Sunset Overdrive
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Here are the best games for Xbox newcomers.
Sunset Overdrive sale for Gold members, new achievements
Sunset Overdrive is on sale for Xbox Live Gold members, 40 percent off its normal tag of $60, making it a cool $36. The sale is on for "a limited time," Microsoft says in a press release. Also live today, Sunset Overdrive gets three new Buck National-themed achievements, each worth 25 points: "Hardcore!: Buck National vs The Apocalypse," "Hardcore!: Buck Strikes Back" and "Hardcore!: Buck Stops Here." Each achievement is for beating a particular score in each of those challenges – 600,000 for Apocalypse, 564,500 for Strikes Back and 703,700 on Stops Here. While we're here, a question for the room: Do you love or hate Sunset Overdrive? [Image: Microsoft Studios]
I'm delighted to hate Sunset Overdrive
I really, really can't stand Sunset Overdrive. Pretty much everything about it bugs me. I don't mean that I simply don't enjoy it, or that it's a love/hate kind of relationship like one would have with Dark Souls. No, I mean that it is finely tuned to aggravate and frustrate me every moment that I play it. Which, upon reflection, is kind of great. When you play a lot of games, you do start to worry about self-fulfilling opinions and echo chambers. You begin to wonder if you really like that game as much as you think you do, and when you do like something you begin to wonder if you really know why. To be any good as a critic, you need to constantly recalibrate your sensors, and so it's important for a game like Sunset Overdrive - whatever your version of that may be - to come along every now and again and remind you that your tastes are more than just a formula into which various developers can plug new guns and landscapes.
Joystiq Top 10 of 2014: Sunset Overdrive
ATTENTION: The year 2014 has concluded its temporal self-destruct sequence. If you are among the escapees, please join us in salvaging and preserving the best games from the irradiated chrono-debris. Some days you just can't catch a break. Your apartment sucks, your job sucks and thanks to the greed of corporate fat cats, your technicolor city (which also generally sucks) has just been overrun by bloodthirsty mutants. Other people might flee in terror, but not you, the desensitized, self-aware, modern twenty-something. You see this horrible turn of events as a cathartic excuse to splatter creatures with unwieldy weapons while spouting cool one-liners. "How hard could the action hero schtick really be?" you think to yourself before setting off, flaming shotgun in hand, to save the world. That's all the story given in the first few minutes of Sunset Overdrive, but it's all you need. This isn't some somber, dragon-infested role-playing epic, nor is it the latest dour, paint-by-numbers futuristic military shooter. Instead, Sunset Overdrive is a vibrant rainbow smile; a game made by people who want you to share in their glee. Sunset Overdrive is an explosion of giddy rebellion in an industry obsessed with the stereotypical teenage boy's grim, overwrought idea of what's cool.
Console Madness: Free Sunset Overdrive Xbox One and much more
Joystiq will never stop giving away consoles! NEVER! Until we run out of consoles to give away, of course. That ain't happening yet. Following up our Nintendo 3DS XL giveaway comes yet another Xbox One giveaway. This one, however, is the possibly the best of them all. We're giving away an ultra rare Sunset Overdrive Xbox One, with its fancy white case and a copy of Insomniac's game. While we only have one of these beauties to hand out, at least one runner up will receive a box of swag culled from the Joystiq offices. What's inside? You'll have to win to find out. Here's how to get the prizes: Just use the Rafflecopter widget below between December 26 and January 2. Winners will be selected at random and contacted via email. Full rules and details after the break. Sunset Overdrive Xbox One giveaway [Images: Microsoft/Insomniac Games]
Sunset Overdrive rigs up first DLC today
The first downloadable expansion for Sunset Overdrive, Mystery of the Mooil Rig, is now available. The DLC adds new story missions to the third-person shooter as well as weapons, Amps, quests and other items. In it, players track a distress signal to an oil rig floating off the coast of Sunset City, where workers, mutants and monstrous creatures all seem pretty angry, as seen in the trailer after the break. As detailed earlier this month, players have two new movement options in Mystery of the Mooil Rig: Water Dive and Water Slam Bounce, the former allowing players to briefly submerge while the latter flings them high in the air after performing a melee smash into the water. The expansion costs $10 on its own, though it is free for those with the $20 season pass. Sunset Overdrive's season pass grants players access to three DLC packs in total, offering a variety of quests, outfits, weapons and more. [Image: Microsoft]
First Sunset Overdrive story DLC tours an oil rig turf war
Xbox figurehead Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb takes over hosting duties on the latest episode of Sunset TV to introduce the first story DLC for Insomniac's open-world mayhem hit Sunset Overdrive. Dubbed "The Mystery of Mooil Rig," the DLC sees your character following a distress signal to an oil rig off the coast of Sunset City. There you find a violent conflict between factions of well armed workers and, because developer Insomniac loves its squamous explosion effects, you'll also find a healthy complement of mutants. Since the addition takes place on a floating man-made island, the DLC grants players two new movement options: the "Water Dive" allows players to submerge for a short time, while the "Water Slam Bounce" sees players melee smash into the water, only to be catapulted to great heights. According to Hryb, the DLC also includes new weapons, traps, amps and Chaos Squad objectives, though he doesn't get into useful details, beyond saying that more will be revealed in the next episode of Sunset TV. The Mystery of Mooil Rig will be available on December 23 for $10 or as part of the $20 Sunset Overdrive season pass. [Image: Microsoft]
Jet Set Radio goes under the microscope at Did You Know Gaming
If you recently found yourself racked by feelings of wistful nostalgia while grinding the rails of Sunset Overdrive, the trivia gurus at Did You Know Gaming have the perfect solution: An in-depth examination of Sega's cult graffiti-and-rollerblades hit Jet Set Radio. [Image: Sega]
New weapons join Sunset Overdrive in action hit's first DLC
Now that players have had just under a month to explore Insomniac Games' vibrant open-world action hit Sunset Overdrive, the developers are rolling out new toys for fans to play with, specifically new weapons and a big (if temporary) boost to multiplayer rewards. The first Sunset Overdrive weapons pack is now available for $5 (no charge for Season Pass holders) and includes four new guns. The Plague Bomb is exactly what it sounds like: Once detonated, the bomb spreads a virulent disease that will cause affected enemies to vomit until they explode. If that's not violent enough for you, try the Rager, which sends enemies into a murderous rage. It doesn't kill your foes directly, but they will turn on each other and fight to the death, at which point they, too, will explode. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the Shield Buddy, a device that creates a protective shield for your character and any nearby allies. In keeping with the DLC's unspoken theme, the Shield Buddy also drops bombs which will explode any enemies caught in the blast. Finally, the DLC introduces the Multi-Lock Rocket Launcher. Not only does this thing cause your enemies to explode, it homes in on and explodes up to eight targets simultaneously. To celebrate these new armaments, Insomniac is also tweaking the game's online Chaos Squad multiplayer mode. From now until December 2, not only will Overcharge cans drops at 27.9 times the normal rate, but the elusive Propain Launcher will also appear more frequently. [Image: Microsoft]
Sunset Overdrive free this Saturday
Xbox Live Gold members with an Xbox One will be able to play Sunset Overdrive for free all day Saturday, according to Microsoft's Major Nelson. Access to the free trial will begin at 12:01AM Eastern Time tonight. It is the "full game" and those who decide to purchase the game later can pick up right where they left off. We've confirmed this will also occur in Europe, but don't have clarification on timing as of posting. This is a pretty swanky deal to try out Sunset Overdrive, which we gave five stars in our review, saying it "sets out to create a world where the apocalypse is fun instead of depressing." There's no option to preload the demo, so if you're interested in the demo, make sure to set an alarm so it'll be waiting for you come morning.
Sunset Overdrive fails to derail FIFA 15 in this week's UK charts
We're used to FIFA reigning over UK charts like, well, rain over UK chaps (and chapettes), but this is plainly ridiculous. FIFA 15 is up to six weeks in a row already as the British best-seller, seeing off one major launch after another like it just doesn't care - and it probably doesn't. The latest victim? Insomnaic's Sunset Overdrive on Xbox One, which settles for second place. After debuting 7th, in its second week Wii U hell-raiser Bayonetta 2 is alarmingly AWOL after failing to stay in the top 40. In contrast The Evil Within holds steady in fourth, with the rest of the top ten made up by big hitters like Destiny, Shadow of Mordor and Forza Horizon 2. And of course, the Minecrafts. After stowing safely in the top ten for a few weeks, Alien: Isolation finds itself dragged down to 13th along with Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel in 15th. For the full top ten and more on this week's new releases (and the spectacular return of the customary music video), point your good selves beyond the break.
PSA: Xbox One is now $50 cheaper until January 3
The previously-announced holiday promotion that shaves $50 off the standalone Xbox One and all Xbox One bundles is now live, Xbox spokesman Larry Hryb (aka "Major Nelson") announced on his blog. The limited-time sale will last until January 3, and only applies to systems and bundles sold in the US. On a related note, the Xbox One Assassin's Creed bundle, which combines a 500GB Xbox One with digital copies of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag and Assassin's Creed: Unity, is on store shelves starting today as well. The 1TB, Kinect-less Xbox One bundled with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare will be out tomorrow. [Image: Microsoft]
Engadget giveaway: win an Xbox One Sunset Overdrive Bundle courtesy of Microsoft!
If you've been waiting for a game that's equal parts X Games and Tromaville, then you probably know that Sunset Overdrive (exclusively for Xbox One) is rolling out today. If you haven't already dropped some cash on the pre-order, though, you may want to hold off for another day or two and try your luck on this week's giveaway. Microsoft has given us an Xbox One Special Edition Sunset Overdrive Bundle and it's going to find a home with one lucky Engadget reader this week. So, stock up on your energy drink of choice and get ready to experience Sunset City 2027 in all its mutated glory. With this bundle, you'll get a Cirrus White console and controller, along with the full game download and Day One Edition in-game content giving you a head start in this anything-goes apocalyptic wonderland. All you need to do is head down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning. Just make sure you don't slake your thirst with Overcharge Delirium XT or you may experience some side effects... Winner: congratulations to Brandon W. of Maple Grove, MN.
Metareview: Sunset Overdrive
Maybe you noticed, but we really liked spending time with Sunset Overdrive. Our five-star review of Insomniac's outlandish action game based in the apocalyptic Sunset City praised its variety in elements like mission structure and weaponry. Thanks to gear like the "rapid-fire weapon that launches vinyl albums" or "handheld helicopters with pistols dangling from strings," we found Sunset Overdrive to be "an MC Escher painting of comic book violence, with physics taking a back seat to personality and fun." Don't only take our word for it, though. Head past the break for a glance at other critical looks at the "complete and purposeful" game.
Sunset Overdrive review: It's my party
In developer Insomniac's world of Sunset Overdrive, it's not a typical post-apocalypse day unless you're grinding along the open city's railings, power lines and rooftops, bouncing off a truck hood, smacking a mutant with your special guitar that sends out a shockwave of miniature tornadoes and firing a gun that shoots electrified vinyl records, all while making clever wisecracks that shatter the fourth wall. You may be familiar with the phrase "if X and Y had a baby, it would be Z." Sunset Overdrive is no one's baby; it is the act of metaphorical lovemaking itself, and it incorporates ideas, style and gameplay lifted from the likes of Jet Grind Radio, Saints Row The Third, Infamous, Ratchet & Clank and some guy named Cliff who just plain likes to party. And it is glorious, offering something for everyone.
Xbox is teasing a Sunset Overdrive-related mystery
A tweet from the official Xbox account made earlier today seems to be hinting at something bigger than a television advertisement for the upcoming Sunset Overdrive. "On behalf of Fizz͊c͕o̳ ͐w̼e᷾'̪dͮ ̗ļi᷄k̚e̿ ̄t̐oͯ ͉a̮p᷁o͂logise for the █████ in our #SunsetOverdrive TV adver..." the tweet reads, linking to a TV spot for the game which is interrupted by a flashing screen showing Morse code. Translated, the Morse code reads "OVERCHARGEDRINK.COM404PAGE." Typing in the URL to a browser takes you to what at first appears to be a standard 404 page, but soon is distorted with a message from someone calling themselves "Floyd." His warning reads, "Hey! Quit staring at your damn screen and help us! Stuff's going down at Fizzco. I'm talking 'capital F Freaky'. When I started asking questions, the answers were less than friendly. I can't get any more dirt, but they've never seen your pretty face. So join me and together we can uncover the ugly, ugly truth. Floyd." A string of numbers at the top of the 404 page reads "9:20, 4:45, 5:76, 8:32, 1:73, 5:32, 8:80, 9:20, 1:31, 9:1, 6:60, 8:85, 4:100, 2:21, 6:79, 2:46, 9:31, 6:43." Aaaaaand that's as far as we've been able to figure out so far. Hopefully it doesn't end up being a mandate to "be sure to drink your Ovaltine Overcharge." Last time Microsoft pulled such a stunt, it ended with UK resident Brad Butcher winning an Xbox One, a copy of Titanfall and a swag bag of other goodies. We'll keep an eye out to see if this develops into something similar. In the meantime, happy hunting, conspiracy theorists. [Image: Insomniac Games]
Joystiq Streams: Sunset Overdrive tastes the rainbow [UPDATE: It's over!]
Insomniac, it's been such a long, long time. Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus was a snack, Fuse was a dud, and 2011's Resistance 3 was kind of brilliant but it was also a bummer. Seriously, no matter how hopeful the ending was that game was grimmer than a birthday party where the clown is an IRS auditor. We miss your breakdancing bombs, Insomniac. We miss your blasters that turn people into penguins. Now here's Sunset Overdrive and its gallons of orange goo, its LP gun, its Tony Hawk's Pro Skater-ian acrobatics. Are you finally home, Insomniac? Let's find out. Starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch our very own Ludwig Kietzmann (@LudwigK) will stream the retail version of Sunset Overdrive for your Insomniac-longing heart. Danny Cowan (@db_cowan) will be chilling in the chat feeding your questions to Ludwig. That's Joystiq.com/Twitch at 4:00PM EST, just like we do every Tuesday and Thursday. Starting tomorrow, though, we're streaming nothing but horror games every day until Halloween so make sure to follow us on Twitch to know when we go live. [Images: Insomniac]
Here's what you'll get for pre-ordering Sunset Overdrive
Tucked within an announcement stating that Xbox One-exclusive action game Sunset Overdrive is now being pressed to retail discs comes information on the game's day one bonus items, its pre-order bonuses and the content-packed Day One Digital Deluxe Edition. Those who pre-order Sunset Overdrive from the Xbox Live Marketplace will earn two additional weapons, the Hangover, a series of beer cans strapped to an electrified pitchfork, and the Acordes de la Muerte, which is described as a "guitar-with-melting-candles-on-it melee weapon that can bash in the skulls of [your] vilified enemies." Additionally, those who play Sunset Overdrive on launch day will pick up a costume of the game's foul-mouthed yet adorable mascot Fizzie, along with two more weapons. If you spend $80 for the Day One Digital Deluxe version of Sunset Overdrive, you'll take home all of the aforementioned content, as well as the Season Pass. (The Season Pass normally costs $20 anyway, on top of the base game's $60, so we're not really sure what makes this edition "deluxe.") There's no specific timeframe for when the Season Pass will receive its promised downloadable content additions, but they will include a handful of additional costumes, two new traps and two additional "Amps" which are essentially permanent enhancements that grant your character new abilities, such as additional weapon XP pickups and the ability to smite enemies with divine fury. Sunset Overdrive is slated to launch on October 28. [Image: Microsoft]
Sunset Overdrive live action trailer is impossible
Insomniac blurs the line separating fantasy and reality in the latest trailer for its Xbox One-exclusive shooter Sunset Overdrive, demonstrating just how difficult it would be to portray its violent fantasy world using easily punctured human actors. An interactive version featuring bonus content is available here, if you can't get enough of that lovable blimp Fizzie. Sunset Overdrive premieres on October 28. [Video: Insomniac / Microsoft]
Sunset Overdrive Season Pass hands over three DLCs
A Season Pass for Sunset Overdrive includes the game's first three DLC packs, six character outfits, two Amps and two Traps, all bundled up for $20. The outfits, Amps and Traps will be available to Season Pass holders on launch day, October 28. Two of the DLCs in the Season Pass are campaign add-ons with new locations, stories, bosses, weapons, Amps, Traps, outfits and challenges. The third bit of DLC is a weapons pack with four new weapons. Sunset Overdrive is part of a $400 bundle that includes the super slick, white Xbox One, also out on October 28. [Image: Insomniac Games]
