recommended
Latest
Feature: Early Access, as told by the devs that live there
"Early Access" has become a four-letter word. Tales of alleged scams, abandoned or canceled projects and unfinished games being sold at retail have many questioning the service's validity and usefulness as a tool for empowering developers. Customers are increasingly concerned about quality assurance and Steam becoming a hot mess of unnavigable menus drowning users in content. In light of this, Joystiq reached out to developers with varying histories regarding Early Access to find out more. Meet Jamie Cheng, Chris Simpson and Ryan Clark, your tour guides behind the scenes of Early Access indie development. Join us as these three developers share their thoughts on what has caused the downward spiral of public perception surrounding Early Access, what can be done about it, and what future – if any – the program has.
Double fumbles, Kaepernicking and Manningfaces in Madden 15
We're just one day away from the launch of Madden NFL 15. Normally that means you'd have some splashy launch trailer or crazy commercial starring comedians to watch. Not today! Welcome to the modern era of video games, where your "select" buttons now read "share," and your launch trailers are now GIFs of 400-pound running backs leaping over other people. Trust us, it's better this way. Check out the double-fumble-safety that happened to us in the video after the break, as well as our gallery of totally-moving pictures of the game below. Our captions also explain some of the improvements in this year's Madden, including "overhauled" controls on defense and the football strategy drills in the Skills Trainer mode. [Image: EA Sports]
Op-ed: NHL 15 and the Case of the Missing Modes
It would come as no shock to anyone, as stereotypical as it may seem, that I have been looking forward to NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4. I am, of course, Canadian. Some of my chief complaints from the series in recent years have been its presentation, which has made a habit of reusing animations, commentary, presentation packages and more. I apparently wasn't the only one with these issues. By E3 2014, the language coming from EA was "We heard you, NHL 15 is going to pull out all the stops." A brand new and impressive presentation package, in collaboration with NBC Sports, was created bringing the quality of the NHL series to heights that I haven't seen (or felt) since I watched an animated Ron Barr welcome me to a game in NHL '94. EA Canada also added a new commentary team to the mix, piled on new physics that brought the series closer to reality and seemingly shoehorned an impressive list of other technical ideas into a game that, on paper, seemed bursting at its seams (or laces, whatever floats your boat). And then the shoe (or skate, perhaps) dropped.
Joystiq goes back to school
With some of our readers heading back to school, the team at Joystiq started to discuss the games that have mechanics or stories that could apply to standard school curriculum. Of course there are obvious choices: the Civilization series can teach players about history and planning, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego can teach players geography and critical thinking. But here are a few less obvious choices for you to consider playing while you try to get a leg up on that school work. Have some less obvious suggestions for back to school video games? Tell us in the comments and we may it to our featured gallery! >>Explore the curriculum<<
Video preview: Bayonetta 2
In the pantheon of video game absurdity, Platinum's Bayonetta franchise stands atop any other series. A witch with guns for shoes and hair that acts as both outfit and weapon trumps pretty much any other crazy concept ever concocted in interactive entertainment history. Platinum brings its powerful action heroine back later this year in Bayonetta 2, exclusively on the Wii U. After spending time with the game, Joystiq Editor-in-chief Ludwig Kietzmann recounts the many monsters slain, snapshots taken of Bayonetta in action and puts an age-old debate to rest: long haired Bayonetta or short? [Image: Platinum]
Video preview: Alien Isolation
Alien: Isolation is just around the corner, launching on October 7 for PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3. After playing an Oculus Rift-powered preview of the game, Joystiq Senior Reporter Jessica Conditt described The Creative Assembly's take on the classic franchise as "pants-shittingly awesome." While the final game isn't being built with the Rift in mind, it's the A.I.-driven monster that does the heavy lifting, bringing the classic film series into a growing genre of escape-horror video games. In a new video preview alongside Jessica, Joystiq Editor-in-chief Ludwig Kietzmann discusses his recent hands-on with the game, a few hurdles he thinks the Sega-published title will have to overcome and the many merits of breath management. [Image: Sega]
Far Cry 4: Crouching tiger, hidden Blood Dragon
If there's one game that doesn't quite fit into Far Cry's exotic zoo of flammable locales, it's Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. The standalone spinoff (often confused for DLC) dragged the franchise's jungle-stalking into a neon cyber-parody of 1980s action, stripping off a serious face to reveal a toothy grin and bulging cheek. Players loved it, and some wondered why that couldn't have been THE Far Cry 3. As much as I like what I've played of THE Far Cry 4, I wonder about a full surrender to Shangri-La, the strange, mystical reflection of the game's "real" Himalayan world. These excursions into Shangri-La are absolutely integrated into the main storyline – not DLC – and spread across five unreal episodes. There may yet be another Blood Dragon, but Far Cry 4 comes with weirdness built-in.
Happy 25th birthday, Sega Genesis
Twenty-five years ago this week, the Sega Genesis made its way to stores in North America. Helping to usher in the 16-bit era with classic characters such as Sonic and Sonic & Tails and Sonic & Tails featuring Knuckles. And more non-Sonic-related characters, of course! Too many memories could be shared about our time growing up with the Sega Genesis, but the most important thing about it was its library of games. Here are a few of our favorites – for a bigger list of favorites (by no means all of them), check out our Sega Genesis Anniversary Gallery. What are your favorites?
Quantum Break turning time and television
Remedy Creative Director Sam Lake took a moment at Gamescom 2014 to discuss the manipulation of time in the developer's upcoming adventure, Quantum Break. The studio that created Alan Wake is now tackling what amounts to a "superhero origin story" in the Xbox One exclusive that gives players the ability to stop time, using that unnatural skill to set up tactics during firefights. Lake noted that decisions made in the game will also impact the live action TV series that accompanies Quantum Break, which includes alternate scenes that appear based on how players react within the game. Lake also commented on the heavier concepts that arise in the game as a result of protagonist Jack Joyce's decisions, such as that of destiny versus free will. Quantum Break will launch in 2015, and was first announced during Microsoft's Xbox One reveal event in May 2013. Those looking for more videos ironically to stop and start about Quantum Break should find Remedy's entry in the myriad of trailers from Microsoft's Gamescom press event. [Image: Remedy Entertainment]
You booze, you snooze in Sunset Overdrive
There's little time for rest in Sunset Overdrive, a ridiculous game that whizzes by like a rock star drinking espresso on a skateboard. You must, must remain in motion – bouncing, sliding, flipping, grinding, hurtling and weaving through a rain of rockets and a gauntlet of gnarled mutants. And that's ignoring the visual chaos of your outfit: red pants, a blue flannel jacket, a tall white bearskin on your head and ... is that a tail?
Emotions rise as Tomb Raider goes to Xbox
"The recent decision to release the upcoming Rise of the Tomb Raider as an Xbox One exclusive alienates the majority of the fan base and will ultimately lead to the demise of the franchise." For a vocal group of fans it's not just a business move, but a killing blow. Microsoft's claim to Rise of the Tomb Raider, as an Xbox-only game for Holiday 2015, is incurring the sort of backlash and petition-signing flurry (seen above) that's well known to veterans of the infamous console wars. And it's not even the first time a Tomb Raider sequel has been through this – just ask Sega Saturn owners who had to get a PC or PlayStation if they wanted to a keep their streak of unearthed relics.
WhoDoYou is a referral app with a lot of potential
WhoDoYou is a free app that uses public Facebook conversations to help you find local businesses. You can also see recommendations from your friends and groups on Facebook after logging in. The app aims to help eliminate the feeling of taking advice from strangers for local business recommendations. WhoDoYou is compatible with all iOS devices using iOS 7.0 or later. WhoDoYou has a very clean, pleasant looking layout that makes for a good user experience. Navigating the app is very easy and getting to the main feature is right on the forefront. When you open WhoDoYou, you see a search bar and a quick blurb about the app's goal. However, the search function is somewhat flawed. Take for instance, my search for a florist in Winter Park, Florida; the first result is for a photographer and after tapping on that result you realize why this is the first result. The public Facebook conversation that the app draws information from found the word florist in the request and someone answered that question with a photographer's name because the conversation was about needing help with all the details of a wedding. Continuing on with the florist search turned up another florist but this time they were located in Brooklyn, NY and not in Florida. The third result on the list actually did match the search terms very well and that information was useful. It was nice to see that once you tap on the result, the contact information for that local business is displayed along with reviews so you can easily get in touch with the company. WhoDoYou is an accompanying app for the WhoDoYou website, and it shows in a lot of ways. Looking at the website next to the app, it is really hard to tell them apart which is a nice feature. It creates a more seamless flow from using the website on your computer to using the app on the go. One difference is that when you open the menu and click on "About" in the app, a popup tells you the version number. However, on the website, when you go to "About," a really nice synopsis of how the app got started is shown. This type of information on the "About" tab in the app would be more beneficial to the user than the version number, which could easily be placed somewhere else. It is a little difficult to fully understand the purpose of the app without some kind of quick overview to introduce the user how it will benefit them. After browsing around the different tabs, a couple of tabs stood out to me as places where the designer could have put more information in to guide the user and help them appreciate all of the features that WhoDoYou offers. When you log into Facebook with the app, you can see conversations your friends are having about local businesses, which is a really cool feature that would go unnoticed if your friends haven't had any conversations. Recommendations from others are stored in "The Vault", but your vault could be a very sad and empty place. The vault that you see is a blank purple screen with a small header that says "My Vault 0 Results" on it. There is no indication as to the purpose of the vault, and unless you have friends talking about local businesses and recommendations for them, your vault will stay empty. Another tab that has a similar problem is the favorites tab. It shows a blank purple screen with a small header that says "Favorites" but this does not tell you much about the use of this tab or how to create favorites. The idea of using recommendations from friends on Facebook is exciting and with some refinement in the search function and a few design touch ups, there is a lot of potential for success with this app. WhoDoYou is free on the App Store and is good for people who would like recommendations from friends to help them find local businesses.
Quick take on Sony's Gamescom 2014 press conference
Joystiq's Ludwig Kietzmann and Sinan Kubba reflect on Sony's Gamescom 2014 press event held today in Cologne, Germany. The event featured new game announcements from Rayman creator Michel Ancel (Wild) and Heavenly Sword developer Ninja Theory (Hellblade) among many other bits of news covered in our recap of the event. Did the PlayStation press conference resonate with you, or were there announcements you wished you heard that weren't part of the event? Share your own reactions in the comments.
The futuristic perks of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
When Call of Duty first leapt forward in time, barreling out of World War II and into a contemporary theater, we got a new benchmark for the shooter series. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare isn't just praised because it has better guns, newer cities and cell phones, however; it rises in memory because of a breakneck pace, sudden turns in the storyline and a well-constructed multiplayer suite. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare isn't the first game in the series to draw from far-fetched research and prototype weaponry, but it's already presented as a thunderous step into the future. In the hierarchy of vague subtitles, we're to understand that "advanced" is ahead of "modern." According to the marketing, the game has changed because your soldier is encased in powerful exoskeletal armor. But while Activision grafts the game to the front-loaded theme of power – your powerful guns, your powerful Exo Suit, your powerful POWER – the undressed reality is simple. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare has the benefit of a three-year development cycle and a handful of fresh designs in multiplayer.
Co-Opinion: How sporty are eSports?
This is Co-Opinion, where two Joystiq editors play a game and discuss their experience. This edition focuses on the merits of eSports and how they fit with traditional sports. .portal-left { padding: 10px; background: #CCC; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right { padding: 10px; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right img { padding-left: 5px; } .portal-left img { padding-right: 5px; } Jess Conditt: Let's lay out the foundation here: I'm a fan of eSports and sports in the same way. I play games from both categories, but I'm far from a professional in any sense (though I shoot a mean three-pointer). When I see sports fans lashing out at eSports players, or saying that these games don't require any sports-like skill, I'm equally surprised and confused. Those who argue that eSports aren't "real" sports are not simply stripping professional players of a title; they're de-legitimizing the time and talent it takes to compete on that level. The word "sport" itself may not matter that much, but the intent of those withholding it does. Many of the arguments feel like bullying, or at the very least, caustic comments from those wary of change. Obviously, eSports require different skills than those needed to play physical sports, but they take skill nonetheless: strategy, quick thinking, fast reflexes, communication, perseverance, creativity, teamwork. I understand that these are not necessarily physical attributes, but I don't think that negates their value. I wonder if "athleticism" is the issue here, rather than whether eSports are, in fact, sports.
Gods Will Be Watching Review: Morality After Math
Gods Will Be Watching is one of the best games I've ever hated. It's more fun to unpack than to play, and easier to admire than love. It looks like a classic point-and-click adventure, with pixel-thin characters standing on stilt legs as they spew sci-fi exposition in chunky text, but Gods Will Be Watching is no cousin to the classic LucasArts line. And unlike those games, it enjoys killing you.
The Last of Us Revisited: Hearts of darkness
If you're experienced, playing The Last of Us again is not easy. For any PlayStation 3 owners who already marched through the dark recesses of Naughty Dog's post-civilization adventure, you know just how hard it is to play. Ellie and Joel's journey across America, chasing a faint hope for a cure to a decades-old mushroom-zombie epidemic, cannot be described as happy fun times. The peaks and valleys of their friendship are Naughty Dog's most affecting story beats, its desperation-inflected combat and exploration expert lessons in linear game making, but all its many pleasures don't change the fact that The Last of Us is relentlessly grim. Darkness, ugliness, and authentic brutality haunt every hour of the game Joystiq dubbed its favorite of 2013. If you've already played The Last of Us and its downloadable chapter "Left Behind," it's not an essential purchase on PlayStation 4, though it does have its merits. If, however, you're among those newfound PS4 owners who skipped out on PS3 and you're willing to brave an emotional abyss in search of catharsis: The Last of Us: Remastered is the best game playable on the console for a variety of reasons.
Weird and wonderful worlds in the galaxy of gaming
Marvel unleashes a new set of heroes on film today with the launch of Guardians of the Galaxy. Though many of the studio's stories collide with modern-day Earth, GotG travels across a series of strange alien worlds. With the Guardians in mind, we decided to round up some of our favorite, weirdest worlds brought to life in video games. Check out a few of our most memorable galaxies after the break. For even more selections, explore our gallery. Oh, and suggest your favorites in the comments and tell us why – we'll add it to our gallery! [Image: Marvel]
Waiting for Destiny: Games that remind us of Bungie's next franchise
Late last night, Bungie pulled the plug on the Destiny beta, forcing Guardians into hibernation until September 9. For those anticipating the game's multiplatform release, the server shutdown was like a swift tug of a band aid from healing wound: Quick and painful. Were we patient, we'd say the wait to September 9 is no time at all – 42 days we could do standing on our head. But we're not patient and we need something to satiate our thirst. Luckily, Bungie's latest game seems to pull elements from a host of different franchises, so we have options for maintaining that buzz while we wait for the real thing. [Note: View the slideshow in fullscreen to make sure the captions display properly.] [Image: Bungie]
Postcards from WildStar: See you, space cowboy
Welcome to Postcards from WildStar, a look at Carbine's new MMO. This is our final set of impressions, so be sure to check up on our previous postcards, and we hope you enjoyed the series! Well, here we are, friends. End of the Postcards from WildStar line. You've met my purple-haired, green-eyed defender of the forest, and tagged along as she fought her way through Dominion foes and savage beasts. You've been welcomed into her home and watched in horror as she died – often – in WildStar's PvP. Though to be fair, the "horror" part might just have been me. (I'm not very good at PvP!) MMOs are monstrous beasts and massive undertakings. They require a significant time commitment and sometimes month-to-month monetary compensation. The goal with these postcards has been not to give a finalized review, but to offer thoughts and impressions on the many aspects of Carbine's entry in the genre. Having poked and probed around for nearly two months now, I'm ready to wrap things up and give a summary conclusion. Read on to see where I place WildStar in the annals of MMO history.
