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Joystiq Weekly: Awesome Games Done Quick, Kalimba review, DIY Mario 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. It was a pretty quiet week thanks to the end-of-the-year holiday lull, but things should pick up soon! Like, today even – Awesome Games Done Quick has just kicked off a week-long marathon of high-skill and speedrun-oriented livestreams, with all donations benefiting the Prevent Cancer Foundation. If supporting a worthwhile cause isn't enough of an excuse to watch talented players blaze through games, what is? ... Yes, okay, other than free puppies. While you're waiting on something of interest that's buried in the event's schedule, catch up on what you might have missed while you were doing relaxing, vacation-y things. PlayStation Network users got good news regarding last week's service outage, Contributing Editor Danny Cowan's relationship survived his Kalimba review, and we explored the history of do-it-yourself Mario and the technical shift in Mortal Kombat X's gore.
Do these Sony offerings make up for the PlayStation Network outage?
Sony's PlayStation Network was hit by a devastating denial-of-service attack over Christmas. Now that the gaming service is back online, should the company be offering players some sort of peace offering? If so, what's a reasonable gift in this scenario? It's quite a conundrum, because the festive downtime wasn't predominantly Sony's fault. A hacking group called Lizard Squad orchestrated the attack (they also targeted Xbox Live) causing all online functionality to collapse. It meant new console owners on Christmas Day were unable to redeem game download codes or create new PSN accounts, while existing PlayStation owners were locked out of the online multiplayer modes for their favorite games.
Sony to compensate PSN users with Plus extension, discount code
Sony's offering five days of extra PlayStation Plus membership as its way of making up for the recent network outage. The gesture of goodwill isn't limited to Plus subscribers, as all PlayStation Network users are getting a one-time 10 percent discount code for the PS Store. Sony's Eric Lempel said the company "wanted to show our appreciation" for users' patience after last month's PSN outage, which saw services like the Store and online multiplayer go AWOL. Both PSN and Microsoft's Xbox Live service went offline on Christmas Eve following distributed denial of service attacks.
Full PlayStation Plus line-up for January revealed [update]
Update: Sony's confirmed North America's PS Plus line-up for January is the same as Europe's. We've updated the post to reflect that and other details. We already knew Infamous: First Light and The Swapper were coming to the Instant Game Collection next month, but now we've got the full January PlayStation Plus line-up. The two PS3 freebies headed to the continent are Prototype 2 and DuckTales: Remastered, while the Vita duo is Whoa Dave and Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition. The line-up hits the PS Store stateside on Tuesday, January 6, 2015. As ever, Europe joins the PS Plus party the day after.
Planetside 2 beta aims for PS4 next month
Planetside 2's beta program on PS4 is now expected to arrive in mid-January 2015. The news comes from Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley, who confirmed via Twitter that the first-person MMO shooter was "approved [in its] first pass" by the publisher and will go live during either the week of January 13 or January 20. The developer will know for sure as it enters the new year, "when we are back on [January 5]." In November, Creative Director Matt Higby said the developer planned to launch Planetside 2's PS4 beta by the end of this year. The developer added that its goal is "to have our launch on the PS4 feel like a great PS4 native console game. Not just a PC port." SOE is hoping to reach a resolution and framerate of 1080p and 60 frames per second on the system, though if the developer opts for 30 fps "it'll be because we want to maintain a completely solid 30 fps. But that's the optimization we're working on right now." [Image: Sony]
PlayStation Store sale extended following PSN downtime
Sony announced it's stretching out its PlayStation Store sales in response to the network woes endured over the last week. The storefront's Flash Sale now runs through until 12PM PT on December 31, 2014 (3AM ET on January 1, 2015), and the Holiday Sale now ends at 12PM PT on January 6, 2015 (3AM ET on Janury 7, 2015). The Flash Sale features a 30-odd variety of this year's big hitters including Destiny, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Middle-earth Shadow of Mordor. Not that the Holiday Sale is lacking on that count, with its discounted items including Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition for PS4, Alien: Isolation and Danganronpa 2. On Saturday, December 27, Sony reported the PlayStation Network was back online following distributed denial of service attacks that began on Christmas Eve. However, as of last night, Sony says the service currently has "intermittent connectivity." Yesterday, Sony tweeted out a PlayStation Support page suggesting PS4 users try changing their MTU settings to restore connectivity. Several hours later, Sony said it had made network updates that should forgo users having to delve into the settings menu. At the time of writing, our UK PS4 signed into PSN and we were able to access the PlayStation Store without issue. [Image: Channel 4]
PlayStation Network is back online following Christmas Day attack
Three days after Lizard Squad's latest denial of service attack knocked the PlayStation Network offline (and Xbox Live, we'd add), the internet gaming service is gradually getting back on its feet. Sony now says that PSN should be up and running for all of its consoles. While the company warns that there might be some "intermittency" as it gets back into the swing of things, you theoretically won't face major interruptions during that big Destiny raid. It's not clear if Sony's infrastructure will be any better at weathering future digital assaults on this scale; given that the attack was supposedly three times larger than the previous record-setter, this probably isn't a permanent fix. However, it's good to know that you can squeak in at least some online gaming on that shiny new PS4 before the holidays are over.
PSA: PlayStation Network back online, service restored [Update]
The PlayStation Network appears to be fully armed and operational, according to an update post on the PlayStation Blog. The update confirms that the PSN suffered a DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack on Christmas Eve Day, and though the group that took credit for bringing the service down claimed to have ceased its attack on December 25, it was not until late last evening that service was restored. Sony now reports in no uncertain terms that "PlayStation Network is back online." If you received or purchased a PlayStation system over the holidays, you should be free to enjoy your new console. Update: If you're a PS4 user still having difficulties logging in, the Ask PlayStation Twitter account suggests that age-old fix of restarting your system. A tweet reads, "PS4 users: If you are still having issues signing in to PSN today, please reboot the console and try again." [Image: Sony]
These are the hackers who wrecked your holiday gaming
If you're a console gamer, you're probably all too aware of Lizard Squad, the hacker outlet that allegedly knocked both the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live offline for a good chunk of the Christmas break. But just why and how is this group causing so much grief? Thanks to the Daily Dot, we now have a better (if imperfect) idea of what's going on. It might not shock you to hear that the team is doing this both for laughs, à la LulzSec, and to expose the "incompetence" of the security teams at Microsoft and Sony. However, they also claim to have access to undersea internet cables and other "core routing equipment" that lets them flood networks with massive amounts of data. They supposedly bombarded PSN and XBL at a rate of 1.2 terabits per second, or three times the rate of the previous largest attack on record.
Xbox Live and PlayStation Network both down due to an apparent attack
Merry Christmas, game fans: Both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network are down this morning, apparently due to a denial-of-service attack. The notorious hacking group Lizard Squad -- which already carried out earlier attacks on Microsoft and Sony -- has claimed responsibility on Twitter for these latest outages. While Lizard Squad's role in all of this remains unconfirmed, the group did threaten last week to take down Xbox Live and PSN, according to Business Insider. Regardless of who's behind this, the timing is obviously terrible: Plenty of people surely received one of the two consoles as Christmas presents today, while many more gamers would have happily spent the afternoon in front of the TV. In the meantime, both Sony and Microsoft have acknowledged the problem, with Sony issuing a tweet and Microsoft posting a message on its website: "We're working to address this as quickly as we possibly can," reads its status website. "Thanks for your patience, Xbox members." In an email, a Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment further or say when the company expects to restore service. We've also asked Sony to comment and will update this post if and when it does.
PSN Store Update: Alien Isolation, Diablo 3, more
In a last-ditch effort to get in your wallet before the end of the year, the PlayStation Store has a number of good deals on games this week. Among the many deals for PS4 players at the moment, Alien: Isolation is $35.99 ($29.99 for PS Plus members), while the game's season pass is down to $14.99. Additionally, Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition is $39.59 ($35.99 on PS Plus), Escape Goat 2 is half-price ($5, $4 on PS Plus), Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is just $6.80 and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is $25 ($20 on PS Plus). As for Vita, players can download Danganronpa 2 for $27.99 ($23.99 on PS Plus), Nidhogg for $10.49 ($8.99 through PS Plus), Thomas Was Alone and Stealth Inc. for $3.99 each as well as Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut for $5 ($4 via PS Plus). A number of games, such as Nidhogg and Thomas Was Alone, are Cross-Buy compatible, so those with multiple systems only need to pay once to access each version. That includes Flippfly's Race the Sun, which is down to $6.99 at the moment across all three PlayStation platforms ($5.99 on PS Plus). Head over to PlayStation Blog for a full list of the current deals. [Image: Sega]
Resident Evil HD pre-orders are cross-buy on PS4, PS3
In holiday spirit news, PlayStation pre-orders of the HD-ified Resident Evil will unlock the game on both PS4 and PS3. Capcom revealed North American users can pre-purchase the upcoming remaster on PSN now, and by doing so they'll get both the PS4 and PS3 versions. The publisher's confirmed to Polygon the cross-buy offer is only available for pre-orders. If you're almost peckish for a remastered sandwich, you don't have much longer to wait. The $20 "definitive version" of Resi's 2002 remake hits PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on January 20, 2015, bringing back crazed canines, creaking doors and Barry Burtonisms in 1080p. If you fancy a bit of before-and-after, check out Capcom's comparison shots. [Image: Capcom]
Claire goes back to work in Resident Evil Revelations 2 opening
It's hard to imagine why Claire Redfield of Capcom's Resident Evil universe would put anything other than "I saved you from becoming zombie food" on her resume, but we suppose that's a pretty good attribute when you work for a human rights organization that unravels the schemes of/cleans up the damage made by terrorists using bio-weapons. Unfortunately, being such a high-profile figure also makes you a target, as evidenced by the opening scene of Resident Evil Revelations 2, which you can watch after the break. Historically, Claire has fared well against both helicopters and men with guns, but age catches up to all of us it seems, and the lady Redfield is unable to save her place of business from attack. Community Manager Brelston writes on the Capcom Unity blog that after this scene, Claire and company wake up on a prison island with "little information, no weapons and no clear way home." Well, at least our heroine will be in familiar circumstances when Resident Evil Revelations 2 begins its episodic tale on February 17, 2015.
Marvel vs. Capcom Origins leaving online storefronts soon
Marvel vs. Capcom Origins is retiring from online storefronts later this year, in the hopes of living a normal life free from superpowers, arch-villains and all that fun stuff. Capcom announced the crossover compilation goes off sale from PSN on December 23 and XBLA on December 31. The publisher didn't explain why it's delisting the Xbox 360 and PS3 game, but expired licensing wouldn't be a giant leap of speculation.
PSN Store Update: Damn it Otacon, Get a Grip
Some six years after it hit retail shelves, you can now download Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots from the PlayStation Store. As such, you can now sort of ruin one of the game's most memorable moments. We're of course talking about that tongue-in-cheek bit about the PS3's Blu-Ray capabilities, which arguably loses its edge when you're not playing from a disc. So, it's another Metal Gear Solid moment that only really works when playing the game in its original form. Not that that's a bad thing. If you don't fancy shelling out $20 on a 30GB-ish download, there is other, fresher stuff on the PS Store. Guilty Gear Xrd Sign is the major new release of the week, and you can grab the fighter for $60 on PS4 and $50 on PS3. Also new on PS4 this week are free-to-play shooter Loadout, Tetris Ultimate ($10), and Super Mega Baseball ($20, cross-buy with PS3)
The Last of Us gets weapons, skills, gear in new DLC
Naughty Dog launched add-ons for The Last of Us' online multiplayer Factions mode this week, each piece available for purchase individually or in convenient bundles. The game's new Tactical Weapons bundle ($2.99) features a tactical shotgun, burst pistol, frontier rifle and crossbow, each available for $0.99 separately. The Last of Us' Misfit Head Item pack costs $6.99 and includes eight clothing and gear options for players such as ski goggles and a viking hat, each available at varying prices individually. Likewise, the Risk Management Survival Skills pack ($3.99) includes five new skills that are otherwise $0.99 each. Lone Wolf boosts players that separate from their team, Second Chance grants a bonus health kit to those in danger, Jack of All Trades boosts grab-bag level one skills, Lucky Break increases supply box hauls and the special execution-improving Lethal Efficiency skill. Speaking of which, the game's Special Executions pack costs $2.99 and offers new animation sets for takedowns across nine weapon categories, each one costing $0.99 on their own. Lastly, Naughty Dog introduced two new gestures packs for $2.49 each, with individual gestures going for, you guessed it, $0.99. The developer noted that some of the special execution animations didn't make the cut for the game's PS3 version due to the system's memory constraints. [Image: SCEA]
Yakuza 5 coming to western PlayStations in 2015
The Yakuza series is headed west. Sony announced during its PlayStation Experience keynote that Yakuza 5 will be coming to stateside PlayStation 3 systems next year, while Yakuza 4 and Yakuza: Dead Souls (both previously available in disc form for the PS3) will be available on the PSN starting this week. [Image: Sega]
Resogun saves the last humans on PS3, Vita this month
Carousel-scrolling shooter Resogun will reach PlayStation 3 and PS Vita on Tuesday, December 23 in North America. The game will launch nearly a week earlier in Europe on Wednesday, December 17. Resogun first arrived as a launch title for Sony's latest home console, PlayStation 4, in November 2013. While originally developed by Housemarque, the PS3 and Vita ports are courtesy of Climax Studios, the developer behind the PS4 and Vita version of Housemarque's Dead Nation. PlayStation Blog notes that the PS3 and Vita versions of Resogun run at 30 frames per second as opposed to the 60 fps seen in the current-gen version of the game. The game will be Cross-Save and Cross-Buy compatible, so those that own the PS4 version will be able to download it on the other two systems for free instead of ponying up $14.99. Resogun on Vita will feature ad-hoc cooperative multiplayer and the ability to customize controls in order to use the system's touch panel options. [Image: SCEE]
Metal Slug 3, fan-chosen Neo Geo games coming to PSN
SNK Playmore will port select games from its Neo Geo back catalog to the PlayStation Network starting with next year's release of the classic run-and-gunner Metal Slug 3 for the PlayStation 4, PS3, and PS Vita. Metal Slug 3 saw an upgraded Steam release earlier this year boasting online multiplayer and leaderboard support. An Xbox Live Arcade version was released in 2008. SNK Playmore is polling fans to determine its next PSN release among a list of 15 possible games. Featured candidates include competitive shoot-'em-up Twinkle Star Sprites, acclaimed golfing sim Neo Turf Masters, and combo-driven brawler Sengoku 3, along with classic fighters like Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Samurai Shodown 5 Special, and The Last Blade 2. [Image: SNK Playmore]
20th Anniversary Edition PS4 pays homage to original PlayStation
On the morning of the PlayStation's 20th birthday, Sony's gone full time-warp by unveiling the limited edition 20th Anniversary PS4. There are just 12,300 units worldwide of the commemorative console, and Sony warns there's "very limited" supply in the US & Canada. The "Original Grey" PS4 echoes the clean hue and colorful logo of the first PlayStation, along with the iconic grey and black design of the DualShock. The system and controller are both embossed with a special pattern of the four PlayStation face buttons, with 2s in front of the circles to make 20s in honor of the anniversary. Also, each system is numbered with a plate in the bottom-right corner of the front, showing which of the 12,300 it is. In addition to standard extras and special packaging, the birthday boy PS4 comes with the PlayStation Camera, vertical stand and mono headset, all in the same Original Grey color. If you fancy Sony's link to the past, you'll need $499 (499 euros) and you'll want to watch the PlayStation Experience event on Saturday, December 6 at 10AM PT (1PM ET). Sony says pre-orders open on December 6, and it'll reveal more details in the Experience keynote.
