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Archived News:
Big Ben, this here's Rubber Duck, and I'm about to put the hammer down.
Steam News announces the
Windows, OS X, and Linux editions of
American Truck Simulator
are now rolling out, offering the chance to be a mean mother trucker in the U.S.
of A.
This post says things are going well so far: "The launch process was even
smoother than we had hoped, so we are happy to announce that American Truck
Simulator keys will now activate the game, and that it has become visible and
ready for purchase on Steam."
Here's a description: Experience legendary American trucks
and deliver various cargoes across sunny California and sandy Nevada. American
Truck Simulator takes you on a journey through the breathtaking landscapes and
widely recognized landmarks around the States.
The Hearthstone
website outlines all sorts of changes coming to Blizzard's card strategy
game, adding a new "standard" game, while calling Hearthstone as it's currently
played "Wild" mode. Ben Brode offers some designer insights on the changes in
this video, and here's
a bit: Standard is a new format in Play mode that allows players to go
head-to-head using only the most recently released Hearthstone cards. You’ll
play Standard using a deck built solely from a pool of cards that were released
in the current and previous calendar year, along with a core foundation of the
Basic and Classic card sets (which will always be valid for Standard). You’ll be
matched against other players who are also using Standard decks.
Standard promises a fresher Hearthstone experience!
- Standard will help make for a more dynamic and balanced metagame.
- A select set of cards makes each new card have more impact!
- The developers will have more freedom to design exciting new cards.
- It lets newer players jump in faster without having to collect as many
cards.
Standard is only available as a format in Friendly Challenges, Ranked, and
Casual play, so it won’t affect Arena, Solo play, or Adventures.
Continue here to read the full story.
Origin's On
the House program now offers
Need for Speed Most Wanted as the latest free game offered to anyone
with an Origin account (thanks
Game Bundle News via Ant. As usual, word is: "There's no catch. Grab full
games, expansions and more at absolutely no cost. Just make sure to act fast
because On the House specials can appear and disappear at any time." Here's a
refresher on the latest installment in this hard driving series: The
open-world action in Need for Speed Most Wanted gives you the freedom to drive
anywhere, discover hidden gameplay, meet up with your friends or just hang out
and toy with law enforcement. Lose the cops … your way. Hit jumps and shortcuts,
switch cars, lie low or head for terrain that plays to your vehicle’s unique
strengths. Hit the gas and fight your way past cops and rivals using pure
driving skill, aggression, high-end car tech and tons of nitrous. It’s all about
you, your friends and the wildest selection of cars in a heavily policed, urban
landscape.
UbiBlog announces the release of Operation Black Ice, a free update for
Rainbow Six Siege, adding new content and improvements to the first-person
shooter. This trailer shows
this off, and the update has all the details: Operation Black Ice will
officially begins today in Rainbow Six Siege with a new content drop and a 2.0
patch that makes substantial tweaks and improvements to the game. One of the
biggest new additions is the Yacht map, in which a luxury yacht hits an iceberg
in the arctic Baffin Bay and Rainbow is sent to secure it. The update also adds
new weapon skins and a Spectator Camera for all platforms, letting an 11th
player join and switch between a tactical overhead view, a free-cam view and a
first-person view.
Operation Black Ice also adds two new Operators from Canada’s Joint Task Force 2
counterterrorism unit, Frost and Buck. Frost, a Defender, comes equipped with a
mechanical leg trap that’s undetectable by electronics scanners. Buck’s assault
rifle carries a “Skeleton Key” underbarrel shotgun, letting this new Attacker
quickly breach and switch to close-range combat. Season Pass holders get instant
access to Frost and Buck with a seven-day period of exclusivity, while all
players can unlock them with Renown or R6 Credits when that period is over on
February 9.
The update to version 2.0 also includes a ton of alterations geared toward
balancing and improving the experience for players. For starters, Attackers will
now be able to pick individual spawn points instead of voting as a group, making
it harder for Defenders to pick them off as they spawn. In the same spirit of
making things a little harder on opponents, your Operator’s automatic shouts
won’t be heard by the enemy team, so you won’t have to worry about accidentally
giving away your position. Also, player ranks are being tweaked to enable more
players to attain Gold, Platinum and Diamond status – and if you meet the new
qualifications, you’ll see an immediate change.
That’s just the tip of Operation Black Ice’s proverbial iceberg. To get a full
rundown of the new Operators, features, changes and bug fixes coming with the
update, check out the official page at
www.rainbow6.com/BlackIce.
Continue here to read the full story.
inkle announces the release of the first two installments in their remakes of
Steve Jackson's Sorcery! series are now available for Windows and OS X. You can
find them on
The
Humble Store and Steam
with each offering a launch discount. A look at how the games have been
translated for the modern era can be found in
this trailer, and
here's word on the release along with details on the next two installments:
About Steve Jackson's Sorcery!
Liberally adapted from a cult classic gamebook series, Steve Jackson's Sorcery!
is an epic fantasy game with a sprawling storyline that literally writes itself
around tens of thousands of choices you make along your adventure. Created by
inkle, developer of the BAFTA-nominated
80 Days, Sorcery! is an
engrossing narrative game that blends modern interactive fiction, massively
adaptive storytelling, and strategic turn-based combat with beautiful hand-drawn
illustrations and a rich orchestral score.
The Gameplay
In this intricate narrative game, intrepid players choose a path across a lush
illustrated map, face off against strange enemies in turn-based battles,
interact with curious country dwellers and wily townspeople, puzzle through
devious traps, dip into a massive book of (sometimes) helpful spells, and dabble
in the dice-bluffing game Swindlestones. All the while an elaborate fantasy
story is writing itself on the fly, based on your decisions -- making you the
hero of a unique, personalized adventure that offers up tons of replay
opportunity.
The Adventure Continues
Following today's Sorcery! debut on Steam, the third installment, "The Seven
Serpents," will come to PC and Mac this spring. The fourth and final Sorcery!
game, "The Crown of Kings," is planned to release on all platforms (PC, Mac,
iPhone/iPad, and Android) later in 2016. For players who wish to continue an
adventure they started on previously on another platform, end-of-chapter saves
can easily be imported between the mobile versions and PC/Mac.
Continue here to read the full story.
Early access to GRIP is now underway
on Steam, offering the
chance to get behind the wheel with this Windows combat racing game.
A new trailer
celebrate the news with a look at gameplay, and here's a rundown: GRIP is
bringing old-school style combat racing back with a bang. Inspired by the
Rollcage games and developed by some of the original team, GRIP is a true
tribute to the explosive fun had in a past gaming era.
- Intense Racing: Hit speeds of up to 700 kmph,
driving on floors, ceilings and walls. GRIP's car designs allow for driving
on both sides, so flipping the car no longer means game over
- Awesome Pick-ups: Use an array of power-ups and
weapons to get the edge on your opponents. Ranging from missiles and guns to
shields and turbos, we plan to have a wide array of exciting pick-ups to use
- Exotic Planets: Race on a variety of planets, from
hostile icy worlds to alien jungle to sprawling non-terrestrial cities. Use
destruction as a tool to win, crashing your surroundings down on your
opponents, or lose your tail by heading through an alternate track route
- Badass Rides: Choose from a roster of armoured
cars, manufactured by different companies from around the galaxy. Each car
has different specs - some swift and agile, others brutish and heavily
armoured. There's a killer car for every taste
- Bangin' Tunes: Race to a thumping soundtrack from
some of the best electronic music artists. Drum n Bass is our main kick
Continue here to read the full story.
Time to get your enclave to the conclave, as Paradox now offers the Conclave
expansion for Crusader Kings II, adding new gameplay and features to the grand
strategy sequel, and they are also offering a Conclave Content Pack, which
includes cosmetic changes, sold separately.
This trailer offers
a look at the pack, and here are some details: Once upon a time there was
a king. He had amassed a large kingdom through the assistance and guidance of
his wise councilors. Their skill, martial prowess and intelligence were guided
by total loyalty to the king’s royal will. But these men, all drawn from the
most powerful nobles in the realm, were not immortal. Now their equally powerful
children hold their fathers’ seats, and they seem to have ideas of their own.
Crusader Kings II: Conclave, the newest expansion to Paradox Development
Studio’s critically acclaimed medieval grand-strategy game, is now available at
major digital retailers and the Paradox store. This expansion focuses on the
internal dynamics of managing a realm with powerful vassals demanding to be
heard on the royal council.
How much power can you give to your advisors before you stop feeling like a
king?
Conclave also includes:
- new realm laws to fine tune the future and culture
of your country (including female inheritance)
- fine tuning of how much money or gold you expect
from your vassals
- new diplomatic system returns royal marriages to
the center of medieval politics
- changes to the military game, including renting
your soldiers out as mercenaries
And, we're releasing a new content pack - the cleverly named Crusader Kings
II: Conclave Content Pack, to bring you new cosmetic changes to your game
including world wonders, new portraits for some nations, and some new unit
designs. It is sold separately.
And, as usual, whether you buy Conclave or not, the release is accompanied by a
free, major patch that will improve Crusader Kings II for everyone.
So raise your banners. The council is in session.
Continue here to read the full story.
Mojang announces Cobalt is available, with the Windows version now
on Steam. The
side-scroller was developed by Oxeye Game Studio, and Mojang offers
this trailer to
show off what to expect. Here's the announcement: Leading developer of
video games and reasonable, friendly people, Oxeye Game Studio, are delighted to
premiere COBALT - an awesome video game published by Mojang AB, creators of
Minecraft.
Jens Bergsten, developer on Cobalt said: “I’m super excited. I’m not sure if
it’s a spoiler or not, but the ending of the story has potential to put Cobalt
into ‘cult classic’ status.”
“It’s great that the game is finally done,” said Daniel Brynolf, another
developer on Cobalt.
“I don’t quite know what I’m going to do with the rest of my life,” said Pontus
Hammarberg, yet another Cobalt developer. “I’ll probably continue to work on
Cobalt.”
Now go download! Have fun! See you online!
Continue here to read the full story.
WBIE and TT Games announce LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the inevitable
LEGO-styled platformer prequel to the new Star Wars movie. This currently
carries a June 28th release date, and will come to Windows, consoles and
handhelds. Word is: "LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes players deeper
into the new film than any other game with all of the heroic characters from the
movie, including Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and BB-8,
as well as Kylo Ren, General Hux and Captain Phasma, while also exploring iconic
Star Wars locales, such as Jakku and Starkiller Base." The Official
Announce Trailer shows off how this looks, and the announcement offers some
details on what to expect: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT
Games, The LEGO Group and Lucasfilm today announced LEGO® Star Wars™: The Force
Awakens™, marking the triumphant return of the No. 1 LEGO videogame franchise,
allowing players to relive the epic action from the blockbuster film in a
fun-filled, humorous way that only a LEGO game can offer. Launching on June 28,
2016, the game will introduce brand new gameplay mechanics to build, battle and
fly through the galaxy like never before, as well as new story content exploring
the time between Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens,
providing additional insight about the new movie and its characters.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, developed by TT Games and published by Warner
Bros. Interactive Entertainment, will be available for PlayStation®4 and
PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, PlayStation®Vita handheld
entertainment system, Xbox One, Xbox 360, the Wii U™ system from Nintendo, the
Nintendo 3DS™ family of systems and Windows PC.
Continue here to read the full story.
Grinding Gear Games announces March 4th is the release date for Path of
Exile: Ascendancy, the latest expansion for
Path of Exile, their free-to-play
action/RPG. They accompany the news with a full outline of what this will add: Path
of Exile: Ascendancy features the Lord's Labyrinth, a daily changing maze of
deadly traps and challenges designed to test the mettle of even the most
experienced PoE player. The Emperor Izaro constructed deadly trials through
Wraeclast to find worthy candidates. Players will have a powerful set of new
skills and items to conquer the Labyrinth, including the introduction of 19 new
Ascendancy character classes, each with its own passive skill tree to master.
Other features of Path of Exile: Ascendancy include:
- Trials of Ascendancy
Six types of lethal traps have been crafted by Izaro into elaborate puzzle
rooms - an entirely new gameplay type for Path of Exile.
- The Lord's Labyrinth
An entirely new system for generating sequences of random areas, the overall
layout of the Labyrinth shifts every day, uncovering new puzzles and
secrets.
- Emperor Izaro
You will face Izaro multiple times during the Labyrinth and the fight will
evolve depending on your actions in previous encounters.
- Ascendancy Classes
There are 19 new Ascendancy classes, each with its own additional Ascendancy
Skill Tree to master.
- Enchantments
Izaro's power can also be used to infuse items with powerful magic. These
enchantments trigger specific skills and effects to occur on certain
conditions. Each time the Labyrinth is completed, you may add one of these
enchantments to an item.
- New Skills
Ascendancy introduces a set of devastating new skills and support gems to
customize your character with.
- New Items
Featuring dozens of Unique Items and Divination Cards designed by Path of
Exile's community, Ascendancy adds tantalizing power for players to
discover.
Nordic Games announces they've picked up another batch of gaming intellectual
properties, highlighting Imperium Galactica as one of the high points of
their shopping spree. They say they will support and further develop these IPs
going forward: The classic game IP imperium is on the brink of collapse,
especially when it comes to preserving franchises which left their mark in video
games history. In these dire times, a young and promising alliance from the
distant planet of Scandinavia (solar system Europe) holds the future of many of
said IPs, which are threatened by the fate of being lost and forgotten, and
thus, proved themselves worthy of protection.
After some life-sustaining measures, said alliance, also known as Nordic Games
Licensing AB with its base of operations Karlstad, Sweden, managed to acquire
and preserve the following list of IPs:
Titles - Platforms
Bang Bang Racing - PC, XBL, PSN, Android
Black Knight Sword - XBL, PSN
Skydrift - PC, XBL, PSN
Sine Mora - PC, XBL, PSN, PSVita, iOS, Android
Imperium Galactica - PC
Imperium Galactica II - PC, iOS, Android
Liberty Wings - iOS
Ubrain - iOS
Scarabeus: Pearls of Nile - iOS
The alliance places their trust in the brave warriors of the Nordic Games GmbH,
in their colony of Vienna, Austria, to take control of the IPs and to handle the
day-to-day business (sales and distribution, evaluation of sequels & new content
etc.).
Bulkhead Interactive announces Battalion 1944, an Unreal Engine 4 World War II
shooter they call "a spiritual successor to classic multiplayer shooters of the
past," though we won't roll the DICE and try and guess what that refers to. They
are running
a Kickstarter campaign, and offer
this announcement trailer.
Word is: "Battalion 1944 recaptures the core of classic multiplayer shooters and
propels WW2 into the next generation. Battalion 1944 utilizes the most advanced
industry technology to create a visceral and heart-thumping multiplayer
experience that has been crafted by the designers who have grown up playing
Medal of Honor and Call of Duty 2. " If this announcement gives you a sense
of deja vu, it's because we accidentally posted it a few days early. Consider it
a clever homage to Groundhog Day. Continue here to read the full story.
- ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Impact Motherboard on
Neoseeker and
The Tech Report.
- be quiet! Dark Power Pro 11 850W Power Supply on
ThinkComputers.org.
- Biostar Hi-Fi A88ZN Mini-ITX Mainboard on
Technic3D. German.
- BitFenix Pandora ATX Case on
ocaholic.
- Canary Smart Home Security System on
Play3r.net.
- Cooler Master Sentinel III Mouse on
techPowerUp.
- Fractal Design Core 500 Mini-ITX Chassis on
eTeknix.
- Inno3D GeForce GTX 980Ti X3 Ultra DHS Graphics Card on
eTeknix.
- Input Club Infinity ErgoDox Ergonomic Keyboard Kit on
LAN OC.
- OZONE Argon Ocelote World Laser Gaming Mouse on
Nikk Tech.
- PNY CS2211 SSD on
Technology X.
- Synology DS216play Two-Bay Consumer NAS on
TweakTown.
Happy Groundhog Day! The local word on the strict science of weather forecasting
is that
Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring. If that's accurate, this
means we won't have to suffer through many more days of 50 degree winter weather
like yesterday, and will soon get pleasant 50 degree spring days, so yay.
R.I.P.:
‘Crackhead Bob,’ recurring guest on ‘Howard Stern,' has died.
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