Renegade Kid and Gambitious Digital Entertainment have announced that Xeodrifter: Special Edition is out now on Steam for £11.

Xeodrifter will also be coming to Xbox One, PS4, and Vita this spring.

It is a Metroidvania style game where you play as an astronaut whose warp engine dies, forcing him to search for a replacement on strange planets.

The special edition includes a development diary along with the soundtrack. It is currently on sale on Steam for 25% off.

Xeodrifter originally came out on 3DS in December 2014. IGN's review says that "Xeodrifter's mix of old-school 2D platformer sensibilities and new-school visual effects is charming".

Continue reading…

Rockstar has announced Grand Theft Auto Online will be getting Heists on March 10, with the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V delayed again until April 14 for both retail and digital.

The Heists will add the four-player co-op gameplay we've all been waiting for, with Rockstar promising lots more information in the coming weeks.

As for the PC version, Rockstar has acknowledged the long wait gamers have faced and are offering in-game cash to anyone who pre-orders GTA 5 on PC as an apology.

Heaps of new screenshots have also been released, which you can see below.

Continue reading…

ArtCraft Entertainment has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its new MMO Crowfall, which it describes as being "like Game of Thrones meets Eve Online."

Development is being headed by industry veterans J. Todd Coleman, who was creative director on Shadowbane, Wizard101, and Pirate101, and Gordon Walton, who executive produced Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

The game aims to blend together elements of Strategy titles with an MMO, and centers on a concept called "Eternal Heroes, Dying Worlds". The aim here is to have characters that are persistent, while Campaign Worlds live and die based on the actions of your Champions.

Continue reading…

Having first shown up in a special bonus scene included on an ABC re-broadcast of the show's premiere, The Dark Lord of the Sith himself, Darth Vader, will be returning to Star Wars Rebels for the Season 1 finale episode.

Darth Vader in Star Wars Rebels.

The news was revealed by Disney XD and Lucasfilm with a new trailer for the season finale, which can be viewed below.

While Vader's appearance is very brief, at the very end of the trailer, it's worth noting that the previous time we saw him on Rebels (voiced by James Earl Jones, no less), was via hologram. This time though, it looks like we'll be seeing him in the flesh... and metal.

Continue reading…

Square Enix has teamed-up with Marvel to release a reimagined version of Iron Man as a collectible figure.

The new design, which you can see below, comes from the Variant Play Arts Kai range of figurines and adds a hint of black to the traditional red and gold and sports what's described as a "polished ninja look."

There's a number of special effect pieces included too, such as palm repulsor rays, boot jet emissions, micro-missiles projecting from the thighs, back flaps and expandable air brakes on the legs. As a result, you can alter the pose to suit your whims.

Continue reading…

After a decade of being blind, a 68-year-old man from Minnesota is now able to see again.

Allen Zderad started having serious vision problems around 20 years ago due to a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease which affects the retina. The condition went on to end Zderad’s professional career as a chemist when, ten years ago, he was declared effectively blind.

While unable to see anything other than bright light, Zderad continued his hobby of woodwork by developing his sense of touch and spatial relationships.

Continue reading…

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor developer Monolith has released an infographic revealing a host of stats about how adventurers have spent their time in the game.

The impressive numbers, which you can see below, reveal over 5.65 billion Uruks have been slaughtered across 74.6 million hours. There's been some Orc-on-Orc action too though, with 1.3 billion of the monstrosities getting taken out by their supposed comrades. The game's standout feature, the Nemesis System, also gets a shout with over 95.6 million unique foes bursting forth as a result of its meddling.

Continue reading…

Nintendo is slashing the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of three figures in the Super Smash Bros. amiibo series for the U.S., according to the official Nintendo amiibo site.

Donkey Kong, Princess Peach and Yoshi amiibo figurines have been discounted by 23 percent, from $12.99 to $9.99. The rest of the Super Smash Bros. figures and amiibo waves remain at the original price.

The three figures are in the first wave of amiibos released alongside Super Smash Bros. for Wii U late last year. The trio of amiibos are considered common and easy to find. You can learn more about amiibo availability on our extensive guide on Amiibo rarity.

Continue reading…

The premiere episode of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 kicks things off in a decent way, but it's also an inconsistent experience that's plagued by issues during the first half of the game. Dialogue is poorly written, and you feel like a chump when you tackle yet another fetch quest disguised as a puzzle. However, there are moments that leave you on edge, and the mysteries keep piling up until the very end, stoking your curiosity to want to know more. If you tend to loathe action sequences in Resident Evil games, you may be put off to know there are a few in Revelations 2, but rest assured they're delivered with tact this time, sandwiched between foreboding moments of tension that set your pulse racing before you're thrown into the fray.

Though Revelations 2 starts with a whimper, at least it doesn't waste any time getting you into the game. Right as they were starting to enjoy a swanky company party, Resident Evil hall-of-famer Claire Redfield, and her co-worker, young Moira Burton, are kidnapped at gunpoint and shipped off to a wretched penal colony on a remote island. The game begins when Claire awakens in a damp cell, and the mystery kicks off when the door opens moments later, seemingly on its own. Their imprisonment is clearly the work of someone who fancies control as they're taunted over the PA system by a mysterious overseer. She speaks in very vague terms, introducing more questions than answers. By and large, Revelations 2 likes to keep you guessing.

Moira's father, the ever memorable Barry Burton from the original Resident Evil, attempts to come to Moira and Claire's rescue. With the help of a young companion, the mysterious Natalia, he searches the same prison, but the enemies he faces are quite different, acting more like classic zombies as they shuffle along, rather than the speedy juggernauts that hunt Claire and Moira. This setup affords you two points of view within the same nightmare, and slightly different gameplay experiences, but not all things are created equal. Barry's act is far stronger than Claire's, not only because it offers the best moments of tension, but because his companion is a far better compliment than Moira ever is to Claire.

Working in tandem is at the heart of everything you do in Revelations 2, for better and for worse. You can switch between your two characters on the fly, and sometimes you must in order to solve simple environmental puzzles. Moira's flashlight may uncover a hidden item that you need to proceed, and Natalia can go places that Barry can't thanks to her small stature.

Unfortunately for Claire, Moira's not much use outside of a few strict scenarios that call upon her unique abilities. She looks capable of manning a gun, but a tragic event from her past conveniently prevents her from doing so here. She comes in handy when she pries open a rare door or blinds an occasional enemy, but she's otherwise dead weight and a near constant source of bad dialog as she spouts vulgarity after vulgarity. It's not hard to take in because it's offensive; it's obvious that she's meant to sound young and brash. However, she comes off as an exaggerated caricature that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Outside of a few important plot points, the only helpful thing Moira brings to the table is a flashlight, but Natalia has a subtle personality that comes across as a breath of fresh air and she's far more useful during tense situations. She can sneak by enemies undetected and crawl into tight spaces. If Barry is low on health, Natalia is a solid backup, trading head-on action for simple but effective stealth. Though she lacks the firepower, Natalia proves to be even more useful than her caretaker at times, so long as she remains undetected by the bad guys.

Natalia and Barry's stint is the best source of tension in the game by a long shot. For the most part, Claire and Moira are stuck inside their prison, which is predictable and boring. On the contrary, Barry and Natalia spend a lot of time outside, and in the middle of the night, with only a few light sources off in the distance, a sense of dread creeps in when you wander into the unknown. Natalia is the best candidate for the job given her ability to spot enemies from a distance, but you always know in the back of your mind that she's practically incapable of defending herself apart from throwing a brick at an enemy, yet there you are, meters deep into a dark forest teeming with horrific abominations that want nothing more than to eat you alive. When an enemy takes multiple rounds from a gun to stagger, a brick offers little solace.

You can tackle the campaign via local co-op with a friend if you're so inclined, but your teammate has to come to terms with the fact that they're playing second fiddle. Teaming up is an effective means of getting through the campaign quickly because you aren't reliant on AI to watch your back, and you have the ability to multitask, but the split screen view and real world chatter can dilute the tension. If you're looking to get scared, playing solo is the only way to go.

There are a few puzzles to solve during each scenario that are reminiscent of classic Resident Evil moments, but instead of having to consider all of your options and search for a solution, it's given to you in the form of a simple task. Ultimately, these moments feel like chores rather than puzzle solving opportunities. Moira's asked to point a flashlight around a room to find a key, for example, testing your patience rather than your intellect. If anything, these quandaries feel like justifications for having a sidekick. Perhaps it's good that it's not as obtuse as some games in the series' past, but the formula has been simplified too much for its own good.

If you find your trigger finger itching after beating the first episode, you can hop into the optional and oddly enjoyable raid mode. This arcade-like experience pits you against small armies of enemies in various environments from this and future episodes, and you're encouraged to take advantage of your firepower. The more enemies you kill and the more efficient you are at doing so, the better rewards you receive, often in the form of additional weapons. It's a very different experience than the main game, especially with it's initially jarring dance soundtrack, but it's a fun diversion that gives you plenty to do once the rather short campaign comes to an end.

Though you have to wade through mediocre puzzles and endure cringe-worthy dialogue and references to past games, episode one successfully entices you to look forward to the next episode. Just before you feel like its antics are wearing you down, it commands your attention by redeeming itself during the second half, just before sealing the deal with an impactful cliffhanger. With tastes of both classic and modern Resident Evil, Revelations 2 has something for everyone, but it would be served better if it was a little more focused and had a little less Moira.

The premiere episode of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 kicks things off in a decent way, but it's also an inconsistent experience that's plagued by issues during the first half of the game. Dialogue is poorly written, and you feel like a chump when you tackle yet another fetch quest disguised as a puzzle. However, there are moments that leave you on edge, and the mysteries keep piling up until the very end, stoking your curiosity to want to know more. If you tend to loathe action sequences in Resident Evil games, you may be put off to know there are a few in Revelations 2, but rest assured they're delivered with tact this time, sandwiched between foreboding moments of tension that set your pulse racing before you're thrown into the fray.

Though Revelations 2 starts with a whimper, at least it doesn't waste any time getting you into the game. Right as they were starting to enjoy a swanky company party, Resident Evil hall-of-famer Claire Redfield, and her co-worker, young Moira Burton, are kidnapped at gunpoint and shipped off to a wretched penal colony on a remote island. The game begins when Claire awakens in a damp cell, and the mystery kicks off when the door opens moments later, seemingly on its own. Their imprisonment is clearly the work of someone who fancies control as they're taunted over the PA system by a mysterious overseer. She speaks in very vague terms, introducing more questions than answers. By and large, Revelations 2 likes to keep you guessing.

Moira's father, the ever memorable Barry Burton from the original Resident Evil, attempts to come to Moira and Claire's rescue. With the help of a young companion, the mysterious Natalia, he searches the same prison, but the enemies he faces are quite different, acting more like classic zombies as they shuffle along, rather than the speedy juggernauts that hunt Claire and Moira. This setup affords you two points of view within the same nightmare, and slightly different gameplay experiences, but not all things are created equal. Barry's act is far stronger than Claire's, not only because it offers the best moments of tension, but because his companion is a far better compliment than Moira ever is to Claire.

Working in tandem is at the heart of everything you do in Revelations 2, for better and for worse. You can switch between your two characters on the fly, and sometimes you must in order to solve simple environmental puzzles. Moira's flashlight may uncover a hidden item that you need to proceed, and Natalia can go places that Barry can't thanks to her small stature.

Unfortunately for Claire, Moira's not much use outside of a few strict scenarios that call upon her unique abilities. She looks capable of manning a gun, but a tragic event from her past conveniently prevents her from doing so here. She comes in handy when she pries open a rare door or blinds an occasional enemy, but she's otherwise dead weight and a near constant source of bad dialog as she spouts vulgarity after vulgarity. It's not hard to take in because it's offensive; it's obvious that she's meant to sound young and brash. However, she comes off as an exaggerated caricature that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Outside of a few important plot points, the only helpful thing Moira brings to the table is a flashlight, but Natalia has a subtle personality that comes across as a breath of fresh air and she's far more useful during tense situations. She can sneak by enemies undetected and crawl into tight spaces. If Barry is low on health, Natalia is a solid backup, trading head-on action for simple but effective stealth. Though she lacks the firepower, Natalia proves to be even more useful than her caretaker at times, so long as she remains undetected by the bad guys.

Natalia and Barry's stint is the best source of tension in the game by a long shot. For the most part, Claire and Moira are stuck inside their prison, which is predictable and boring. On the contrary, Barry and Natalia spend a lot of time outside, and in the middle of the night, with only a few light sources off in the distance, a sense of dread creeps in when you wander into the unknown. Natalia is the best candidate for the job given her ability to spot enemies from a distance, but you always know in the back of your mind that she's practically incapable of defending herself apart from throwing a brick at an enemy, yet there you are, meters deep into a dark forest teeming with horrific abominations that want nothing more than to eat you alive. When an enemy takes multiple rounds from a gun to stagger, a brick offers little solace.

You can tackle the campaign via local co-op with a friend if you're so inclined, but your teammate has to come to terms with the fact that they're playing second fiddle. Teaming up is an effective means of getting through the campaign quickly because you aren't reliant on AI to watch your back, and you have the ability to multitask, but the split screen view and real world chatter can dilute the tension. If you're looking to get scared, playing solo is the only way to go.

There are a few puzzles to solve during each scenario that are reminiscent of classic Resident Evil moments, but instead of having to consider all of your options and search for a solution, it's given to you in the form of a simple task. Ultimately, these moments feel like chores rather than puzzle solving opportunities. Moira's asked to point a flashlight around a room to find a key, for example, testing your patience rather than your intellect. If anything, these quandaries feel like justifications for having a sidekick. Perhaps it's good that it's not as obtuse as some games in the series' past, but the formula has been simplified too much for its own good.

If you find your trigger finger itching after beating the first episode, you can hop into the optional and oddly enjoyable raid mode. This arcade-like experience pits you against small armies of enemies in various environments from this and future episodes, and you're encouraged to take advantage of your firepower. The more enemies you kill and the more efficient you are at doing so, the better rewards you receive, often in the form of additional weapons. It's a very different experience than the main game, especially with it's initially jarring dance soundtrack, but it's a fun diversion that gives you plenty to do once the rather short campaign comes to an end.

Though you have to wade through mediocre puzzles and endure cringe-worthy dialogue and references to past games, episode one successfully entices you to look forward to the next episode. Just before you feel like its antics are wearing you down, it commands your attention by redeeming itself during the second half, just before sealing the deal with an impactful cliffhanger. With tastes of both classic and modern Resident Evil, Revelations 2 has something for everyone, but it would be served better if it was a little more focused and had a little less Moira.