy,” before going off on his own – without any outside input– and jumping on the Goomba. Mario is then asked the same question again, only this time his answer is “If I jump on Goomba, then maybe it dies.”
Nintendo Discontinuing Club Nintendo This Year
Nintendo will begin phasing out its customer loyalty program, Club Nintendo, worldwide in April to prepare for a new membership program, according to announcements on respective regional Nintendo websites.
“We’re working hard to create a new membership programme, which we plan to launch later this year,” the announcement reads. “As a special offer, users who sign up to the new programme during the launch period will be able to download Flipnote Studio 3D to a Nintendo 3DS system for free.”
According to the announcements, Club Nintendo’s discontinuation will begin in April 1 with the phase out of product registration cards and the service will finally terminate on September 30:
The Witcher Battle Arena Gets a Release Date
CD Projekt Red has announced free-to-play MOBA The Witcher Battle Arena will launch on Android and iOS on January 22.
Co-developed by CD Projekt Red and Fuero Games, The Witcher Battle Arena is a “mobile-focused” game in which players participate in fast paced 3-on-3 battles. The game features familiar characters in the Witcher universe such as Assassin of Kings Letho Gulet, the sorceress Philippa Eilhart, and Dwarven adventurer Zoltan Chivay. However, series protagonist Geralt of Rivia is not included as a playable character, according to The Witcher Battle Arena website.
The developers placed an emphasis on making a free-to-play game that is “a paragon of fairness in mobile gaming.” The Witcher Battle Arena features in-app purchases, but anything purchasable can be unlocked for free by playing the game.
Pneuma: Breath of Life Coming Soon to Xbox One
First-person puzzle game Pneuma: Breath of Life is coming to Xbox One as a timed exclusive on February 27, co-developers Deco Digital and Bevel Studios announced.
Pneuma’s exclusivity is limited to just 30 days, but it is live on Steam Greenlight with a PC release coming “as soon as possible” the developers said in a statement. The developers also revealed plans for Pneuma to include Oculus Rift DK2 support with the Steam release.
In Pneuma: Breath of Life you will be challenged with difficult puzzles as you progress through a story of a god’s self-discovery and his contemplation of the nature of reality. You’ll lift bridges, rotate platforms, and move entire rooms with "your mind."
Check Out What’s Coming in Dragon Age: Inquisition Patch 3 for PC
Dragon Age: Inquisition Patch 3 on PC focuses on fixing bugs that block progression, party banter silence, addresses multiplayer issues and more, according to the BioWare developer blog.
Dragon Age: Inquisition 1.03 tweaks the banter system "to be less random in order to prevent extra-long periods of silence" and fixes quest blockers in the personal quests of Dorian and Sera.
Several multiplayer fixes addresses a problem that causes keys to not drop, issues with the Reaver’s rampage ability, along with balance changes, and tweaks to the Demon Commander and the Strength of Spirits ability.
Xbox Live’s Friends List Down, Cloud Storage Services Limited
The Xbox Live service is currently experiencing "limited" functionality for social and gaming.
The Xbox service status page states that the limitation for both Xbox One and Xbox 360. It states that users may have trouble accessing or retrieving data stored using cloud storage, managing friends lists and tracking what friends are doing.
“Are you unable to purchase content in the Windows Phone Marketplace? We'll get to the bottom of this!,” the page states. “Additionally, we’re aware that some of you are unable to upload Worlds in Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition. Thanks for staying patient while we get everything back to normal! We’ll update you again in 30 minutes.”
Devolver on Hotline Miami 2 Dev’s Message to Australian Fan to Pirate Banned Game
Speaking with IGN, indie label Devolver Digital’s Graeme Struthers has confirmed Hotline Miami 2 developer Jonatan Söderström’s email to an anguished Australian fan to simply pirate the refused classification game after release, as reported by OXCGN. Struthers explained Söderström’s response as the developer’s clearance to look for the game on “unofficial” channels if you can’t get it via official ones.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number was refused classification in Australia last week due to a sequence featuring what the Classification Board described as a “visual depiction of implied sexual violence.” Australia's ratings guidelines for games permit nudity and simulated sexual activity but forbid “
Return to Pandora with Avatar: Warrior’s Journey on iOS and Android
Avatar fans can return to Pandora this spring (or autumn for AU and NZ) with Avatar: Warrior’s Journey, an endless runner for iOS and Android smartphones.
According the official Avatar Facebook page, which offers hints on the game, players take on the role of a young Na’vi as they “run, dodge, and ride your way through the stunning world of James Cameron’s Avatar.” The “ride” possibly hinting at the ability to mount the aerial predators called Mountain Banshees (aka ikran) or the horse-like Direhorses (aka pa'lare). Players can earn abilities, outfits, and “ultimately your own place amongst the clans” as their skill develops.