Blizzard has released a Developer Update discussing what's coming to Overwatch in 2017
- By Ash
- in News
It really does seem like the Overwatch team is trying to go for some sort of a 'community favorite' award at this point. It has been a mere month since the previous Developer Update, and already we have Overwatch's Game Director Jeff Kaplan behind the camera discussing the team's current and future plans! If only the rest of the Blizzard teams could be this communicative...
But moaning aside, if you're interested in learning more about the direction Overwatch will take in 2017, you'll find the most recent Developer Update down below. And for those of you that don't have time to watch the whole video, I'll also include my brief summary. Have a look:
Prison Architect will soon be getting its 11th major update despite being technically "finished"
- By Ash
- in News
Despite Prison Architect receiving its "final update" a little while ago, it appears that Introversion Software simply couldn't stop themselves from adding a couple of bonus features for the holidays. And since Christmas is all about giving, Update 11 will make it so your guards no longer operate as "robot gaolers", but rather as actual people. In other words you will need to give them their own toilets and canteens, staff and recreation areas, and everything else a hardworking guard might need in order to not cause unfortunate... accidents on the job.
If you're interested in seeing what this looks like in terms of gameplay, you'll find the developer preview down below. The video's rather lengthy, totaling at around 40 minutes, but its surprisingly compelling given the chemistry between the developers. So if you don't mind the length, give it a look:
AI War 2 has been successfully Kickstarted with twice the initial goal
- By Ash
- in News
Arcen Games have been on a bit of a downward spiral for the past couple of years. Their games, despite reviewing pretty well, mostly ended up selling abysmally. And when you add to that their completely underwhelming latest game In Case of Emergency, Release Raptor, the outlook seemed to be incredibly grim.
With that in mind, I am more than happy to tell you that their Kickstarter campaign for AI War 2 has not only been a success, but they have managed to gather ~$100,000 in funding - basically double the asking amount! In terms of stretch goals this means a whole bunch of new music, the return of the Spire as a playable race with their own mechanics, a new type of Nemesis AI whose only purpose in life is to end yours, and finally - giant interplanetary weapons... because why not!
If you're interested in what this looks like in gameplay terms, you'll find the very first combat prototype video down below. All of the footage you'll be seeing is from a pre-alpha build, so expect every single thing to get polished up, replaced, or reworked by the time AI War 2 reaches release. With that disclaimer now out of the way, here's the video:
Asheron's Call and Asheron’s Call 2 will be closing down their doors this January 31st
- By Ash
- in News
After being around for what feels like forever, it appears that the time has come for both Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2. According to the recently posted announcement, both MMOs will be closing down their doors on January 31st, 2017.
As for the reason why, the developers haven't elaborated, but I'd imagine the extremely heavy competition from much modern MMOs has done quite a number on AC's population. And speaking of developers, here's their brief and heartfelt goodbye message:
Blizzard has just released a festive Overwatch comic starring Tracer - Reflections
- By Ash
- in News
If your love for Overwatch transcends the field of battle, you'll be glad to hear that Blizzard has just released a brand new comic. But unlike the previous 'super-serious' comics that revealed a ton of new lore, Tracer's Reflection is more about the characters themselves and how they celebrate the holiday season.
So if you're up for feeling both happy and sad for the various members of Overwatch, you'll find the comic over here. Once you get to the two-page spread with all of the characters make sure to check out each section individually - there's a ton of detail in nearly every single one of them!
Sundered is an upcoming hand-drawn Metroidvania from the team behind Jotun
- By Ash
- in Indie Games
If you have a passion for games with a unique and interesting blend of art style and music, you might want to keep an eye on the upcoming Sundered. In the most basic terms Sundered is a hand-drawn Metroidvania that will have you wonder a ruined world teeming with eldritch horrors in an effort to defeat monstrous bosses, all the while losing everything that makes you human.
Since a lot of the appeal lies on the aforementioned blend of art and music, allow me to first show you the recently posted trailer. It might not feature much in terms of gameplay, but it will definitely give you an idea of what Sundered is all about. Have a look:
Styx: Shards of Darkness has a new gameplay video showing off a variety of stealth takedowns
- By Ash
- in News
Styx: Shards of Darkness is an upcoming stealth game in the vein of the Thief series. In other words, it features plenty of open-ended levels crawling with guards, a variety of weapons and tools to dispatch them with, and stealth mechanics that revolve around careful planning and execution rather than brainless aggression.
And if you're wondering what all of this might look like in-game, here's the recently posted gameplay trailer showcasing a rather large level and a plethora of tricks and tools. As far as story spoilers are concerned, there is basically nothing to worry about, so feel free to give it a look. Here's the video: