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Iron Sights in VR: 'Farpoint' and the PlayStation VR Aim Controller Are a Promising Match[teaser]Sony making strides in an important area.[/teaser] VR gaming had a massive presence at E3, and that's thanks in no small part to Sony, whose sizable West Hall booth was dominated by PlayStation VR set-ups. This of course followed Sony's post E3 conference VR party, which was exclusively dominated by PlayStation VR. While titans like 'Batman,' 'Star Wars,' 'Final Fantasy,' and 'Resident Evil' have been positioned to attract players to the day one launch experience, Sony also produced more of a wild card. That would be the VR space adventure, 'Farpoint.' Developed by Impulse Gear, 'Farpoint' puts the player in a spacesuit on a hostile and desolate world. The actual 'Farpoint' demo that I played at E3 employed a holographic narrative. That is, the game played like an interactive playback of record, with jumps in time and space to ensure that a lot could be experienced quickly. While I was able to walk around, pick up weapons and ammo, and fight off the alien fauna, each vignette ended in one these time shifts, often while I was still engaging enemies. I want to make clear that this all fits well with a demo experience, and it may not be the format used in the actual game. What's more important is the gameplay presented in between these jumps. And really, there's no way to describe the gameplay, or really any of 'Farpoint,' without covering the new hardware involved. It's not just the PlayStation VR headset, in the case of 'Farpoint,' Sony also employed their new PlayStation AIM VR controller. No doubt, anyone familiar with the PS3 era PlayStation Move can be forgiven for thinking that this is yet another plastic shell with PlayStation Move and Nav controllers shoved in it. And yet, while the AIM controller is descended from such ideas, it is its own single piece of hardware. Unlike any of the PS Move/gun shell combinations, the AIM has two analog sticks, plus a full complement of DS4 controls, and all of this in a finished package. For example, the trigger pulls aren't some jury-rigged thing, and there is haptic feedback The AIM controller looks and feels great, and as I will detail here, it works well in 'Farpoint.' That said, it's far from a slam dunk, as it has some very Move-like limitations. In practice, these limitations are fine for the realm of light guns, but they definitely hinder the "VR" aspects. In the 'Farpoint' demo, I walked an inhospitable planetary surface. I did this by moving the left stick. (I kept my feet planted.) I could control my view by moving my head, but to aim the in-game weapon, I needed to aim the AIM controller. This might sound pretty basic, especially as holding a gun on a weird planet in video game makes for an itchy trigger finger, one that's sure to find release as enemies are like to be nearby and very easy targets. Even so, putting the AIM controller to my eye and shoulder was even more natural than if I had been playing a regular console FPS. I began with a kind of machine gun that used a cooldown rather than ammo. Shooting the spider-like enemies as they rushed me had the great arcade/shooting gallery feel. Of all possible FPS games, I think 'Farpoint' specifically gave me a 'Half-Life' feel. I moved along expecting creepy and aggressive alien creatures, of the kind that burrow underground, hatch from eggs, and can't help but launch towards my face or sling acid my way. Eventually, I picked up a shotgun, which did use shells. Switching between the machine gun and the shotgun at will, I could hit targets at a distance or issue serious stopping power up close. I next picked up two kinds of secondary ammo. The machine gun has a very conventional grenade launcher, but the shotgun has a laser guided rocket launcher. Naturally, the front trigger (L2) fired the secondary ammo while the back trigger fired primary ammo. I could reload using the side R1&R2 buttons or else tilt the gun back. I played the demo very cautiously. Once I had the rocket launcher I crept forward and, seeing around the edge of a rock, spied a good-size enemy waiting half-hidden about ten meters up. I fired my laser guided rocket launcher, and the rocket immediately collided with the nearby rock edge, blew up and killed me. This was my only death in the demo, and as I attempted a similar approach, I made sure to give the rocky corner a bit more spacing. As I said before, there were times when I faced a furious amount enemies, only to have the demo jump forward, which kept things moving in spite of my cautious movements. One key to understand is that everything, especially the AIM controller, required line of sight with the PlayStation camera. Although I could glance backwards, this was all really a forward-facing experience. That made the arcade-like light gun feel even more uncanny. The demo ended in a predictable tease with a great big baddie that I was not allowed to fight. I'm left now wondering if Sony will bring both 'Farpoint' and the PS AIM to market. The dependence on new hardware would make this a niche within a niche, but it's also not something I've seen from the major VR competitors. It's very game-like, but that seems to be Sony's goal. The headset hardware has a real edge in terms of ergonomics, with both the screen and fit just working well. The headset demos well, and it's really reached a zenith when I think of the last two years of PlayStation VR demos I've done.Posted Thu Jun 30, 2016 at 03:45 PM PDT by: -
'Street Fighter V's Story Mode Gets A Launch Trailer[teaser]Old-schoolers: No 'Double Dragon' references intended.[/teaser] Just over the wire of the original promise of delivering in June, Capcom will be releasing a massive update tomorrow. Along with adding Balrog and Ibuki to the roster, as well as adding new currency and an in-game microtransaction shop, the game will also be getting, at last, its single-player campaign. Called 'A Shadow Falls', the mode will be filling in the time period between 'Street Fighter IV' and 'V' with a nefarious plot by M. Bison to...well, he's M. Bison, we know what he does. It might be better to let Capcom themselves fill you in, as they've released a brand new trailer for the single-player, showing off the cutscenes, an increasingly swole Bison, evil Charlie, and a hellofalot more. Have a look below. Order from Amazon Order from Amazon Source: CapcomPosted Thu Jun 30, 2016 at 10:54 AM PDT by: -
The Remastered 'BioShock' & 'BioShock 2' of 'BioShock: The Collection' Will Be Free for PC Owners[teaser]Also 'Minerva's Den.'[/teaser] Announced today for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC, 'BioShock: The Collection' will be a remastered version of the original trilogy and the single player DLC. For the console versions, this is all about getting the games up to a 1080p standard. On PC, 'BioShock Infinite' is being left alone as it fits the "current-gen console standards and runs smoothly on high visual settings." But 'BioShock,' 'BioShock 2,' and 'Minerva's Den' is being remastered with new textures and hopefully some Windows 7 & 10 love. Plus, there will be some nice commentary and concept art extras for the first game. Fortunately, current owners of the PC versions are already in good shape, and by that, I mean they will be getting the upgraded versions for free. From 2K, And if you already own BioShock, BioShock 2, and/or Minerva’s Den on Steam, you will be able to upgrade to the remastered version of the respective title(s) for free after release. It’s a circus of values! So yeah, while PC players already have enjoyed nice versions of all three games, any incoming upgrades will not cost any extra money. You can find the latest info on 'BioShock: The Collection' linked from our Video Game Release Schedule. Order from Amazon Order from Amazon Source: 2K GamesPosted Thu Jun 30, 2016 at 08:53 AM PDT by: -
'Assault Suit Leynos' Releases on July 12th[teaser]Physical edition set for later this year.[/teaser] Rising Star Games has announced that Dracue Software's remake of their classic 16-bit shooter 'Assault Suit Leynos' will be releasing on PS4 and PC on July 12th for $20. The game will be digital only on PC, however a physical release of the PS4 version is planned for later in the year, with no concrete date set just yet. The physical edition will come with a double-sided poster featuring artwork of the game and the original 16-bit version. Between games like this and the recently released 'Raiden V', it's amusing to see classic shmup franchises stick around. They attract very niche audiences, but these are almost always passion projects from their developers, and it's cool to see that they're successful enough to keep going. Source: Rising StarPosted Thu Jun 30, 2016 at 06:41 AM PDT by: -
'Inferno Climber' Hits Steam Early Access on July 6th[teaser]Survive in a cursed world.[/teaser] Arc Systems Works has announced that their upcoming survival action-RPG 'Inferno Climber' will be hitting Steam via Early Access next Wednesday, July 6th. The game was first announced as a PS4 game, but was heavily retooled and re-announced exclusively for PC. The game sees players take the role of one of 8 different characterrs trying to find 5 purgatory stones and rid the world of the evil that plagues it. The developer describes the game as follows: A long, long time ago… There were 5 Purgatory Stones with enormous magical powers. Purgatory Stones were owned by 5 different countries to keep the world in order. However, as the time passed, evil and corruption spreads through the land. Purgatory Stones fell into the wrong hands. Monsters plagued all over the land. Thus, the world has fallen. 100 years later… An innocent soul made a pact with Death. The awakened one set forth in search for the Purgatory Stones. Source: Arc System WorksPosted Thu Jun 30, 2016 at 06:25 AM PDT by: -
FINALLY! 2K Officially Announces 'Bioshock: The Collection'[teaser]Release date, trailer, details. Hallelujah.[/teaser] At long last, after close to a year's worth of leaks, 2K has revealed the worst kept secret of the last year or so: 'Bioshock: The Collection' is officially real, and set to hit on September 13th this year for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The collection will include 'Bioshock', 'Bioshock 2', and 'Bioshock Infinite', and all single-player DLC, including the Museum of Orphaned Concepts, which was a pack-in bonus for the Ultimate Rapture Edition bundle a few years back. The minus here is that 'Bioshock 2's multiplayer mode will not be included, but real talk, this series NEVER needed multiplayer. The games will also include a video series of director's commentary called "Imagining 'Bioshock'", with Ken Levine and art direction lead Shawn Robertson. As for the eye-candy, 2K's blog post mentions the games are being remastered, with characters and the world around Rapture getting updated skins and textures. We'll leave it to the folks at Digital Foundry to get down and dirty with how the new versions stack up against the originals, but probably the best clue on what to expect comes from the line in the announcement that on PC, 'Bioshock Infinite' will be a straight port, since the game "already meets current-gen console standards and runs smoothly on high visual settings". So, start imagining 'Bioshock 1' and '2' on 'Infinite's Ultra setting. 2K were also kind enough to release a quick and dirty teaser for the collection. Now, before anyone complains about the framerate, friendly reminder that all three games on consoles had an option to kill Vsync to get closer to the 60fps promised land. It's hard to imagine that won't carry over here. Have a look, and exhale: we can stop waiting for yet aother ratings board to drop a hint. You can find the latest info on 'Bioshock: The Collection' linked from our Video Game Release Schedule. Order from Amazon Order from Amazon Source: 2K GamesPosted Thu Jun 30, 2016 at 06:12 AM PDT by:
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Dual-wield, Attract Powerful Allies, & Conquer Death in 'Hand of Fate 2'[teaser]Better encounters, better combat, and a new story.[/teaser] Roguelikes are big right now, and so are deck-based card games, and these elements, when combined with 3D combat and an overwhelming amount of charm, made for a very enjoyable experience in 'Hand of Fate.' And now, Defiant Development is returning to the game of life and death with 'Hand of Fate 2.' Following a meeting with Microsoft about the Xbox One S, I was snaking my way out of the packed Xbox booth at E3 when I stumbled upon 'Hand of Fate 2.' Being pleasantly surprised within the green confines shouldn't have been a surprise as only just the day before, I had stumbled upon Koji Igarashi around the same area. Nevertheless, I was surprised that 'Hand of Fate 2' was there, and that the game looked far along in development. Like the first game, 'Hand of Fate 2' sees the player dungeon crawling by way of encounter cards. The cards can lead to quest-like interactions, shops, real-time combat, and any number of combinations and derivations thereof, and the player must watch their health, gold and food levels. Though it is set 100 years later, the dealer from the first game has returned, looking a bit worse for wear. It seems that this time out, he wants to teach the player to become superlative, and to take over dealing duties by way of defeating the victor of the first 'Hand of Fate.' Naturally, while I was poking around the new aspects of the game, I had in mind the parts of the first game that I thought needed improvement. The game's 3D combat has been overhauled, and now supports several different weapon combinations, including dual wielding and two-handed weaponry. I only had time to try out the sword and shield, but it was enough to find that there is a new ability meter that fills based off of the player's hit combo. This is a nice change, but I was a little distracted when fighting. What was grabbing my attention was a companion. You see I had an encounter where some bandits were harassing a bard. They had taken some gold, and were making their escape, when I chose to intervene. I beat them up in 3D, and elected to return the gold to the bard. At that point, the bard let me know that the gold I had retrieved was just an illusion. As it turns out, the bard is actually a mage named Malaclypse. Malaclypse then joined me on my run. In real-time combat, the mage would me off to the side casting a one-hit shield for me, which made a big difference over the course of the battle. What I liked more though is that when doing the three card monte encounter, or the new dice gambling, Malaclypse could, if I asked, give me another shot. Other companions are promised. I asked if there is a point in which the player gets to choose from a list of companions, and the response I got indicated that the possibility was there but that it hadn't yet been sorted out for certain. For sure, it seems that companions can be killed, and will remain dead for that specific hand. (They won't stay dead for long and can appear again in the next dungeon or run.) 'Hand of Fate 2' has plenty of other changes and additions, like the camera control, platinum cards, and challenge maps as well as new card suit enemy types like the Steel suit and Blight suit, and of course, new encounters galore. 'Hand of Fate 2' is not due out until early 2017. In the meantime, I can easily recommend that just about anyone should try out the first 'Hand of Fate.' (Though not necessarily finish as the second half gets a bit rough. Fixing that is one of the stated goals of the new game).Posted Wed Jun 29, 2016 at 12:03 PM PDT by: -
'Saints Row: Gat out of Hell,' 'Furi,' & 'Paragon' Lead July's PlayStation Plus Games[teaser]Plus, 'Call of Juarez,' 'Fat Princess' and more.[/teaser] Just in time for the end of June, Sony has announced the PlayStation Plus games coming in July. On the PS4, it's 'Furi' and 'Saints Row: Gat out of Hell' (review here). There is a big PS4 bonus as well as PS Plus members will get early access to 'Paragon' (see early impressions here), which doesn't open for everyone else until August 16th. From Sony, As an added benefit this month, PS Plus members get early access to Paragon before it hits open beta on August 16. Paragon is the new MOBA from legendary developer Epic Games. Besides getting to play the game before it hits open beta, you will also receive a Starter Pack that includes three Master Challenges for the heroes Gadget, Murdock, and Rampage (to unlock skins, XP boosts, emotes, deck slots, and more — a $40 value). Meanwhile, on the PS3, it's 'Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood' and 'Fat Princess.' For the Vita, there is 'Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines' and 'Prince of Persia: Revelation.' Out of all of these games, 'Furi' is certainly the most promising inclusion. Order from Amazon Order from Amazon Source: PlayStation BlogPosted Wed Jun 29, 2016 at 08:34 AM PDT by: -
'Batman: Return to Arkham' Won't Be Returning for a While[teaser]No longer set for July.[/teaser] Only six weeks after announcing the 'Arkham Asylum' and 'Arkham City' remaster, 'Batman: Return to Arkham,' Warner Bros. has announced that the title will not make the July 26th release date. It's not a slight delay either as no new release date has been given. The remaster bundles the two big 360/PS3 era 'Arkham' games together with their DLC in an Unreal 4 package. The porting is being done by Virtuous Games, and the reason cited for the delay is "additional time to deliver a polished Batman Arkham game experience." You can find the latest info on 'Batman: Return to Arkham' linked from our Video Game Release Schedule. Order from Amazon Order from Amazon Source: Warner Bros.Posted Wed Jun 29, 2016 at 07:05 AM PDT by: -
'Final Fantasy VII Monopoly' Announced[teaser]"The real nature of Sephiroth's evil is the extortionate amount of rent he charges."[/teaser] Today, Square Enix has announced that 'Final Fantasy VII Monopoly' is a board game that somehow exists and is coming out next April to coincide with the game's 20th anniversary. With 'FFVII' in vogue again thanks to the upcoming remake, I suppose there's no better time to go all out with merchandizing. While it's a goofy idea, it's an amusing skin of 'Monopoly' that'll have its fans. The developer, Merchoid, describes the game as follows: It's every family's favourite board game in a Final Fantasy 7 theme, so it will feature Cloud, Aeris, Sephiroth and all your favourite characters and locations. Whether your plans are to buy housing for the people or build a Mako reactor plant, you'll soon discover the real nature of Sephiroth's evil is the extortionate amount of rent he charges. They've got a sense of humor about this all, which is definitely appreciated. For those interested, it'll hit on April 14th, 2017 and you can order it right here. Source: MerchoidPosted Wed Jun 29, 2016 at 06:37 AM PDT by:
