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So, what's left to remaster?
Has there ever been a time when the word "remastered" was so prolific in the conversation, outside of the George Lucas household? Gaming was so incessantly nostalgic in 2014, you'd think it was closing after ten years. In just the last year we've seen polished-up re-releases for Saints Row 4, Resident Evil, The Last of Us, Grand Theft Auto 5, Halo 1-4, Fable, Diablo 3, Kingdom Hearts 2, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, Indigo Prophecy, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, and many, many more. And don't forget, glossy PS4 and Xbox One encores for Dark Souls 2, Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel are on their way in the next few months. Whether you like it or not - and I'm aware plenty do and plenty don't - gaming is still knee-deep in Remaster country. With the saying "When in Rome HD" in mind, I asked some of the Joystiq staff to tell me what games they'd most like to see remastered, however unlikely those remasters may be. Sure enough, most of them delved into the realm of pure fantasy.
Nosgoth founders program incentives get cheaper July 22
The founders program for Nosgoth is undergoing a few changes, Square Enix announced today. The program, which arrived when the game entered its closed beta phase in late February, includes founders packs that give players bonus in-game items and boosts. Those packs will see adjustments come July 22 in terms of their price and contents. The Veteran-level pack, previously a $20 pack that included 4,000 "rune stones," will now include 1,500 in-game gold and a 30-day "Major All Booster" that ups players' XP and gold production by 50 percent, all for $5 (while still including a Veteran badge and early access to the game). Three of the other founders packs have received similar adjustments, with the Warlord pack dropping from $35 to $13, the Warband pack from $50 to $20 and the most expensive one, the Immortal pack, moving from $150 to $50. The Nosgoth site provides a clear look at the changes between the former founders packs and the new, cheaper ones.
Steam weekend sale discounts Deus Ex, Hitman and other Square Enix games
Steam is hosting a Square Enix publisher sale this weekend, discounting games in the Hitman, Just Cause, Legacy of Kain and Deus Ex series, among others. On now until Monday, March 31 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the Director's Cut edition of Deus Ex: Human Revolution ($4.99), the Just Cause Collection ($7.49), the Sleeping Dogs Collection ($9.99) and the Hitman Collection ($11.24) are each 75 percent off. Individual games and DLC packs in each bundle are either 75 or 76 percent off as well, for those that already own pieces of the collections. The sale also includes the Dungeon Siege Complete Pack and Legacy of Kain Collection, both 60 percent off ($7.99 each). Additionally, The Last Remnant and Mini Ninjas are both discounted to $3.99 for the weekend, 60 percent off their previous prices. The Steam sale overlaps Square Enix's other sale on the Humble Store, which ends tomorrow and features Tomb Raider's Game of the Year edition for $12. [Image: Square Enix]
Nosgoth brings a legacy of pain to Steam Early Access
Square Enix's next entry in the Legacy of Kain universe, Nosgoth, is now available in alpha form on Steam Early Access. The competitive online multiplayer game pits humans against vampires for the entry price of $20, though Square Enix is offering "founders' packs" that range from $35 to $150, each 10 percent off until April 2. Each pack grants players in-game bonuses such as war chests, weapons and character boosts. The game entered closed beta in late February, and developer Psyonix noted that Early Access buyers are gaining entry to the closed test phase. It recommended players on the fence to "wait for Open Beta and play Nosgoth for free" when it reaches Steam's free-to-play section. Once in open beta, the Early Access founders' packs won't be available for purchase, but the content will be valid for previous buyers. This isn't the first time a publisher opted for a low-risk Early Access release on Steam. Kasedo Games brought Hegemony Rome: The Rise of Caesar to Early Access in February and Ubisoft launched alpha versions of Might and Magic X: Legacy in August 2013 and The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot in November. [Image: Square Enix]
Sharpen your fangs, Nosgoth has entered closed beta
Nosgoth, the team-based online multiplayer game set in the Legacy of Kain universe, has begun closed beta testing, offering those willing to fill out a simple registration card a chance to take part in the eternal struggle between the seductively malevolent creatures of the night and rosy-cheeked human beings. While far from complete, the beta test of Nosgoth will center on the game's Siege mode. "In Siege, Humans must capture specific locations and keep them safe from Vampires, while the Vampires must satisfy their bloodlust and hunt down their Human opponents," reads an official description from publisher Square Enix. The publisher also notes that the closed beta will be continually updated with new content, including additional game modes, levels, weapons and character classes. Joining the closed beta may take some time, but it's a simple process. First, you'll need a valid Square Enix Membership account. Once that's taken care of, visit the Nosgoth website and fill out the beta registration form. There may be a bit of a wait while your registration is processed, but assuming you meet all the required criteria you should be staking bloodsuckers and exsanguinating hapless Van Helsing wannabes in short order. [Image: Square Enix]
Watch an hour of Nosgoth, the multiplayer game set in the Legacy of Kain universe
Psyonix Studios dished out three videos for Nosgoth, the team-based human vs. vampire multiplayer PC game set in the same world as the Legacy of Kain series. Published by Square Enix, the free-to-play action game was first announced in September 2013, at which point the publisher kicked off its closed beta. The videos take viewers through the Nosgoth's team deathmatch and siege modes, and add up to an hour of action. Okay, it's actually 56 minutes and 50 seconds of video for the game, but that doesn't include the time it takes to pop your popcorn and cozy up in a blanket on the couch. You'll find the first of the three videos embedded above, while the other two can be viewed after the break.
Fangs and fire abound in Nosgoth 'War Is Upon Us' trailer
War. War never changes. Except in Nosgoth, where the war is between melee-oriented superpowered vampires and humans with technology and ranged weapons at the ready. Because in that case, yeah, war is kind of different than it is now. The trailer above shows the game as it exists in its current, closed alpha state, but progress is being made and developer Psyonix plans to move to closed beta "soon," according to a statement from the company and publisher Square Enix. If you can't wait to sink your teeth into this PvP-oriented return to the Legacy of Kain series' world, you can register to partake in the beta at the official Nosgoth site.
Legacy of Kain spinoff Nosgoth unveiled in new trailer, beta registration opens
Square Enix has pulled back the curtain on Nosgoth, a free-to-play online multiplayer action game that takes place in the same universe as Crystal Dynamics' Legacy of Kain series. In the preview trailer above, the developers at Psyonix explain how Nosgoth's human/vampire conflict gives combat a multifaceted approach, equipping players with an arsenal of varied weaponry. The human alliance focuses on ranged weapons and traps, while vampires can scale buildings and strike from rooftops, balancing out their reliance on melee attacks. Classes within each faction can be further customized with alternate weapon loadouts and abilities. Human and vampire sympathizers alike can sign up for Nosgoth's upcoming closed beta here.
'Nosgoth' is a multiplayer game, not developed by Crystal Dynamics
Speaking to VG247, Square Enix community manager George Kelion confirmed that a game set in the same universe as Crystal Dynamics' Legacy of Kain series is under active development by an unnamed studio. "Nosgoth exists and is in active development, but is not a traditional Legacy of Kain action-adventure game," Kelion said. "Nosgoth is set in the same universe as previous LoK games, but on a different branch to the Blood Omen and Soul Reaver series. The community should not be thinking of Nosgoth in terms of a single-player experience." Kelion added: "Nosgoth is not being developed by Crystal Dynamics. Crystal Dynamics are not working on a Legacy of Kain game." References to the titles "Nosgoth" and "War for Nosgoth" were discovered in the driver files for an AMD Crossfire patch last month. Earlier this year, Square Enix registered the domain "WarForNosgoth.com," though the site itself does not yet exist. "This isn't something we'd normally do," Kelion explained, regarding the decision to confirm the game's existence, "but we wanted to just give folks a bit more context for the direction, rather than just batten down the hatches."
Legacy of Kain revival suggested by AMD drivers
Some potentially good news in the world of eternal grudges today, with more evidence of a new game in the Legacy of Kain series being unearthed. Buried in the driver files of a new patch to AMD's Crossfire program are several references to "War for Nosgoth" and "Nosgoth." The files were spotted by Eidos forum user Corlagon, via a tweet from an AMD employee. Kain fans will know that the game takes place in the realm of Nosgoth, and you may also recall that Square Enix registered the domain "WarForNosgoth.com" earlier this year. Furthermore, SteamDB, which keeps records of Steams extensive database, logged the image above, again suggesting Kain and Raziel might return to go another round. As VGLeaks notes, the symbol in the image matches the configuration of the Pillars of Nosgoth, one of the important landmarks in the Kain series.
Square Enix host registers Wolfenstein, Legacy of Kain domains
Two domain names were recently registered by CSC Corporate Domains, a URL registration service used by publishers such as Square Enix to mask their upcoming projects while avoiding dreaded URL squatters.So while we can't say with any certainty that Square Enix and ZeniMax ordered the domain registration, "wolfenstein-spiel.com" and "WarFornosGoth.com" now exist. The latter likely refers to the fictional land the Legacy of Kain series is set in, Nosgoth. The former is, well, you know.
Soul Reaver, Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance resurrected on Steam
Thanks to the power of the Elder God, the Legacy of Kain series is now on Steam. For $9.99 a pop, you can download Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance.The Legacy of Kain games focus on vampire-turned-wraith Raziel and vampire demigod Kain. It's the series where Amy Hennig got her first crack as games writer and director. Hennig has since won two awards from the Writers Guild of America for her work on the Uncharted series.
Kane & Lynch and Kain & Raziel buddy up in Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light DLC
Ever wondered what playing through Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light would be like if Lara was Adam 'Kane' Marcus and Totec was James Seth Lynch, eponymous characters of the Kane & Lynch series? According to a hack of the PC version that popped up on YouTube – along with a helpful confirmation straight from developer Crystal Dynamics' Twitter account – soon enough you'll be able to experience such bizarreness firsthand as both characters will be available for download at some point in the future (remember: before the end of 2010). Also revealed was that other Kane from CrystalD's past: Kain and Raziel (of Legacy of Kain series fame) will be the second character pack. Names are also put to the second and third content expansions: "Things That Go Boom" (number two) and "Hazardous Reunion" (number three). PS3 owners can actually buy the second pack right now, as of last week's update. The YouTube clip after the break shows a bit of our old friends Kain and Raziel in action ... for the first time in seven years. Quick, someone explain YouTube to them! [Note: Crystal Dynamics is asking fans to tweet their choice for which character pack should come first. Instead, we're going to ask you to decide in our totally scientific poll, just below.]%Poll-56348%
Pandemonium and Blood Omen rated by ESRB for PSN
With all of the retro games being released on PSN, XBLA and the Virtual Console, it takes a lot for crusty old games to get us excited anymore. But that's exactly what's happening today with the news that Pandemonium and Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain have been rated for the PlayStation Network by the ESRB.While you could be forgiven for not knowing Pandemonium, a cool 2.5-dimensional platformer, you don't want to miss Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain if you've managed to for the past decade. It's not only the start of the usually excellent Legacy of Kain series but one of the most quotable games ever. Speaking of which: Vae victus!
Blood Omen and Pandemonium rated by ESRB
The ESRB strikes again and we learn of another couple of PS1 games the should be heading to the PSN. When? Who knows. Could be tomorrow, could be never -- (hint: It's not tomorrow). As for the games themselves, we're totally stoked. Pandemonium! was an awesome game in its day, but Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain was even better. We at PS3 Fanboy are huge fans of the Legacy of Kain series and have very fond memories of Blood Omen. Hopefully these games will grace the PSN Store soon, because America needs some more decent PS1 titles. People who missed out on Blood Omen should be required to download it. While it may not be the greatest entry of the Kain series (it came before Amy Hennig, of Uncharted fame, came on board and crafted the wonderful Soul Reaver storyline) it's still a narrative masterwork. We're looking forward to restoring the Pillars of Nosgoth to their former glory again sometime in, hopefully, the near future. Vae Victis![Via Kotaku]
Joystiq interview: Crystal Dynamics' Lindstrom talks Tomb Raider: Underworld
There are not many developers who can boast having given rise to both a vampiric anti-hero and an anthropomorphic lizard, but over the last three years San Francisco-based developer Crystal Dynamics has become more well known as the studio that single-handedly breathed new life into the dying franchise that was Tomb Raider and its top-heavy icon Lara Croft. 2006's Tomb Raider: Legend took the series that Core Design had unceremoniously driven into the ground and reminded us all why we fell in love with the franchise a decade prior. And for those still left unconvinced, Crystal Dynamics revisited the 1996 original a year later with Tomb Raider: Anniversary, demonstrating that anything Core could do, they could do better. Now the studio is at it again, this time taking Lara Croft on a new adventure in Tomb Raider: Underworld. Currently in development for multiple platforms, the game marks the eighth outing for the series, and while the game was recently pushed out from its previously expected third quarter 2008 release until the following quarter, creative director Eric Lindstrom told us that when it comes to this project -- "quality" is the team's ultimate deadline. We recently spoke with Lindstrom on the game, and he opened up to us about the project, how he feels it measures up to Naughty Dog's Uncharted, and why he finds next-gen development troubling. Hit the jump for the complete interview. %Gallery-15158%
