xbla
Latest
Serious Sam Double D XXL dev diary shows XBLA additions, stacks guns
Serious Sam Double D will make the jump from PC to Xbox Live Arcade next month, adding enough new content to append a few letters to the title, giving us Serious Sam Double D XXL. Take a look at some of Double D XXL's upgrades in this developer diary. (Hint: more guns.)
Scott Pilgrim online DLC officially on PSN Feb. 5, XBLA Feb. 6
There is now, finally, a trailer and firm release dates for the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World "Online Multiplayer and Wallace Pack." It's coming February 5 to PSN, and one day later to XBLA.Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O'Malley posted the trailer on his Tumblr; to see Wallace's "Hotness" and other special attacks, head over there and watch.
Sega: No plans to re-release Virtual-On, Virtua Striker outside Japan
The re-releases of Cyber Trooper Virtual-On and Virtua Striker are restricted to Japan, Sega announced today. The Sega AM2 duo are coming to Japan's PSN and XBLA on February 13, but unlike Sonic the Fighters, Virtua Fighter 2, and Fighting Vipers, the three games they were originally teased alongside, Japan is as far as they'll go.That's sad news for fans of soccer and/or giant robots (which surely includes everyone), but you can still enjoy the Sega AM2 fighters on XBLA and PSN for 400 MSP/$4.99.
Scott Pilgrim online DLC coming to XBLA Feb. 6
The Scott Pilgrim vs. the World "Online Multiplayer + Wallace Pack" is listed in Microsoft's upcoming XBLA content, with a February 6 release date and a 160 MSP price point, suggesting it's finally coming. Of course, the XBLA release schedule is where we first saw evidence of this DLC back in August, and it had a release date then too, so perhaps you shouldn't plan your whole week around that event.Things to look forward to this week include Skulls of the Shogun on Jan. 30, the "Revolution" DLC for Black Ops 2 on Jan. 29, and a Street Fighter X Tekken sale on costume DLC (and, for some reason, Mega Man 9 and 10, both 20% off) from Jan. 29 through Feb. 4.
The Cave review: Seven spelunkers, none decent
The Cave is an adventure game, obviously. It's littered with puzzles and pieces of junk destined to become the only objects in the world worth having. The cave itself is a sentient, subterranean narrator, enveloping seven different explorers in a patchwork of dream-like environments that not only pertain to them, but contain the kind of contorted contexts in which a femur and a parrot are essential parts of progress.Those are all signs of the classic adventure, tinged with the incongruous vending machines, gift shops and eternally stranded island hermits you expect from a Ron Gilbert game. But there's something else inside The Cave, a familiar cynicism and cleverness that gradually emerges as each spelunker hits rock bottom. These people – even the monk and the chivalrous knight – are egotistical, unpleasant kleptomaniacs, and you're one of them.%Gallery-164293%
Terraria comes to consoles in February, dusts off this new content
Terraria digs into XBLA and PSN in February, 505 Games' YouTube description on the above video reveals. The video itself shows off the brand-new content coming to the console versions, which we heard hints of back when the only release window was "early 2013."The console version of Terraria will include new controls (shocking), a world map and a new tutorial, armor, ultimate weapons, enemies, pets, music and a shiny new final boss. Terraria on consoles will also include local, split-screen multiplayer for up to four people and eight-player online multiplayer.Terraria hit PC on May 16, 2011, from developer Re-Logic, and by September 2012 it sold 1.6 million copies. It's kind of like developers at Re-Logic are digging for gold, but they found 1.6 million people to do all the actual labor for them.
Top Xbox Live, Arcade, Indie and Windows games of 2012
If an alien intelligence agency got a hold of this "Top Xbox games of 2012" list, it might come away with the conclusion that humans are really, really into mining. The aliens might also conclude that we enjoy warfare, including the kind that affects extraterrestrials, so let's hope that they focus on the harmless digging thing and keep their lasers to themselves.Major Nelson breaks down 2012's top 20 games of the following categories: Live, Arcade, Indie and Games for Windows Live. The top Xbox Live games of 2012, determined by average unique users per day, are Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Modern Warfare 3, Halo 4, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition and Black Ops. Following that is a round of sports games, including FIFA Soccer 13 and 12, and Halo: Reach, Assassin's Creed 3, Battlefield 3, Borderlands 2, Far Cry 3 and Skyrim.The top five Xbox Live Arcade games, determined by full versions purchased, are Minecraft, Trials Evolution, The Walking Dead, Pinball FX2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Castle Crashers is hanging out at No. 6, followed by Fez at No. 13. Indie games are ranked with the same method, and they carry a familiar theme, headlined by CastleMiner Z, CastleMiner, Total Miner: Forge, Avatar Deathmatch and FortressCraft Chapter 1.Games for Windows Live games get ranked by average unique users per day, and the top five are Grand Theft Auto 4, Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition, Age of Empires Online, Batman: Arkham City and Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition. Remember, aliens, humans sure do love the smell of fresh, pixelated dirt. See for yourself with the full lists, provided by Major Nelson, after the break.
Scott Pilgrim DLC achievements appear on XBLA
Back in August, Ubisoft revealed surprise DLC for the Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World game, intended to add playable Wallace Wells and, more importantly, online multiplayer. The DLC missed its August 19 date, then its "fall" window, and all of 2012. The original game was released in August of 2010.Now it may be imminent, as achievements relating to the DLC have shown up in the XBLA achievement list, spotted by XBLAFans. They are unambiguously connected to the DLC, as they reference both Wallace and playing online.
Microsoft Store Xbox 360 game pre-orders net free 1600 MSP
Microsoft Store has a very decent offer going on some of 2013's biggest names. If you pre-order one of the selected Xbox 360 games, you get 1600 Microsoft Points for free. That's $20 of Xbox Live content with a $60 pre-order, and by our maths that's worth a gander.The 10 games included in the deal are Grand Theft Auto 5, BioShock Infinite, Tomb Raider, Lost Planet 3, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Crysis 3, Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14, Dead Space 3, and South Park: The Stick of Truth.The offer is valid until April 6, or when a game is released - as it's no longer a pre-order then, silly. In case you're about to break open the piggy bank, you should know there's a three-per-customer limit,
Dishonored sneaks onto Games on Demand next week
Well, we say "sneaks" in the headline, but Dishonored could just as easily stab and/or blunderbuss its way onto Xbox Live Games on Demand – it's all a matter of personal preference, really. At any rate, Arkane Studios' whale-punk powerhouse will be available through Microsoft's digital distribution platform on Tuesday, January 29, for an indeterminate price.Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2013 will also be available on Games on Demand next Tuesday, accompanied by Catherine's European, Middle Eastern and Asian releases on the service. Meanwhile, Just Dance 4's "Dance Pack 4" DLC boogies onto XBLA for 240 MS Points, while various Max Payne 3 and Red Dead Redemption DLC packs are marked down by 50 percent until January 28.So! If you've been dishonored by a dangerous hunt, or are feeling max-payne over Catherine, or were told to "just dance for redemption" at gunpoint during a bank heist, Tuesday might be an emotional trigger day for you. Otherwise, enjoy your digitally distributed whatever.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance demo hits Jan. 22
The Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance demo slices up Xbox Live and PlayStation Network on January 22. Konami also released a new seven-minute 'Jack the Ripper' trailer for the game, as edited by a certain Hideo Kojima.This is the same demo as included with Zone of the Enders HD Collection, released last year in October. With a week left to wait, buying that now just for the demo is inadvisable.
Capcom Arcade Cabinet confirmed for the west
Capcom's forthcoming Capcom Arcade Cabinet platform for XBLA and PSN is officially coming stateside, the company has just announced. While further details regarding pricing, release dates and the platform's complete catalogue of games are being withheld until February 7, Capcom did confirm that Black Tiger will be part of the US release, as it is in Japan.Assuming that Capcom Arcade Cabinet's business model for the states is the same as it is in Japan, however, there are some inferences that we can make. The XBLA/PSN app itself will likely be free and include one game (probably Black Tiger), though that hasn't been officially announced as of yet. As far as games that aren't Black Tiger, we're assuming they'll either be sold individually or in packs, but we won't know for sure until February.
Serious Sam Double D XXL storms XBLA on Feb. 20
Serious Sam Double D XXL is poised to ambush Xbox Live Arcade on February 20, running and gunning for 800 MS Points ($10). The XXL XBLA version brings brand new features, missions, weapons and local two-player co-op. The Gunstacker, which allows players to throw a myriad of weapons right on top of one another, has more than 30 new guns alone.Last year we heard, Serious Sam Double D XXL was scheduled to launch in the fall, but a game like this one doesn't play by society's rules, man.%Gallery-175770%
Skullgirls XBLA patch in limbo due to file size
Despite landing on the PlayStation 3 back in late November, Skullgirls' Slightly Different Edition update has yet to make its way to Microsoft's console. The delay is due to the file size of the update itself, according to XBLA Fan's translation of a tweet from the official Japanese Skullgirls account.While Microsoft limits XBLA updates to just four megs, the fighter's Slightly Different Edition patch weighs in at 590 megabytes. Being granted an exception to the rule is apparently possible, though subsequently time consuming. No announcements have been made regarding an expected completion date for the whole deal.Though dubbed Slightly Different, the patch changes an impressive number of details for each character in Skullgirls, in addition to adding further modes and UI improvements. It's also supposed to decrease load times, though the patch itself seems to be suffering from quite a long one.Update: We were contacted by Lab Zero Games' Peter Bartholow, who clarified the situation a bit further. "We've been working with MS developer support and have managed to reduce the size of the update significantly," Bartholow said. He went on to inform us that the size of the update itself is "still in flux," but that Lab Zero is "hopeful that the size reduction will help speed up the submission process."
Report: 'Capcom Arcade Cabinet' coming to PSN, XBLA
Information out of the latest issue of Famitsu reveals Capcom Arcade Cabinet, a downloadable PS3/Xbox app through which Capcom arcade games will be sold. The app itself will be free, and includes a starter pack with one free game, producer Kenji Kataoka told Famitsu.The only game specifically announced is Black Tiger, a side-scrolling action game from 1987 (and immediate proof that the app is worthwhile). Beyond pure arcade gameplay, Capcom Arcade Cabinet also includes "several modes" to adjust difficulty. "For example, you can adjust the strength of your attacks, the range of collision detection, and so forth," Kataoka said, as translated by Polygon. "This allows you to engage in training, and we've got support for turbo buttons and arcade sticks as well. I was able to use these functions to reach the ending on pretty much all of the games [we have planned], so they're great for people who were annoyed they couldn't beat them back then."Capcom Arcade Cabinet is due to be announced in full on February 7.
2K sales week kicks off on XBLM
A sizable selection of games and add-ons from publisher 2K Games are now on sale on Xbox Live Marketplace. The deals, which include half-off on the Mechromancer Pack from Borderlands 2 (400 MSP), the same discount for BioShock 2 on Games on Demand ($9.99), and a beefy 75 percent off XBLA games Axel & Pixel and The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (200 MSP each), all come to an end on January 14.The full list of on-sale games and add-ons awaits you after the break.
Joystiq Top 10 of 2012: Fez
Years of hype, several delays, a self-destructively outspoken developer, framerate stutters, game-breaking crashes, and now post-patch blues. While I don't agree, I can certainly understand why some have little time for Fez even before getting into the game underneath all the mess. That's a shame, because the game is an absolute peach.The Fez I played back in April, which crashed nine times in all and stuttered on numerous occasions, was worth the tribulations and then some. I raced through it across the release weekend, throwing myself at the challenge of finding all the cubes hidden within the cryptographic platformer, and doing so without any outside help whatsoever (OK, maybe a little). It should have been a maddening exercise of frustration and ire, but instead I had an airy grin plastered across my features throughout.
Minecraft XBLA closes out the year by reaching 5 million sales milestone
Minecraft dug deep on New Year's Eve to reach 5 million sales on Xbox Live Arcade before the close of 2012. The news is maybe not surprising given the franchise's prolificacy across the board over the last 12 months, including 453,000 sales on Christmas Day alone, but the achievement still represents a momentous way for developers 4J Studios and Mojang to see in the new year.Not that there's time for 4J Studios to rest on any laurels, as the team is off its festive break and back at work remedying some of the problems encountered with Title Update 7. The developer says a bug-fixing patch is being released later this month.
PSA: Retro City Rampage tears up XBLA today
After PC, PS3 and Vita players have been enjoying the delightfully campy Retro City Rampage for months, Xbox players can finally see what all the hubbub is about. The 2D, pixelated open-world crime game is now available on Xbox Live Arcade, offering up more video game and pop culture references from the last three decades than you can shake a shotgun at.As our review notes, if you've been playing video games for a long time, you're bound to get a kick out of it. You can snag it for $10.
Zeno Clash 2 breaks out this spring
Zeno Clash 2 is set to finally arrive on PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, and PCs via Steam in the spring of this year. After around four years of devlopment, Carlos Bordeu, co-founder of developer ACE Team. posted the window on the game's official forums. Bordeu said that Spring 2013 is as close as he can pin down a release date for the long-awaited sequel to 2009 brawler/shooter Zeno Clash.If that gets you itching for a look at the game, ACE Team has you covered with six new screenshots to scrutinize. %Gallery-174418%
