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'Dragon Quest XI' may be one of the first Nintendo NX games
It's been a long time coming, but another Dragon Quest title is on the way -- and you'll want to keep your eye on this one. Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest XI, a solo role-playing game (no DQX-style massively multiplayer experience) that will come to the PlayStation 4, 3DS... and, quite possibly, Nintendo's future NX console. Yes, the publisher is at least "considering" a version for a system that exists as little more than a codename. There's no mention of what that version will entail, although it's clear that DQXI will take advantage of platforms' strong points. The PS4 version is based on the pretty Unreal Engine 4, while the 3DS version makes good use of the dual screens to show 3D gameplay and 2D maps at the same time. As it stands, you'll have to wait a while to try any edition for yourself. Square Enix hasn't provided any release dates yet, so the odds are that you won't be battling slimes until 2016 at the earliest.
Play 'Star Wars: KotOR 2' in 5K, on your Mac
So this whole year of Star Wars thing apparently includes dormant video games too, who knew? Despite the fact that the lesser of the two Knights of the Old Republic role-playing games released all the way back in 2004, it recently got a pretty huge update. Now KotOR 2: The Sith Lords is playable on Mac and Linux, available in the Mac App Store, has achievements, widescreen support and will even run in 4K and 5K resolution. If it's a console-like experience you're chasing, the game supports controllers too, including PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One gamepads. The title's Steam page teases mod support via Steam Workshop and even a "Force special effects" option in the game's menu. To find out exactly what the latter entails, you'll likely have to download it for yourself. [Image credit: theglobalpanorama/Flickr]
'Dragon Quest' spin-off borrows a few blocks from 'Minecraft'
Square Enix has just revealed Dragon Quest Builders, a version of its fantasy RPG set in a Minecraft-style world. The company didn't provide many details other than the screengrab above, which bears a strong resemblance to Minecraft's Lego-like world. However, it did say that it'll be a "block-building RPG" set in Alfegard, the (blocky) 8-bit playground from the original 1986 Dragon Quest NES title. That, plus the 'Builders' title, definitely makes it sound like the spinoff will marry sandbox-type gameplay with Dragon Quest role-playing. If so, we're not sure if that's a brilliant idea or a cynical money grab, but it'll be coming to PS4, PS3 and PS Vita at an as-yet unknown date.
Future 'Dragon Age Inquisition' add-ons are only for newer systems
You know that you need the latest game consoles (or a good PC) to get better graphics and special features, but it now looks like you'll need them if you want to see a game's extended storyline, too. BioWare has quietly posted word that "all future" downloadable content for Dragon Age Inquisition will only be available for the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. There's a save importer arriving this month that will transfer your progress if you buy both a new system and a fresh copy of Inquisition, but you're otherwise stuck if you've poured all your energy into the role-playing title on a PS3 or Xbox 360.
'Transistor' takes its sci-fi swordplay to iPhone and iPad
Dig Transistor's blend of hack-and-slash action, role-playing elements, and sci-fi storytelling? You no longer have to sit down in front of your console or PC to give a shot. Supergiant Games has released Transistor as a universal app for both iPhones and iPads, so you can carry on the adventures of Red and her giant, intelligent sword when you're on the move. The mobile title has a new touch-oriented control scheme, although there's also an optional "Classic Controls" option if you'd prefer gamepad-like input. There's no mention of an Android version, but we wouldn't count on one when Bastion hasn't received an Android port so far.
'Divinity: Original Sin' casts its classic RPG spell on consoles
Lots of people thought that Diablo 3 wouldn't have been possible on consoles and it proved the best version of the title. Now it's time to see if the same holds true of last year's breakout role-playing game Divinity: Original Sin in the form of an Enhanced Edition. The decidedly old-school RPG's getting a revamped interface, split-screen couch co-op and full-on voice work throughout for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The tweaks don't stop there either, as it's also getting some new quests among others along with tweaks to the combat system (likely to accommodate gamepads) and story.
'Guild Wars 2' cheater faces public humiliation before ban
Most cheaters in online role-playing games face an ignominious end. The developers ban them, and that's all she wrote. Not one particularly egregious Guild Wars 2 offender, however. When game developer ArenaNet finally took action against a hacker who had been terrorizing player-versus-player battles for weeks, the security team decided that some public humiliation was in order. It stripped one of the player's characters naked, jumped this persona off a ledge, and proceeded to delete every character linked to the account -- all recorded for posterity on video, as you can see below.
Diablo III to begin technical testing in China shortly
If you're a gamer in China waiting for Diablo III, you have undoubtedly been waiting for a very long time. Given the game's subject matter and the strict censorship policies of the government, it's not a surprise that it's taken a while to get moving. At long last there is a light at the end of the tunnel, however, as distributor Netease has announced that the censorship issues are finally resolved and the game is free to begin technical testing. The testing phase will begin after the lunar new year is celebrated later this month. While the exact nature of graphical changes has not been disclosed, Netease stresses that the game will still be cool to look at, which could mean... almost anything, really. Still, at this point most of the players who have long waited for the game will just be happy to see it finally available within China.
Rumor: Leak suggests the next WoW expansion is nearly feature-complete
So, ready to jump on the rumor mill? Because it's churning out big stuff about Blizzard today. An anonymous source from inside the company has apparently claimed that World of Warcraft's next expansion has quadrupled its art outsourcing and is nearly feature-complete. The source also claimed that Hearthstone is doing banner business, with its next expansion set to release in April with a heavier PvE focus. Darker news was revealed for the other franchises under the company's banner. The next part of StarCraft II is done but with no release date. Overwatch is in the midst of debates over business model and payment plans, with the studio pushing for a 2015 release but most likely going for 2016. Meanwhile, Heroes of the Storm has low expectations among the upper management and the Diablo III team has been "completely gutted." It's up to you you believe the rumors, of course, although come April, they might look rather plausible.
Watch 14 minutes of The Witcher 3's gameplay
Have you finished reading about the first three hours of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? If you don't want the wild ride to end, then check out this 14-minute gameplay trailer to see some horseback riding, conversations and exploration in the game. The Witcher 3 will launch on May 19 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. While the PC game can import save files from The Witcher 2, the console versions will not. Rather, the PS4 and Xbox one versions will simulate world states in the game based on an in-game conversation. The Witcher 3 was previously expected to launch next month, but CD Projekt RED delayed the game back in December. [Image: WBIE]
Remember Me studio building vampiric WWI RPG
Remember Me and Life is Strange developer Dontnod is working on Vampyr, an action-RPG set just after World War I and starring a doctor who's also a vampire, The Sixth Axis reports. As the doctor, players must grapple with moral quandaries – to heal or to feed on your patients? – and the game's tagline is "Take blood. Save a life," the site reports. Focus Home Interactive is publishing. Dontnod announced the game during a Focus Home event today. There's no release date or confirmed platforms for Vampyr just yet. Dontnod is also working on the episodic, time-bending, emotional journey of Life is Strange, due to debut on January 30 for Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC. We have a preview of that one here.
Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity to launch on March 26
Obsidian RPG Pillars of Eternity will launch on March 26, the developer announced on its Kickstarter page. The game entered a backers-only beta phase in August, available in early access form to those that pledged at least $110 to its development. Pillars of Eternity is currently available for pre-purchase on Steam for PC, Mac and Linux, starting at $45. The game earned $3.9 million on the crowdfunding service in October 2012, back when it was known as "Project Eternity." It was originally given a spring 2014 launch window, prior to its name change in December 2013. Pillars of Eternity received two more delays, the first in February 2014, when project lead Josh Sawyer said "virtually nothing good comes from [Obsidian] releasing a date before we're very confident in it." Paradox Interactive agreed to handle the marketing and distribution of the game one month later. Finally, the developer pushed Pillars of Eternity back to early 2015 this past October, noting that "since the very beginning of this project we promised our fans and ourselves that we would release this game only when we knew it would be absolutely ready for the best experience possible." [Image: Obsidian Entertainment]
Diablo III patches 2.1.2 and ends season one
There's a lot happening around the rainbow-and-glitter landscapes of Diablo III, although perhaps the biggest is the implementation of Patch 2.1.2 to the game. This patch adds in powerful ancient items, increases the drop rate for legendary items, and gives players more survivability with additional life and higher life-on-hit percentages. As Diablo III ushers in the patch, so it too prepares to say goodbye to the first season. The game is preparing to end season one and has posted a guide to aid players as they make the transition to the limbo that exists before season two. Season one is expected to end some time in early February, possibly February 3rd. Players on both the PC and consoles soon will enjoy an event full of boosts, including additional treasure goblins and higher drop rates. These boosts will begin tomorrow and continue through Friday, January 23rd.
Mistwalker head shares trailer for canceled JRPG, Cry On
Cry On, a JRPG collaboration from Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey developer Mistwalker and the now-dissolved Cavia, was once planned for release on the Xbox 360. While the project was canceled on Christmas Day in 2008 due to the state of the market, studio lead Hironobu Sakaguchi took to YouTube yesterday to share the above concept trailer. As archived by Unseen64, Cry On's story was intended to star a young girl named Sally in a Middle Age-esque time period. In this world, miniature creatures called Bogles were placed on rooftops as protective charms. Bogles once lived beside humans as giants, and with knowledge of their past in mind, humans attempted to restore their towering figures for the sake of war. Players would have progressed through the game with the aid of a special, human-language-speaking Bogle, allowing them to experience puzzle-focused, RPG scenarios while playing as Sally and slightly action-like bouts while guiding Sally's Bogle. Neither the studio nor potential fans may ever get the chance to see a full realization of Cry On, but with more-recent outings like The Last Story and the mobile, tile-based Terra Battle, at least the studio is still crafting RPGs. [Image: Mistwalker]
The Banner Saga hitches a trailer to Vita
A Vita version of Stoic Studio's viking RPG The Banner Saga was revealed at Sony's PlayStation Experience event earlier this month, just after the game's sequel was announced. To celebrate the game's forthcoming PlayStation ports, the developer offered a new trailer to reintroduce its story.
The Daily Grind: Would you have played a Diablo MMO?
A few weeks ago, Blizzard content designer Kevin Martens admitted that the studio once considered turning the Diablo IP loose on an MMORPG. It's off the table now, but it still got me wistful. I've been strangely attached to the Diablo franchise and its clones for a very long time. Seriously, it's not even possible to pry the Torchlight series or Titan Quest off my harddrive. But Diablo itself just has a compelling, gritty gloom to the world that would make an MMO version a welcome in a genre that's obsessed with bright and happy fantasy worlds. Massively's Brendan Drain once opined that Path of Exile is the sequel that Diablo II deserved, but is it MMO enough to count here? Would you have played a Diablo MMORPG, and what would you want it to look like? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Y2K: Paranormal elevator death, new RPG systems, no hipsters
Y2K stars Alex, a young man with thick-rimmed glasses, a full beard and a flannel shirt over a nerdy retro tee and jeans. He fights enemies with vinyl records. Need more hipster cred? Developer AckkStudios describes the plot of Y2K as follows: "When an erratically behaving elevator claims the life of a young woman, unemployed recent college graduate Alex Eggleston takes to a primitive 1990s message board to find answers about the death of this stranger. His quest for answers leads to more questions as his research points him to a mysterious van the internet has dubbed the 'Death Cab.'" Yes, Death Cab. Y2K may seem like a hipster paradise, but AckkStudios co-founder Brian Allanson tells Joystiq that Alex isn't a hipster – he's just a guy who knows what he likes. The same goes for the entire, real-life development team. "For the characters in the game: No, they don't view themselves as hipsters," Allanson says. "Alex is a little bit oblivious to the fact that he's so hip. He's just living his life with his interests. Personally, speaking for the team, we don't call ourselves hipsters. If someone called us that we'd accept that as a description because we are some young people making an indie game – and that's pretty hip, I guess. Although we're really nothing like the characters in Y2K."
Three new Final Fantasy games coming to iOS, and FFVII isn't one of them
Square Enix will be making RPG fans very happy in 2015 with three new Final Fantasy apps for iOS, Famitsu reports. Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, Final Fantasy Legends: Crystal of Time, and a Final Fantasy Portal App are all headed to Apple's mobile platform next year. Brave Exvius and Crystal of Time are both actual games, with the former appearing more like a traditional Final Fantasy game, played on a horizontal screen, and the latter offering a hand-drawn comic style, with all the screenshots showing gameplay on a vertically oriented screen. The Final Fantasy Portal App will act as a news hub with details on games and other information, along with a built-in card game originally found in Final Fantasy VIII. All apps will be free-to-play, so expect some "optional" paid content.
'Goat Simulator' is becoming an extra-absurd role-playing game
Believe it or not, Goat Simulator is about to get even more ridiculous. Coffee Stain Studios is teasing the launch of Goat MMO Simulator, a massively multiplayer "simulation" add-on for its anything-goes animal game. How absurd is this barnyard role-playing saga going to get? Let's put it this way: it revolves around faction warfare between goats and sheep, and one of the character classes is "Microwave." That says all you need to know, really. It's not clear if Goat MMO will hold your attention any better than the core game, but it won't cost you much to give this a whirl -- the expansion will be free for Goat Simulator owners when it arrives on November 20th.
The Banner Saga, Armikrog journey to PS4 in early 2015
Four games from independent developers will arrive on PS4 in early 2015, each courtesy of publisher Versus Evil. The publisher, which specializes in assisting independent devs reach new platforms and regions, revealed Stoic Studio's viking RPG The Banner Saga among the handful of games destined for the PlayStation Network. The Banner Saga's first episode launched in January after a successful $723,886 campaign on Kickstarter funded the game in April 2012. Versus Evil will also help another Kickstarter-funded game to reach PS4 early next year, Pencil Test Studios' clay-sculpted adventure game Armikrog. The other two games arriving on PS4 in 2015 thanks to the publisher are Kyn and Toren, the latter developed by Brazilian studio Swordtales. Players guide a "Moonchild" through the stages of childhood while ascending a tower in Toren, solving puzzles and slashing at enemies along the way. Versus Evil noted in PlayStation Blog's comments that none of the games are slated to reach Vita as of yet. [Image: Stoic Studio]
