Added: 02.06.2014 12:48 | 11 views | 0 comments


All 22 locations detailed as Codemasters gears up for release.

Added: 28.05.2014 0:14 | 6 views | 0 comments


Jasmine Gipson of The Koalition writes: It's the future and San Francisco is shockingly still there; In Tex Murphy: Tesla Effect, you play as a flawed private detective that lives in the mutant end of town. At the start of the game, Tex wakes up from being attacked, with no recollection of the past seven years of his life. Since you're a detective, you spend the duration of the game trying to piece together why you were attacked, along with trying to figure out what happened to your memory.

Added: 22.05.2014 10:00 | 7 views | 0 comments


I’m at Ubisoft’s San Francisco offices playing Watch Dogs all week long for review and while the game’s digital Chicago offers tons of things to do and see both inside and outside of mission gameplay, I think the French publisher is one of few that can launch an new IP in the open-world genre these days and that’s only thanks to the company’s pedigree of established open-world brands. If you think about it, open-world games have a proven track record of hit-or-miss launches both in established franchises and in new licenses like Watch Dogs. If you asked me two years ago when Aiden Pearce and the CtOS concept were revealed at E3 whether or not I thought the brand could succeed, I would have given you a hopeful nod followed by a sheepish shrug. Who the hell knows how this project would turn out after years of development, straddling console generations? Watch Dogs was certainly one of, if not the most ambitious project I’d seen or heard of in a few years and that was even stacked up against Rockstar Games and the massive Grand Theft Auto V. How much of Grand Theft Auto V’s presence last year gave Ubisoft the impetus to delay Watch Dogs and continue polishing the title for a dead-of-summer release? Whether or not the game’s code or mechanics needed the extra time, a few more months of hype weren’t going to hurt day one sales or the excitement surrounding what could be Ubisoft’s console-generation money maker. I know plenty of gamers might accept trading Assassin’s Creed for Watch Dogs (so long as Watch Dogs has a decent hook and can crank out entertaining story-extending sequels as easily as Assassin’s Creed did). Still, my time with the game this week has left me with a peculiar stance on the need for games to continue evolving, pushing freedom over restriction and interactivity over cardboard cutout scenery. I will trade a small open-world with lots of varied things to do over a strict linear experience any day of the week and that’s never been truer now that I’ve played about half of Watch Dogs. I’ll use one of my favorite open-world games in the last five years as an example: Batman: Arkham City. Never mind that I’m a huge Batman fan or that I loved Batman: Arkham Asylum’s take on Metroid-vania style gameplay, slowly doling out new tools and gadgets in between boss encounters on a progressive ladder of challenging combat and stealth gameplay. That game laid an incredible foundation for Rocksteady’s next Bat-game on a totally different Bat-channel. If Arkham Asylum was the Super Metroid of Batman games, then Arkham City was the Ocarina of Time of Batman games. Arkham City’s open-world was small, that much is true. Players had every right to complain that the game world was too small, especially given they could glide-and-grapnel from end-to-end in record time. Fortunately, Rocksteady made sure that it was dense as hell, stacked with interesting landmarks, random enemy encounters, and more than a few dungeonshellip; and that’s exactly what the different locales throughout Arkham City were. While Arkham Asylum presented one big dungeon (and did that really well), Arkham City said to the player "here are obvious hideouts of classic Batman villains, it’s up to you to carve a path through them." Now, neither Arkham Asylum nor Arkham City were linear. That was the beauty in Rocksteady’s approach to Batman game design. Instead of basing the progression of gameplay and mechanics entirely on what villains were present on the silver screen or in the cartoon, Rocksteady said "we want to use these villains and we want the player to face-off against them in order." Knowing where they wanted to lead the player, how they wanted the player to get there, and how frequently to create ebbs and flows in tense stealth gameplay and all-out combat made each Arkham game successful in its own right. But my argument here is that developing a smaller open-world as in Arkham Asylum and Arkham City will almost always succeed in ways that strict linearity fails to entice players thanks to freedom and a go-anywhere do-anything on-your-own-time attitude. I could never say "f*** all these linear games," especially with works of art like The Last of Us or Bioshock Infinite. Telling a story in games is hard and knowing what story you want to tell kind of negates an open-world in certain contexts. I wouldn’t have wanted to explore a chunk of Boston in the Last of Us, followed by a chunk of Pittsburgh, followed by a chunk ofhellip; you get what I mean? Some experiences demand linearity, but if you’re hoping to launch a big new license or entice a lot of consumers to games they might not normally play (like those in the hugely valuable once-a-year Call of Duty crowd) you need to be OK with letting the player fail to finish your game. The point is that they have fun doing what they’re doing when they do it, whether you planned for them to do it or not. I spoke with Nick about Watch Dogs briefly and twice now he’s expressed to me that the most fun he’s had has been causing car accidents in the streets of Chicago. That’s not the point of the game, Nick! You’re not supposed to drive up insurance rates just because you can, but for many players having that control and seeing the effect they have on a world is all they need. For many players "Screw it, I’m just gonna run around" is the end-all be-all of game design and huge publishers like Ubisoft will only find success when they’re aware of that mindset. Why shouldn’t Nick go around causing car accidents for hours, ignoring the story, the online multiplayer, or the gunplay? In a linear game, there’d be no choice. In a linear game, one that attempts to shake the player with an emotional roller coaster or intense action, you might actually disconnect from the experience because of the choices you don’t have available to you. For developers and publishers hoping to launch huge IPs in this console generation, small-scale, but densely interactive open-worlds are the way to go. Don’t hang your new brand or all your development budget on a character some people might not give a sh** about. Just focus on playability, reactionary systems, and the opportunity for a sequel because that’s the point your publisher will want to hammer home in preorder campaigns anyway. If players have to stomach the endless sequelization of video games, they should at least have the choice to cause nothing but car accidents all day long, as they do in Watch Dogs.

Added: 07.05.2014 2:59 | 9 views | 0 comments


Before the All-Star Break Nate Shierholtz slides to snatch my base hit just off the grass in right field and bounces back to his feet with a smug look on his face. I don't care how good it looks, that move stung even after Clayton Kershaw put away three innings of Cubs without incident. Now that is on Sony's latest hardware iteration. While the modes, teams, mechanics, and options are preserved across PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4, the next-gen MLB 14 release is undoubtedly better looking, with denser, more varied crowds and enhanced player models. Oh, how Dodgers fans will want to stroke the many polygons that make up Kershaw's sweaty mane after a shutout. While I profess my love for the San Francisco Giants in our full review below, your team of choice will have a few players that mirror their TV broadcast counterparts to an uncanny degree. When LA's Dee Gordon steps up to the batting box and fans holding a Dodgers sign goof off for the camera, it's the most convincing argument a sports gamer could have for upgrading to next-gen hardware. The same can be said of The Show's second-to-none presentation, with transitions and shots of major league parks stunning even the most cynical graphics snobs. There are undoubtedly a few rough edges, jaggies, and the occasional frame drop, but The Show's animation team have really knocked this one out of the park. While diehard baseball fans don't need to upgrade to PlayStation 4 so long as they're satisfied with the game on PlayStation 3, anyone with a shiny new Sony console and a passion for the sport shouldn't miss the next-gen release. Read on for our full review of the PS3 version. Right over the plate My dad never played catch with me. Boo hoo, right? When I was growing up I played a lot of basketball, especially as we had a hoop in our driveway and I loved pissing off my mom by going for massive three-point shots from the neighbor's yard (). Playing basketball felt more personal, but watching baseball on TV gave me this otherworldly sense of competition, that the field of dreams was real. Pitchers have the entire team behind them, ready to sweep up anything a hitter might put through, and hitters can rely on the next man to knock one between left field and the shortstop to bring the other guy home for a run. Of course, growing up a San Francisco Giants fan smashed that perception into the waters outside AT&T Park. Barry Bonds and other home-run superstars never really gave the infield and the outfield an opportunity to play their part. Baseball slowly transformed from pasttime to nap time in my house, with rallies and runs startling those of us who had dozed off. Thankfully, MLB 14: The Show gives gamers the opportunity to participate in the big leagues however they like, even if hardcore PlayStation fans might want to hold off for the PS4 version of San Diego Studio’s yearly sim. Sitting down to play, I figured I’d start a franchise or play an exhibition match, but first I needed to familiarize myself with the game’s controls. When you’re pitching, the camera sits behind the mound and allows you to target inside and outside the strike zone, while the DualShock 3’s face buttons represent different pitches and a wavering circle around the reticle displays how accurately you’ll throw the ball. For new players, this can be really frustrating as everything will seem to fall outside the plate or in the dirt. One of my first innings resulted in walking a run in after loading the bases, but practice modes almost immediately rectified this. You can take any pitcher in the league to practice against any other team and put away a full lineup for points, ranking your performance with medals. The same can be said of batting, but swinging the bat comes more naturally as you just have to track the pitch and keep it in a yellow swing zone for maximum lift and distance. The game almost seemed to notice I was struggling in those first innings by giving me a homer off the right foul post, instantly lifting my spirits even if the game ended in an 8-6 loss for my Giants. MLB 14 The Show presents baseball on as grand a scale as it can manage, with massive jumbotrons and stadiums full of fans no matter how poorly your club is doing. The soundtrack can be annoying at times, but it’s clear that San Diego Studio put a ton of love into every field, every player, and every menu, with heaps and heaps of options for anyone who wants to mess with the difficulty, controls, or exactly how much they need to do when playing offense or defense. [gallery=263] I ran into some trouble early when I awkwardly sprinted away from a pop fly and then threw it to third instead of first, but The Show also allows you to lock the action to a specific player and only complete plays that he's personally involved in. Player Lock means you can spend nine innings hanging out in left field without anything to do, but Quick Counts also mean an entire game could take less than 10 minutes. That’s particularly helpful when you’re trying to cram in a season or take a player from the minors to the World Series, but I preferred controlling each pitch and each swing, even if the controls seemed to wrestle back when the action switched to another position on the field. While MLB 14’s presentation can at times look as good as anything on TV, the audience can still be muddied and copied relentlessly. There’s no point in spectating a virtual game, but it’s convincing enough for players eager to hit the field at the start of baseball season. If you’re all about graphics, MLB 14 The Show will arrive on PlayStation 4 in May and looks to be quite a bit sharper in decorating the scenery of baseball’s biggest fields. Fenway Park's Green Monster looks suitably green and looming on the PS3 version, but some care a great deal about graphics. If you do, just hold out for a month and then replay April’s MLB games on your next-gen console. For faster play, you can check out community challenges which present unique objectives based on either real-world plays or whatever other players have dreamed up. Sony compared this mode to ’s in-game content creation systems, but don’t expect to stack a cowboy hat and a bowler underneath your Dodger-blue cap. Everything in MLB 14: The Show takes the sport seriously with authenticity at the forefront. Sounds, color commentary, and in-between at-bat animations flow together really well. If I ask myself whether The Show feels like the baseball I grew up watching, I’d have to answer yes. It can be boring and frustrating some times. Pitches will get away from you no matter what, but loading up the count and leaving three base runners stranded feels tense and you get an immense sense of accomplishment when striking out a big bat like this year’s cover star Miguel Cabrera. On the other side, batting doesn’t feel as satisfying as pitching in that I always love teams that can start a rally and make that the deciding factor in a game. When you play every hitter in the lineup, you invariably get into the mindset that you constantly need to swing for the fences. Running up a pitch count and tiring out a big arm isn’t nearly as apparent as it is watching a broadcast. At home, I always felt bad for the pitcher who got pulled in the 5th inning. He may have been worn out and he may have hit the last batter with a pitch, but what could he have accomplished in the next inning? No-hitters seem like impossibilities in MLB 14 The Show, unless you turn on automatic fielding and let others in your squad help out. America's game has always been about teamwork and that’s the only thing I feel is missing when sitting alone on my couch, playing the game.
Copies provided by publisher. Review based on PS3 and PS4 versions. Vita version tested.

Added: 05.05.2014 19:14 | 15 views | 0 comments


GoodGameBro writes, "MLB 14 The Show is releasing on PS4 tomorrow and Gamestop is concluding their MLB 14 The Show Mondays video series with a 10 minute gameplay video of the San Francisco Giants facing off against the Pittsburgh Pirates."

Added: 30.04.2014 23:52 | 4 views | 0 comments


A summary of the announcements made at Sony's San Fran showcase.
Sony hosted an Indie-focused event in San Francisco on Wednesday, where it offered a look at the state of Sony's indie gaming campaign and the games coming to PS4 and Vita.

Added: 24.04.2014 11:15 | 2 views | 0 comments


Gamasutra- "Watch Dogs is poised to be a success on the next-generation consoles, but it's clear that Jonathan Morin, its creative director, sees it just as a step toward true "next-generation" game design, not its full flower. As he closes a five-year chapter of his life, from prototype to completed game, Morin was reflective about not just what he made, but where games are going as a medium. In this interview, conducted at Ubisoft's San Francisco offices during a recent preview event for the hotly anticipated title, Morin speaks candidly about how he sees games and players."

Added: 10.04.2014 18:31 | 10 views | 0 comments


The Dodgers and the Giants have the longest standing rivalry in baseball. Over 2,300 matchups; only 22 wins separating the two teams. In the tradition of this rivalry, MLB 14 The Show -- in partnership with IGN -- would like to start a new one... Puig vs. Pence. On Monday, April 14th at 11:00 AM Pacific, San Francisco Giants Right Fielder Hunter Pence and Los Angeles Dodgers Right Fielder Yasiel Puig will face off in MLB 14 The Show for PS4.

Added: 10.04.2014 18:25 | 27 views | 0 comments


Hunter Pence of the San Francisco Giants prepares to take on Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers live from IGN's studio on Monday, April 14th at 11am PST. Get hyped!

Added: 09.04.2014 8:50 | 4 views | 0 comments


Tesla Effect begins with Tex Murphy -- the down-on-his-luck gumshoe in the post-apocalyptic future -- regaining consciousness on the fire escape next to his office with a head wound and an injection mark on his arm. With the last seven years of his life wiped from memory, the private eye has no choice but to figure who was behind the mysterious attack and why. Tex Murphy is the last of the hard-boiled gumshoe detectives living in dystopian post-World War III San Francisco in the 2040s. Tex is an honest and good-natured private investigator with a penchant for bourbon, cigarettes and getting himself into trouble. He runs his P.I. (and dance instructor) business from his apartment/office on the top floor of the Ritz Hotel, located on Chandler Avenue in Old San Francisco. In stark contrast to the sparkling, futuristic New San Francisco, Old San Francisco is a run-down part of town known for its high concentration of Mutants -- a section of the population disfigured by post-war nuclear fallout. Tex has found several friends and allies among the Mutants on Chandler Avenue. His talents as a detective are matched only by his knack for putting his foot in his mouth and bumbling his way into the path of danger. However, using his wits, creativity and a bit of luck, Tex has managed to save the world on several occasions. Tex Murphy first appeared in the game Mean Streets in 1989. Developer Access Software broke new ground with gaming technology, followed shortly afterwards by Martian Memorandum in 1991. In 1994, Tex Murphy had a profound effect on the computer gaming industry with the release of Under a Killing Moon. Dubbed an "Interactive Movie," the multi-award winning Under a Killing Moon was a trailblazing accomplishment, introducing full motion video and real actors into a game environment. Access Software's proprietary "Virtual World" engine also enabled full freedom of movement in a completely explorable 3D world. This same groundbreaking technology would be used in 1996's The Pandora Directive. Another multi-award winner, The Pandora Directive is often regarded as one of the finest adventure games of all time. In 1998, Overseer was the last title released featuring our favorite gumshoe detective...until now! The Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure is coming to PC and Mac April 22, 2014.