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Buddy up with Divinity: Original Sin's two new companions
New DLC for Divinity: Original Sin is available now for free, giving players two new companions to recruit into their heroic entourage. The duo are ranger Bairdotr (left) and mute rogue Wolgraff (right), and you can access them by downloading the DLC on Steam or updating the game on GOG, and then starting a new game from scratch. Larian describes Bairdotr as a curious and loyal archer who's on a quest to safely return the kidnapped druid of the Homeforest. As for Wolgraff, he's not so altruistic: "Dark Sourcery deprived Wolgraff of his voice when he was but a kid, and with it his dream of becoming a Source Hunter. Refused by the Order, he grew up to become a rogue, stealing from the rich and giving to... just himself actually."
Good Old Games discounts 35 games, delistings imminent
At the time of this writing, there's about a day left to pick over Good Old Games' recent promotion for PC, the Last Chance Special. There's more urgency to this sale than the allure of a good deal however – after the sale's conclusion on Monday at 12:00 a.m. EST, the Last Chance Special's 35-game catalog will be removed from GOG. With Jack Keane 2: The Fire Within carrying the special's highest price at $7.49 and the average ranging closer to $2.49, at least it won't strain your savings if you decide to splurge. The first two entries from the Spellforce, Desperados, Red Faction, Aquanox and Dark Fall series are up for grabs, as are Chaser, Alien Nations, The Penumbra Collection and plenty more. Check to see if the Last Chance Special has anything for your tastes, and if not, there's always a less-urgent sale on classic Activision titles like the Quest For Glory and King's Quest series. [Image: GOG]
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter due next month, new gameplay video
The appearing of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is nailed in for September 25 on Windows PC, priced at $20 in North America and £15 in the UK on both Steam and GOG. Meanwhile, the "first to console" PS4 version is due sometime in 2015. The Astronauts was founded by the same people who founded People Can Fly, the studio behind the enthusiastically violent Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment. Yet as a new gameplay video shows, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is about discovering the causes of homicide rather than being one of them. You explore the clues lurking in the world's reddened greenery as you try to piece together the events that led to young Ethan Carter's disappearance following a violent murder. There's also a paranormal element, as you can tap into the memories of the murdered to help reconstruct the chronology of events and unearth the answers hidden in the scenery. Peruse below the break for that new video which features 13 minutes of gameplay with explanatory narration by The Astronauts' Adrian Chmielarz.
Good Old Games glitch gave away free games in Linux sale
Getting a good deal in a sale is kind of the whole point, but clearing out a promotion's spread without spending a cent is pretty unheard of. Good Old Games users kicked off its Linux Launch promotion this week, but users that were quick to browse the sale discovered its offerings could be had for free. Members began posting in the GOG forums about a potential glitch, which has since been corrected. A day after the promotion had begun, a forum member posted an e-mail they received from GOG's support staff, which explained that the free games were obtainable "due to a small glitch on our end." While the email explained GOG would remove games the erroneously-free games from a customer's shelf if they so desired, it also stressed that "it's totally cool with [GOG]" if a user would prefer to keep them. Class acts then, all the way around. If you're interested in actually purchasing games from the sale, the Linux Launch promotion will last until 12 a.m. EST Tuesday. Don't Starve, Kentucky Route Zero and Sir, You Are Being Hunted are among the sale's offerings. [Image: Good Old Games]
Be quick or you'll miss GOG.com's Adrenaline Rush sale
GOG.com has kicked off its annual Summer sale, only this year it's doing things a bit differently, and the best bargains will go to those who are ready to throw down cash at a moment's notice. The next 24 hours have been dubbed an "Adrenaline Rush" sale. During the course of this sale, four mystery games will appear on GOG.com at huge discounts with no prior warning and for a mere three hours each. At the same time, GOG.com will be giving away 100 vouchers for free games to those who can name all the games featured in short, 5-second vignettes posted to the GOG Twitter and Facebook accounts. Both of these unorthodox discounts are in addition to the standard daily sales and hourly flash sales that fans expect from GOG's promotions. While we'd love to give you more info on GOG's plans, the site is playing things very coy. We have no idea when the aforementioned four games will appear, nor which games they might be. Much as it's playing right into the website's hands, the only way to keep proper tabs on the sale is to visit GOG.com throughout the day. [Image: GOG.com]
Good Old Games' summer sale offers daily, hourly reasons to stay inside
E3 2014 mostly showed us cool games to anticipate trying out at a later date, but if you want to get excited about stuff you can play right this minute, Good Old Games has kicked off its extensive summer sale. Both day-long and hourly deals will be offered on bundles and individual titles for the next few weeks, supplying discounts of up to 85 percent on daily sales and as much as 90 percent off of hourly prices. Even if the front page listings don't interest you, over 500 of GOG's catalog is "at least" 50 percent off, so put that GOG search bar to use and see if you can save some cash on your favorite classic. The press release also teases "more than a few giveaways," so it might be worth lurking around GOG's homepage and meticulously refreshing to check hourly deals and hunt for free games. [Image: GOG]
Joystiq Weekly: GOG's Galaxy, Murdered: Soul Suspect review, Homefront's combat and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. E3 doesn't technically start until June 10, but with all of this week's announcements and E3 trailers, you wouldn't really know it. Forza Horizon 2 will let you drive recklessly later this year, Homefront is due for a return in Homefront: The Revolution, and the thinly-veiled Mortal Kombat X tease is finally over. And that's just the early stuff - we're about to get trampled with news and hands-on demonstrations as the convention itself kicks off next week. Don't worry though, we'll survive by channeling Simba's light-footed evasive maneuvers. Just ... y'know, without the tragic loss immediately preceding our exercise. You don't have to stick around and watch us warm up though - this week's highlights are waiting for you after the break. There are release dates for The Witcher 3 and Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved, reviews for 1,001 Spikes and Tomodachi Life, and an exploration of combat in Homefront: The Revolution. It's all awaiting you neat and orderly-like after the jump!
Good Old Games is taking on Steam with an (optional) PC service of its own
Anyone who's ever bought a game on Steam or Origin is familiar with the concept of a desktop client, but what if managing your game library through a piece of software was merely an option instead of a necessity? That's the question Good Old Games is exploring: the retro PC game seller just announced GOG Galaxy: a new PC gaming platform that promises to provide customers with auto-updating software, a player communication portal and the ability to play multiplayer games with both GOG Galaxy friends and users on other platforms. Oh, and like everything else in GOG's library, the client and every game that uses it will be completely DRM free.
GOG announces Steam-like client 'Galaxy' [Update: Trailer added]
PC game distribution service GOG.com announced a DRM-free, Steam-like client called Galaxy during the CD Projekt Red and GOG.com Summer Conference livestream today. Galaxy allows players to access their game libraries, earn achievements and can be used to connect with others for multiplayer gaming action. The client will offer cross-platform support for those playing online with others that are using other clients, such as Steam. It's also totally optional: Those looking to just play their games offline won't need to use the client. While Galaxy will not require any online activation and will handle game downloads and updates, players won't need to use the client if they choose to do those things manually. Update: GOG.com issued the trailer from today's presentation explaining the Galaxy client.
GOG 'limited stock' flash sale discounts 100 games, one at a time
GOG.com is having another one of its big sales, this time with flash sales on 100 different games. The online retailer is discounting one game at a time with a limited number of available copies, and as soon as that stock counter runs down to zero, the next game goes up on sale. The sale's going on right now - at the time of writing Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut is on offer at $3.74. Other games set to feature at some point during the sale include Papers Please, Divinity: Dragon Commander Imperial Edition and Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sale. [Image: Lucas Pope]
Blackwell Epiphany adventure clicks for closure on PC
The final chapter in Wadjet Eye Games' Blackwell point-and-click adventure series, Blackwell Epiphany, launched this week on PC. Available now through Steam, GOG.com and the developer's site, the fifth installment in the series costs $14.99. Blackwell Epiphany closes out the series, which began in December 2006 with Blackwell Legacy, with a lengthy adventure that stars Rosa Blackwell and her ghostly companion Joey Mallone. Players switch between the two characters (much like Gemini Rue, another excellent point-and-clicker courtesy of Wadjet Eye Games) to face off against a "malevolent force that literally tears souls apart." Wadjet Eye Games announced plans in December to bring the series along with the rest of its catalog to iOS, with the first three Blackwell games scheduled to arrive on the App Store in June. It will also port the series to Android, Mac and Linux. Those looking to try out the game can download the demo directly from Wadjet Eye Games, which is also offering a bundle of the first four Blackwell games on its store for $14.99 and via Steam for $19.99. [Image: Wadjet Eye Games]
GOG.com adds enhanced Mac, language support to select games
Good Old Games added more titles to its Mac library this week, boosting its RPG selection with a few classic titles. Mac-compatible versions of Baldur's Gate: The Original Saga, Baldur's Gate 2 Complete, Icewind Dale Complete, Icewind Dale 2 Complete and Planescape: Torment are now available for $9.99 apiece. Those looking for something a little cheaper could also consider the newly-added The Temple of Elemental Evil for $5.99. If you'd like more chances to play games in something other than English, GOG has also added language packs to a range of titles, most commonly offering French, German, Russian and Polish in its additions. The games previously listed in this post now offer at least three languages other than English, but you can check the full list of added languages for the new D&D-themed selection as well as games like Tropico Reloaded and Rollercoaster Tycoon 2: Deluxe. [Image: GOG]
GOG puts daily sale to a vote, discounts The Witcher games
GOG.com started its "Battle of the Games" promotion today, in which players can vote on which games they'd rather purchase at a cheaper rate. The sale offers two sets of three games every morning at 7:00 a.m. ET, accumulating votes throughout the day to determine which set receives a 75 percent discount and which is 60 percent off the next day. Currently, the digital retailer is pitting the trio of Red Faction and Red Faction 2 as well as Chaser against Unreal Gold, Unreal Tournament and Unreal 2: The Awakening. To get the sale started, GOG.com is also offering discounts on six games for the day: The first three games in the Heroes of Might and Magic series for $2.49 each, Blackguards Special Edition ($22.49) and the enhanced editions of The Witcher ($1.99) and The Witcher 2 ($3.99). The Battle of the Games sale ends April 21. [Image: CD Projekt Red]
Shelter 2 is bringing the lynx back to gaming relevance
Wildlife survival sim Shelter is getting a follow-up where instead of playing as a badger looking after her litter, you take on the role of a mother lynx progressing through a journey of parenthood and protection. The PC sequel, which Atari appears to have missed the boat on, is coming to Steam, GOG, and other digital platforms sometime in the fall. "The beauty of nature goes hand in hand with its unforgiving rawness," said developer Might & Delight while stroking its beard from atop of a mountain. "That is central in Shelter 2, and one of the reasons we chose to make a game about a Lynx. They are in [the] middle of the food chain, and there are far more vicious things out on the cold tundra..." The Swedish indie studio said it's bringing "more elaborate gameplay features" to Shelter 2, and including more stamina, more varied movements, and greater maternal control over your cubs. The sequel also introduces a hub-like den that acts as a central sanctuary, and "much bigger" environments that Might & Delight hopes players return to and re-explore. In short, Shelter 2 isn't the same old game, boy... [Image: Might & Delight]
PSA: Escape Goat 2 goes on the loose today
Ne'er has a Goat faced an adventure so demanding, so puzzling, and of such extraordinary magnitude since... well, the first Escape Goat. MagicalTimeBean's Escape Goat 2 is the sequel to the 2011 puzzle-platformer, and it's breaking for freedom today on Windows PC, Mac and Linux via Steam, GOG and the Humble Store, priced at $10. Escape Goat 2 follows the formula of the first game: Our purple caprine hero has to make his way through rooms filled with environmental perils, lots of moving parts, and puzzles that require the help of his magical mouse companion. However, the sequel ups the ante with a graphical overhaul, a new, more interconnected map system, and just to ram it home, there are 100-plus rooms compared to the original's 50 or so. [Image: MagicalTimeBean]
GOG.com to bring classic games to Linux
GOG.com (aka Good Old Games) has announced plans to bring some portion of its catalogue of classic PC and Mac video games to the increasingly well-supported Linux platform. Though not immediately available, this morning's announcement claims that GOG will enter the Linux market at some point this Fall. "We're initially going to be launching our Linux support on GOG.com with the full GOG.com treatment for Ubuntu and Mint," the announcement stated. "That means that right now, we're hammering away at testing games on a variety of configurations, training up our teams on Linux-speak, and generally getting geared up for a big kick-off in the fall with at least 100 Linux games ready for you to play." Among those 100 are games already available to Linux, but the announcement claims that GOG.com will also play host to "a variety of classics that are, for the first time, officially supported and maintained by a storefront like ours." Unfortunately, the announcement offers no specifics on exactly which games we might see available on Linux. Not out of malice or subterfuge, but because the team working on Linux support hasn't yet nailed down which games it will be working on. Presumably we'll hear more about the full slate of games on offer as we move closer to the program's launch this Fall. [Image: Linux.org]
Good Old Games retracts proposed regional pricing structure
Remember Good Old Games' plans to implement regional pricing for future titles? Well for the most part, that's not happening anymore - after extensive feedback from its userbase, GOG has reaffirmed its commitment to offer the same price to all of its customers. That means GOG users worldwide will still be able to purchase games at the same price as US customers. GOG insists it will "adamantly continue to fight for games with flat worldwide pricing," but if such a deal can't be struck with publishers, GOG will reimburse users. For now, that involves "$5.99 and $9.99 game codes," but reimbursement will eventually be given in store credit to be used toward any purchase. GOG says this will apply to "every single game where we do not have flat pricing," including the to-be-released Age of Wonders 3, Divinity: Original Sin and The Witcher 3. While local currencies will still be introduced for regions that don't use the US dollar, users will be able to pick whether they want to pay with USD or their region's respective currency. GOG's switch off of regional pricing may delay or prevent the addition of certain games to its catalog, but the company says it will "remain true to its values and will keep on offering you the best of DRM-free gaming." [Image: GOG]
Pre-order Blackwell Epiphany for April 24, become a medium
Pre-orders are now available for Blackwell Epiphany, the finale of Wadjet Eye Games' adventure-driven Blackwell series due out on April 24. Aside from a DRM-free download of Blackwell Epiphany, pre-ordering will grant buyers a redeemable Steam key, access to exclusive videos featuring the game's voice actors and series creator Dave Gilbert, an invitation to a private livestreaming of Epiphany's launch party, and the game's soundtrack. If you're a bit behind or haven't started the Blackwell series in the first place, the story follows Rosa Blackwell as she copes with the recent death of her aunt, which grants her an odd form of inheritance. After her aunt's death, a ghostly figure straight out of the '30s, Joey Mallone, appears to her and explains that he's been accompanying members of the Blackwell family for a few generations now. With the passing of Rosa's aunt, she's next in line to inherit a ghostly sidekick. Naturally, the duo go on to solve mysteries together, using Rosa's abilities as a medium to communicate with the dead to piece together narratives. Their search for answers and efforts to help the deceased find peace have extended through four previous games, but Epiphany's press release teases that their work bears a "price," which Rosa and Joey will presumably discover in the finale. Blackwell's preceding episodes can be bought from GOG's Blackwell Bundle for $14.99, or purchased directly from Wadjet Eye Games for $4.99-$9.99 apiece. The developer also plans to port the Blackwell series over to iOS, but the adventure has yet to appear on the App Store. [Image: WadjetEye Games]
GOG holds two sales at the same time, for luck's sake
GOG has two sales live right now in celebration of St. Patrick's Day: The Luck of the Irish weeklong sale and a big weekend sale. The Luck of The Irish sale offers a build-your-own bundle of five games for up to 90 percent off, from a selection of 25 games including Alan Wake, Fez, Hotline Miami, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, Reus, Brutal Legend, Dust: An Elysian Tail and The Swapper. That sale ends in six days. The weekend sale offers up to 75 percent off on 14 games, including The Banner Saga for $16.75, Outlast for $6.80, Cognition for $9, Shadow Warrior for $10, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs for $8 and Deponia 3: Goodbye Deponia for $15. The weekend sale ends on March 18 at 1AM ET. [Image: GOG]
Explore and create music in the Tron-like world of Fract, out next month
Synaestheisa is a condition in which you experience one sense like sound through another pathway like sight, and it's a growing concept in video games, particularly through the art of visualizing music. More recent indie games like Audiosurf and Sound Shapes carry on the groundwork laid by Dreamcast/PS2 classic Rez, while larger projects like Harmonix's newly unveiled Chroma show there's plenty left to explore for synaesthesia and gaming. Exploring music is exactly what you do in Fract, the Indie Fund-backed and IGF Best Student Game winner that's coming to Steam, GOG and the Humble Store next month. Developed by Montreal-based three-man team Phosfiend Systems, Fract is based around a psychedelic, boldly colored world - inspired by the movie Tron - that is in essence one big synthesizer. Players can create and manipulate music and sound by exploring the world and solving the puzzles they find there, You can even save and export the music you create in Fract, so brace yourself for some amazing Joystiq jams when the game hits Windows PC and Mac in April, priced at $15. [Image: Phosfiend Systems]
