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Telltale’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ first season ends next week
Star-Lord and crew have one last adventure in them for this season of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series. Season finale "Don't Stop Believin'" debuts November 7th and finds the ragtag group of heroes reuniting to take out galactic adversary Hala. It'll be available on just about every platform under the sun including mobile, PlayStation 4, Steam and Xbox One. Unfortunately, there's no word of a Switch release date just yet.
Gameroom is Facebook's antiquated answer to Steam
Back in August Facebook announced its PC gaming platform as a partnership with the Unity developer toolset. There are a few more details now, and from the sounds of it, Facebook Gameroom is basically Steam from 2009, but for Facebook games -- both web and those natively built for the ecosystem. The social network is starting small: games can't be any larger than 200MB, although it will "consider" hosting games up to 500MB on a case-by-case basis, according to the service. That automatically rules out something like, say, Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition's 58GB, but smaller fare like Desert Golf's 1MB size would have plenty of room to spare.
GOG adds 'Hotline Miami' and other Steam games to your library
GOG is extending its efforts to liberate your games from Steam's copyright protection. Alongside a back-to-school sale, the online game store is expanding its GOG Connect effort to cover 17 more games, including Hotline Miami, the 2013 Shadow Warrior remake and the space exploration title X Rebirth. It's the same drill as before: connect your Steam account and you can grab DRM-free copies of those games at no charge, helping you back them up or move them without hassles. The focus remains on indie games, but it's still good news if you're worried that you've put too many eggs in Steam's basket.
The fourth 'Kentucky Route Zero' chapter is finally here
Kentucky Route Zero's fourth chapter is really, actually, truly here. Seriously. Following a two-year-plus gap since the adventure game's third installment, you can finally grab the penultimate episode from your digital distributor of choice (including Steam, GOG, Humble Store and itch.io). "This has been a challenging process for us, but we're excited about the work and [are] eager to share it with you," developer Cardboard Computer writes.
GOG will add select Steam games to your library for free
Juggling multiple digital libraries can be complicated. Did you buy that game on Steam, or GOG.com? Depending on the game, it might not matter anymore. Today, GOG.com announced a new service that will automatically add select Steam games to your GOG library -- for free.
Epic Games: Microsoft can't be allowed to control PC gaming
Tim Sweeney, co-founder of Epic Games (Unreal Engine, Gears of War), has written a scathing op-ed about Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform initiative for The Guardian. Sweeney argues that Microsoft is creating a closed platform for Windows 10 "the first apparent step" towards locking down a monopoly on app distribution and commerce.
GOG.com is selling still-in-development games, too
Who says only Steam users get to have all the fun with Early Access games? Well, not GOG anymore. Today the PC-gaming seller is announcing its curated take on vending still-in-development software. Purchases are refundable within 14 days, no time limit (Steam doesn't offer refunds if you've played more than two hours), no questions asked. More than that, if an update breaks one of these games or changes in a way you don't like, you can roll back to a previous version via the service's Galaxy desktop client. And this version of access to non-final games wouldn't truly be a GOG endeavor if any of them were locked behind digital-rights management, so they aren't. Basically, it's treating these builds like any other type of game it'd sell.
Classic cyberpunk shooter 'System Shock' gets revamped on GOG.com
Twenty-one years after its launch on PCs, System Shock is back and revamped for modern systems. System Shock: Enhanced Edition is available on GOG.com and it's currently just $8 in a launch sale running through September 29th. System Shock is a cyberpunk, first-person shooter and role-playing game, and it was the first of its kind back in 1994. Both Warren Spector (the creator of Deus Ex) and Ken Levine (the creator of BioShock) had a hand in the series. The Enhanced Edition ups resolution support from 640x480 to 1024x768, with a native widescreen mode of 854x480, plus it adds remappable keys, bug fixes and mouselook mode. For all of the purists out there, the classic System Shock is included with the Enhanced Edition on GOG.
GOG Galaxy lets you roll back broken or unwanted updates
The latest version of gaming platform GOG Galaxy now supports patch and update rollbacks, letting you quickly restore a game to a previous version. Rollbacks were originally touted by the company as an DRM-free, anti-Steam feature, letting you skip an update if you hated it. "We know that patches can occasionally break a game or affect your mods," said tech VP Piotr Karwowski. GOG Galaxy has other ways you can avoid being locked down, like an opt-out for automatic updates and the ability buy games straight from its store sans the platform. Other game clients, including Steam, generally require such updates, a bone of contention for some players.
GOG's Galaxy platform is one step closer to taking on Steam
It seems like just yesterday Good Old Games was giving away copies of Aliens vs. Predator to get folks to try its (optional) PC gaming service, Galaxy. Times have changed and leading into The Witcher 3: WIld Hunt's release -- the first major title debuting on the storefront -- the platform is moving from closed alpha testing into an open beta. The constant that's carrying over from the alpha is that you aren't required to participate in anything within the software. Not into automatic updates that might fix some of your favorite glitches in a game? That's totally cool; you can opt out and still keep playing. Steam and Origin aren't quite as keen on that.
Shelter 2 'Cuteness' trailer is all about the lynx kitten fuzzies
Joystiq Trivia: Every morning I send Managing Editor Susan Arendt a cat gif to kick off the day. Like all good people, we share a love of cat gifs. This morning, I'm just sending her this aptly titled "Cuteness in Shelter 2" trailer. Because: d'awwww, lynx kittens. The wildlife survial sim and its lynx kitties are coming to Steam sometime next month. [Image: Might & Delight]
GOG.com drops protected installers following Linux backlash
GOG.com has heard the frustrations of Linux users, and has decided to remove password-protected installers from its games. Previously, GOG.com had used password-protected .RAR files in select games that require multi-part Windows installers. The idea, GOG claims in a recent forum post, was to prevent less tech-savvy users from mucking around with the necessary installer files and making their game unplayable. This is a valid concern, given that so many of GOG.com's offerings are relatively ancient games that are only able to work on modern hardware through a combination of emulators and optimism. However, because the innoextract tool in Linux is unable to parse the password protection when unarchiving .RAR files, any games using those files become inaccessible to Linux users. You can see how this might upset people. Following a lengthy forum thread outlining the problem, GOG has decided to remove the .RAR files. "We've heard your concerns regarding this solution and we do agree it could have been better," reads GOG.com's official response. "Although the same could probably be said about many other answers to this problem, it doesn't mean we shouldn't try to do better for our community.To that end we will be removing the mentioned archive protection from the select Windows installers that had it until a better solution, both technically and philosophically, is ready."
Double Dragon Trilogy gettin' Bimmy wit it on Steam, GOG
By the dragon! Retro-revivalist DotEmu is bringing Double Dragon Trilogy to Steam, with the beat-em-up triforce penciled in for January 15. The collection of late 80s arcade is also coming to GOG and Amazon on the same day, but there's no word yet on prices. Double Dragon Trilogy stars the titular co-op classic and its two immediate sequels, DD2: The Revenge and DD3: The Rosetta Stone. It's already been raging the streets of iOS and Android for about a year, as well as Ouya since June 2014.
Roleplaying classic Akalabeth now free on GOG.com
In 1979, Richard Garriott launched Akalabeth: World of Doom, arguably the first computer roleplaying game and the predecessor to his seminal Ultima series. Now, thanks to GOG.com, you can own this piece of gaming history at no charge. With this offer, Akalabeth joins three other games designed by Garriott - Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire, Ultima Worlds of Adventure: Martian Dreams and Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar – on GOG.com's list of free games. If that's not enough retro roleplaying game action for your tastes, GOG.com also offers the fan-favorite Ultima 7 Complete Edition at $6, or you could just grab the entire Ultima series en masse for just under $30. Purists be warned: The version of Akalabeth available on GOG.com is not the original game, but is instead a 1998 remake, created because software from 1979 just doesn't play well with modern hardware. The latter-day game hews very closely to its predecessor and for most people is a flawless translation, but devotees will be able to spot minor changes. [Image: Richard Garriott]
Weekend deals include GOG bundles, Shadow of Mordor, Wii U bundles, 3DS XLs
Should you be looking for a few good gaming deals, this weekend holds plenty of promise. For starters, Good Old Games is finishing off its Big Winter Sale with an encore offering of every daily bundle that was featured in the two-week sale. Deals focused on The Witcher, Rayman, Prince of Persia series and others can be had, with titles ranging in support for PC, Mac and Linux platforms. Flash deals and general discounts will also be offered until the sale's conclusion later today at 2pm GMT. If you're willing to deal with limited availability of physical goods, deals on several notable console games are also available to the swift; Among Amazon's batch of sales is Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox One) for $27.99, Driveclub (PS4) for $34.99, Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Xbox One) for $44.99, The Last of Us: Remastered ($29.99), Forza Horizon 2 and Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One) for $39.99, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 (Xbox 360, PS3) for $14.99. Xbox owners can also snatch up Destiny (Xbox 360) and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (Xbox One) for $30 apiece from the Microsoft store. Lastly, leaked details concerning Target's weekly ad suggest that starting on Sunday, the retail chain will offer the 32 GB Wii U with Super Mario 3D World and Nintendo Land for $250. Shoppers should also be able to pick up a 3DS XL for $149.99. [Image: GOG]
GOG Big Fall Sale Finale: FTL, Fez, Sam And Max, Rogue Legacy
GOG.com kicked off its DRM-free Big Fall Sale Finale this morning, putting more than 700 games on sale until Tuesday, November 25. The sale is split into two 48-hour periods, the first a "recap of flash deals" that rapidly come and go, and a second period with the Big Fall Sale's daily bundles that starts on Sunday. Thrifty buyers may want to act fast, as some of the flash deals will expire within hours. The deals include Fez ($5), Rogue Legacy ($3), Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition ($2.49), Pathologic ($2), System Shock 2 ($5), Rollercoaster Tycoon: Deluxe Edition ($3), FTL: Advanced Edition ($5) and the four primary Wing Commander games are $3 each, with the first two games bundled together. Sam & Max Save the World and Beyond Time and Space are $15 each, while The Devil's Playhouse is $17.49. OG.com also has deals on bundles starting today, such as the Fedora Deluxe Pack, a five-game Tex Murphy bundle that players can download at 80 percent off ($7.16). The digital games distributor is also offering a movie bundle for $8.45 that features five films, including The King of Arcades, Pixel Poetry and Minecraft: The Story of Mojang. [Image: GOG.com]
The Witcher Adventure Game's video tutorial explains the race for Victory Points
As is the case with most fantasy adventures, digital (and real-world) board game The Witcher Adventure Game gets complicated. Thankfully, series developer CD Projeket RED has put together the in-depth introduction above, which familiarizes would-be heroes with its card types, status ailments, battle system and general progression. While the tutorial is dense in useful information and examples, the simplified take is that two to four players race to finish main quests before their fellow players. Once a player's third main quest is completed, the game ends after one more turn from all other players. Glory is granted to whoever holds the most Victory Points at the end, a form of score earned by completing sidequests, investigating leads, besting monsters or performing other actions. The Witcher Adventure Game will let dice fly on PC, Mac, iOS and Android devices in 2014 and is currently available for pre-order at Good Old games for $8.99. A physical version from Fantasy Flight Games is also expected to ship later this month.
LucasArts classics reach GOG.com on October 28
Six classic LucasArts games, including The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, will be re-released via GOG.com on October 28, according to a now-deleted forum post preserved in the digital amber of Google Cache. "We're proud to announce a new partnership with Disney that allows for the DRM-free release of about 30 classic titles from [LucasArts]," the leaked post read. "Today, to start with a bang, we are releasing a selection of 6 acclaimed titles from Lucas' most famous gaming franchises, so that the Disney/Lucasfilm catalog on GOG.com is made impressive from day one." Alongside the two mentioned above, the games coming to GOG include Star Wars: X-Wing Special Edition, Star Wars: Tie Fighter Special Edition, Sam & Max Hit The Road and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. There's currently no word on the price points the service will attach to these classic games. [Image: LucasArts]
You can finally play the best-ever Star Wars games on a modern PC (updated)
Forget that upcoming Battlefront game for now -- the Star Wars titles that hardcore fans have really been looking for are finally here. Good Old Games has announced official re-releases of X-Wing and TIE Fighter that let you play these legendary space combat games (arguably, the best Star Wars games ever) on a modern PC without resorting to bootleg copies or hacks. They'll cost $10 each when they arrive on October 28th, and they're Special Editions that include both the CD-ROM content (SVGA graphics! Voiceovers!) as well as all the expansion packs. If you've been waiting two decades to once more recreate the Death Star trench run or blow up a Rebel frigate, your moment has come. Update: As you may have suspected, GOG posted those game links prematurely -- they disappeared shortly after we posted our story. Come back on the 28th and they should work properly.
Shelter 2's first gameplay trailer says 'click this lynx'
Stockholm-based independent developer Might and Delight offered up its first gameplay trailer of Shelter 2 today, the studio's next PC exploration game. Found after the break, the video demonstrates the motherly lynx's survival and protection methods, including tracking down prey and cautiously trotting close to her cubs. The survival sequel features "more elaborate gameplay features than its predecessor," according to the game's site. Shelter 2 will add stamina as well as a greater variety of movement and killing abilities. Players will also be able to call their cubs to their side, carry them and encourage them to drink from streams. First announced in March, Shelter 2 is expected to launch on Steam, GOG and other digital platforms in February 2015 following its delay earlier this month. [Image: Might and Delight]
