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Ubisoft reveals Assassin's Creed 4: Jackdaw Edition retail bundle
Ubisoft announced that a new DLC-bundled retail version of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is due to hit store shelves in Europe later this month. Assassin's Creed 4: Jackdaw Edition includes the full version of Black Flag and seven previously released Season Pass DLC packs. The bundle collects the standalone "Freedom Cry" single-player mission pack alongside the multiplayer-focused Death Vessel Pack, Kraken Ship Pack, Crusader & Florentine Pack, Illustrious Pirates Pack, Blackbeard's Wrath Pack, and the Guild of Rogues Pack. Assassin's Creed 4: Jackdaw Edition will launch in Europe on March 28 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC platforms. Joystiq has contacted Ubisoft for details regarding a North American release, and will update once we receive a response. [Update: An Ubisoft representative notes that Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Jackdaw Edition is only scheduled for release in the UK.] [Image: Ubisoft]
Optional multiplayer prevents games from being overrun by Watch Dogs
A stealthy technological tug-of-war sounds nice and all but how are you supposed to get anything done in Watch Dogs when your friends are constantly dropping by to jack your bank account? Don't worry: The multiplayer action can be turned off any time. "All the online activities are just part of the menu," said Danny Belanger, Watch Dogs' game designer, during a Friday event on Twitch, as reported by Polygon. "They're a choice. But if someone is not into that... they can totally turn it off." Ubisoft takes a distinctly Dark Souls-style approach to multiplayer in Watch Dogs. While you're playing as Aiden Pearce, doling out vigilante justice on the streets of Chicago, another player can sneak into the game. It's your job to hunt the intruder down in the anonymous masses and hack their phone before they do they same to you. Watch Dogs is already layered with distractions. During a recent preview event, Joystiq found that the sheer number of side missions and mini-games in the anticipated PlayStation 4 and Xbox One title obscured the drama in the main storyline. Maintaing that "vigilante obsessed with atonement" atmosphere is hard when you're always pausing to collect golden coins. If real people were constantly dropping into your game it would be even harder, so it's smart of Ubisoft to make these multiplayer components optional for players of varying tastes. [Images: Ubisoft]
UK Charts: South Park - The Stick of Truth is top in class
South Park: The Stick of Truth may be censored on UK consoles, but that isn't going to stop Brits from respecting its authoritah. The long-delayed RPG ousts Thief to debut in the top spot this week, and that's Obsidian's first UK No.1 since Fallout: New Vegas in 2010. Alright, the developer only released Dungeon Siege 3 in the interim, but it's still a decent achievement. The only other new release in this week's charts places way lower, and that's Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures in 21st. Also, there's a big second-week plummet for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, which is damned from 10th down to 24th. Otherwise, it's all eyes on next week to see which of Dark Souls 2 and Titanfall to see which will keep UK tills the busiest. [Image: Ubisoft]
Infamous: Second Son live-action trailer shows a misunderstood artist
While this live-action ad for Infamous: Second Son is pretty cool, we think there may be a secret reveal going on here. Does Delsin have superhuman graffiti skills? How else do you explain spraying up a whole base of SWAT-like guys with armored vehicles? Wake up, America! [Image: Sony]
MotoGP 14 announced, first in series to burn rubber on next-gen console
The MotoGP series' tank hasn't hit empty yet - in fact, it's boosting onto the PlayStation 4 in June with MotoGP 14. It will be the first MotoGP game on the new generation of consoles. The game will also appear on the Xbox 360, PS3, PS Vita and PC. According to a press release, the upcoming game will feature a redesigned engine that will affect graphics and audio, more than 100 riders and 18 tracks. The MotoGP 14 official site claims the game will also have Career, Grand Prix, Time Attack and online multiplayer modes. In Career mode, riders will have virtual fans that update their opinion on your performance in news and social media feeds. It seems that even in the world of digital motorcycle racing, you cannot escape the judgment of your fellow man. [Image: Milestone]
Report: Defense Grid 2 constructing lines to defend Xbox One, PS4
After Hidden Path Entertainment found funding for Defense Grid 2 with Kickstarter and an investor, the studio scheduled its tower defense game to reach PC, Mac and Linux for the first half of 2014. However, a recent Polygon report revealed that defensive positions will also be held on Xbox One and PS4 consoles, due to a partnership between Hidden Path and publisher 505 Games. It was not specified whether the console versions will launch alongside the PC, Mac and Linux editions. Maybe 505 Games will take a page out of the tower defense strategy guide and neatly space each release months away from each other, in an effort to evenly distribute damage to fans' wallets! Or, you know, maybe business strategies can't always be translated well from video game tactics. [Image: Hidden Path Entertainment]
PlayStation Blog details Towerfall: Ascension's Quest, Trials modes
Towerfall: Ascension is picking up Quest and Trials modes along with its subtitle in its upgrade for PC and PS4. While one of the modes was announced in Ascension's previous reveal trailer, a recent PlayStation Blog post offers details on actual gameplay elements from each style of play. In Quest mode, players can team up or fight on their own against varied waves of monsters, which the PS Blog notes range from "scythe-wielding warriors to leaping globs of slime." Some enemies will also have unique abilities, like the rival archers that can send arrows shot at them right back toward their origin. Trials mode is a solo affair, pitting players against dummy targets and a timer. The faster players kill off their inanimate opponents, the more prestigious their rewarding medal will be. The PS Blog describes Trials stages as "addictive as they are difficult," but adds that restarting a challenge takes less than a second, which should keep the frustration focused on the game instead of loading screens. Ascension will take its shot at PS4 and PC this week and has come a long way from its vanilla verison's Ouya-exclusive debut last year. [Image: Matt Thorson]
Hush fights fear with puppets, inspired by American McGee's Alice
Childhood fears might seem silly now that we're all grown up, but it's amazing how strongly we could convince ourselves of basement monsters and lurking ghosts when we were alone in our darkened houses. Taking those fears on isn't always easy for a kid, but Ashlyn seems ready to bash her way through them all using toys and puppets in Hush, Game Studio 78's episodic action adventure game set in an abandoned orphanage. Each of Hush's episodes will consist of three chapters built around specific fears. The first episode's "Fear of Thunder" chapter, for instance, will contain monsters that paralyze Ashlyn with loud noises, comparable to how claps of thunder leave some children immobile from fear. Fear of darkness, spiders and clowns are also among Hush's subject matter, just in case you've forgotten why you can't sleep. Game Studio 78 cites Alice: Madness Returns as an inspiration for Hush's surreal environment and twisted enemies, while also drawing comparisons to The Legend of Zelda series in reference to its puzzles. Since Ashlyn is facing fears, players will need to keep her braveness gauge filled as they explore - failing to do so means having to flee from battles, unless Ashlyn outright faints. Hush is currently on Indiegogo and is planned to reach PC and Mac first, with Xbox One, PS4, and Wii U versions following. Android and iOS mobile ports will follow if their €100,000 stretch goal is met, but €50,000 is needed for development of the first three episodes on home platforms. [Image: Game Studio 78]
'The fastest car ever built' burns rubber in Need for Speed: Rivals
The Koenigsegg Agera One:1 is a car as fast as its name is difficult to pronounce. Thankfully, you'll have better things - like evading the cops or catching racer punks - to worry about should you choose to give it a spin in Need for Speed: Rivals. The car is now available to download for free, and comes in both racer and police variants. According to the Need for Speed blog, the real-life Agera, "possibly the fastest car ever built," packs 1340 BHP (or brake horsepower, which is to say horsepower that doesn't factor in an engine's natural loss in power) and weighs 1340 kilograms. That's one BHP per kilogram, a 1:1 ratio! Oh. Ohhhhhhhh. Hold up. Nevermind. We just got it. [Image: EA]
Joystiq Weekly: Batman: Arkham Knight, our South Park review 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. Rocksteady revealed its return to the Batman series this week with Batman: Arkham Knight, and we've dug out capes and Batarangs from our Halloween stash to get properly excited. Last year's Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate were the first pieces of the series that weren't developed by Rocksteady. We enjoyed Arkham Origins well enough, but we're ready to move on from its bugs and glitches, especially since not all of them will be fixed with a patch. Arkham Knight is set to be the final game in the Arkham series, and we're eager to see what Rocksteady will do for the finale once it releases in October. There's plenty to read while we wait however, including news of Amy Hennig's departure from Naughty Dog, a preview of Watch Dogs and a review of South Park: The Stick of Truth. We've rounded up those stories and more for you in this week's edition of the Joystiq Weekly. [Image: Warner Bros.]
'Ultimate space anime fantasy' Galak-Z plots course for a Vita near you
Galak-Z, a top-down shooter from Skulls of the Shogun developer 17-BIT, is now coming to the Vita handheld. At PAX 2013, Dave took Galak-Z for a test drive through the cosmos and described the game as "like a sped-up version of Asteroids on psychedelic drugs." He praised the game's tight controls, sharp enemy AI and the omnipresent threat of something unexpected blowing your tiny ship into component bits before you're even aware of that stray laser blast or grumpy space worm. That last bit makes a lot of sense in light of a recent PlayStation.blog entry from Galak-Z producer Raj Joshi who names delightfully infuriating indie hits Don't Starve and Spelunky as key inspirations for the shooter. Alongside the newly-announced Vita version of Galak-Z, 17-BIT remains committed to launching the game on both PlayStation 4 and PC platforms. Unfortunately, the most concrete release window Joshi is willing to assign Galak-Z is sometime "later this year." [Image: 17-BIT]
GameStop raises price of PS4 Camera as supplies dwindle
GameStop has raised the price of the PlayStation 4's Camera peripheral, seemingly in response to supply shortages across multiple retailers. Available at the PlayStation 4's launch last year for $59.99, GameStop now lists the accessory at $69.99. Retailers Best Buy, NewEgg, and Target report that the item is currently out of stock. Amazon has also exhausted its supply, leading to third-party resellers listing the peripheral at $99 or more. The PlayStation 4 Camera enables voice-controlled navigation, and allows players to stream live video footage via Twitch during gameplay. Sony's free PS4 application The Playroom requires the peripheral to function. Speaking to Polygon, a Sony representative declined to comment on a speculated shortage, but confirmed that the PS4 Camera is in high demand. "While we do not comment on the sales figures, shipment or monthly production quantity, PlayStation Camera remains in high demand, and we've been pleased with the camera's popularity among PlayStation 4 owners," the spokesperson said. "We continue to control our production according to market demand and increase the production as necessary to meet the needs." We've reached out to GameStop for comment regarding the price increase, and await a response. [Image: Sony]
Foul Play to enter stage left on PS4, Vita
Mediatonic's theatrical side-scrolling brawler Foul Play is heading to PS4 and Vita, the developer announced in a recent post on PlayStation Blog. Players take on the role of Baron Dashforth, a mustachioed demon hunter who retells his tales in front of a live audience, defeating waves of extras in the one-night-only performance. The co-op enabled beat-em-up doesn't feature a traditional health bar, but rather gauges the audience's interest with each passing moment, and closes the curtains for boring actors that take too many hits from the combat-trained extras. Foul Play launched on PC and Xbox 360 in September 2013 before arriving on Mac and Linux in October. Our four-star review of the game deemed the story as "superb" and the fights "frantic and fast." Mediatonic did not offer a release date for the PS4 and Vita versions as of yet, but it will be Cross-Buy compatible, so owners of both platforms need only buy it once. [Image: Mediatonic]
Naughty Dog presidents defend employees following Hennig departure
Naughty Dog co-presidents Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra have made a joint statement claiming the departure of Uncharted writer and creative director Amy Hennig was misreported. IGN broke the story earlier this week, noting sources who contend Hennig was "forced out" by The Last of Us directors Neil Druckman and Bruce Straley. "Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann were NOT involved in what transpired," posted Wells and Balestra on the Naughty Dog site. "Normally, we wouldn't respond to rumors and speculation on matters that are internal to Naughty Dog, but because the personal reputation of two of our employees is being damaged we needed to set the record straight." Hennig was the creative director and writer on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. She was expected to continue those duties for the new Uncharted game on PS4. [Image: @amy_hennig]
Tomb Raider stretches to 6 million sold, one year later
Has any franchise reboot endured more scrutiny and debate over its degrees of success (or is it failure?) than 2013's Tomb Raider? Perhaps it's apt fallout from Lara Croft's rugged origin story, in which she proves herself against wolves, wild cultists and supernatural weather. Tomb Raider's commercial splash has gone from "'biggest opening" to "weak," back to "profitable" and onward to exceeding "profit expectations," according to a fan-facing note from Square Enix's head of studios, Darrell Gallagher. Looking back at the year since Tomb Raider first launched, Gallagher plays the referee and makes the call fans have been waiting for: "By the end of this month we will surpass 6 million units for our Tomb Raider reboot, and, having achieved profitability back in 2013 Tomb Raider has exceeded profit expectations and continues to make significant contributions to our overall financial performance." Publisher Square Enix was never going to get an instant Call of Duty caliber hit out of the story-driven Tomb Raider, but this affirmed success becomes important when we see doom hanging over major AAA studios, investing years into a game that hits – but doesn't hit quite hard enough. For now, Lara Croft appears to be a viable business again, even if she's not yet swimming in it. And let's get some actual swimming in the next one, please?
DICE explains Battlefield 4 'Carrier Assault' mode
Haven't played Battlefield 2142? If that's the case, the upcoming 'Carrier Assault' mode in the Naval Strike DLC for Battlefield 4 will feel like a fresh experience. Inspired by 2142's 'Titan' mode, Carrier Assault challenges opposing sides to sink their enemy's aircraft carrier. In a new post on the official Battlefield blog, lead gameplay designer Gustav Halling explains how the revamped mode works: "There are two ways of destroying the enemy carrier: either by full map control or assaulting the carrier as infantry. Each round is divided into 2 stages, starting with map control and ending with carrier attack. Both teams start on their own carrier and race to control the missile launchers placed on the map, by capturing the control points near them. This will automatically launch missiles towards the enemy carrier throughout the round, eventually destroying its hull and making it open for infantry attacks," he writes. Once access to the carrier is established, players can either drive a boat to the carrier to board it, or parachute down from spawn points above to destroy a series of M-COM stations within the hull. Alternatively, they can sit back and allow for the missile silos to reduce the carrier's health to zero. Halling says the inspired mode maintains the importance of map control, so a team that can't seem to break through to an enemy carrier can still succeed by defending their carrier and controlling the missile silo. Battlefield 4's 'Naval Strike' expansion will launch (as missiles are wont to do) later this month, first for Premium members and then for all. [Image: EA/DICE]
Watch Dogs hacks into PS3, PS4 bundles, at least in Europe
When Ubisoft's technofetishistic action game Watch Dogs debuts on May 27 it will be available in the usual standalone varieties, but those without a console to play it on will also be able to pick up the game as part of a PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4 bundle. The European PlayStation.blog announced the existence of these bundles earlier today. It fails to clarify exactly what will be included in these packages, though the entry does highlight the addition of "60 minutes of exclusive gameplay" to those versions of Watch Dogs appearing on Sony's consoles. Also missing from the report is any word on how much these bundles will cost and whether they're exclusive to European territories or will be released in other parts of the world. So far there's no mention of Watch Dog bundles on the American PlayStation.blog, and our attempts to reach Sony for clarification have been fruitless. We'll update this story when and if we find further information. [Image: Sony]
Dragon Age: Inquisition's forests, seas, palaces and trolls in one video
Dragon Age: Inquisition's environments span from brilliant ballrooms, to dark forests, crashing seas and otherworldly mountaintops, inhabited by people, animals, trolls and, of course, dragons. The latest video shows off Inquisition's settings, which include emergent ecosystems that change depending on what you do in the area. "You'll see towns attacked by bandits, deer fleeing from wolves, giants feeding on bears, and countless other scenarios," Producer Cameron Lee writes. Dragon Age: Inquisition is due out in fall 2014 for Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC. It was delayed in July and previously scheduled to launch at the end of 2013. The delay allowed the game to have multiple playable races. Also, Morrigan returns in Inquisition with a significant role, though not a playable one. [Image: BioWare]
Watch Dogs preview: Distractions in dystopia
Aiden Pearce is a complicated guy. Tormented by his past and his actions as a skilled hacker, the Watch Dogs protagonist has lost family and his identity to a world that hides its secrets behind firewalls. But he does this by using the systems he questions as his own destructive weapon, given the opportunity to wreak havoc on the lives of people in ways the establishment perhaps never would. He can steal people's money or use their secrets against them for information or access, all under the guise of combatting a security system that threatens the world's privacy. Though the security state setting of Watch Dogs is dystopian, it does not venture into the dour imagery found in the pages of a Phillip K. Dick story. Its world is contemporary, taking place in an alt-history Chicago that looks similar to its real world counterpart and holds the title of America's first "Smart City, "one controlled by a powerful monitoring system infrastructure. For players this offers a gateway of access, transforming simple button presses into a world of possibilities and making infiltration and information-gathering the most important element in Ubisoft's newest open world.
Watch Dogs arrives on May 27th
When Ubisoft showed off Watch Dogs for the first time in 2012, there was no such thing as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Well, okay, they existed in some sense of the word, but both consoles were far from publicly ready, making Watch Dogs an unbelievably pretty game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Unbelievable to the point that many journalists were incredulous about it not being touted as intended for next-gen, but Ubisoft couldn't say it was headed to unannounced consoles. In so many words, Watch Dogs was essentially the first "next-gen" game shown off ... even before the consoles were unveiled. It's somewhat hilarious then that we're here to tell you today that Watch Dogs now has a release date -- May 27th -- after being delayed past the actual launch of the new consoles. It's unclear if that means all versions (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC and Wii U) will arrive on the same day, though the Wii U version was already given a release date sometime after the other versions. Sorry Wii U, owners!
