|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Blue's News is a participant in Amazon Associates programs
and earns advertising fees by linking to Amazon.
|
|
|
Steam News announces
that Housemarque is offering Outland for free
on Steam between now and
June 8th. Anyone who adds it during that time will have permanent access to this
game they once described as a "polarity-switching metroidvania." As they note in
the announcement, they hope this will inspire interest in their upcoming
twin-stick style shmup
Nex Machina, which is now available for pre-purchase. Word is: Add
Outland to your account
for FREE starting now until June 8th at 10AM Pacific Time! Once you add the game
it will remain in your account permanently, so don't miss out on this
opportunity to play a great game!
Additionally, check out Housemarque's upcoming title,
Nex Machina, currently
in pre-purchase at 20% off. All Outland owners receive an additional 10% off now
through launch on June 20th!
A lengthy post
on Steam News announces today marks the previously announced closure of the
Steam Greenlight program. Valve goes into the history of Greenlight covering its
high points as well as the problems that are leading to its replacement. They
also discuss that replacement, Steam Direct, which will go live on June 13th.
This portion of the post covers the status of games currently in the Greenlight
process and a bit more on Steam Direct: As of now, we are no longer
accepting new game or software submissions via Steam Greenlight and voting has
been disabled. One week from today, on June 13th, we'll be turning on Steam
Direct.
Over the next week, a team here at Valve will be reviewing the list of titles
that have not yet been Greenlit and will be selecting the final batch of titles
to pass through the Greenlight process. Our goal is to Greenlight as many of the
remaining games as we have confidence in. There are some titles that will not be
Greenlit, due to insufficient voter data or concerns about the game reported by
voters. Titles that are not ultimately Greenlit may still be brought to Steam
via Steam Direct, provided they meet our basic criteria of legality and
appropriateness.
If you are a game developer with a game in Greenlight that hasn't been Greenlit
yet, please be patient as we review the 3,400+ pending submissions. If you
bought the Greenlight Submission fee, but haven't had a chance to post a
submission, or if your submission has not been Greenlit by the end of this
process, you can use the Steam support site to request a refund of your
submission fee.
Steam Direct details
The goal with Steam Direct is to provide an understandable and predictable path
for developers from anywhere in the world to bring their games to Steam. With
that in mind, we're making the process as easy and streamlined as possible. A
new developer will simply need to fill out some digital paperwork, including
entering bank and tax information and going through a quick identity
verification process. After completing the paperwork, the developer will be
asked to pay a $100 recoupable fee for each game they wish to release on Steam.
This fee is returned in the payment period after the game has sold $1,000.
As we have been doing for the past year, there is a short process prior to
release where our review team installs each game to check that it is configured
correctly, matches the description provided on the store page, and doesn't
contain malicious content.
Paradox Interactive celebrates the first anniversary of the release of Hearts
of Iron IV with a free anniversary pack for the World War II strategy game.
The Steam page has a bunch of details, and there's even more about the
occasion in their announcement: Paradox Interactive and Paradox
Development Studio today celebrated the one-year anniversary of Hearts of Iron
IV, the World War II Grand Strategy Game released to critical acclaim on June 6,
2016. Hearts of Iron IV, the game that challenges players to navigate the nation
of their choice through history’s greatest conflict, continues to engage players
one year later across Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs. To thank the community for
their ongoing support for the game, Paradox today released the Hearts of Iron IV
Anniversary Pack as free DLC, available now for all players.
Continue here to read the full story.
Bethesda.net announces the release of The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind, a
new chapter for their MMORPG. They offer an
official launch trailer
with no fewer than 4Ks of beautifulness, and the following details on what this
adds: Of course, this new Chapter in The Elder Scrolls Online saga brings
more than just a new, open world to explore. With ESO: Morrowind, we are
introducing the Warden (the game’s first brand-new class since launch), a brand
new PvP game mode with Battlegrounds, and a new, challenging Trial with the
Halls of Fabrication. As I have said many times, ESO is designed to give players
the freedom to play the way that they want to play. We began building this
experience by removing the barriers to exploration in the One Tamriel update
last year, and we’ve further built upon that concept in ESO: Morrowind, which
features PvE, PvP, and even solo-focused content.
Continue here to read the full story.
Publisher Iceberg Interactive and developer Zoetrope Interactive now offer
Conarium, a horror/adventure inspired by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft that's a
successor to the Darkness Within series. The
Conarium website offers a
launch trailer from
way before the launch, and a link to pick this up
on Steam,
saying it's also available at other digital stores they can't be bothered to
list.
This post covers the release: Developer Zoetrope Interactive and publisher Iceberg Interactive are
delighted to announce the release of their Lovecraftian Horror Adventure game
Conarium, which releases today. From 10AM PDT onwards players can purchase this
beautifully crafted tale at an SRP of $19.99, through Steam and major digital
retailers. To celebrate the release of this highly anticipated successor to the
Darkness Within series, Conarium will be at a 15% discount for the week of
launch.
“Conarium is our third project and with it we sought to deliver players a
horrifying new adventure – in a style that’s typical of H.P. Lovecraft’s
writing” says Galip Kartoğlu, lead programmer at Zoetrope Interactive. “We built
on Lovecraftian lore and expanded the mythos, the game being a homage to the
events of ‘At the Mountains of Madness’. With Conarium we hope to contribute to
H.P. Lovecraft’s long lasting legacy of crafting a highly atmospheric yet
alienating sense of place.”
To view the 4K launch trailer for Conarium via YouTube, please visit:
Continue here to read the full story.
Early access to Hell Warders
on Steam
offers the first chance to team up with up to three other players for a co-op
action/RPG and arena defense game.
This trailer
introduces the concept and shows off some gameplay, and here's how they
introduce the concept: Hell Warders is part of a new sub-genre known as
“action-defense.” You and your friends are tasked with defending the Nexus from
unrelenting demon assaults. Play as Ash the Ember Knight, cannon-wielding
specialist Dead Eye the Tainted or crafty hero explosives specialist Samson III
in teams of four to scout for power-ups and create an effective (and deadly)
defensive perimeter. Fight alone or alongside soldiers with distinct abilities
to withstand the might of the demon horde across a number of thematic maps –
each with its unique environmental twist. Set up archers, catapults, and mages –
and carefully choose where to place them for maximum defensive cover. However,
defending only goes so far: The demon army waits for no man and will ruthlessly
attack from all angles! Vanquish demons with powerful weapons, unmatched hero
skills, and giant gargoyles!
Key Features
- Action tower defense meets hero tower defense:
Heroes can unleash devastating abilities and deploy strategic towers in this
new defense sub-genre.
- 4-player co-op: Combine forces and battle the
legions of evil! Hell Warders supports cooperative play with friends or
other fellow Warders online.
- Multiple playable classes: Choose from a roster of
diverse heroes – each with unique skills and abilities.
- Upgradeable characters: Level up to upgrade skills
and perks – and defeat monsters your way.
- Dynamic maps: Dodge flowing lava or fly on a giant
spinning fan! Every map in Hell Warders is dynamic and opens up a ton of
different strategies.
Continue here to read the full story.
Gambitious Digital Entertainment offers a
gameplay
reveal trailer from Outreach to introduce this upcoming Windows and
macOS Cold War adventure game set in space, where no one can hear you say
there's a vodka bottle stashed under the seat. The game is set in the 1980s and
the player is a Soviet cosmonaut, as demonstrated by the authentic Russian
accents in the trailer. The game is due later this year, and they will be
showing it off next week at E3 2017. Here's word: Gambitious Digital
Entertainment has released the first official gameplay trailer for Outreach, the
upcoming zero-gravity adventure game from independent developer Pixel Spill.
A narrative mystery set near the end of the Cold War, Outreach follows one
cosmonaut’s search for the missing crew of a Soviet space station in the frigid
reaches of Earth’s orbit. Players must explore the crippled remains of the
installation, navigating an abandoned environment filled with historically
accurate technology and objects from the 1980s, to discover the fate of its lost
souls.
Between the claustrophobic spaces of its interior and the unforgiving void
outside, players will get to experience a realistic world of weightlessness.
Travel by pushing off from surfaces and gripping onto others to keep from
floating away.
Continue here to read the full story.
Devolver Digital announces Swords of Ditto, a "compact" action/RPG coming to PC
and PS4 in early 2018. They plan to unveil this more completely at E3 next week,
and in the meantime, they provide a
reveal trailer and
some details: The Swords of Ditto is a compact action RPG that creates a
unique adventure for each new hero of legend in the relentless fight against the
evil Mormo. Explore a delightful but dangerous overworld, brave menacing
dungeons, and improve your hero in a charming village, during your quest to
overcome the evil that plagues the island. Unleash the mystical Sword of Ditto
and grab a co-op friend for an unforgettable adventure filled with delightful
characters, extraordinary loot, and heroic battles!
Continue here to read the full story.
3Division announces that AIR MISSIONS: HIND for Windows will lift off from early
access on June 14, offering the chance to do combat in the famed Russian HIND
assault helicopter. The game is currently in early access
on Steam,
and it will also come to Xbox One on the 14th. A
launch trailer
accompanies the news with a look at the game, and the announcement has all the
details on the plan: AIR MISSIONS: HIND, the action combat flight
simulator in which you command a Russian Mi-24 Hind assault helicopter, is being
released on Xbox One on June 14. On that same day, the game on Steam will be
leaving Early Access.
Fight in four different environments to intercede in international conflicts as
you equip this flying war-machine with some of the most powerful weapons of the
Russian military. Defend your nation’s interests in 15 different missions and
pilot your helicopter either with a keyboard and a mouse; a gamepad; or a
flightstick along with pedals and throttle. Co-op multiplayer and single player
modes available.
AIR MISSIONS: HIND on Xbox One includes the three DLC’s published on Steam. The
price of the full game on Xbox One and Steam will be $16.99. DLC’s can be
acquired separately on Steam only ($2.99 each), or purchasing DELUXE version for
$19.99. The game on Steam contains a Mission Editor and Steamworks Support. The
game is published and developed by the Slovakian indie studio 3Division.
Continue here to read the full story.
Wrote up the Greenlight story before Valve announced today's closure, so what
the heck.
-
Lust for Darkness -- Steam Greenlight. "A psychological horror of
seeking satisfaction on the border of two intertwining worlds.
An intruguing plot with erotic and occult themes guides the player's
character through the Yelvertones' victorian mansion and a perverse land
inspired with Lovecraft's works and paintings of Zdzisław Beksiński." Here's
a trailer.
-
Mimic Hunter - Indiegogo. "Mimic Hunter is an innovative, 2.5D, hardcore
platform game that will take you on an epic adventure as the legendary
master hunter Monsieur Ratimousse embarks on a journey to find his old
mentor Barnabas and stop an ancient demonic force from devouring the mortal
world."
- Democracy 3 on
Steam.
Save 75%.
- The Evil Within on
Steam.
Save 50%.
The
Battleborn website announces a free trial for Battleborn is now
available for Windows and consoles. This is not time-limited and includes the
ability to earn premium unlocks, but they are noticeably avoiding the term
free-to-play. In fact, last September Randy Pitchford
predicted this free trial was months off as he denied a rumor that
the game would go free-to-play within a couple of months. Perhaps the
distinction lies in a full version that can still be purchased to unlock all the
heroes and gain other perks. They have created a
Founder's status for players who purchased the retail version before this to
reward them with items, flair, and in-game spacebux. A
Developer Overview
video with an enthusiastic Randy Varnell explains the changes and the game
in general, and they are opening up a newbie queue to help shield new players
from veterans, none of whom would ever be so mean as to create a smurf account.
Here's word: We’re excited to announce a new and incredible way to jump
into the hero-shooter, Battleborn! Starting today players can experience
unlimited competitive multiplayer for FREE with the Battleborn Free Trial.
Players can now pick up Battleborn as a free downloadable experience that grants
UNLIMITED access to all competitive multiplayer gameplay modes and maps, without
any time limits or level caps. To keep things fresh, there is a weekly rotation
of six heroes from the roster of 30 total heroes. Progress with each hero and
player account progression is also permanent, so when the same character comes
back around players can pick them up where they left off. To download the
Battleborn Free Trial, head to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or Steam store page
and search for Battleborn. Each page has a “Try Now” button to download the Free
Trial.
Already own Battleborn? Then you’re a Founder! Keep on reading to find out
what being a Founder entails.
When is the Free Trial available?
The Free Trial is now available globally on Steam and Xbox One, and is available
in the Americas on PS4. For Sony Europe and Sony Japan, the Free Trial will be
available starting June 13, 2017.
PS Plus and Xbox Live Gold memberships are required to play the Free Trial.
NEW PLAYER EXPERIENCE
New players won’t have to worry about matchmaking against a team with Command
Rank 100 and legendary gear out of the gate. With the launch of the Free Trial,
we’re also introducing a queue specifically for new players. This queue was
created just for new and lower rank players to learn the ropes without being
matched with more experienced players. Even if you’re a quick learner or an
experienced MOBA player, we wanted to give you enough time to find your
Battleborn play style and favorite heroes. Once a player masters Battleborn’s
mechanics and reaches Command Rank 20, the Novice Queue will disappear and they
be able to join other Battleborn players in the regular queues.
If you’re new to Battleborn, or just feeling a little rusty, take advantage of
the new Training Modes, including an Incursion Tutorial to build up competitive
multiplayer skills, and The Dojo, where players can test drive all 30 Battleborn
heroes against waves of minions, regardless of whether they’re unlocked outside
of The Dojo.
UNLOCK MORE CONTENT
Played it, loved it, want more? We got you. Players can unlock heroes,
customizations for your favorite hero, experience boosters, or even the Story
Mode Operations in the Marketplace individually. In the Marketplace, you’ll find
a number of items that can be purchased with Credits earned in-game or Platinum
premium currency including:
Continue here to read the full story.
A playable Windows demo for Styx: Shards of Darkness is now available
on
Steam, offering the chance to sample the stealthy adventure game. The
Windows edition is on sale for the next week, and word is that console gamers
can also expect this to arrive soon for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Here's an
outline: Styx: Shards of Darkness, the new stealth game developed by
Cyanide, released on March 14 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, has already
received a warm welcome from press and players across the world, and releases
its free demo on Steam today. This demo will also release Friday, June 9th on
Xbox One, and Monday, June 12th on PlayStation 4.
This demo allows you to sneak around on the tutorial level of the game. Welcome
to Thoben the City of Thieves, where you have to help Styx hide, sneak,
assassinate and steal the pays of the local guards, while getting a very first
taste of the praised level design of game, new upgraded acrobatics, new gadgets
and tools, and Styx' trademark attitude.
Players can upgrade to the full game during or at the end of the demo to
continue their adventure. The Steam version allows players to keep the saves
made during this demo, to use them after their purchase the full game on Steam.
For this occasion, Styx: Shards of Darkness will be available at 40% off until
Monday, June 12.
Indie developer Behold Games announces Galaxy of Pen and Paper, an upcoming RPG
expected for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android on July 27th. This is their
follow up to Knights of Pen & Paper, taking the concept to space, where no one
can hear you say "where's my good D20?" They celebrate with
this trailer showing
how "anyone can be a game master," and there's also a new
Galaxy of Pen & Paper
website as home to the project. They round out the news with the following
details: Curious about being a game master, but just can't seem to get
the gang together for some dice rolling? The upcoming game Galaxy of Pen and
Paper is the perfect solution for you. Anyone can flex their GM muscles and
explore the challenges and joys of running a campaign set in a romp through
space with the sci-fi-themed follow-up to hit Knights of Pen & Paper, an RPG
simulation game that juxtaposes the world of pen-and-paper RPGs with roleplaying
video games. Developed by indie publisher Behold Studios, the game will launch
for PC, Mac, and Linux versions, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices, on
July 27.
"Some people are daunted by the idea of running a campaign, but there's no
need." says Saulo Camarotti, founder and CEO of Behold Studios. "Anyone can be a
game master if they have dedication and want to have fun, and GoPP is all about
that!"
Explore the exciting opportunities for GMs in the brand new trailer:
https://youtu.be/iVHu86_eZsc
Galaxy of Pen and Paper retains the retro look and classic turn-based gameplay
of its predecessor, but shifts to a sci-fi-theme that lets players man
spaceships, explore planets, and battle their way across the stars. Experience
all the fun of a pen-and-paper RPG without the lost dice! For more information
about Galaxy of Pen and Paper, please visit the official game page at
www.galaxyofpenandpaper.com
Continue here to read the full story.
Curve Digital and iFun4all announce Serial Cleaner will officially launch for
Windows, Linux, and macOS this summer. We missed something along the way,
because we thought this was just a console
title, but it's been on
Steam early
access for several months now. In the vein of Viscera Cleanup Detail, this
tasks the player with mopping up after bloody battles, all set in the 1970s,
officially recognized as the grooviest of decades. Here's
a new trailer, and
here's word, which specifically calls back to Quentin Tarantino's finest
character: Discover the backstory to becoming a fixer like Winston Wolfe
of Pulp Fiction and what it takes to dispose of bodies, cover up blood stains,
and hide murder weapons and other incriminating evidence with this new Serial
Cleaner trailer from iFun4all and Curve Digital. In addition, you'll get a
glimpse at some of the game's challenge modes, including a drunk mode where
things are a blur while cleaning. The game is coming to Xbox One PlayStation 4
and PC this summer.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/2xY4mvXX3Mo
Story Mode
The titular Cleaner is the guy you call when you need to clean up after a messy
mafia hit or a gruesome killing of another sort. He does regular jobs for the
mob, but he takes on a contract from a new client to diversy his sources of
income. Story mode is a 20 level long campagn taking the player through levels
subtly inspired by actual serial killings from the 1970s. The players will visit
a variety of locations influenced by that cult decade, like a boxing gym, a
disco club, a roadside motel, a sleazy bar and the rooftops of downtown blocks.
While playing players learn more about the Cleaner, meet a bunch of crazy
characters, including Cleaner's mother and are able to discover all the secrets
behind the mysterious protagonist.
Challenge Mode
Players will be able to try their mettle against nail-bitingly hard modes -
where they won't be able to see the enemy's vision cones, or where they can't be
seen by enemies at all - but for those who just want to try out a different set
of rules, we also have a few interesting modes - like the option to clean as
many bodies from randomized positions as possible without getting caught and
another that changes the visuals as if Cleaner was completely drunk!
Continue here to read the full story.
Summer is still a couple of weeks off, but the
GOG.com Summer Sale is now underway, offering up to 90% off on the DRM-free
games in their catalog. They are also giving everyone a free copy of Rebel
Galaxy with their first purchase. Word is there are over 1500 deals to be
had. Thanks
VG247.
DiRT 4 is not to pull out of the pits until Friday, but Codemasters paves the
way for the release with a
launch trailer from the new installment in the off-road racing series.
Here's the description: "DiRT 4 launch week is here! And to celebrate, we’re
releasing our launch trailer today. DiRT 4 is bigger, better and bolder than any
game in the series to date, and it powerslides onto PS4, PC and Xbox One this
week. We hope you think it’s been worth the wait – we certainly do." Continue here to read the full story.
A new E3 2017 trailer
from Dauntless shows off more of this co-op action/RPG currently in development
at Phoenix Labs. The clip shows off a new behemoth, a fourth weapon class, and
armor/weapon customization options. Here's the spiel : Today, Phoenix Labs
released a new trailer for their upcoming online co-op action RPG, Dauntless.
The new trailer takes a deeper dive into combat, progression, and how Slayers
survive against the ferocious Behemoths in the game.
This new trailer features a brand new Behemoth Skraev for the first time. Skraev
thrives in colder climates and wields deadly frost attacks. While he may bear a
resemblance to the previously-announced Behemoth Shrike, Skraev is a completely
different encounter, boasting new attacks and challenges for Slayers.
The trailer also showcases the Chain Blades--the fourth weapon class in
Dauntless. The Chain Blades are all about creating your own opportunities in
combat, featuring a blend of short range combos and long range poke attacks.
They enable Slayers to get in quick, unleash a flurry of attacks, and get out
fast.
Check out the full trailer here, which also gives players a sneak peek at how
they can customize armor and weapons based on the loot they receive from
Behemoth encounters:
https://youtu.be/xOMq_luhZoA
Continue here to read the full story.
Mikey Neumann
tweets that he is leaving Gearbox Software, where he has served as chief
creative champion at the developer (thanks
GameInformer). Mikey suffered a stroke
back in 2011, and health
considerations are one of the reasons cited in his departure. In a few replies
he explains how accommodating Gearbox has been along the way, and says that his
new full-time gig will be
Movies with Mikey,
his cinema-focused YouTube channel.
Today is the 73rd anniversary of the D-Day invasion that marked a turning point
in World War II. I've confessed before I find it unusual myself that this date
stands out so much for me, as I recall this better than some birthdays and
anniversaries in my own family. On memorial day I caught the last few episodes
of Band of Brothers for the first time in a long time, and this occasion
has me thinking I will sit down and watch the whole thing again one of these
days.
|
Twitter 
