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Joystiq Streams: Broforce brodown [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
Hey! Where you going, Brosephine Baker? Got someplace better to be? Not when there's Broforce to play, you don't. Free Lives' shooter may look like a pile of pop culture references, pixel art, and 16-bit era run-and-gunning no different from legions of games put out by small developers over the past four years, but to dismiss Broforce's raw power is to do it a major disservice. Playing this chaotic madness well requires more patience and careful attention than you'd expect from something the lets you play as Dutch from Predator teaming up with Wesley Snipes to blow up everything ever. Even more so in co-op. When partnered up, you've got to play diplomatically and be a regular Brotros Brotros Ghali. Only then can you achieve true brodom. Joystiq Streams is rolling deep in Broforce today at 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Our very own Brah'lexzander Sliwinski will be playing while Anthony John Agnellbro hangs out in the chat and comments on all the brolation. Many special guests may appear as well... Joystiq Streams bro-casts live every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST on Twitch.tv/Joystiq. [Images: Free Lives]
Joystiq Streams: Picking a fight with Kinect Sports Rivals [Update: Never mind!]
Joystiq's Jess Conditt did not much care for Kinect Sports Rivals. "The biggest challenge in gameplay is often hassling with the Kinect," chided Jess in her two-star review, "Overall, the games themselves are insultingly simple." Everything's worth a second look, though! In the interests of due diligence, entertainment, and a desire to do something with that fancy Xbox One Kinect, Jess will return the Kinect Sports Rivals on Joystiq Streams at 4PM EST today on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Marvel as she tries to see if there's a way to actually get a gutter ball in bowling! Be confused as we all try to figure out why David Tennant is narrating the action. Mike Suszek will be hanging out in the chat, feeding your questions to Jess as she plays. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. Update: It looks like our efforts to stream Kinect Sports Rivals were fruitless. We'll be back next week with a new, functional stream after we take it in to the shop for a tune-up! [Images: Microsoft]
Joystiq Streams Special: Things to do in Dark Souls 2 PC when you're dead [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
If you're one of the intrepid souls who waited a few weeks to play Dark Souls 2 on PC, it appears you made the right call. As Joystiq's Xav de Matos discovered, the PC version of From Software's bruiser of a sequel is the best, markedly prettier than its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 counterparts resulting in a more lush world. At least, as lush as a dying world overrun by monsters and wandering specters can be. Joystiq Streams sets out into Dark Souls 2 PC for a special stream at 4PM EST today on the Joystiq Twitch channel. See for yourself what Dark Souls 2's major improvements are on a strong gaming PC. Additionally, find out how many different terrifying ways Xav de Matos can be offed by monsters. Anthony John Agnello will be hanging out in the chat, feeding your questions to Xav as we play. Joystiq Streams regularly broadcasts at 4PM EST every Tuesday and Thursday. [Images: Bandai Namco]
Joystiq Streams: Trials Fusion and the art of the face-plant [Relive the stream!]
Rage can be one of gaming's sweetest plums. Not the sort of rage where you flip out on a cheater in Titanfall or lose a particularly thorny League of Legends match. Sweet rage comes from classic challenge, when a game asks you to do something extra hard and you come oh-so-close to pulling it off before losing and getting sent back to try again. RedLynx's Trials Fusion, the latest in the strong run of motocross trick games, produces only the finest rage. Didn't quite land that flip? See your friends getting a better score than you on this track? Trials makes a player see red. No wonder we want to broadcast ourselves face-planting repeatedly in Fusion's new sci-fi themed tracks. At 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel, Joystiq Editor-in-Chief Ludwig Kietzmann will stream one solid hour of the Trials Fusion PC beta, providing a veritable smorgasbord of spills and, well, mostly just spills. Anthony John Agnello will be hanging in the chat as usual, feeding your questions to Ludwig. Want more? We'll be giving away 15 beta codes to the Trials Fusion beta in the Twitch chat while we play. Then you can face-plant with us. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. [Images: Ubisoft]
Joystiq Streams: Losing our minds in Ether One with White Paper Games [Relive the stream!]
"There are no dangerous thoughts," said Hannah Arendt, the philosopher who died writing The Life of the Mind, "Thinking itself is dangerous." Her words ring loudly while playing Ether One. The protagonist of White Paper Games' surreal adventure, called The Restorer, literally has to go into broken minds and try to put them back together. The concept alone is unsettling. Naturally, Joystiq Streams wants in on that juicy, psychologically harrowing action! That's why we're digging into the game's guts alongside its designer, Pete Bottomley. At 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twtich channel, Joystiq's Sam Prell will be playing through Ether One with Bottomley in tow to discuss the game and the inspiration behind its spooky brain spelunking. Anthony John Agnello will be on hand to feed your questions directly to the man. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. [Images: White Paper Games]
Joystiq Streams: A graveyard smash in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [Relive the stream!]
True story: Joystiq Streams was going to broadcast Shovel Knight, the pixel-y, Metroidvania-y, Mega Man-y game coming to Wii U, PC, and Mac this spring, with Yacht Club Games today. Unfortunately those plans fell through at the last minute, leaving the Streams crew desperately thirsty for 2D art and the exploration of interconnected, lushly animated environments. We crave double jumps and locked doors and wacky save rooms! Only one thing could possibly slake our thirst: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Starting at 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel, Joystiq's Richard Mitchell will play Castlevania: Symphony of the Night from the beginning, right when Richter Belmont and Dracula are in the thick of Aaron Sorkin-style banter. Anthony John Agnello will hang in the chat, feeding your questions to him. Some other guests may join us as we play. Dracula's castle is unpredictable. Crazy things happen. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel. [Images: Konami]
Joystiq Streams Special: Infamous: Second Son, new powers, and you [It's over!]
Hello, young conduit! With Infamous: Second Son out now, you may be noticing some changes in your body. Hair may sprout from unexpected places, your voice may change, and you may suddenly find yourself draining the fluorescence out of neon lights and shooting it at masked aggressors. Joystiq Streams wants to assure you that all of these changes are natural. Every young hero is confused when they suddenly turn into a terrifying smoke cloud. Just remember, you're not alone! Join Joystiq Streams as we explore these confusing changes together on the Joystiq Twitch channel at 4PM EST. Anthony John Agnello, who has never played Infamous: Second Son, will dive into the game. Susan Arendt will be joining him in the chat, feeding your questions to him as the game unfolds. Let's discover our hero selves together, shall we? Joystiq Streams regularly broadcasts at 4PM EST every Tuesday and Thursday on the Joystiq Twitch channel. [Images: Sony Computer Entertainment]
Joystiq Streams: Teaming with Trendy in Dungeon Defenders 2 [Relive the stream!]
Dungeon Defenders was more than a peanut butter on chocolate blend. The Reese's analogy implies a meeting of just two flavors, whereas Trendy Entertainment's blend of tower defense and action role-playing benefited from a third, magical ingredient: cooperation. A gooey gaming smore is what it is, and Dungeon Defenders 2 is all that with rich cartoon art, crunchy complimentary class abilities, and melty marshmallow. Maybe not the marshmallow. Joystiq Streams dives into the pre-alpha version of the co-op-tower-defense ARPG sequel today, and Trendy Entertainment's Philip Asher will be our guide and partner in exploring its wiles. Alexander Sliwinski will join Philip in the game while Anthony John Agnello hangs in the chat feeding your questions to the developer. It all happens at 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST just in case you don't get enough of us today. [Images: Trendy Entertainment]
Joystiq Streams: Blindly marching into Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes [It's over!]
Snake! Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is a sneaking mission, so while wandering around some crazy 1975 military base, try not to get caught. Maybe don't start casual conversations with guards or ask to bum a smoke either. Joystiq knows not to make these Metal Gear blunders, having dug into Ground Zeroes' guts for its 3.5-star review, but some of the crew has yet to enjoy Kojima Productions' PlayStation 4 and Xbox One debut. Hence why today's stream will involve blithely marching into Metal Gear, pretending Kiefer Sutherland just wants to make some new friends rather than save Paz. Head on over to the Joystiq Twitch channel at 4PM EST on Thursday to revel in our stealth skill as we play the PlayStation 4 version of Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes. Anthony John Agnello will be holding the controller, displaying how good he is at hiding behind stuff just as he did in Thief and Outlast. (Note: He's not very good at hiding behind stuff.) Susan Arendt, Joystiq's Managing Editor, will be hanging out in the chat, relaying your questions as we play. Come hang out! Joystiq Streams broadcasts live every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. [Images: Konami]
Joystiq Streams: Infiltrating Infinite Crisis with Turbine, Inc. [Relive the stream!]
Up to now, options have been limited for those that want nothing more than to control lanes while also making Superman punch people in the face. With Infinite Crisis, Turbine Inc. and Warner Bros. Interactive have finally created an ideal way to satiate those particularly hungry fans of MOBAs and DC Comics. Infinite Crisis won't officially open for business until later this year, but Turbine has opened the doors on a beta version of the game this month and it's joining Joystiq Streams to show it off. Ryan Bendar, lead game designer on Infinite Crisis, will square off against Joystiq's Sam Prell in the beta on Joystiq Streams today at 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Our champions will be testing the balance of heroes like Aquaman against villains like Harley Quinn in maps based on famous DC locales like Gotham and Coast City. Anthony John Agnello will be feeding your questions to the players alongside Adam Mersky, Turbine's Executive Director of Digital Communications. Again, you can catch all the Infinite Crisis beta action on the Joystiq Twitch channel at 4PM EST, the very same time Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday. [Images: Turbine Inc. / Warner Bros. Interactive]
Joystiq Tiny Streams: Returning to the nasty roots of Dark Souls
Three years is plenty of time to heal most wounds, but Dark Souls cuts deep. With Dark Souls 2 finally in our hands, our memories loom large. Was the first Souls joint from Bandai Namco and From Software really that demanding? Did it really punish us so much that difficulty defined it in our minds? Have our skills dulled in the months since? Joystiq's Sinan Kubba, in preparation for his review of Dark Souls 2, waded back into those murky waters and found that his experiences had stuck with him. As evidenced by this Tiny Stream, Sinan's senses are still keenly attuned to Souls' mean tricks. Even when he's prepared, though, the game still manages to get in some licks. [Images: Bandai Namco]
Joystiq Streams: TowerFall creator Matt Thorson teaches Joystiq how to arch [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
From afar we watched Ouya owners, rapt with pleasure as they bounced around the beautiful pixel caverns of TowerFall, hitting each other in the face with arrows over and over again. We, too, wanted to fall through the floor only to re-emerge from the ceiling, poised to strike down our foes with the vicious efficiency of a peregrine falcon. Ouya owners' grip on Matt Thorson's game has loosened, though! Now we're rocking that business on PC and PlayStation 4 on the regular. That's precisely what we'll be doing on Joystiq Streams today, with Mr. Thorson himself on hand to walk us through the ins and outs of his game. Come 4PM EST on Thursday, March 13, Joystiq's own Jess Conditt (@JessConditt) will be streaming TowerFall: Ascension on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Creator Matt Thorson (@MattThorson) will join us to talk about the game. Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) will, as always, be hanging in the chat, referring your questions straight to the people. Join us for all the succulent archery. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. [Images: Matt Makes Games, Inc.]
Joystiq Streams: Once more unto the Titanfall breach [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers (and sisters) that make up the Joystiq Troopers have not acquitted ourselves well in Titanfall. In fact, our myriad attempts to roll deep in Respawn Entertainment's debut shooter have fallen squarely on the comedy spectrum. First came what is now known as the great Joystiq Titanfall Beta Massacre of '14, wherein we got hosed by far more experienced players. Then there was Monday's stream, wherein we got hosed by the Xbox One party system. Both incidents were highly embarrassing and highly entertaining. Today will be different, though. Today is the day that Joystiq rises up in Titanfall and squares off in vicious 6-on-6 fights right alongside a fully-populated game. Tune in to the Joystiq Twitch channel at 4PM EST to behold the Troopers at full strength as they attempt to win more than a single round. It will be utterly glorious. We'll not offend one stomach with our play. Joystiq Streams broadcasts live every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. [Images: Respawn Entertainment]
Joystiq Streams Special: Preparing for Titanfall [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
The Joystiq Troopers are locked and loaded, waiting to spring like an angry mongoose, to take the Titanfall servers by storm when our usual Tuesday broadcast rolls around. Our motto, however, is, "Always be prepared when trying to commandeer giant robots while struggling in a horrific interstellar war." To that end, we're sending in the Joystiq Troopers advance team to lay groundwork and do some light leveling ahead of the main event. That's Titanfall on Joystiq Streams two days in a row. At 4PM EST on Monday at the Joystiq Twitch channel, Richard Mitchell (@TheRichardM), Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski), Xav de Matos (@Xav), and Susan Arendt (@SusanArendt) will suit up for a few test rounds. Deck officer Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) will be hanging in the chat as liason between you good viewers at home and our Titan pilots abroad. Come hang out. Joystiq Streams' regular schedule is every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. [Images: Respawn Entertainment]
Joystiq Streams: Have ourselves a time with South Park: The Stick of Truth [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
South Park: The Stick of Truth could so easily have ended up as a sad casualty of the gaming business. Even from the outset, the odds were stacked against it. Obsidian is a talented developer but its games, particularly Alpha Protocol and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, have been plagued by bugs. Then came the dissolution of original publisher THQ, then the Ubisoft acquisition of Stick of Truth, and its subsequent delay into 2014. That the game came out at all is miraculous. That it happens to be very good and very funny is just icing on the cake. Sam Prell (@SamPrell), who wrote our review of South Park: The Stick of Truth, will be taking Joystiq Streams on a guided tour of the colorful Colorado-based RPG at 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) will be hanging in the chat feeding your questions directly to Sam. We heartily encourage you to come on down to Joystiq Streams. Joystiq Streams broadcasts live every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST on Twitch. [Images: Ubisoft]
Joystiq Streams: XCOM creator Julian Gollop introduces us to Chaos Reborn [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
Strategy games are seductive time sinks. Who has the time to possibly tinker with all those units? Who can spare the hours to toil in turn-based combat only to finally lose in a crushing, humiliating defeat? Start up one little game of XCOM, get a squad going, and eight hours can disappear out from under you faster than you can say, "Overwatch!" Julian Gollop (@Julian_Gollop) is one of the men behind all those lost hours. The creator of XCOM, Laser Squad, Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars and many, many others, Gollop has spent thirty years designing tactics games that test both wits and nerve. Chaos Reborn, his latest game, brings Gollop back to his roots; it's a reimagining of his 1985 ZX Spectrum game Chaos: The Battle of Wizards. Unlike XCOM and Shadow Wars, Chaos Reborn pits player against player in tactical standoffs that are downright swift. The designer joins Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski) and Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) on Joystiq Streams for a few friendly matches in the prototype version of the game. Joystiq Streams goes live on the Joystiq Twitch channel at 4PM EST so come down and bring your questions to Mr. Gollop himself. The stream archive will be available after 5PM EST and you can always catch Joystiq Streams at 4PM EST every Tuesday and Thursday. A Kickstarter campaign to fund Chaos Reborn will begin on March 14. [Images: Julian Gollop]
Joystiq Tiny Streams: The Impossible Game creates blissful frustration
The Impossible Game is not precisely named. Playing The Impossible Game is certainly achievable, and it is feasible to succeed at doing so. The name of publisher FlukeDude and developer Grip Game's new PC version of the popular mobile platformer refers more to the feeling you get while playing The Impossible Game. As you attempt repeatedly in vain to time rhythmic jumps over plots of spikes, madness sets in. This game isn't meant for conquering. It's only mission is to infuriate and beguile you, much as it does here in Joystiq Tiny Streams. Failure is assured for David Hinkle, and yet he keeps playing. Devilish, The Impossible Game. Devilish. If you want more Joystiq Streams action, we broadcast every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST live on the Joystiq Twitch channel. [Image: FlukeDude]
Joystiq Streams: Running into walls in Thief on PS4 [UPDATE: It's over!]
The Thief series was legendary to console-only players at the beginning of the century. Looking Glass Studios' sneaky adventures were, like Half-Life and Deus Ex, harbingers of a complex and subtle gaming world that was only available on PCs. Thief's mystique has endured in the decade since the series went silent, and even now its blend of Victorian adventure and fear is seductive from the outside. That's why Joystiq Streams is diving into Thief on PlayStation 4 totally blind. Having never played before and with only limited knowledge of what's supposed to be happening, Anthony John Agnello will tackle Thief just as he did Don't Starve and Outlast on PS4. That is to say, fearfully and with extreme hubris. Alexander Sliwinski will be hanging in the chat, feeding your advice, well wishes, and mockery to Anthony as he goes. It's all happening at 4PM EST on the Joystiq Twitch channel. Come and join in the sneakery. [Image: Square-Enix]
Joystiq Streams: Cranky takes it to the fridge in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]
[UPDATE: Ludwig Kietzmann, fearing that his expert platforming skill would so incense viewers that they would riot, has yielded the stream to Richard Mitchell.] Were the Sesame Street gang to look upon the three major games released in the last week of February, they would surely sing "One Of These Things Is Not Like the Other." Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and Thief both put denizens of the night in dense, dark urban landscapes. Then there's Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which lets you hop and roll through an archipelago of flowing fruit juice and big-eyed penguins. Little different. Funny thing is, Tropical Freeze is the hardest of the three, with insanely difficult platforming and rage-inducing boss fights. That steep challenge is precisely why we're putting Ludwig Kietzmann, Joystiq's Editor in Chief, against its simian cruelties. Tune in to the Joystiq Twitch Channel at 4PM EST to join Ludwig as he attempts to retrieve all the bananas. Anthony John Agnello will be hanging in the chat, feeding your questions and derision directly to him. [Image: Nintendo]
Joystiq Tiny Streams: Plumbing depths in Crypt of the NecroDancer
Block-rocking beats typically don't spring to mind when engaging in swords and sorcery fantasy. We don't automatically associate Tolkien and the dancefloor. Why shouldn't we? Skeletons and cave dwelling beasts like to get done, and so do fated heroes questing for loot and glory. Crypt of the NecroDancer dares to challenge both your dungeon diving skills and your sense of rhythm. Joystiq's Sam Prell has already spent time with Crypt of the NecroDancer, speaking with its creators about how to translate music into slick pixel art; now, Sam takes Joystiq Tiny Streams on a guided tour of an alpha version of the game. No easy task, as you'll soon see. If you enjoyed this stream, you can follow Sam's Twitch channel and tune in for more Joystiq Tiny Streams right here every Monday and Friday at 4PM EST. If you hunger for the live experience and want to hang out with the Joystiq crew, Joystiq Streams broadcasts live every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. [Image: Ted Martens]
