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Sony bumps up PlayStation Plus cloud storage limit to 100 GB
One of the major selling points of PlayStation Plus (beyond "free" games and online play) is it offers cloud backups for your game saves and profiles. From early next month, members will have vastly more room to play with, as Sony's boosting the storage capacity from 10 GB to 100 GB. It's a welcome change, as it should help players free up more hard drive space and offer more flexibility for those who want to continue their progress on another system.
PlayStation's Adam Boyes now runs the 'Killer Instinct' studio
Key PlayStation exec Adam Boyes already said he was leaving Sony to return to game development, but it's now clear that he's making this switch in style. Iron Galaxy Studios has confirmed that Boyes will become its CEO as of August 8th. That's right -- one of the PlayStation world's best-known figures is now working for a developer whose best-known work involves the Microsoft-exclusive Killer Instinct reboot. It also created Wreckateer, an early showcase for Kinect, and played a big role in producing the hilariously simple fighting game Divekick.
Deals with Gold: Catherine, EA Sports UFC, Fallout
Deals with Gold isn't fooling around, as five Xbox One games and eight Xbox 360 games are discounted this week. Of the bunch, one game is on sale for both Xbox Live Gold and Silver members, as all Xbox One players can download EA Sports UFC for half-off. The other four Xbox One games on sale for Gold subscribers are Stick it to the Man, KickBeat Special Edition, Divekick and CastleStorm's Definitive Edition, each for 30 percent off their respective prices. As for Xbox 360 players with an Xbox Live paid subscription, both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are 67 percent off this week through Games on Demand as well as Catherine, which is 60 percent off. Serious Sam Double D XXL and Serious Sam 3: BFE as well as the latter's Jewel of the Nile DLC are 67 percent off on XBLA. Rounding out the group is Foul Play, Pool Nation and How to Survive, each discounted by, you guessed it, 67 percent. The deals are good through Monday, November 17. [Image: EA Sports]
PSA: Divekick out this week on PS4, Xbox One
Two-button, no-joystick fighter Divekick will hit the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this week with the launch of a newly expanded port, developer Iron Galaxy Studios announced. Divekick Addition Edition+ includes all features and combatants found in previous versions of Iron Galaxy's one-hit-kill fighting game, and adds Saints Row star Johnny Gat as a playable character. The new features will make their way to the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions of Divekick Addition Edition next week as part of a free update. Divekick Addition Edition+ will launch for the PlayStation 4 in North America later today, and will premiere via PSN in Europe and worldwide on the Xbox One on October 8. [Image: Iron Galaxy Studios]
Divekick devs were almost first to head Killer Instinct reboot
Divekick developer Iron Galaxy Studios will be taking over for Amazon-acquired Double Helix on the Xbox One-exclusive Killer Instinct reboot, but that idea may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. In an interview with USgamer, Iron Galaxy CEO Dave Lang revealed that his studio was one of the original applicants being considered to develop the game. Lang said that, while he doesn't know all the details, he knows that both his company and Double Helix were in the running to develop Killer Instinct, right up to the end. However, Microsoft had already tapped Iron Galaxy for Wreckateer, leaving the studio short-handed. Thus, the contract went to Double Helix. Now that Iron Galaxy is getting another shot at Killer Instinct, Lang calls the situation "sort of like dating someone's ex-girlfriend." Despite losing out on developing the game's first season of content, it might have been for the best. "If you take a look at where we were at that point versus the final game Double Helix was able to make, I firmly believe we would not have made as good of a game as Double Helix did," Lang said. "In terms of available resources, we simply weren't there at that time." [Image: Microsoft]
Saints Row's Johnny Gat signed up for Divekick: Addition Edition
In why-the-hell-not news, Johnny Gat of Saints Row fame is the newest combatant to join the ranks of Divekick: Addition Edition. The Steelport gangster first arrives in the two-button fighter's PS4 and Xbox One versions, before cruising "shortly after" onto PS3, Vita and Steam. There remains no word, dive or kick on a release date for PS4 and Xbox One. Iron Galaxy released the Addition Update for those original platforms last week, bringing a swathe of tweaks to the existing roster along with various other features including blind selection for ranked matches and d-pad input for the menus (yep, really). Finally, If you've got to get your Gat on ASAP, the good news is you can take him for a spin on the PAX East showfloor in Boston this weekend. [Image: Iron Galaxy]
Divekick Addition Edition arrives today on PS3, Steam
PS3 and Steam owners of instakill fighter Divekick receive the free Addition Edition update today, while the Vita ETA is pinned for "shortly there after." The Addition Edition is coming to PS4 and Xbox One when the game debuts on those platforms, but dev Iron Galaxy didn't spill any further news on that. If you're not clued in on what's new in the Addition Edition, allow us to sum it up (guffaw chortle). In addition (guffaw) to a host of character adjustments that range from tweaks to complete revamps, the update introduces blind select for ranked matches, new tips and how-to-play screens, and d-pad input for menus rather than the madness of using the game's two button controls. [Image: Iron Galaxy Studios]
Divekick Addition Edition coming to PS4, Xbox One
Iron Galaxy Studios announced that its one-hit kill fighting game parody Divekick is coming to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 with a number of changes and balance-adjusting tweaks in tow. Divekick Addition Edition adds blind select for ranked matches, and introduces optional d-pad input for menus in addition to the game's traditional two-button setup. Every character in the game has also seen an array of stat adjustments, ranging from slight speed tweaks to major overhauls. One character, The Baz, has changed so significantly that he has since been rechristened New Baz by Divekick's developers, and now boasts higher jumps and expanded Kick Factor abilities. The full list of changes is available here. Divekick Addition Edition is also coming to the PlayStation 3, PS Vita, and Steam, and will be available as a free update for players who already own the original Divekick. A release date has not been announced. [Image: Iron Galaxy Studios]
Opinion: How Divekick missed a chance to help the FGC
Divekick is as much an homage to the world of fighting games as it is a love letter to the greater Fighting Game Community – a light-hearted, self-referential work of parody that exists in this goofy purgatory between a novel joke and a tournament-ready (albeit unorthodox) fighting game. And like any work of parody, Divekick sends a message about its subject material, and it is in this regard that the combo was dropped, as it were. Divekick was the perfect opportunity to de-glamorize some of the FGC's more prevalent issues through the scrutinizing lens of satire, but like failing to punish a whiffed super, it was unfortunately a missed opportunity.
Divekick, Warframe are now PS4 launch games
Both Divekick and Warframe will be available on PS4 when the console launches November 15. The news was revealed during the PlayStation Indie Arcade event tonight at PAX by Adam Boyes, VP of Publisher and Developer Relations at SCEA. Divekick, a deceptively complex two-button fighter, launched as a "Cross Buy" game on PS3 and PS Vita on August 20 in addition to Steam. Warframe, a free-to-play co-op shooter from Digital Extremes, is currently available on for the PC on Steam.
Divekick review: Members only
When it comes to designing games, a single good idea goes a long way. Just look at PopCap Games' Peggle. It has only a single button and is effectively just pachinko with a cartoon aesthetic and occasional power-ups. Despite this, it's one of the most addictive games in the history of the medium. Iron Galaxy's Divekick is likewise superficially a very simple title with huge aspirations, though unfortunately for those who bought into the game's pre-release hype, Divekick is less "quality game" and more "baffling proof of concept." If you were to spend a few hours watching professional-level competitive fighting game players duke it out, you'd quickly notice that beyond all the spectacle of flashy super attacks and finger-melting combos, there's a metagame being played that is often more important than who can throw the bigger fireball. The key to success for really talented players lies in being able to read your opponent's intentions before he or she launches an assault, and then being able to set traps they might be likely to fall into. At particularly high levels of play, fighting games evolve into battles of the mind. Yes, it's impressive to land a 100-hit super combo, but even more impressive is a player who can trick his or her foe into using the wrong attack, or frustrate their opponent until they begin to play foolishly. This is the real draw of the competitive fighting game scene but, unfortunately, with most games there's a pretty sizable learning curve to climb before one can attempt to screw with other people's heads. That's where Divekick comes in.
PSN Tuesday: Saints Row 4, Divekick, The Walking Dead on PS Vita
The weekly PlayStation content update has downloads of Saints Row 4, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, Splinter Cell Blacklist and Divekick. On the PS Vita side, The Walking Dead makes its platform debut. PlayStation Plus subscribers can snag a free pair of games today: Star Wars Pinball and Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower. Rounding out this week's update is the public multiplayer beta for Killzone: Mercenary, the PS Vita installment in Guerrilla's glowy-eyed shooting gallery.
Divekick PC launching Aug. 20
The recently Greenlight-approved PC version of indie pseudo-parody fighting game Divekick will launch alongside its PlayStation Network twin on August 20, developer Iron Galaxy Studios announced on Twitter. Both versions of the game will cost $10, which breaks down to about $5 per button input – Divekick's controls are simply jump "dive" and (what else) dive "kick." There's a decent amount of depth to Divekick, especially considering its comical control scheme. When we played the game during this year's E3 proceedings we were charmed by its goofy, in-joke laden character design and carnival-style two button controllers that, unfortunately, have yet to be announced for retail consumption.
Divekick gets August 20 release date and Cross Buy support
Divekick, Iron Galaxy's two-button fighting game, will launch on August 20, as announced during a Twitch broadcast at EVO 2013. The game will cost $10. Divekick will also support Sony's "Cross Buy" functionality on PSN, so players that own a PS3 and Vita only need to buy the game once to download it to both systems. Iron Galaxy is still working on bringing the brawler to Steam through Greenlight.
New Divekick character is for high-risk, big-headed players
Adam Heart and developer Iron Galaxy Studios have revealed another featured character in their two-button, no-joystick 2D fighter parody Divekick, though this particular addition requires players to shoulder a major tradeoff during battle. "Jefailey," a character poking fun at fighting game tournament organizer Alex Jebailey, boasts a unique "disqualification" projectile move, in addition to the game's standard repertoire of instant-kill attacks. The tradeoff? Jefailey's head grows in size after winning a round, making him an increasingly vulnerable target over the duration of the match. It's worth noting that Divekick features a concussion mechanic, and if any character loses a round by being kicked in the head, they'll start off the next round in a dizzied state. Jefailey, then, seems like a character for risk-takers, or for those who think that their opponents will be distracted by his massive noggin. Iron Galaxy reveals new Divekick characters every Monday via livestream. Divekick is slated for release this summer for the PlayStation 3, PS Vita, and PC.
Hands-on with Divekick's minimalist two-button controller (video)
Just a couple days after we got our hands on Tenya Wanya Teen's crazy 16-button arcade stick, we were treated to its polar opposite; Divekick's two-button controller. Created by Iron Galaxy Studios just to show off the game at PAX East, the controller consists of two buttons slightly larger than the palms of our hands; the yellow one denotes a jump or dive, while the blue corresponds to a kick. As a parody of the fighting genre, Divekick's gameplay avoids complicated combo moves, is incredibly simple and immensely enjoyable, if we do say so ourselves. Unlike traditional fighting games, the health bars are essentially meaningless, as a single power hit can take down your rival. Therefore you're focused on just the most basic movements -- a common one involves jumping in the air, tapping the other button for the downward kick, and then tapping it again to fly backwards. As for moving your character about, a jump and kick combo will get you charging towards your foe. Some characters let you fly when jumping, while others reward pressing buttons simultaneously. From our few minutes mashing the controller, it seems that timing and position are more important than ever with such fundamental mechanics, and ones that we picked up pretty quickly. We especially enjoyed kicking our adversary in the head to make them dazed and vulnerable in the early seconds of the next round. %Gallery-184413%
Divekick preview: The two-button brawler
Iron Galaxy Studios' Divekick, which started out as a purely independent Kickstarter success story, pokes fun at the aspects of the fighting genre that people both love and loathe. It competes well in the genre it trivializes, and it does so with both hands in its pockets.The build I played at PAX East used a fight stick with two buttons slightly larger than the palms of my hands. That underscores the key ingredient to Divekick: it introduces an appropriate level of depth for a fighter that only uses two forms of input. Smacking one button down would tell my character to jump in the air, while the other had them hopping backwards. Combinations of these buttons resulted in jumping in the air and kicking downward at an angle, or activating a character-specific ability when the "kick meter" filled up. Successfully kicking my opponent just once in the cat-and-mouse fighter won a round, with the match going to the first character to win five rounds.Instead of memorizing button combinations, the playing field is leveled for all combatants, as timing is everything in this game. I found myself adopting familiar fighting game strategies, attempting to lure my opponent in before nailing them with a quick hop and kick. Other times, I would close the gap between us with a high vertical jump and kick, a risky proposition given the amount of time available for my enemy to counter. Kicking my opponent in the head wasn't just satisfying, it was a tactic that carried over to the next round, as the player suffering the blow began the first four seconds of the round in a daze. The daze slowed their movements, giving me a clear, but not absolute advantage. %Gallery-184112%
Sony announces more indie partnerships, Blacklight: Retribution and Primal Carnage: Genesis for PS4
At GDC 2013 Sony has decided to focus on its relationships with indie developers, revealing free-to-play PC shooter Blacklight: Retribution and episodic adventure Primal Carnage: Genesis are coming to the PlayStation 4. That makes three self-published games destined for Sony's next-gen console, including Jonathan Blow's The Witness. Blacklight: Retribution is also making use of Sony's Pub Fund for marketing support, the first game on the platform to do so. Sony hasn't forgotten about its existing platforms however, also announcing Spelunky and Divekick for PS3 and Vita, Metrico for Vita, and the handheld debut of Limbo on Vita later this year. Check after the break for a press release that details the announcements, plus trailers for several of the new games.
Divekick takes a leap of faith on Steam Greenlight, due in summer
Divekick, the two-button fighting game from One True Game Studios, is trying its luck on Steam Greenlight with an updated launch window of summer 2013, pushed back from this spring.Divekick was the subject of a successful Kickstarter campaign in July, but Iron Galaxy canceled that fundraising drive once it secured a publishing deal with Street Fighter 3: Online Edition's Iron Galaxy. Perhaps One True Game is hoping to transfer all that unfinished mojo into a Steam launch.One True Game Studios and Iron Galaxy have plans to bring Divekick to PC, PS3 and Vita this summer. Divekick began as a parody but is now a rising name in the fighting game circuit; it'll be at PAX East in booth 899, if you're around and down for some serious kicking action.
Minimalist fighter Divekick connects with PS3, PC, Vita this spring
Iron Galaxy Studios, the company behind the refreshes of Street Fighter 3: Third Strike and Darkstalkers, is working its magic on a new game: the fighting game parody Divekick. Originally made for PC by Shoryuken EIC Adam Heart, Iron Galaxy is working with Heart's company One True Game Studios to release Divekick on PS3, PC, and PS Vita.The new version will feature "GGPO-powered online support, a fully-fledged single-player campaign, and many other features." It will very likely not feature more than two buttons, to jump and kick. Divekick was the subject of a successful Kickstarter last year, but the drive was canceled when Heart began working with Iron Galaxy.
