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Rogue Legacy inherits PlayStation systems this month
Cellar Door Games' 2D descendant-dependent game Rogue Legacy will arrive later this month for PS4, PS3 and Vita. The game is scheduled to arrive in North America on July 29 and one day later in Europe. The game reached PC just over one year ago, followed by Mac and Linux in October. The PlayStation versions of the game, most of which is courtesy of Abstraction Games, were revealed during Sony's Gamescom press conference in August. Rogue Legacy is described as a "rogue-lite," as players battle through a constantly-changing magic castle at the risk of losing their progress at the drop of a blade. Upon dying, the child of the fallen hero/heroine rises in succession, each time carrying a genetic trait (and their parent's money) that makes the next attempt unique. The PS4, PS3 and Vita versions will be Cross-Save enabled, so players can carry their progress across each platform. They will also be Cross-Buy-capable, putting one price to all three versions, which has not yet been revealed. [Image: Cellar Door Games]
Rob Pardo leaves Blizzard
In a rather surprising move, Blizzard's Executive Producer Rob Pardo announced today that he is leaving the company. At this time he has announced no immediate career plans or subsequent goals, although he mentions a desire to spend the summer with his family and consider his next move. Pardo's forum announcement thanks the design teams for all of their hard work and notes that he has immensely enjoyed his time with the company; he expresses great satisfaction at the growth of the company and all of the changes that have come about during his tenure there. Pardo mentions that he began working with the studio during development of the original StarCraft, having since worked on titles including Diablo III, World of Warcraft, and Heroes of the Storm. He has promised fans that he will attempt to be communicative about his next move via Twitter. [Thanks to Dystopiq for the tip!]
Diablo III is closing the auction house for good next week
Diablo III's auction house is on its last leg, giving up its ghost, and seeing a hellish light at the end of the tunnel. As of June 24th, all traces of the controversial feature will be removed from the game for good. Blizzard sent out a reminder today about the auction house, stating that while its economic functions were disabled in March, the studio left it up for a few months past that to allow players to retrieve items and gold. Any items and gold left unattended will be sucked into the abyss on next Tuesday, so beware!
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls' first update bringing seasonal play
Diablo III has begun testing its first big update for Reaper of Souls, which will add an updated version of Diablo II's ladder system and more. Patch 2.1.0 will also add "seasons" to the game. These are a new type of play that requires players to start a fresh character to level up. Why would someone want to do something so obviously crazy? Why, for the exclusive rewards and the chance to climb the leaderboards! There will also be season-only achievements called conquests that will be awarded to the first 1,000 players to get each one. Once a season is over, the exclusive legendaries will be added to the rest of the game. Patch 2.1.0 will also impliment cesspool levels, combat balance changes, and greater rifts. The latter will have players racing against the clock to kill monsters and try to beat the end boss before time runs out.
Perfect World's Arc expanding to include Path of Exile and APB
Perfect World is making a strong play to establish Arc as a vital digital platform for gamers. The company announced today that Arc will be expanding to include several titles outside of the PWE brotherhood, including Path of Exile and APB: Reloaded. The announcement of Arc's embrace of third-party developers comes with the platform's transition to "fully live" status. PWE CEO Alan Chen hopes that this will make Arc a one-stop gaming experience: "Our goal is to make Arc the premiere destination for the best free-to-play online games for both our players and partners, and to achieve this by growing the platform with new games, a constant stream of content, and features specifically designed for the PC gaming audience."
Heavy Bullets is an FPS that makes you recycle your ammo
All these first-person shooters today, spraying their bullets across the battlefield, never picking them up when they're done firing. So wasteful! Thank goodness developer Terri Vellmann and publisher Devolver Digital are releasing Heavy Bullets, a PC game that teaches players the value of recycling ammunition. Heavy Bullets transports players into a low-poly, intensely neon maze full of dangerous enemies, power-ups and bosses. Your goal is to reach the end of Level 8 and reset the security mainframe. You begin each attempt with a special revolver and six bullets which must be picked up and reloaded after they've been fired at an enemy. It's like our mothers always said: "Don't you just leave those bullets on the ground. Those are perfectly good bullets, young man." Bullets aren't your only option, though; homing bombs, coin magnets and high heels are all up for grabs to help you on your quest to be the most environmentally-conscious master blaster this side of the game grid. Heavy Bullets' world is also procedurally generated, making each run different. Heavy Bullets is available via Steam Early Access and the Humble Store for $10, though both storefronts are holding 15 percent off sales, making it $8.49 for the moment. [Image: Devolver Digital]
Don't Starve Together multiplayer expansion coming this summer
Klei Entertainment's single-player roguelike survival game, Don't Starve, will receive a free expansion that adds multiplayer options late this summer. While the developer noted some uncertainty on what the final version of the expansion will look like, Don't Starve Together is expected to have "most (if not all) the normal features in Don't Starve, balanced for multiplayer," and "potentially" new features. Klei believes that Don't Starve Together will "support 2-4 players simultaneously. Could be more, but we are aiming for 4 minimum." The expansion will be free for all current Steam or standalone PC players to download, though the price of the standard game will increase by $5 (to $19.99) once the alpha version of Together launches. Meanwhile, Klei just launched its single-player Reign of Giants DLC. Update: When asked about multiplayer support for the game's PS4 version, Klei tweeted that it would "like to do PS4 as well, but it's far away from knowing if it's possible." [Image: Klei Entertainment]
Power Grounds is punishing and playful
I love mobile games that present a streamlined way to play while not sacrificing the difficulty or nature of the experience. Power Grounds is a role-playing game that you can control with a single finger, with a roguelike one-death difficulty curve that makes it both punishing and charming at the same time. The story behind Power Grounds -- which you'll only know if you read the app description, as there is no backstory offered in the game itself -- is that you are trapped in a temple. Monsters lurk around every corner and in order to defeat them you need to activate powered tiles on the floor. The game screen ends up looking a bit like a chess board, but you'll catch on to the game's nuances within minutes of trying it out. You start each level on one side of the screen and need to navigate to the exit without dying in between. Each time you move from one square to the next on the game's grid-like playfield, the enemies take their turn as well. If you end up right next to an enemy, chances are you're going to take damage from an attack, unless you manage to activate a magical tile first. Power-ups range from offensive weapons like electricity blasts and sword swings to freeze traps that keep the enemies from moving for a specific number of turns. It's a deceptively simple system that makes you feel totally in control, until you're surrounded by enemies and die in a matter of seconds. Each grid is randomly generated, which helps to ramp up the replayability, and you can play it as slow or as fast as you desire. Once you best the ramped-up difficulty of the later levels you can try your luck in the Arena mode where you're tasked with surviving as long as possible. Power Grounds is priced at US$0.99, and there are no in-app purchases or pay-to-win bonuses to be found. It's one of those iOS games that is both accessible and demonically difficult at the same time, which makes it an easy recommendation for anyone who wants a challenge.
PAX East 2014: Upsilon Circuit is an MMO like no other
A lot of what I see in the MMO industry is fairly predictable. That's not an insult; it's just that most of the new games you see are either a result of elegant mechanics solving a problem that's always been there or a new take on an old system, and that's OK. There's nothing wrong with taking old favorites and refining them. But then I see something like Upsilon Circuit and I wind up being completely blown away because the very idea is a fundamental rewriting of how we understand MMOs. Upsilon Circuit is a new game currently in very early development from indie studio Robot Loves Kitty (of Legend of Dungeon fame), and when I say early, I do mean early. The animations are rough, the build is very much in a proof-of-concept stage rather than a fully playable state, and none of that matters. The game is the love child of Twitch Plays Pokémon, the Hunger Games, and Diablo III, a game that not only encourages streaming but demands it while interacting with the audience
Duskers ditches the paper prototype to bring survival horror to space
The last time we spoke with Misfits Attic founder Tim Keenan about this game, it was called Scavenger, and it was a paper prototype starring tower-defense mechanics and a Han Solo-esque character traveling the galaxy to pay off his debts. Now, it's called Duskers, and it's darker. The game has migrated to the screen, and it's no longer tower defense; instead, it's a roguelike with RTS and dungeon-crawling aspects in a survival-horror setting. "You pilot drones into derelict spaceships to find the means to survive and piece together how the universe became a giant graveyard," Keenan explains in his pitch video. In Hollywood terms, Keenan compares Duskers to The Road and the original Alien. The art in the pitch video is temporary, but the mechanics are nearing their final forms. Players must use power-ups and abilities to outsmart and avoid enemies waiting behind various spaceship doors. "The game's strongest moments come when you feel that there is no solution to a problem, but then by creatively thinking about what upgrades you have and the predicament you're in, you have this MacGyver-type moment where you come up with a plan," Keenan says. Keenan is looking at funding options for Duskers (Kickstarter is the "worst case" option), but the tentative plan is to get it on Steam Early Access for PC this year, with a full launch in 2015, he tells Joystiq. So far, his previous game, A Virus Named Tom, has kept the lights on, but it's not quite enough to fund a second game. Misfits Attic has a few projects in the works right now.
Deck-building roguelike Hand of Fate coming to PlayStation 4, Vita
Tabletop gaming fans, this one's for you. Indie studio Defiant Development revealed that its "tabletop roguelike deck builder" Hand of Fate is coming to the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. Funded by a successful Kickstarter project, Hand of Fate is an action-RPG that blends tabletop gaming elements with a deck-building mechanic, allowing players to customize each play session with randomly drawn cards during gameplay. All in-game elements -- from dungeon floor layouts to equipped weapons -- are determined by cards drawn during gameplay, and players must use varied skill and equipment combinations during combat to survive. A release date for Hand of Fate has not been announced. A release for Windows, Mac, and Linux is also in the works. [Image: Defiant Development]
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls launch day roundup
Did you stay up late last night to watch the official kick-off stream for Diablo III's Reaper of Souls expansion? Did you wait in long lines at a brick-and-mortar store to buy your copy of the game? No, of course not. You already had it digitally pre-loaded and were playing while those other suckers were out in the cold. Yes, as of 12:00 a.m. EDT this morning, the Reaper of Souls expansion, complete with its new locations and bosses and class and loot, was officially live. Enjoy our roundup of coverage leading up to the launch, and let us know what you think about the upgrade!
Dragon Fin Soup brings retro RPG flair to a dragon-turtle's back
Indie developer Grimm Bros opted for a retro, SNES-inspired style for its debut game, Dragon Fin Soup. The developer recently achieved its $24,000 goal on Kickstarter to bring the RPG to PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS3 and Vita. Sporting turn-based movement and a classic 2D top-down visual style, Dragon Fin Soup is an action RPG with roguelike qualities set in the world of Asura, which rests on the back of a giant "dragon-turtle." Players can learn more about the world through a blend of scripted events and quests as well as procedurally-generated content in the game's story mode, led by Dragon Fin Soup's first playable character, Red Robin. It also features a survival mode marked by permanent death in which players are dropped into a dangerous forest with limited supplies, fighting their way through generated dungeons that increase in difficulty. Dragon Fin Soup still has roughly three weeks to go before its crowdfunding campaign ends, and is seeking stretch goals to fund expansions and port the game to the Sony platforms. It was among the 75 games recently approved for Steam distribution via Greenlight. Grimm Bros was founded by former Human Head COO Ash Monif and artist Randis Albion in March 2013. [Image: Grimm Bros]
Blizzard is going on a PAX East road trip
Blizzard is refueling the company RV and making a mix tape of John Denver and Megadeth for its upcoming cross-country trip to PAX East. The studio announced today that it will have a presence at the convention to show off Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor. Blizzard will be at booth #848 from April 11th through the 13th. Hearthstone will be available to play not only on demo stations but on the iPad as well. Fans can also check out a hands-on demos of Warlords of Draenor, Diablo III for PS4, and Heroes of the Storm with new heroes. The studio won't just be confined to its booth for the duration of the weekend, as it's planning a presentation on April 11th at 10:30 a.m. EDT about Heroes of the Storm. This presentation will be livestreamed for those who can't make it.
Sci-fi sandbox Proven Lands goes roguelike on Greenlight with demo
Berlin-based indie developer Thesetales launched a Kickstarter project and Steam Greenlight page for its roguelike game Proven Lands this week. The third-person sci-fi game is available to check out in its pre-alpha state in a proof of concept PC demo. Proven Lands features an optional five-episode main story arc in which players control Teruo Nakamura, named after a real-life soldier of the Japanese Imperial Army "who did not surrender until 1974." The game also includes an AI-driven story engine that generates a "one-off adventure" based on randomly-generated elements. Thesetales cites Don't Starve and Starbound among its inspirations, which is readily apparent in the hunt-and-gather style gameplay shown in its Kickstarter pitch video. A recent update on the project's crowdfunding page notes plans for multiplayer modes in some capacity as well. Thesetales is seeking £299,000 ($497,177) by April 12 to bring Proven Lands to PC in the first quarter of 2015, followed by Mac and iOS in the second quarter, then Linux and Android at a later date. Those that pledge roughly $15/£9/11 euros will receive a digital copy of the game when it launches. [Image: Thesetales]
Diablo III welcomes you to the Blood Marsh
Blood Marsh: That doesn't sound too inviting, does it? But it does sound like something that would fit right in with Diablo III's cheery locales. It probably crushed the interview when it applied to be a zone in the game. Diablo III has a fetid and murky blog post today spotlighting the Blood Marsh region from the upcoming Reaper of Souls expansion. According to Blizzard, the Blood Marsh is "a massive, swampy stretch of land, split by rivers and tributaries often utilized for passage and trade." The theme of "blood," both the red substance and lineage, is integral to the zone's story. Adventurers in the region will discover signs of an ancient civilization, battle creatures like the bogans and blood golems, and unlock the mysteries of the Ruins of Corvus.
Path of Exile's Sacrifice of the Vaal expansion lands today
Get your mouse-clicking fingers ready because today developer Grinding Gear Games releases Sacrifice of the Vaal, a mini-expansion for online roguelike Path of Exile, the first of the game's promised triannual updates. Expect a showdown with the Queen of the Vaal, new skill gems, new Vaal-themed areas, a free-for-all PvP mode, and new leagues that dare players to undertake specific challenges before the timer runs out. GGG reminds players that the first 50 folks to defeat the Queen in each of the new challenge leagues will receive an exclusive Vaal effect, so go get your murderin' gear on. We've tucked the expansion's official trailer after the break in case you missed it.
Grinding Gear's Wilson talks F2P ethics in Path of Exile
Gamasutra reports that over five million people have signed up to play Grinding Gear's Path of Exile title. The company hasn't disclosed how many of those people are actually paying for the free-to-play Diablo-style game, but Path of Exile's critical and financial success invites a closer examination of its business model. Unlike most F2P titles, Path of Exile completely avoids gameplay gates and delaying mechanisms and thus avoids the dreaded pay-to-win stigma. Microtransactions are purely cosmetic, and Grinding Gear's crowdfunding campaign has now morphed "into a permanent rewards-based structure for monetization." Managing director Chris Wilson tells Gamasutra that PoE's supporter packs are a big part of the game's success story in addition to traditional microtransactions, the latter of which offer "enough money to run the company on" by themselves. Wilson says that players want to support PoE because its business model puts gameplay first. "We've been careful when designing the game so there's no paying for game content or advantage in the game," he explained. "We've purposefully divorced any game mechanics from the monetization."
Here's a trailer for Path of Exile's Sacrifice of the Vaal mini-expansion
How do you like your game trailer voiceovers? If you said creepy-with-a-side-of-demonic-possession, you'll probably dig the new Sacrifice of the Vaal spot for Path of Exile. The dark fantasy dungeon dive from Grinding Gear Games is getting a "mini-expansion" featuring Queen Atziri, secret corrupted areas, 60 unique new bosses, and a bunch of other stuff that you can see by clicking past the cut and viewing the teaser.
Diablo III's Loot 2.0 patch tweaks difficulty, drops, and more
Blizzard unleashed its Loot 2.0 patch on Diablo III denizens today. Joystiq reports on a "heavy reworking" of the fantasy dungeon crawler's loot system as well as the addition of "Smart Drop" functionality that increases the likelihood of useful class-specific baubles. DIII's difficulty has also been overhauled, with a dynamic system standing in for the previous Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno challenge levels. There are more changes, too, including social functionality and of course plenty of character and mob tweaks.
