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Defense Grid 2 pre-order rewards grow as orders stack
Hidden Path Entertainment is offering pre-order incentives for Defense Grid 2 on Steam, but it's twisting the standard "you give us money, here are guaranteed bonuses" formula. The store listing shows three different reward tiers, which are unlocked based on the total number of pre-orders placed. Assuming a tier's pre-order threshold is cleared, the related content will be given to anyone who has placed an order. The first tier has already been surpassed, which includes the Containment expansion for Defense Grid: The Awakening and a digital art book. Tier 2 includes Awakening, the Containment expansion and a 50 percent off coupon for Windborne, Hidden Path's sandbox adventure game that's currently on Early Access. That leaves tier 3, which is dedicated to A Matter of Endurance, an "original audio story" to be penned by Mary Robinette Kowal that will arrive "on or before" Defense Grid 2's launch.
Hands-on with Windborne's early access
The breakout success of Minecraft has inspired a slew of creative sandbox games since its release in 2011, and the trend has shown no signs of dying down given the ever-increasing number of sandbox titles hitting the market. Hidden Path Entertainment's in-development title Windborne is certainly one such game, and at first glance one might be tempted to write it off as a clone of Mojang's golden child, but that would be more than a little disingenuous. The folks at Hidden Path were generous enough to provide me with a key to get some hands-on experience with Windborne, but I'd like to make special mention of the fact that the game is currently part of Steam's Early Release program, which of course means that it's still unfinished and under constant development. With that in mind, I dived into Windborne's world of mystical floating islands, and I've got more than a few thoughts about the game, where it's going, and where it needs to be.
Report: Defense Grid 2 constructing lines to defend Xbox One, PS4
After Hidden Path Entertainment found funding for Defense Grid 2 with Kickstarter and an investor, the studio scheduled its tower defense game to reach PC, Mac and Linux for the first half of 2014. However, a recent Polygon report revealed that defensive positions will also be held on Xbox One and PS4 consoles, due to a partnership between Hidden Path and publisher 505 Games. It was not specified whether the console versions will launch alongside the PC, Mac and Linux editions. Maybe 505 Games will take a page out of the tower defense strategy guide and neatly space each release months away from each other, in an effort to evenly distribute damage to fans' wallets! Or, you know, maybe business strategies can't always be translated well from video game tactics. [Image: Hidden Path Entertainment]
New sandbox pseudo-MMO Windborne hits Steam Early Access
It may not technically be an MMO, but we thought that Hidden Path Entertainment's "social sandbox creation" game, Windborne, might pique your interest. The game, which is now available via Steam's Early Access program, allows players to explore "an infinite number of islands, each full of wonder and surprise," on which they (and their friends) can utilize "a wide variety of building materials, furnishings, and artifacts" in order to build new civilizations and alter the world as they see fit. They can also befriend and trade with the island natives, creatures called the Jin, and the current build also boasts a "basic quest system," which gives players a "guided tour" of the game to help them gain their footing in this new world. Windborne's Steam page also outlines a number of features planned for the game's future development, such as the ability for players to help "guide the Jin to civilization" by protecting and defending them. Future updates will also add "millions of ruins filled with puzzles and treasure," dragons that can be tamed, bred, and ridden as mounts, and combat and quest systems. One last planned feature that should appeal to MMO fans is the implementation of systems to allow players to see the islands of other players surrounding their own and visit neighboring islands where they can trade, build, and generally interact with the islands' owners. If that sounds up your alley, Windborne is currently available on Steam Early Access for $29.99 US, though the game is on sale for $23.99 until February 24th. To read (and watch) more about the game or pick it up for yourself, check out Windborne's Steam page at the link below.
Windborne adventure and Starwhal fencing flip to Steam Early Access
Both Starwhal: Just the Tip and Windborne recently landed on Steam's Early Access service yesterday. Windborne, a sandbox adventure game from Counter Stike: GO and Defense Grid 2 developer Hidden Path Entertainment, is 20 percent off ($23.99) on the service until February 24. Starwhal, the narwhal fencing game set in outer space, earned $24,450 CAD ($22,294 USD) on Kickstarter in late December. The game comes from indie developer Breakfall, who will bring the game to PC, Mac, Linux, Wii U and PS4. Breakfall is hoping to carry Starwhal over to Ouya and Xbox One as well. As for Hidden Path, the developer is also partnering with Harmonix to create the recently-revealed Chroma, a free-to-play rhythmic FPS. [Image: Hidden Path Entertainment]
Harmonix announces music shooter 'Chroma,' sign up for alpha testing now
Rock Band and Dance Central developer Harmonix is going full Chris Gaines with free-to-play, first-person shooter Chroma. The multiplayer class-based arena gunner for PC has that Harmonix music twist with bullets on a beat and finding the flow in the music activating jump pads for easier arena traversal. The game is being developed in partnership with Hidden Path Entertainment (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Defense Grid: The Awakening). Chroma's closed alpha will begin this month and sign-ups are available now at PlayChroma.com. The game will continue its development on Valve's Steam Early Access through the year and is expected to be in a publicly playable state sometime this fall. We recently had the chance to try out the alpha and the game is still finding its voice, with Harmonix representatives acknowledging this is the earliest the studio has ever shown a game. If you sign up for the alpha, you are signing up for a game very much in development where feedback will matter. The good news is that if you decide to participate, you're getting involved in one of the more interesting concepts we've seen for a shooter. Players who can find the rhythm to rampage will have a distinct advantage in this game. [Image: Harmonix]
Defense Grid 2 development under way, coming first half of 2014
Hidden Path Entertainment has announced development of Defense Grid 2 is currently underway, with a targeted launch on Steam for PC, Mac and Linux in the first half of 2014.When the Defense Grid 2 Kickstarter campaign launched, the team at Hidden Path Entertainment didn't know exactly if they'd be able to produce a sequel. The campaign had a goal of $250,000, which was met, but the team was really looking for $1 million to fund a full sequel. Hidden Path fell short of that goal but thanks to an angel investor, the sequel is now under way.The $250,000 goal of the Defense Grid 2 Kickstarter campaign was to fund Defense Grid: Containment, an expansion pack to the original Defense Grid: The Awakening. Hidden Path shipped the expansion earlier this year, which caught the eye of the unknown investor who secured funding for Defense Grid 2."You guys supported us, an investor saw your support, saw us make promises to you, saw us keep those promises to you and, after Containment shipped, they decided to partner with us and invest in Defense Grid 2 so that we have enough money to make the game," CEO Jeff Pobst says. COO Jim Garbarini added that Defense Grid 2 is "fully funded and moving forward." Kickstarter backers will receive a free copy of Defense Grid 2 when it ships, the duo confirmed.Defense Grid: The Awakening is a tower-defense game that made its debut in 2008 on the PC and was ported to the Xbox 360 the following year. In the game, players must defend military bases from waves of encroaching alien enemies through strategic placement of defense towers.
Defense Grid: Containment set for Jan. 23 launch
Defense Grid: Containment, originally expected in December, now has a solid release date of January 23. Containment is an expansion to the tower defense game Defense Grid: The Awakening. It includes 8 levels that bridge the gap between The Awakening and its upcoming sequel, and features voice work from Ming-Na Wen of ER (and Mulan) fame, as well as Alan Tudyk of being Alan Tudyk fame. Furthermore, Containment includes four user-created maps chosen from the Defense Grid community. Last year, Containment began as a Kickstarter project to help fund Defense Grid 2. While the project did surpass its $250,000 goal, it never hit the cool $1 million that developer Hidden Path sought to fully fund a sequel. Project backers will still receive Defense Grid 2 whenever it is completed. Containment will be available on Steam for $5 individually, or as part of a bundle with Defense Grid and all of its DLC for $20. %Gallery-176535%
Counter-Strike GO is half-price on Xbox Live today
After a stash of on-sale games in yesterday's deal, today's Xbox Live Countdown to 2013 sale is suffering with the old post-Xmas-Day hangover. It's managed to drag itself on to the couch, but it's only brought a half-price Counter-Strike Global Offensive with it before dozing into a drooling slumber on the arm rest.Nonetheless, the XBLA version of Counter-Strike GO can be yours for 600 MSP today. Back in August, Xav gave the PC version 4 out of 5 stars in his review, praising it for extending the Counter-Strike legacy of "simpler multiplayer action."
Counter-Strike Global Offensive review: Come at the king, you best not miss
At a certain point, developer Valve became the new Capcom and Counter-Strike became its Street Fighter 2. Rather than take the series in a completely new direction, Valve has decided instead to make adjustments to Counter-Strike over time and release it in various versions across multiple platforms over the years.What has worked in the past – and works again here – is that these adjustments never bump up against the franchise's key element: the simple culture of good versus evil. It's terrorists versus counter-terrorists, and that's it. There's a simplicity to the formula that modern multiplayer shooters have recoiled from. Today, it's all about progression of the individual player, which often pushes them away from what should be a team-oriented experience. Counter-Strike has always nailed the team dynamic, because going it alone is a much riskier proposition when a single spawn is in the balance.There are certainly some new elements in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but they are based on classic components found in Counter-Strike's culture.%Gallery-134634%
Full Counter-Strike: Global Offensive trailer uses more ammo
In case you missed the Source Filmmaker-based teaser trailer for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, we have the extended version right here. The game is heading to PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 this coming Tuesday, August 21.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive gets zombie mod ready for launch
When Counter-Strike: Global Offensive launches next week, it's bringing brain-loving zombies with it. In collaboration with a mod team at Plaguefest.com, Valve has revealed that a Zombie Mod for CS:GO will be available alongside the game's launch – specifically for PC – on August 21."It was important to us as we developed CS:GO to make sure it was as moddable and extensible as any CS game," a blog post on the official Counter-Strike site noted earlier today. "So this is just one of the many mods that will be available in the coming months."Though the post was light on details, it did add that lovers of CS:GO and movies should tune into GameTrailers TV tonight on Spike TV at 1am ET/10pm PT. It's probably Counter-Strike related, but we're still holding out hope for Gabe Newell's home movies.
Defense Grid 2 being funded by Kickstarter
Been hoping for a sequel to the indie tower defense darling Defense Grid? Now is your chance to directly contribute to the possibility, as funding is now open for Defense Grid 2 on Kickstarter. "But wait," you say, "wasn't the original Defense Grid super popular?" According to developer Hidden Path's CEO Jeff Pobst, Defense Grid: The Awakening was definitely a "success, even beyond what we had hoped." That said, Pobst adds that a Defense Grid sequel is just "too small" for publishers to care, hence the Kickstarter.It's important to note, however, that the project's goal of $250,000 will not fully fund Defense Grid 2, but rather an expansion to the original game, featuring the first part of the Defense Grid 2 story. At $500,000 the original Defense Grid will be "remastered" in the Defense Grid 2 engine and will receive a multiplayer mode. At $750,000 will fund a level editor for Defense Grid along with Mac and Linux versions. In order to fully fund the sequel on PC, Hidden Path is looking for a cool $1 million.Of course, there are lots of rewards up for grabs, notably those offered by some rather high-level partners, Razer and AMD. Razer is offering its Naga Hex mice while AMD is putting up some Radeon HD 6770 graphics cards (not exactly AMD's high-end solution). Both companies are "helping out" on the project and will be "supporting" it throughout. Whether this is limited to technical support or includes financial support as well is unclear. We've contacted Hidden Path to learn more.As of this writing, the project has passed $130,000.Update: Hidden Path has informed Joystiq that, while AMD and Razer are providing Kickstarter rewards and technical support, they are not providing financial support to the project.
This Wednesday: Defense Grid awakens Yo-Ho KaBlammo on XBLA
This week's XBLA offerings are a pair of 800 ($10) titles, reports Major Nelson: Defense Grid: The Awakening and Yo-Ho KaBlammo. Each title is a bit heavy on the combat, with Defense Grid offering plenty of tower defense action, and Yo-Ho KaBlammo taking to the seas for some free-for-all naval combat. That sounds all well and good, but whatever happened to killing 'em with kindness? What would Gandhi say?
XBLA bets on a Wits and Wagers release this week
Coming off a a week long Xbox Live Arcade drought, Microsoft just announced that the board game based Wits and Wagers will be releasing to the XBLA this Wednesday, May 7th. W00t!For 800 Microsoft points, players will be treated to a trivia game unlike any other, where players bet on who they believe knows the correct answer. With over 700 questions, a quirky presentation, up to six players online, local play and big button controller support, Wits and Wagers may fill that social trivia void you feel inside.%Gallery-18616%
You can bet that Wits and Wagers is XBLA bound
Again, our trusty friend the ESRB has come to the rescue in fulling our insatiable appetite for upcoming (and totally unannounced) XBLA games with their latest listing for Wits and Wagers.Wits and Wagers will be a title developed by the crew over at Hidden Path Entertainment and solely for the Xbox 360. In general, Wits and Wagers is a board game where players answer trivia and place bets on which guess is closest to the actual answer. Simple enough. Though, we're curious to see how well Hidden Path can pull off a game like Wits and Wagers seeing that their only experience on the 360 is an XNA demo and creating a trivia game isn't the easiest genre to make entertaining. It doesn't really matter though. We're just proud that we discovered another upcoming XBLA game long before its announcement. We so cool!
