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Diablo III sort of confirmed for Q2 2012
Looking for a definitive release date for Diablo III? So are we, and unfortunately Blizzard isn't cooperating. The best the company can come up with is Q2 2012, according to Rock, Paper Shotgun. The site reports on Blizzard's recent investors call, during which Mike Morhaime stated the obvious before alluding to the launch window. "Given the popularity of the action RPG genre, and the keen interest in Diablo III, we expect this launch to be a big opportunity for Blizzard. We can also confirm that we are targeting a Q2 launch for Diablo III. We expect to announce more details about the release schedule in the coming weeks," he said. But hey, at least he didn't say "when it's ready." [Source: Activision investor call]
Play the MMO that never dies with Mythos Global's open beta
Mythos is the MMO that almost wasn't, then was, then wasn't, and then was again. The free-to-play Diablo-esque MMO was in playable beta as far back as November 2007, but its release was plagued by problems you wouldn't wish on your worst enemies. Mythos has somehow survived its entire original development team being fired, legal battles over the intellectual property rights to the game, and being kicked from publisher to publisher. Now in its third incarnation as Mythos Global, the game will soon relaunch to excited fans, and to curious gamers who didn't play it while it was live. If you didn't snag one of Massively's keys for the closed beta back in December, your chance to play the game starts now! Mythos Global officially entered open beta today, with free registration available via its new publisher T3Fun.
Blizzard yoinks Diablo III companion pets due to excessive cuteness
Charges of extreme cuteness have been directed at Blizzard ever since the company unveiled its Panda-themed expansion for World of Warcraft. If a new post on the Battle.net forums is any indication, that won't be an issue for Diablo III. A Blizz community manager penned an update regarding D3's beta patch 10, and among the notes is the fact that the game's companion scrolls are going away temporarily. "The companion pets felt like they were mandatory to maximize play efficiency and some of the pets were too cutesy for the gritty, dark world of Sanctuary," Nethaera wrote. The pets (and scrolls) aren't gone for good, as the devs have plans for "a much cooler system (both mechanically and visually)" in the future.
Max Schaefer talks Torchlight II development, potential MMO plans
There are a lot of people eagerly anticipating Diablo III, but there are also several people looking forward to Torchlight II, the followup to the hugely successful spiritual sequel to Diablo. A recent interview with Max Schaefer, co-founder and CEO of Runic Games, discusses the development of the sequel including some of the contrasting points between it and Diablo III -- including the lack of any sort of virtual item shop. As Schaefer puts it, the team wants to put together a good game that stands on its own, and if it's successful the developers will look in the direction of an expansion rather than a straightforward shop. Schaefer also discusses a potential MMO coming out of the studio, something that's long been among the studio's plans -- one of the big reasons that Runic partnered with Perfect World Entertainment was due to its expertise with running an MMO. He claims that it's definitely still on the table, but it would be a big change for the studio, since the company has focused on staying small and launching an MMO is a very long-term commitment. Somewhat sad news for those hoping that Torchlight II's launch would spearhead MMO development directly, but the possibility certainly remains.
Diablo III senior producer leaves Blizzard
Blizzard's Steve Parker dropped a bit of a bomb via Twitter this weekend. The Diablo III senior producer is leaving the project and the company for reasons unknown. "I'm no longer working at Blizzard or on D3," Parker wrote. "I've had a great five years there and those guys are going to kill it with Diablo." While Blizzard is currently listing Diablo III as an early 2012 release, the company continues to make major changes to the hotly anticipated action title.
Diablo III and Torchlight II compared via infographic
Diablo III? Or Torchlight II? If you can't decide which 2012 action RPG will reign supreme on your desktop, perhaps it's because you haven't compared each game's features side by side. GameArena has made that task quite a bit easier thanks to a comprehensive new infographic that appeared earlier this week. Whether you need a quick glance at the games' classes, a breakdown of the various single- and multiplayer options, or a look at intangibles like the modability and offline play of Torchlight II, the infographic has you covered. There's even a section on pets and a mini-bestiary!
Daily iPhone App: Fara
Fara is quite a game. The gameplay itself new -- in fact, the script even jokes that the hack-and-slash, Zelda-style title has been done before (by a guy in a green cap). It's Fara's style that's special. The backgrounds and characters are all hand-painted, and the script's self-referential writing push Fara past its humble gameplay mechanics. Plus, the intro hints at a much larger premise Fara offers some fun physics twists and the touch controls are well executed. Most of your moves a swipe or a tap, yet I felt fully in control of the character's actions. That's a great sign with an action game like this. There's a lot of mystery in Fara. So much so that casual gamers might be turned off by its reliance on gaming tropes and the mix of styles that hints at that larger story. But I would say it's worth sticking with. There's a lot of depth here, and while Fara just drops you into its strange world, it's a world worth exploring. Fara is available on the App Store for US$2.99.
Download the Dungeon Defenders demo and fight off foes with friends
Combining action RPG elements with tower defense, Dungeon Defenders lets players use spells, abilities and structures to keep creatures from destroying their crystal. But you don't have to take our word for it to find out if it's fun. The playable PC demo is now available for you to download and enjoy. Up to four players can team up online to fend off the invading hordes while collecting loot, but the demo limits players to a single map and caps characters at level 8. Download the Dungeon Defenders demo (1.2 GB) Continue reading after the jump for system requirements and other information. %Gallery-137147%
Drakensang Online open beta is live
Bigpoint Games, makers of Battlestar Galactica Online and Lord of Ultima, announced today that its newest creation, Drakensang Online has entered open beta. The game puts players in the shoes of one of two classes -- the fearless Dragonknight or the arcane Spellweavers -- and sends them to battle against the fierce monsters of the Anderworld. Action-RPG fans will be familiar with Drakensang's formula of grouping up, finding bad things, and hitting them until they stop moving in hopes of getting some shiny new loot. For gamers on the go, however, Drakensang offers one distinct advantage: It runs in your browser. Anyone interested in giving this new game a test run can join the beta over at the official website.
Dragon Nest open beta date announced
Action RPG fans, rejoice! Nexon has announced that the newest member of its MMO stable, Dragon Nest, will be entering open beta on July 26th. You may remember that we had some hands-on impressions with the game at this year's E3, but what exactly should players expect from Dragon Nest? From the looks of things, players should expect equal parts adrenaline-pumping action and good old-fashioned dungeon crawling. Players get to take on the role of one of four (gender-locked) classes -- Cleric, Sorceress, Archer, or Warrior -- and dive headlong into some combo-based hack-and-slash combat in search of phat loot and all that jazz. If this sounds like your proverbial cup of tea, head on over to the official site to register.
Gunshine releases new gameplay video
It's summer, so you know what that means: It's time to lie back and bask in the Gunshine. Er... wait, what? Oh, right! Forget the outdoors; Gunshine wants you to stay in and get a nice monitor tan as you blast and slash your way through the baddies of Dawnbreak city. To help entice you to come play, the game's creator Supercell has released a new gameplay video to show players what to expect from the action RPG. So if romping through a scummy city while filling everything in your path full of lead sounds like a good time to you, head on past the cut for the brand-new trailer, and don't forget to check out our own Beau Hindman's hands-on coverage of the game.
Holier than thou: Divine Souls adds the Priest
It figures that in a game called Divine Souls, sooner or later the team would include clergy. Outspark's action RPG has expanded its class roster to include the Priest, who's an interesting mix of lethal intent and compassionate healing. The Priest is equipped with a deadly Soul Scythe, with which he culls the heathens as he works his way through the land. That's not all he brings to battle; the Priest is also well-versed in healing, lightning and poison magics. Outspark's Philip Yun hopes that the Priest will be embraced by the playerbase: "We've designed Divine Souls from the beginning to offer the most action-packed and exciting combat gameplay available online. We're constantly working to improve our games and offer players more exciting characters, weapons and other premium content. The Priest class will be especially compelling for players who want to try a different edge to our PvP battles." Hit the jump to see Divine Souls' Priest in action!
Risen 2: Dark Waters teaser is all about pirates, see
Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to present to you the latest trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. What? Oh, sorry! In actuality, it's the teaser for Risen 2: Dark Waters -- a pirate-y action-RPG that looks to have a fair bit of flair, if this CG footage is anything to go by.
Drakensang Online moving into closed beta
If game development had trending topics a la Twitter, "play in your browser" would be at the top of the list. After all, a game you can play in your browser takes all of the slow download and install times out of the equation. Drakensang Online is the latest such game in development heading for a release, with the closed beta having just begun. If you've never heard of the game before now, don't fret -- applications for testers are still being accepted. How much social interaction will be present in the game remains to be seen, although the game's page boasts that players can engage in battle with and against other players around the world. There's a definite Diablo vibe to the screenshots and the trailers, so if that's up your alley, it might well be worth taking a look at the game during its beta testing phase. [Thanks to B1GG1N for the tip!]
First Impressions: Divine Souls
Divine Souls, published by Outspark, reminds me of Vindictus in far too many ways. I only question which came first and whether more fighting games like the two are coming in the future. While I have had a lot of love for Vindictus since its release, I also have had enough issues with it that I had to stop playing it much at all. While I will save that for another article, I can use the popular Nexon release to illustrate what is wrong and right about Divine Souls. More of Massively's readers are probably familiar with Vindictus, so that will be a good point of comparison. Think of Divine Souls as Vindictus' uglier little cousin. Granted, Vindictus is a supermodel, so that makes Divine Souls just an average beautiful person, but it should still be noted. Also, both games pit players against hordes of enemies -- massive swarms of baddies that die in spectacular ways. Well, spectacular when you see them for the first few times. After that it becomes pretty repetitive. Join me past the cut and let's talk about what I liked and didn't like about Divine Souls. Don't worry, there are no baddies to jump you.
Fable 3 PC system requirements revealed, your highness
Revolution doesn't come free, as any, uh, revolter (revolutioneer?) will tell you. On May 17, Fable 3 will launch on the Windows and bring with it a tale of two royal siblings vying for the crown -- but will you be able to cast off the shackles of oppression and fight for freedom? Probably not. I mean, have you ever tried to throw a shackle? They're heavy! Anyway, Lionhead's passed along the system requirements for Fable 3, which aren't too heavy, and you can check them out past the break. Remember, it'll also run in 3D, which is kind of revolutionary for the series. That's it: revolutionary!
X-Men Destiny's new character has the power of petulance
Aimi Yoshida is an all-new mutant created for X-Men Destiny by developer Silicon Knights. According to her bio, she "feels only the bitterness and anger of abandonment." She also feels the need to dress like Gogo Yubari from Kill Bill. See what we mean in these new screens.
Torchlight's Schaefer: MMO subscriptions aren't the way to go
Runic Games CEO and Torchlight developer Max Schaefer knows a thing or two about addictive, loot-driven dungeon crawlers. After all, he was a founding member of Blizzard North and instrumental in the development of Diablo and Diablo II. So, when Schaefer talks about game design, people generally listen. Whether Schaefer's expertise extends to MMO business models is up for debate, though, which makes a recent interview at Charge-Shot.com an interesting read. "I don't think really anyone can do [subscriptions] anymore because pretty much everyone that does subscriptions has one for World of Warcraft," Schaefer posits, while speaking of his plans for the upcoming Torchlight MMO. While the majority of the interview focuses on the new Xbox Live incarnation of the original Torchlight -- as well as the forthcoming Torchlight II -- it's also a window into Schaefer's design sensibilities and therefore a possible barometer for the type of gameplay that fans might expect from a Torchlight MMO. "[Torchlight] is the kind of game you can play for 20 minutes before you got to go out to dinner, but it's also one that you can geek out on all night. It's just a very accessible format that gives people a chance to enjoy a game rather than work at a game," Schaefer explains. [Thanks to Craig for the tip!]
Seize this new Dungeon Siege 3 trailer
The new trailer for Square Enix's co-op dungeon crawler, Dungeon Siege 3, speaks of "loyalty" -- but all we see is a lot of butt-whooping. Now, we're not saying that's a bad thing, so you can just put that sword down slowly and count to three before eyeing the new trailer and screens.
App review: Infinity Blade (iPhone)
Aww, would you look at that, the iPhone's trying to play big boy games! Following in the well received footsteps of Rage HD, today marks the debut of Infinity Blade, the second in what's hopefully a wave of gorgeous-looking iOS games boasting advanced 3D graphics, if not 3D gameplay. Epic Games has put aside the chainsaw-equipped projectile weaponry of its wildly successful Gears of War console series to deliver the first mobile game built around its Unreal Engine 3. You won't be surprised to hear that it's utterly delicious to look at, and the visuals certainly helped transport us to this alien realm of swords, axes, shields, and magical rings -- where body armor is optional, but helmets apparently are not. Jump past the break to see this visual feast in motion and to soak up some more of our impressions. %Gallery-110231%
