Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus Gameplay

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SimCity Review: A Real Mayor's Perspective

As someone who does this game-reviewing gig alongside serving as a real-life mayor of a small town in Canada, I come at a game like SimCity from a different angle than most. Not that different, mind you. The multiplayer focus and always-on Internet demands of Maxis' latest city-builder are beyond irritating. And the cramped borders that force you into constantly demolishing and rejigging your bulging-at-the-seams mini metropolis are almost enough to drive me to adopt the pastimes of another Canadian mayor who has been making the rounds of late-night talk shows recently.

But what really bothers me is the missed opportunity. This fresh take on SimCity comes a full decade after SimCity 4, yet it still repeats most of the same old mistakes, doubles-down on the regional approach introduced in that game with an obnoxious multiplayer push, and destroys the zoning system through unnecessary simplification. While you're supposed to be the mayor of a city, you're actually more of a dictator at the reins of a city-state. There are no limits to your power when it comes to spending tax dollars. You can rezone neighborhoods at a whim. Whole blocks of supposedly privately owned apartment buildings and businesses can be demolished with two mouse clicks if you get a sudden urge to create a massive football stadium to suit a Jerry Jones-size ego.

Tight city borders cause you to continually demolish and rebuild blocks. And they also force you to plop down key infrastructure in terrible places, like this nuke plant in City Hall's backyard.

Not that you would want to get too tied down to reality. Dealing with a council, staff, and senior levels of government involves a lot of process and red tape that wouldn't translate well into a game. Well, a game that anyone would want to play, at any rate. It's much easier and more enjoyable to click on a button to build and destroy than it is to shepherd real-life municipal legislation through public hearings, consultations with planning advisors, three readings of a bylaw, and so forth.

Yet the changes made to this new take on SimCity actually make the game tougher to enjoy, and knock back the realism even farther than it was a decade ago. Maxis continues with SimCity 4's regional approach, although there are significant differences. You still have the option of guiding more than one city on a regional map that can include up to 16 separate municipalities. But city size has been cut back by around 75 percent in comparison with SimCity 4. This forces you to branch out and take over the other cities in the neighborhood while playing alone or by playing online multiplayer, because you can never fit all of the facilities and businesses and homes that you need to survive and thrive within the borders of just one town.

City zoning seems to work well in the early stages, but after a few hours of play, it becomes clear that the game sacrifices too much control for the sake of simplicity.

This "honey, I shrunk the city" approach has been geared to hamstring you into playing the game how Maxis and Electronic Arts want it played--always online--with you filling all the roles and taking over every city in a region as a godlike hizzoner. Try building a self-sustaining city that is all things to all citizens, and you will soon bang your head against the wall so thoroughly that you might come out on the other side thinking about running for municipal office in the real world.

Even if you can somehow appreciate this regional approach, cities are just way too small on their own. You can build out to the limits within an hour or two of starting a city, and have no way of expanding beyond that besides taking over a neighboring town as the incredible multiple mayor or making nice with fellow human mayors in multiplayer. Once you hit the dotted-line wall (which has been made extraordinarily aggravating due to how maps have huge stretches of wilderness between cities that you can never touch), you have to start demolishing and rebuilding. You have to rework everything as your city grows, inventing ways to cram in Godzilla-size new municipal facilities like sewage plants and universities, expand neighborhoods to jam in more residents, and play with factories to create more jobs.

Get beyond these frustrating mechanics, and you don't feel like you're doing the work of a mayor, either. Municipalities function more like independent nations than cities, trading services and goods back and forth like members of the EU. Granted, this sort of thing happens with cities and towns in real life, but not generally for the reasons SimCity puts forth. I can't think of any cities that have contracted out police and medical services to other municipalities because they didn't have room for police precincts and hospitals within their own borders. My suspension of disbelief also takes a hit when it comes to natural resources, which are a national responsibility, not a civic one. Municipal governments looking after oil and ore is a bridge too far.

Try building a self-sustaining city that is all things to all citizens, and you will soon bang your head against the wall so thoroughly that you might come out on the other side thinking about running for municipal office in the real world.

Even when you do manage to team up with other human players or build a few sharing-is-caring cities on a map of your own, it all still seems pointless. Building cooperation seems great in principle, but I always find myself thinking that I could handle all that garbage myself, or put out all those fireworks fires without needing help from a sister city, if only the game would give me more room to grow. Push out the dotted lines that hamper city growth, and I'd never have to petition the Duckburg next door for any help. The interrelationship attributes come off as fake and forced.

Another major problem lies with zoning. At the center of your "mayoral" powers is the ability to zone areas for residential, commercial, and industrial development. You lay down roads, select the zoning tool, pick one of those three aforementioned categories, and draw a box around what you want to zone. Presto, you've created a zoning bylaw for part of your city. As soon as you've finished any sort of zoning, developers arrive and start building homes, stores, or industries on the block or blocks in question. If only it were this easy in the real world.

HQ may be called a "City Hall," but it sure doesn't feel much like you're the mayor of a city.

But even though this system might seem to be a fitting simplification of how municipal zoning really works, it actually makes SimCity more complicated, and is a huge step backward for the series. Back in 2003, SimCity 4 got zoning (mostly) right, with a low-, medium-, and high-density system very similar to how real municipalities function. Now you've got "build it and they will come" zoning where you pick from one of the three main categories and then watch as buildings get denser and bigger all by themselves. Growth occurs naturally based solely on economic conditions, how wide you've made the roads in the area, and how much land you've set aside to let three-bedroom bungalows expand into 20-story condo towers and little assembly warehouses balloon into massive chemical factories.

The result of losing zoning control? Utter chaos. This problem is exacerbated by the ludicrously small territory that each city is jailed in, since there is no room for mistakes. You need to guess at both how big you want your blocks to be and how wide you want your roads in order to accommodate future growth. Go too small at first, and you soon wind up demolishing roads to give buildings room to expand. Go too big at first, to allow for eventual growth, and you soon wind up demolishing buildings to add roads allowing more space for homes, businesses, and industries. You can't win. You're either bulldozing blocks because you don't have enough room, or you're demolishing blocks because you've left too much room. Perhaps this is supposed to mirror the evolution of a city over time, but it plays out like you're making one mistake after another and correcting these errors by blowing up huge swathes of the city to start over and over again.

This used to be my playground.

One other problem lingers from the game's horrendous launch early this year. You still have to connect online to play, and there are still regular periods when the servers cannot be accessed. I didn't play the game in the spring, when it went through long stretches of being unavailable, so I can't comment on whether or not this issue has gotten better. But during the course of playing the game for this review, it regularly refused to run because it could not connect with the servers. This generally lasted for no more than five- to 10-minute stretches, and was usually much shorter than that (although there was also one five- or six-hour outage). Still, these outages remain absolutely unacceptable, especially for a game that you should be able to play solo. The always-on Internet connection requirement needs to be removed so you can take your single-player city-building offline.

All that said, SimCity can hook you for lengthy stretches of time before the frustration of dealing with its flaws wears down your patience. The game excels in a number of areas. You couldn't ask for a more intuitive interface. A glance at the menu bar tells you immediately if you've got trouble brewing with the water supply, schools, police, electrical grid, and so on. The needs-and-wants heart of the gameplay is handled very well, too, so you're never left in the dark over such vital information as why businesses are failing or why citizens are loving your town. Click on any structure in the game, and you instantly get a rundown of what's good and bad in your city, from the perspective of the sims who live or work there.

Go too big at first, to allow for eventual growth, and you soon wind up demolishing buildings to add roads allowing more space for homes, businesses, and industries.

Visuals and sound are superb for the most part, though the graphics get oddly blurry at times when you're down near street level. Cities boast neat lived-in details that you can see when zooming in on your sim citizens, and the soundtrack includes a jazzy score and atmospheric effects that always tell you what you're looking at (though the developers could have chosen a less-disgusting glug noise for those moments when you're checking on sewage flow). All of this just accentuates the letdown in the end, though, because you're always aware of how much better this game could have been.

Whether you're a mayor or a wannabe or a constituent, SimCity is a big disappointment. As the first game in this classic series in a decade, it should have been something special that took the city-building concept in exciting new directions that let everyone see what it's like to serve as a mayor. Instead, the developers got tangled up with a multiplayer concept that is little more than an albatross hanging around the player's neck and never addressed the many, many ways that this look at a mayor's life could have been made both more realistic and more enjoyable.

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Battlefield 4 PC hit with DDoS attack, PS4 crash fix on the way

The PC version of Battlefield 4 was the target of a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack this weekend, leaving the game unplayable for some, Swedish developer DICE has confirmed on the game's forums.

"We are being targeted by a DDOS, but working on fixing it asap," Battlefield producer Ali Hassoon said Saturday evening. "I'm sorry somebody is ruining your and my day. Rest assured we are doing our best to mitigate the situation though."

The PC version of Battlefield 4 is not the only iteration of the game that is experiencing issues. In a Battlelog update today, DICE laid out plans for how it hopes to improve the game across multiple platforms.

First, DICE said it plans to release an update next week for the PS4 version of Battlefield 4 that will address frequent crashes on the platform. Specific details will be shared later. On Xbox 360, DICE said a general update is currently undergoing final testing and will be released soon.

Lastly, a new title update for the PC version of Battlefield 4 aims to fix a number of remaining issues. "We will have more details on the contents of this update and a rough timing estimate at a later date," DICE said.

Battlefield 4 launched on October 29 for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, before coming to PS4 last week as a launch title. The military FPS will be released this Friday, November 22, for Xbox One.

Filed under:

Battlefield 4

Xbox 360

PlayStation 4

Digital Illusions

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Gamespot's Site Mashup

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Fri, 15 Nov 2013 04:36:08 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-network-experiencing-connection-issues-following-ps4-launch/1100-6416203/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2350612-0325173954-plays.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2350612" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2350612-0325173954-plays.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2350612"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1493/14930800/2350612-0325173954-plays.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony has confirmed that PlayStation Network in North America and Canada is suffering connection issues following the midnight launch of the PlayStation 4.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The PlayStation Network is currently experiencing extrememely [sic] high volume, some gamers may experience some difficulty connecting," said Sony on its support site. The original post has now been removed. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We ask for your patience," it added. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Some users attempting to connect to PlayStation Network are being met with error codes <a href="http://community.eu.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-Network-Technical/Error-E-80E80034/td-p/20106357" rel="nofollow">E-80E80034</a> and <a href="http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-Network-Support/Network-connection-lost-ps4/td-p/42119007" rel="nofollow">NW-31453-6</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Those affected by the errors are reporting that they are unable to download the PlayStation 4's day one update directly through the console. Those prepared to manually install the 1.50 update <a href="http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps4/pc_update/index.htm" rel="nofollow">can fetch it from the PlayStation site</a> and load it on to a USB stick.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The 1.50 firmware for PlayStation 4 is required to enable many of the system's features, including Remote Play with a Vita, party chat, and Blu-Ray movie support.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot this week reviewed the first-party PlayStation 4 titles <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/killzone-shadow-fall-review/1900-6415536/">Killzone: Shadow Fall</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/knack-review/1900-6415530/">Knack</a>, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/resogun-review/1900-6415541/">Resogun</a>. Sony also announced last night that it was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/naughty-dog-reveals-uncharted-for-ps4-and-new-last-of-us-dlc/1100-6416198/">bringing Uncharted to PlayStation 4</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416098" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416098/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Fri, 15 Nov 2013 02:33:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-network-experiencing-connection-issues-following-ps4-launch/1100-6416203/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/injustice-gods-among-us-ps4-launch-highlight/2300-6416175/ Chris, Danny and Shaun try to Superman their way through Injustice: Gods Among Us from our PS4 Launch Extravaganza Live Stream! Fri, 15 Nov 2013 00:16:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/injustice-gods-among-us-ps4-launch-highlight/2300-6416175/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/need-for-speed-rivals-review/1900-6415555/ <p style="">"Damage critical." The words appear on the screen in red, sending a rush through me. One more hit and I'm done for. It's too far to the nearest repair shop; I know I need to make it back to a hideout fast or I'll lose everything. I gun it, relying on my reflexes to help me evade the police, with their spike strips and their reckless attempts to run me off the road. There are only two possible outcomes: the triumph of big risks taken and big rewards achieved, or the agony of seeing everything I've earned slip away in an instant. Which will it be this time?</p><p style="">Despite being the work of new developer Ghost Games, Need for Speed: Rivals is clearly a game in the mold of Criterion's entries in the Need for Speed series, particularly 2010's excellent <a href="/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit/" data-ref-id="false">Hot Pursuit</a>. In this game, as in that one, you step into the cars of both cops and racers and cruise around a gorgeous open world, completing events that require you to either evade the law or enforce it. Of course, enforcing the law here isn't a matter of asking drivers to politely pull over; instead, it involves ramming racers at speed, using spike strips and shock rams, and wrecking the elusive racers' vehicles by any means necessary. As a racer, you have plenty of tricks up your sleeve as well, including shock waves that damage and repel nearby vehicles, and jammers that prevent the cops or your fellow racers from using their own weapons against you.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379026-ci-139348273630335390.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379026" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379026-ci-139348273630335390.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379026"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/78/787590/2379026-ci-139348273630335390.jpg"></a><figcaption>The Redview County Police Department has quite a budget.</figcaption></figure><p style="">This wild technology can get you out of a tight spot as a racer or help you incapacitate one as a cop, but it's your skills as a driver that matter most. Weaving through traffic and around roadblocks, drifting smoothly around turns, and making smart use of your limited nitrous can make all the difference, and dividing your attention between driving skillfully and making the most of your tech is wonderfully stimulating. With so much going on at once, it's not unusual to feel like you're operating on pure instinct, and when you get into that zone, Need for Speed: Rivals is aggressive arcade racing bliss. These cars feel hefty and substantial, so as you side-slam a cop or hit a racer from the rear, you can almost feel the clash of metal on metal in your bones.</p><p style="">Most of this could have been said about Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit too. And the event types that are scattered around the landscape are standard stuff: straightforward races, time trials, hot pursuits in which cops try to bust racers before they reach the finish line, and so on. But there are two things that reinvigorate this familiar gameplay in Rivals. One of those is that, by default, you always share the world with other players. Those players might be cops or they might be racers, and as you cruise around trying to complete objectives to advance your own career, your experiences and the experiences of these other players might collide. If you're playing as a racer, for instance, someone playing as a cop might start pursuing you, whether you're in the middle of an event or you're just cruising around.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379032-ci-212302273630335390.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379032" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379032-ci-212302273630335390.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379032"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/78/787590/2379032-ci-212302273630335390.jpg"></a><figcaption>These police can fly.</figcaption></figure><p style="">And if you're a cop, hunting a human player across the winding roads of Redview County--an environment that offers no shortage of obstructions you can smash through and shortcuts that you can take advantage of--is more exhilarating than pursuing artificially intelligent prey. Other games in the series have had multiplayer options that pit cops against racers, but here, the multiplayer is seamlessly integrated into the world at large. You can encounter other players at any time, and as a result, the world feels alive in a way that earlier games in the series haven't. If you choose not to share a world with other players, AI cops and racers roam the roads, so there's still a chance you'll run right into a high-speed chase or some other action even when you're playing alone.</p><p style="">The seamlessness with which events are integrated into the world does carry with it the occasional downside. If you start a race, for instance, while being pursued by cops, the cops might crowd around you during the few seconds before the race starts, during which you're immobile. Once the race begins, you're hindered by the cluster of cop cars surrounding you, while your opponents speed off unhindered. Your opponents slow down significantly if you fall behind early, though, giving you a conspicuously artificial opportunity to catch up. And it's frustrating that, while you're being pursued as a racer, you can't use the GPS function to set a waypoint for the event of your choice.</p><p style="">The other element that makes Rivals particularly exciting is the irresistible risk-versus-reward mechanic you're constantly faced with as a racer. As you roam the roads, completing events and escaping the cops, you build up a score multiplier, and eventually, you're racking up the speed points you need to purchase new cars and upgrade existing ones really quickly. But your heat level also increases, meaning that the cops become increasingly aggressive in their efforts to hunt you down. It becomes extremely tempting to press your luck, to take one more risk, complete one more event, and reap the rewards. But if you're busted--which can happen anywhere at any time, until you make it back to a hideout--you lose all of the speed points you've accrued on that outing. It's deliciously excruciating to see all your points slip away, and narrowly escaping the law to make it back to a hideout with a fat stack of points makes you feel like the king of the road.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379030-ci-10694544030335389.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379030" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379030-ci-10694544030335389.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379030"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/78/787590/2379030-ci-10694544030335389.jpg"></a><figcaption>Those pesky police with their eyes in the skies.</figcaption></figure><p style="">And what a beautiful road it is. There's nothing decidedly next-gen about the look of Rivals, but it's still a gorgeous game. Redview County is lush and inviting, with leaves blowing in the forest winds, waves crashing on the coast, and pleasure seekers hang-gliding in the clear blue skies. At least until the weather changes. At that point, a thunderstorm might lend an ominous atmosphere to a dangerous race along a cliffside. Whatever the forecast, the cars themselves, and the collisions they tend to get into, look spectacular, sending showers of metal and glass in all directions.</p><p style="">Need for Speed: Rivals is very much in the tradition of Hot Pursuit, but that great, familiar gameplay has been infused with enough new elements to make it as thrilling here as it's ever been. It sure is good to hit the open road again.</p> Fri, 15 Nov 2013 00:01:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/need-for-speed-rivals-review/1900-6415555/

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Fri, 15 Nov 2013 04:36:08 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-network-experiencing-connection-issues-following-ps4-launch/1100-6416203/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2350612-0325173954-plays.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2350612" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1493/14930800/2350612-0325173954-plays.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2350612"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1493/14930800/2350612-0325173954-plays.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Sony has confirmed that PlayStation Network in North America and Canada is suffering connection issues following the midnight launch of the PlayStation 4.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">"The PlayStation Network is currently experiencing extrememely [sic] high volume, some gamers may experience some difficulty connecting," said Sony on its support site. The original post has now been removed. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">"We ask for your patience," it added. </p><p dir="ltr" style="">Some users attempting to connect to PlayStation Network are being met with error codes <a href="http://community.eu.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-Network-Technical/Error-E-80E80034/td-p/20106357" rel="nofollow">E-80E80034</a> and <a href="http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-Network-Support/Network-connection-lost-ps4/td-p/42119007" rel="nofollow">NW-31453-6</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Those affected by the errors are reporting that they are unable to download the PlayStation 4's day one update directly through the console. Those prepared to manually install the 1.50 update <a href="http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps4/pc_update/index.htm" rel="nofollow">can fetch it from the PlayStation site</a> and load it on to a USB stick.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The 1.50 firmware for PlayStation 4 is required to enable many of the system's features, including Remote Play with a Vita, party chat, and Blu-Ray movie support.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot this week reviewed the first-party PlayStation 4 titles <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/killzone-shadow-fall-review/1900-6415536/">Killzone: Shadow Fall</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/knack-review/1900-6415530/">Knack</a>, and <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/resogun-review/1900-6415541/">Resogun</a>. Sony also announced last night that it was <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/naughty-dog-reveals-uncharted-for-ps4-and-new-last-of-us-dlc/1100-6416198/">bringing Uncharted to PlayStation 4</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6416098" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6416098/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Fri, 15 Nov 2013 02:33:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-network-experiencing-connection-issues-following-ps4-launch/1100-6416203/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/injustice-gods-among-us-ps4-launch-highlight/2300-6416175/ Chris, Danny and Shaun try to Superman their way through Injustice: Gods Among Us from our PS4 Launch Extravaganza Live Stream! Fri, 15 Nov 2013 00:16:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/injustice-gods-among-us-ps4-launch-highlight/2300-6416175/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/need-for-speed-rivals-review/1900-6415555/ <p style="">"Damage critical." The words appear on the screen in red, sending a rush through me. One more hit and I'm done for. It's too far to the nearest repair shop; I know I need to make it back to a hideout fast or I'll lose everything. I gun it, relying on my reflexes to help me evade the police, with their spike strips and their reckless attempts to run me off the road. There are only two possible outcomes: the triumph of big risks taken and big rewards achieved, or the agony of seeing everything I've earned slip away in an instant. Which will it be this time?</p><p style="">Despite being the work of new developer Ghost Games, Need for Speed: Rivals is clearly a game in the mold of Criterion's entries in the Need for Speed series, particularly 2010's excellent <a href="/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit/" data-ref-id="false">Hot Pursuit</a>. In this game, as in that one, you step into the cars of both cops and racers and cruise around a gorgeous open world, completing events that require you to either evade the law or enforce it. Of course, enforcing the law here isn't a matter of asking drivers to politely pull over; instead, it involves ramming racers at speed, using spike strips and shock rams, and wrecking the elusive racers' vehicles by any means necessary. As a racer, you have plenty of tricks up your sleeve as well, including shock waves that damage and repel nearby vehicles, and jammers that prevent the cops or your fellow racers from using their own weapons against you.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379026-ci-139348273630335390.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379026" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379026-ci-139348273630335390.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379026"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/78/787590/2379026-ci-139348273630335390.jpg"></a><figcaption>The Redview County Police Department has quite a budget.</figcaption></figure><p style="">This wild technology can get you out of a tight spot as a racer or help you incapacitate one as a cop, but it's your skills as a driver that matter most. Weaving through traffic and around roadblocks, drifting smoothly around turns, and making smart use of your limited nitrous can make all the difference, and dividing your attention between driving skillfully and making the most of your tech is wonderfully stimulating. With so much going on at once, it's not unusual to feel like you're operating on pure instinct, and when you get into that zone, Need for Speed: Rivals is aggressive arcade racing bliss. These cars feel hefty and substantial, so as you side-slam a cop or hit a racer from the rear, you can almost feel the clash of metal on metal in your bones.</p><p style="">Most of this could have been said about Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit too. And the event types that are scattered around the landscape are standard stuff: straightforward races, time trials, hot pursuits in which cops try to bust racers before they reach the finish line, and so on. But there are two things that reinvigorate this familiar gameplay in Rivals. One of those is that, by default, you always share the world with other players. Those players might be cops or they might be racers, and as you cruise around trying to complete objectives to advance your own career, your experiences and the experiences of these other players might collide. If you're playing as a racer, for instance, someone playing as a cop might start pursuing you, whether you're in the middle of an event or you're just cruising around.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379032-ci-212302273630335390.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379032" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379032-ci-212302273630335390.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379032"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/78/787590/2379032-ci-212302273630335390.jpg"></a><figcaption>These police can fly.</figcaption></figure><p style="">And if you're a cop, hunting a human player across the winding roads of Redview County--an environment that offers no shortage of obstructions you can smash through and shortcuts that you can take advantage of--is more exhilarating than pursuing artificially intelligent prey. Other games in the series have had multiplayer options that pit cops against racers, but here, the multiplayer is seamlessly integrated into the world at large. You can encounter other players at any time, and as a result, the world feels alive in a way that earlier games in the series haven't. If you choose not to share a world with other players, AI cops and racers roam the roads, so there's still a chance you'll run right into a high-speed chase or some other action even when you're playing alone.</p><p style="">The seamlessness with which events are integrated into the world does carry with it the occasional downside. If you start a race, for instance, while being pursued by cops, the cops might crowd around you during the few seconds before the race starts, during which you're immobile. Once the race begins, you're hindered by the cluster of cop cars surrounding you, while your opponents speed off unhindered. Your opponents slow down significantly if you fall behind early, though, giving you a conspicuously artificial opportunity to catch up. And it's frustrating that, while you're being pursued as a racer, you can't use the GPS function to set a waypoint for the event of your choice.</p><p style="">The other element that makes Rivals particularly exciting is the irresistible risk-versus-reward mechanic you're constantly faced with as a racer. As you roam the roads, completing events and escaping the cops, you build up a score multiplier, and eventually, you're racking up the speed points you need to purchase new cars and upgrade existing ones really quickly. But your heat level also increases, meaning that the cops become increasingly aggressive in their efforts to hunt you down. It becomes extremely tempting to press your luck, to take one more risk, complete one more event, and reap the rewards. But if you're busted--which can happen anywhere at any time, until you make it back to a hideout--you lose all of the speed points you've accrued on that outing. It's deliciously excruciating to see all your points slip away, and narrowly escaping the law to make it back to a hideout with a fat stack of points makes you feel like the king of the road.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379030-ci-10694544030335389.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379030" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/78/787590/2379030-ci-10694544030335389.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2379030"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/78/787590/2379030-ci-10694544030335389.jpg"></a><figcaption>Those pesky police with their eyes in the skies.</figcaption></figure><p style="">And what a beautiful road it is. There's nothing decidedly next-gen about the look of Rivals, but it's still a gorgeous game. Redview County is lush and inviting, with leaves blowing in the forest winds, waves crashing on the coast, and pleasure seekers hang-gliding in the clear blue skies. At least until the weather changes. At that point, a thunderstorm might lend an ominous atmosphere to a dangerous race along a cliffside. Whatever the forecast, the cars themselves, and the collisions they tend to get into, look spectacular, sending showers of metal and glass in all directions.</p><p style="">Need for Speed: Rivals is very much in the tradition of Hot Pursuit, but that great, familiar gameplay has been infused with enough new elements to make it as thrilling here as it's ever been. It sure is good to hit the open road again.</p> Fri, 15 Nov 2013 00:01:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/need-for-speed-rivals-review/1900-6415555/

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http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 14 Nov 2013 04:35:40 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-downloadable-games-to-feature-1000g-report/1100-6416174/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/2/5/0/7/2052507-717911_20130827_006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2052507" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/2/5/0/7/2052507-717911_20130827_006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2052507"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/2/5/0/7/2052507-717911_20130827_006.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">New Achievement information suggests that downloadable Xbox One games will feature 1000 Gamerscore, an increase of 600G compared to current Xbox Live Arcade titles.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news-3346-Game-Added--Halo--Spartan-Assault--Xbox-One-.html" rel="nofollow">Xbox 360 Achievements</a> posted a list of Achievements for <a href="/halo-spartan-assault/" data-ref-id="false">Halo: Spartan Assault </a>showing the change. The downloadable title is listed with 1000G worth of Achievements for its Xbox One version, with the Xbox 360 version containing only 400G--the maximum currently allowed for XBLA titles on Xbox 360.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Disc-based retail games have always featured a Gamerscore of 1000. Xbox Live Arcade games originally had a limit of 200 Gamerscore, but Microsoft updated this to 400G in 2014.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Allowing downloadable titles 1000G fits with Microsoft's previous statements that it is removing the barrier between retail and digital in the Xbox One, ditching the Xbox Live Arcade branding and listing both full-priced retail games and digital titles together from a single marketplace.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot has approached Microsoft for comment.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Microsoft will release the Xbox One on November 22.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6412828" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6412828/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Thu, 14 Nov 2013 02:53:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-downloadable-games-to-feature-1000g-report/1100-6416174/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/everquest-ii-tears-of-veeshan-launch-trailer/2300-6416135/ Check out the latest expansion for EverQuest II that includes all new content and a new Channeler class. Wed, 13 Nov 2013 17:03:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/everquest-ii-tears-of-veeshan-launch-trailer/2300-6416135/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/resogun-review/1900-6415541/ <p style="">Resogun is a supercharged reimagining of the classic 1980 arcade game Defender. From a presentation standpoint, the unorthodox use of voxels makes it a bit of a curiosity, too. These tiny building blocks allow the environment to crumble when enemies crash and explode nearby, culminating in the total destruction of every stage. It's destructible environments taken to the extreme, and an impressive display of next-gen technology to boot, but Resogun isn't a game that relies on visual gimmicks.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Comparing Resogun to Defender gives you a basic understanding of the game's structure. Both are side-scrolling spaceship shooters that let you freely move left or right and encourage you to rescue stranded humans sprinkled throughout each stage. However, Resogun is a bit different from its muse, with the playing field wrapped around a large cylinder, rather than represented as a looping 2D map, and most importantly, your ship has far greater firepower and maneuverability than your the meager ship in Defender. With these modern trappings, whether you're zipping through waves of enemies, luring them into a trap, or decimating entire phalanxes in a flash, there's rarely a lull in the action.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376885-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h51m50s228.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376885" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376885-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h51m50s228.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376885"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1406/14063904/2376885-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h51m50s228.png"></a><figcaption>The calm before the storm.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The near nonstop assault on your ship comes from a variety of enemies, some small and some large, with different flight patterns and behaviors. There are swarms of gnat-like vessels that track your movement, free-floating laser cannons that can block your path, and other ships that divide into smaller but equally deadly units upon impact. Quite often, you can fly to a less-populated section of a stage and catch your breath when things get too frantic, but at some point, you have to face the enemies you left behind.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">On top of your battle for self-preservation, there are other lives worth fighting for. Throughout each stage, 10 or so human captives await rescue, which comes only when you shoot down green "keeper" ships. These enemies fly solo or in groups, appearing for brief windows of time before slipping out of sight for good. Felling these wardens-in-flight frees a particular captive, who aimlessly wander around the level, waiting for a ride home before they're recaptured. If you're shot down while the humans are on the ground, or if you ignore them for too long and lose sight of the keeper ships, it's the end of the road for the unfortunate humans. But should you manage to scoop them up and deliver them to one of two tractor beams at the top of the stage, you collect a reward in the form of points or equipment upgrades.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">It's challenging to focus on keepers and humans when you've got problems of your own, but shield and weapon upgrades are vital to your continued success. They allow you to absorb an extra hit and extend the strength and reach of your weapons. You constantly need to balance the associated risks and rewards of trying to be a hero. Making the most of a situation and getting out alive requires quick reflexes. Thankfully, Resogun's controls are tight, and you've got three abilities to exploit along the way.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376886-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h53m19s114.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376886" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376886-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h53m19s114.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376886"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1406/14063904/2376886-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h53m19s114.png"></a><figcaption>Boosting in action.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Each of your three ships comes equipped with a trio of tools: boost, overdrive, and bombs. Bombs in Resogun do what any good bomb should: blow up everything in sight. There's a trade-off to consider when chasing high scores, though. With no enemies to shoot, it's next to impossible to continue chaining kills quickly enough to build up your score multiplier, which is the key to hitting the top of the leaderboard.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">When enemies die, be it from a standard cannon or a bomb, they leave behind a collection of green voxels that you can collect to fill your ship's overdrive meter. Once your meter's at capacity, activating overdrive expends this energy as an enormous jet for a limited amount of time. Boost might not sound like an ability that feeds into your ship's destructive tendencies, but this evasive maneuver ends with a bang, killing anything in close proximity. Unlike with overdrive, you have control over the duration of boosting, allowing you to strategically conserve resources, or plow into enemy ranks, destroying them from within.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Live long enough to see the end of a stage, and you're rewarded by a meeting with one of Resogun's five gigantic bosses. Unlike typical ships, most bosses come in complex and unusual forms. You can attack some of these juggernauts freely, but other bosses require pinpoint marksmanship. The first stage boss, for example, is a giant two-tiered ring with laser cannons floating in the space between each ring. You have to shoot your way through the first ring and navigate the laser-filled void to reach the boss's weak spot in the middle. It's not a ground-breaking boss design, but it does change up the pace of Resogun's core gameplay between stages.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Bosses are also relentlessly strong. In the game's later stages, surviving a boss's onslaught is next to impossible without enough extra lives and bombs to turn the tide in your favor. In these cases, the biggest challenge is the fight leading up to the boss. Fail to play your best, and it's easy to end up at a boss with little hope for success, though even if you have a healthy stash of extra lives and bombs, you can't brute-force your way through a fight. These unforgiving confrontations motivate you to perform at your best, making victory that much sweeter when it comes.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376887-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h52m26s61.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376887" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376887-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h52m26s61.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376887"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1406/14063904/2376887-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h52m26s61.png"></a><figcaption>Resogun throws voxels around with wild abandon, creating fireworks-grade displays at the end of every level.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Resogun's controls, presentation, and rapid-fire enemy assaults make for an exciting experience. You're constantly under pressure, practically suffocating behind swarms of enemies, but you're never without the means for survival. In this way, playing Resogun is an exercise in twitch gameplay and decision making, triggering a rush of adrenaline and testing the limits of your ability. It helps that the accompanying beat of the techno-laden soundtrack and the constant trickle of voxels are mesmerizing, pulling you into the moment every step of the way.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">The only downside to Resogun is the short-stack of levels you get to explore. There are four difficulties to choose from, which provides a bit of variety, but the game's five stages don't stay fresh forever. Having three ships helps, but it doesn't take long for the flow of surprises to dry up and the race for high scores to take over. That said, Resogun remains fun to play even when the joy of discovery fades away. It's classic arcade action imbued with hard-hitting artistic and gameplay elements. Falling in love with Resogun is easy, and mastering it is challenging, and the combination of these two qualities makes Resogun almost impossible to put down.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""><em>Editor's note: Resogun's online coop mode was not available when this review was published. As such, it will be updated accordingly once the feature goes live.</em></p> Wed, 13 Nov 2013 06:00:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/resogun-review/1900-6415541/

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Thu, 14 Nov 2013 04:35:40 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-downloadable-games-to-feature-1000g-report/1100-6416174/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/2/5/0/7/2052507-717911_20130827_006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2052507" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/2/5/0/7/2052507-717911_20130827_006.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2052507"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/2/5/0/7/2052507-717911_20130827_006.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">New Achievement information suggests that downloadable Xbox One games will feature 1000 Gamerscore, an increase of 600G compared to current Xbox Live Arcade titles.</p><p dir="ltr" style=""><a href="http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news-3346-Game-Added--Halo--Spartan-Assault--Xbox-One-.html" rel="nofollow">Xbox 360 Achievements</a> posted a list of Achievements for <a href="/halo-spartan-assault/" data-ref-id="false">Halo: Spartan Assault </a>showing the change. The downloadable title is listed with 1000G worth of Achievements for its Xbox One version, with the Xbox 360 version containing only 400G--the maximum currently allowed for XBLA titles on Xbox 360.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Disc-based retail games have always featured a Gamerscore of 1000. Xbox Live Arcade games originally had a limit of 200 Gamerscore, but Microsoft updated this to 400G in 2014.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Allowing downloadable titles 1000G fits with Microsoft's previous statements that it is removing the barrier between retail and digital in the Xbox One, ditching the Xbox Live Arcade branding and listing both full-priced retail games and digital titles together from a single marketplace.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">GameSpot has approached Microsoft for comment.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Microsoft will release the Xbox One on November 22.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6412828" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6412828/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Thu, 14 Nov 2013 02:53:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-downloadable-games-to-feature-1000g-report/1100-6416174/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/everquest-ii-tears-of-veeshan-launch-trailer/2300-6416135/ Check out the latest expansion for EverQuest II that includes all new content and a new Channeler class. Wed, 13 Nov 2013 17:03:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/everquest-ii-tears-of-veeshan-launch-trailer/2300-6416135/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/resogun-review/1900-6415541/ <p style="">Resogun is a supercharged reimagining of the classic 1980 arcade game Defender. From a presentation standpoint, the unorthodox use of voxels makes it a bit of a curiosity, too. These tiny building blocks allow the environment to crumble when enemies crash and explode nearby, culminating in the total destruction of every stage. It's destructible environments taken to the extreme, and an impressive display of next-gen technology to boot, but Resogun isn't a game that relies on visual gimmicks.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Comparing Resogun to Defender gives you a basic understanding of the game's structure. Both are side-scrolling spaceship shooters that let you freely move left or right and encourage you to rescue stranded humans sprinkled throughout each stage. However, Resogun is a bit different from its muse, with the playing field wrapped around a large cylinder, rather than represented as a looping 2D map, and most importantly, your ship has far greater firepower and maneuverability than your the meager ship in Defender. With these modern trappings, whether you're zipping through waves of enemies, luring them into a trap, or decimating entire phalanxes in a flash, there's rarely a lull in the action.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376885-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h51m50s228.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376885" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376885-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h51m50s228.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376885"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1406/14063904/2376885-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h51m50s228.png"></a><figcaption>The calm before the storm.</figcaption></figure><p style="">The near nonstop assault on your ship comes from a variety of enemies, some small and some large, with different flight patterns and behaviors. There are swarms of gnat-like vessels that track your movement, free-floating laser cannons that can block your path, and other ships that divide into smaller but equally deadly units upon impact. Quite often, you can fly to a less-populated section of a stage and catch your breath when things get too frantic, but at some point, you have to face the enemies you left behind.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">On top of your battle for self-preservation, there are other lives worth fighting for. Throughout each stage, 10 or so human captives await rescue, which comes only when you shoot down green "keeper" ships. These enemies fly solo or in groups, appearing for brief windows of time before slipping out of sight for good. Felling these wardens-in-flight frees a particular captive, who aimlessly wander around the level, waiting for a ride home before they're recaptured. If you're shot down while the humans are on the ground, or if you ignore them for too long and lose sight of the keeper ships, it's the end of the road for the unfortunate humans. But should you manage to scoop them up and deliver them to one of two tractor beams at the top of the stage, you collect a reward in the form of points or equipment upgrades.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">It's challenging to focus on keepers and humans when you've got problems of your own, but shield and weapon upgrades are vital to your continued success. They allow you to absorb an extra hit and extend the strength and reach of your weapons. You constantly need to balance the associated risks and rewards of trying to be a hero. Making the most of a situation and getting out alive requires quick reflexes. Thankfully, Resogun's controls are tight, and you've got three abilities to exploit along the way.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376886-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h53m19s114.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376886" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376886-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h53m19s114.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376886"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1406/14063904/2376886-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h53m19s114.png"></a><figcaption>Boosting in action.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Each of your three ships comes equipped with a trio of tools: boost, overdrive, and bombs. Bombs in Resogun do what any good bomb should: blow up everything in sight. There's a trade-off to consider when chasing high scores, though. With no enemies to shoot, it's next to impossible to continue chaining kills quickly enough to build up your score multiplier, which is the key to hitting the top of the leaderboard.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">When enemies die, be it from a standard cannon or a bomb, they leave behind a collection of green voxels that you can collect to fill your ship's overdrive meter. Once your meter's at capacity, activating overdrive expends this energy as an enormous jet for a limited amount of time. Boost might not sound like an ability that feeds into your ship's destructive tendencies, but this evasive maneuver ends with a bang, killing anything in close proximity. Unlike with overdrive, you have control over the duration of boosting, allowing you to strategically conserve resources, or plow into enemy ranks, destroying them from within.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Live long enough to see the end of a stage, and you're rewarded by a meeting with one of Resogun's five gigantic bosses. Unlike typical ships, most bosses come in complex and unusual forms. You can attack some of these juggernauts freely, but other bosses require pinpoint marksmanship. The first stage boss, for example, is a giant two-tiered ring with laser cannons floating in the space between each ring. You have to shoot your way through the first ring and navigate the laser-filled void to reach the boss's weak spot in the middle. It's not a ground-breaking boss design, but it does change up the pace of Resogun's core gameplay between stages.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">Bosses are also relentlessly strong. In the game's later stages, surviving a boss's onslaught is next to impossible without enough extra lives and bombs to turn the tide in your favor. In these cases, the biggest challenge is the fight leading up to the boss. Fail to play your best, and it's easy to end up at a boss with little hope for success, though even if you have a healthy stash of extra lives and bombs, you can't brute-force your way through a fight. These unforgiving confrontations motivate you to perform at your best, making victory that much sweeter when it comes.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376887-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h52m26s61.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376887" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1406/14063904/2376887-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h52m26s61.png" data-ref-id="1300-2376887"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/1406/14063904/2376887-vlcsnap-2013-11-12-17h52m26s61.png"></a><figcaption>Resogun throws voxels around with wild abandon, creating fireworks-grade displays at the end of every level.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Resogun's controls, presentation, and rapid-fire enemy assaults make for an exciting experience. You're constantly under pressure, practically suffocating behind swarms of enemies, but you're never without the means for survival. In this way, playing Resogun is an exercise in twitch gameplay and decision making, triggering a rush of adrenaline and testing the limits of your ability. It helps that the accompanying beat of the techno-laden soundtrack and the constant trickle of voxels are mesmerizing, pulling you into the moment every step of the way.</p><p style=""> </p><p style="">The only downside to Resogun is the short-stack of levels you get to explore. There are four difficulties to choose from, which provides a bit of variety, but the game's five stages don't stay fresh forever. Having three ships helps, but it doesn't take long for the flow of surprises to dry up and the race for high scores to take over. That said, Resogun remains fun to play even when the joy of discovery fades away. It's classic arcade action imbued with hard-hitting artistic and gameplay elements. Falling in love with Resogun is easy, and mastering it is challenging, and the combination of these two qualities makes Resogun almost impossible to put down.</p><p style=""> </p><p style=""><em>Editor's note: Resogun's online coop mode was not available when this review was published. As such, it will be updated accordingly once the feature goes live.</em></p> Wed, 13 Nov 2013 06:00:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/resogun-review/1900-6415541/

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http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 12 Nov 2013 04:34:46 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-xbox-one-and-playstation-4-double-xp-weekend-confirmed/1100-6416122/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2369167-cod+ghosts_maniac+blindside.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2369167" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2369167-cod+ghosts_maniac+blindside.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2369167"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1197/11970954/2369167-cod+ghosts_maniac+blindside.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Activision and Infinity Ward have confirmed that a double XP weekend exclusively for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of <a href="/call-of-duty-ghosts/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Ghosts</a> will take place later this month.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Double the experience points will be switched on for PS4 and Xbox One at 10:00 PST/18:00 GMT on Friday, November 29, and will run until 10:00PST/18:00 on Monday, December 2.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A double XP weekend for the current-gen and PC versions of the game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-double-xp-weekend-live-for-all-platforms/1100-6416062/">took place</a> last weekend.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last week Activision announced that it has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-sell-in-hits-1-billion/1100-6415993/">sold $1 billion worth of Call of Duty: Ghosts stock</a> to retailers. The exact amount of copies purchased by customers is yet to be revealed.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4 version of the game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-tops-the-uk-chart-with-ps4-outselling-wii-u/1100-6416092/">managed to outsell both the PC and Wii U versions in the UK</a>, despite the hardware not being available until November 29.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For more information on Call of Duty: Ghosts, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-ghosts/">check out GameSpot's review</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6415837" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6415837/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Tue, 12 Nov 2013 04:04:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-xbox-one-and-playstation-4-double-xp-weekend-confirmed/1100-6416122/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/house-of-horrors-sir-you-are-being-hunted/2300-6416075/ Ed and Jess take on a stalking scarecrow, hunting robots, and try to one-up the harsh English countryside in this open world survival game. Will they make it out alive? Mon, 11 Nov 2013 19:30:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/house-of-horrors-sir-you-are-being-hunted/2300-6416075/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ratchet-clank-into-the-nexus-review/1900-6415538/ <p style="">Ratchet &amp; Clank: Into the Nexus is a lean, mean machine. It doesn't represent a great departure from the franchise, but instead hones in on what made the games so fun in the first place: fast-paced, gun-toting mayhem. It's a laugh a minute in this exuberant return to form, which has the heroic lombax coming to terms with his rightful place in the universe.</p><p style="">Following the events of <a href="/ratchet-and-clank-future-a-crack-in-time/" data-ref-id="false">Ratchet &amp; Clank Future: A Crack in Time</a>, the heroic duo is transporting the infamous criminal Vendra Prog to a detention center. In an explosive introduction, Vendra is rescued by her twin brother Neftin Prog and his horde of Cockney-voiced hired goons working for Thugs-4-Less. What follows is a daring chase by Ratchet and Clank as they hop among five different planets in pursuit of the fleeing felons. Coming in at around five hours, the budget-priced Into the Nexus is short, but that brevity supports its narrative purpose. This is an epilogue, designed to cap off the Future trilogy of games and tie up loose ends in the process.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/8/2051358-722615_20130820_005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051358" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/8/2051358-722615_20130820_005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051358"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/1/3/5/8/2051358-722615_20130820_005.jpg"></a><figcaption>The Temporal Repulsor delivers a shotgun blast of quantum energy to multiple foes.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">The classic sense of humor of the franchise remains intact and always hilarious. The jokes come early and often throughout the campaign, from slapstick moments thanks to the bumbling gator-faced Thugs-4-Less goons, to the zany array of weapons. For example, there is a gun that lobs a grenade that summons a ghoul in the form of a pirate or clown to scare enemies, and another called the Winterizer, which plays holiday music while turning foes into grinning snowmen brandishing candy canes.</p><p style="">It's hard not to get a warm chuckle out of the franchise's geriatric robot heroes, Cronk and Zephyr, who adorably bicker over war stories and age. From amusing dialogue to dry, subtle jokes buzzing in from various intercoms in certain stages, the game erupts with wit and charm. The humor is sprinkled throughout a smart script narrated by a fantastic vocal cast, with guest appearances from Talwyn Apogee, the Plumber, the Smuggler, and of course, Captain Qwark, who is as useless and unwanted as expected.</p><blockquote data-align="right"><p style="">By stripping out the elements that bogged down prior games, Into the Nexus becomes a playground of gun smoke and noise where the person with the biggest toys is the one left standing.</p></blockquote><p style="">A new enemy comes in the form of the Nethers, ghostly creatures from another dimension called the Netherverse. These beings are far more formidable than the usual thugs, and pop in and out of the dimension during battles. Early in the course of the campaign, Clank gains the ability to enter the cracks in reality leading to the Netherverse, thanks to the eccentric scientist Pollyx. Clank traverses the shadowy Netherverse in the style of a 2D platformer where gravity is controlled using the right analogue stick. The goal: get Clank to be chased by a Nether beast through the crack, which causes the wall to explode, allowing the two heroes to continue their quest. Clank's adventures in the Nether are rare, but they become challenging, as getting to the exit means executing quick gravity shifts while dodging floating spiked rocks and hazardous burning floors.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/4/2051354-722615_20130820_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051354" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/4/2051354-722615_20130820_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051354"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/mig/1/3/5/4/2051354-722615_20130820_001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Though platforming is part of the game, there is a stronger focus on action.</figcaption></figure><p style="">This is a simpler Ratchet, unfettered by an overabundance of jumping and moving platforms. Over the course of the franchise, Insomniac has experimented with new gadgets and moves to enhance the scope of platforming. Into the Nexus firmly plants its boot down on the side of action, focusing on the big guns and the legions of enemies you fire them at. There is platforming, but much of it has been toned down. There are no more ledges to shimmy along nor are there rails to grind, and using the OmniWrench to manipulate platforms is all but forgotten. Puzzles are nonexistent outside of a few simple box arrangements in Clank's visits to the Nether. The pared-down platforming might disappoint you if you enjoy giving the jump button a workout, but I felt the change in pace to be exactly what the series needed. By stripping out the elements that bogged down prior games, Into the Nexus becomes a playground of gun smoke and noise where the person with the biggest toys is the one left standing. The action and small environments keep the pace lightning quick, with two planets that mainly exist to offer a short list of optional side missions.</p><p style="">Adding to the enjoyment are tighter controls, which have been tweaked to let Ratchet use his hoverboots without needing to equip them first. Some planets allow Ratchet to utilize a jetpack he wins at the Destructapalooza, a battle arena on Planet Kragg, so that he may reach previously inaccessible heights. It's exhilarating to streak across the environment in hoverboots and then blast off into the skies, and dropping from the strata onto unaware enemies instills a sense of empowerment. This is still the Ratchet &amp; Clank you know and love, but the dull humdrum has been all but banished.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/7/2051357-722615_20130820_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051357" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/7/2051357-722615_20130820_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051357"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/1/3/5/7/2051357-722615_20130820_004.jpg"></a><figcaption>The Winterizer turns snarling enemies into adorable, festive snowmen with presents to share.</figcaption></figure><p style="">New weapons are unlocked quickly and often, along with copious amounts of bolts and caches of raritanium to use for upgrades. Weapon upgrading has been expanded, allowing you to choose which features you want for your favorite tool of destruction. The upgrade screen is a map of branching grey hexagons, each of which grants a new ability such as increased ammo count, weapon range, or extra bolts for each enemy kill. Green hexagons adorned with question marks are mystery upgrades, and can only be unlocked after clearing all the grey hexagons surrounding it. Much like before, weapons level up with use, and the weapon wheel is larger on the screen, making it faster than ever to choose the item you want.</p><p style="">The series is well known for its colossal arsenal of strange and fantastic weaponry, and Into the Nexus follows suit. Over the years, however, the weapons selection in each game has become somewhat uninspired, a fact that unfortunately befalls Into the Nexus. During the course of the game, I rarely used more than a chosen few weapons out of the 12 available, though those weapons were always a blast to use. In particular, I'm a fan of the returning Mr. Zurkon, a sarcastic, snarky battle bot who speaks in the third person while harassing Ratchet for his organic faults. The Netherblades, which send a storm of whirling purple blades that ricochet off walls and surround enemies, is another easy favorite.</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">Ratchet &amp; Clank: Into the Nexus doesn't entirely break from the series' classic roots, but its focus on action over platforming makes it a fast-paced thrill ride.</p></blockquote><p style="">Early in the game you earn a new tool called the Grav-Tether. Firing it at grav-targets creates a purple grav-stream that you ride on to get to new areas. The concept is fairly straightforward: firing the tether activates one target, while firing at another will create a stream flowing to that second target. It is typically used to float over deadly drops or reach higher ground. Astute players will spot areas where the tether offers access to hidden areas, which often have secret items such as RYNO VII plans or gold bolts tucked away. You can have other kinds of fun with the tether as well; trapping enemies in the grav-stream and canceling it as they float helplessly above a cliff is good for a quick laugh. Though an interesting new addition to Ratchet's usual repertoire of tools, the game forgets about the Grav-Tether over time, and it goes into disuse by the final chapter.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/6/1/2/2/2046122-722615_20130711_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2046122" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/6/1/2/2/2046122-722615_20130711_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2046122"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/mig/6/1/2/2/2046122-722615_20130711_001.jpg"></a><figcaption>The dynamic duo has returned, and, as always, trouble has followed.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Completing the game unlocks Challenge Mode which allows you to restart the campaign at a higher difficulty but with all the weapons you've unlocked. This mode applies a bolt multiplier which lets you unlock more upgrades for your weapons and level them up to golden Omega status using gold bolts hidden throughout the game. Challenge Mode is a fantastic way to really get some bang for your buck. Your weapons become more powerful with new upgrades, and the mode gives you a chance to try out others you may have neglected on your first playthrough. You also have the option to jump back into your game after the credits roll to mop up any leftover side missions, earn better boss battle scores, and grab some missing skill points. If you fancy a wave of nostalgia, visit the museum, which houses exhibits featuring the enemies and heroes who have graced the series. And in case you missed out, the game also comes with a copy of Ratchet &amp; Clank Future: Quest for Booty.</p><p style="">Ratchet &amp; Clank: Into the Nexus doesn't entirely break from the series' classic roots, but its focus on action over platforming makes it a fast-paced thrill ride, and the short length makes running through it again with Omega weapons in Challenge Mode irresistible. In what may be the last Ratchet &amp; Clank for this console generation, the series takes its leave with a proper bang, reuniting you with your favorite characters and keeping you hooting and hollering all the way to the finish line.</p> Mon, 11 Nov 2013 08:00:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ratchet-clank-into-the-nexus-review/1900-6415538/

http://auth.gamespot.com/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 12 Nov 2013 04:34:46 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-xbox-one-and-playstation-4-double-xp-weekend-confirmed/1100-6416122/ <figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2369167-cod+ghosts_maniac+blindside.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2369167" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2369167-cod+ghosts_maniac+blindside.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2369167"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1197/11970954/2369167-cod+ghosts_maniac+blindside.jpg"></a></figure><p style="">Activision and Infinity Ward have confirmed that a double XP weekend exclusively for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of <a href="/call-of-duty-ghosts/" data-ref-id="false">Call of Duty: Ghosts</a> will take place later this month.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Double the experience points will be switched on for PS4 and Xbox One at 10:00 PST/18:00 GMT on Friday, November 29, and will run until 10:00PST/18:00 on Monday, December 2.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">A double XP weekend for the current-gen and PC versions of the game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-double-xp-weekend-live-for-all-platforms/1100-6416062/">took place</a> last weekend.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">Last week Activision announced that it has <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-sell-in-hits-1-billion/1100-6415993/">sold $1 billion worth of Call of Duty: Ghosts stock</a> to retailers. The exact amount of copies purchased by customers is yet to be revealed.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">The PlayStation 4 version of the game <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-tops-the-uk-chart-with-ps4-outselling-wii-u/1100-6416092/">managed to outsell both the PC and Wii U versions in the UK</a>, despite the hardware not being available until November 29.</p><p dir="ltr" style="">For more information on Call of Duty: Ghosts, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-ghosts/">check out GameSpot's review</a>.</p><div data-embed-type="video" data-ref-id="2300-6415837" data-width="100%" data-height="100%"><iframe src="/videos/embed/6415837/" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style=""> </p> Tue, 12 Nov 2013 04:04:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-ghosts-xbox-one-and-playstation-4-double-xp-weekend-confirmed/1100-6416122/ http://www.gamespot.com/videos/house-of-horrors-sir-you-are-being-hunted/2300-6416075/ Ed and Jess take on a stalking scarecrow, hunting robots, and try to one-up the harsh English countryside in this open world survival game. Will they make it out alive? Mon, 11 Nov 2013 19:30:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/house-of-horrors-sir-you-are-being-hunted/2300-6416075/ http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ratchet-clank-into-the-nexus-review/1900-6415538/ <p style="">Ratchet &amp; Clank: Into the Nexus is a lean, mean machine. It doesn't represent a great departure from the franchise, but instead hones in on what made the games so fun in the first place: fast-paced, gun-toting mayhem. It's a laugh a minute in this exuberant return to form, which has the heroic lombax coming to terms with his rightful place in the universe.</p><p style="">Following the events of <a href="/ratchet-and-clank-future-a-crack-in-time/" data-ref-id="false">Ratchet &amp; Clank Future: A Crack in Time</a>, the heroic duo is transporting the infamous criminal Vendra Prog to a detention center. In an explosive introduction, Vendra is rescued by her twin brother Neftin Prog and his horde of Cockney-voiced hired goons working for Thugs-4-Less. What follows is a daring chase by Ratchet and Clank as they hop among five different planets in pursuit of the fleeing felons. Coming in at around five hours, the budget-priced Into the Nexus is short, but that brevity supports its narrative purpose. This is an epilogue, designed to cap off the Future trilogy of games and tie up loose ends in the process.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/8/2051358-722615_20130820_005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051358" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/8/2051358-722615_20130820_005.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051358"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/1/3/5/8/2051358-722615_20130820_005.jpg"></a><figcaption>The Temporal Repulsor delivers a shotgun blast of quantum energy to multiple foes.</figcaption></figure><p style=""> </p><p style="">The classic sense of humor of the franchise remains intact and always hilarious. The jokes come early and often throughout the campaign, from slapstick moments thanks to the bumbling gator-faced Thugs-4-Less goons, to the zany array of weapons. For example, there is a gun that lobs a grenade that summons a ghoul in the form of a pirate or clown to scare enemies, and another called the Winterizer, which plays holiday music while turning foes into grinning snowmen brandishing candy canes.</p><p style="">It's hard not to get a warm chuckle out of the franchise's geriatric robot heroes, Cronk and Zephyr, who adorably bicker over war stories and age. From amusing dialogue to dry, subtle jokes buzzing in from various intercoms in certain stages, the game erupts with wit and charm. The humor is sprinkled throughout a smart script narrated by a fantastic vocal cast, with guest appearances from Talwyn Apogee, the Plumber, the Smuggler, and of course, Captain Qwark, who is as useless and unwanted as expected.</p><blockquote data-align="right"><p style="">By stripping out the elements that bogged down prior games, Into the Nexus becomes a playground of gun smoke and noise where the person with the biggest toys is the one left standing.</p></blockquote><p style="">A new enemy comes in the form of the Nethers, ghostly creatures from another dimension called the Netherverse. These beings are far more formidable than the usual thugs, and pop in and out of the dimension during battles. Early in the course of the campaign, Clank gains the ability to enter the cracks in reality leading to the Netherverse, thanks to the eccentric scientist Pollyx. Clank traverses the shadowy Netherverse in the style of a 2D platformer where gravity is controlled using the right analogue stick. The goal: get Clank to be chased by a Nether beast through the crack, which causes the wall to explode, allowing the two heroes to continue their quest. Clank's adventures in the Nether are rare, but they become challenging, as getting to the exit means executing quick gravity shifts while dodging floating spiked rocks and hazardous burning floors.</p><figure data-align="left" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/4/2051354-722615_20130820_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051354" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/4/2051354-722615_20130820_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051354"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/mig/1/3/5/4/2051354-722615_20130820_001.jpg"></a><figcaption>Though platforming is part of the game, there is a stronger focus on action.</figcaption></figure><p style="">This is a simpler Ratchet, unfettered by an overabundance of jumping and moving platforms. Over the course of the franchise, Insomniac has experimented with new gadgets and moves to enhance the scope of platforming. Into the Nexus firmly plants its boot down on the side of action, focusing on the big guns and the legions of enemies you fire them at. There is platforming, but much of it has been toned down. There are no more ledges to shimmy along nor are there rails to grind, and using the OmniWrench to manipulate platforms is all but forgotten. Puzzles are nonexistent outside of a few simple box arrangements in Clank's visits to the Nether. The pared-down platforming might disappoint you if you enjoy giving the jump button a workout, but I felt the change in pace to be exactly what the series needed. By stripping out the elements that bogged down prior games, Into the Nexus becomes a playground of gun smoke and noise where the person with the biggest toys is the one left standing. The action and small environments keep the pace lightning quick, with two planets that mainly exist to offer a short list of optional side missions.</p><p style="">Adding to the enjoyment are tighter controls, which have been tweaked to let Ratchet use his hoverboots without needing to equip them first. Some planets allow Ratchet to utilize a jetpack he wins at the Destructapalooza, a battle arena on Planet Kragg, so that he may reach previously inaccessible heights. It's exhilarating to streak across the environment in hoverboots and then blast off into the skies, and dropping from the strata onto unaware enemies instills a sense of empowerment. This is still the Ratchet &amp; Clank you know and love, but the dull humdrum has been all but banished.</p><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/7/2051357-722615_20130820_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051357" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/1/3/5/7/2051357-722615_20130820_004.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2051357"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/mig/1/3/5/7/2051357-722615_20130820_004.jpg"></a><figcaption>The Winterizer turns snarling enemies into adorable, festive snowmen with presents to share.</figcaption></figure><p style="">New weapons are unlocked quickly and often, along with copious amounts of bolts and caches of raritanium to use for upgrades. Weapon upgrading has been expanded, allowing you to choose which features you want for your favorite tool of destruction. The upgrade screen is a map of branching grey hexagons, each of which grants a new ability such as increased ammo count, weapon range, or extra bolts for each enemy kill. Green hexagons adorned with question marks are mystery upgrades, and can only be unlocked after clearing all the grey hexagons surrounding it. Much like before, weapons level up with use, and the weapon wheel is larger on the screen, making it faster than ever to choose the item you want.</p><p style="">The series is well known for its colossal arsenal of strange and fantastic weaponry, and Into the Nexus follows suit. Over the years, however, the weapons selection in each game has become somewhat uninspired, a fact that unfortunately befalls Into the Nexus. During the course of the game, I rarely used more than a chosen few weapons out of the 12 available, though those weapons were always a blast to use. In particular, I'm a fan of the returning Mr. Zurkon, a sarcastic, snarky battle bot who speaks in the third person while harassing Ratchet for his organic faults. The Netherblades, which send a storm of whirling purple blades that ricochet off walls and surround enemies, is another easy favorite.</p><blockquote data-align="center" data-size="large"><p style="">Ratchet &amp; Clank: Into the Nexus doesn't entirely break from the series' classic roots, but its focus on action over platforming makes it a fast-paced thrill ride.</p></blockquote><p style="">Early in the game you earn a new tool called the Grav-Tether. Firing it at grav-targets creates a purple grav-stream that you ride on to get to new areas. The concept is fairly straightforward: firing the tether activates one target, while firing at another will create a stream flowing to that second target. It is typically used to float over deadly drops or reach higher ground. Astute players will spot areas where the tether offers access to hidden areas, which often have secret items such as RYNO VII plans or gold bolts tucked away. You can have other kinds of fun with the tether as well; trapping enemies in the grav-stream and canceling it as they float helplessly above a cliff is good for a quick laugh. Though an interesting new addition to Ratchet's usual repertoire of tools, the game forgets about the Grav-Tether over time, and it goes into disuse by the final chapter.</p><figure data-align="right" data-size="medium" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/6/1/2/2/2046122-722615_20130711_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2046122" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image"><a href="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/mig/6/1/2/2/2046122-722615_20130711_001.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-2046122"><img src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_medium/mig/6/1/2/2/2046122-722615_20130711_001.jpg"></a><figcaption>The dynamic duo has returned, and, as always, trouble has followed.</figcaption></figure><p style="">Completing the game unlocks Challenge Mode which allows you to restart the campaign at a higher difficulty but with all the weapons you've unlocked. This mode applies a bolt multiplier which lets you unlock more upgrades for your weapons and level them up to golden Omega status using gold bolts hidden throughout the game. Challenge Mode is a fantastic way to really get some bang for your buck. Your weapons become more powerful with new upgrades, and the mode gives you a chance to try out others you may have neglected on your first playthrough. You also have the option to jump back into your game after the credits roll to mop up any leftover side missions, earn better boss battle scores, and grab some missing skill points. If you fancy a wave of nostalgia, visit the museum, which houses exhibits featuring the enemies and heroes who have graced the series. And in case you missed out, the game also comes with a copy of Ratchet &amp; Clank Future: Quest for Booty.</p><p style="">Ratchet &amp; Clank: Into the Nexus doesn't entirely break from the series' classic roots, but its focus on action over platforming makes it a fast-paced thrill ride, and the short length makes running through it again with Omega weapons in Challenge Mode irresistible. In what may be the last Ratchet &amp; Clank for this console generation, the series takes its leave with a proper bang, reuniting you with your favorite characters and keeping you hooting and hollering all the way to the finish line.</p> Mon, 11 Nov 2013 08:00:00 -0800 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ratchet-clank-into-the-nexus-review/1900-6415538/

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Top5 Skyrim Mods of the Week - Kamehameha!

Top 5 Skyrim Mods trawls the enormous mod catalogue so you don't have to, bringing the very best world-changing mods to your screen. From high detailed armour mods to exploding chickens, there's nothing our bold adventurers won't try.

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Journey of a Roach Review

Nobody really likes roaches, do they? They're pretty gross looking, after all, and they serve no real purpose other than to wake you up by skittering along the wood floor of your bedroom in the middle of the night. Yet science suggests that these nasty creatures would outlast humans in a nuclear apocalypse, which is the basis for Journey of a Roach, a point-and-click adventure game that does the impossible: it makes roaches likable.

Perhaps even more impressive is that it does so without any dialogue. Journey of a Roach tells the story of two roaches: Jim and his clumsy buddy, Bud. Upon getting a glimpse of a flower growing in the barren wasteland of what appears to be a postapocalyptic Earth, Bud tries to guide Jim to the beautiful plant, only to fall deep underground where all sorts of mutated bugs live. On your journey to rescue him, you discover a world full of interesting and varied characters, all brimming with plot and personality despite never speaking a word. It's as if Pixar's A Bug's Life merged with the animated movie 9.

Can you believe there's an empty table at this place?

As a roach, one of your biggest advantages is the ability to crawl up walls and across ceilings, which is immediately neat and useful. You can move freely around the environment with the keyboard or analog stick, and climbing walls makes traversal easy. There are occasional issues with movement, such as when you might not be able to climb onto something that should be no real obstacle for a roach, or moments when the camera rotation is disorienting when you're climbing on ceilings (particularly in one section with air vents you must crawl through), but for the most part, getting around is not a problem.

Though they never speak a word, the characters are wonderfully diverse.

Since Journey of a Roach has no dialogue and isn't heavy on story, the majority of the experience comes down to solving puzzles. This is where the game's point-and-click inspirations are clearest; most puzzles boil down to the tried-and-true "find item in one area, use item somewhere else" mechanics. That said, Journey of a Roach seems to have learned some lessons from both successful and failed adventure games of recent years, and most puzzle solutions do make logical sense (as opposed to requiring seemingly random item combinations that lead to more guesswork than brainpower, like many adventures of old).

Even if you get stuck, you can often get a subtle hint by hovering the cursor over a specific object, which can alleviate some of the frustration of not knowing what an inventory item might be used for. There are a few moments when you might have to resort to trial and error (one puzzle in particular I solved completely by accident, and I'm not sure I would have figured out the solution on my own), but generally, this hint system works well to inform you of exactly what you should be doing.

Hint bubbles help keep your goals clear throughout the journey.

There is also a handy feature that lets you zoom out slightly and highlight "hot spots" (the objects in the environment you can interact with), which can help you locate some of the harder-to-find items. The small arrows it uses to point out objects of interest, however, aren't always enough help. It's still possible that you will spend more time than you'd like beating your head against a puzzle only to discover that you missed the necessary item hidden in the corner of an adjacent room. In this sense, Journey of a Roach falls into the same sorts of traps many adventure games fall into, which you will either find nostalgic or frustrating, depending on your history with the genre.

Though the journey itself is charming, it's the puzzles that keep you pushing forward. None of the puzzles are especially demanding, and you can finish the game in a single two- to three-hour sitting, which feels like an appropriate length once the credits start rolling. Once you know all the solutions to the puzzles, however, the game can easily be completed in under half an hour (in fact, a Steam achievement awards you for finishing it in under 18 minutes). This is not a game for which you'll want to rely on a walkthrough, because it will be over far too quickly.

Journey of a Roach is a charming, worthwhile adventure with some clever puzzles and a nice cast of characters, though you may wish for a longer adventure for the price. It makes some of the same mistakes as its ancestors, but it makes up for most of them with clever design and a unique world. If all roaches were this enjoyable to be around, maybe I wouldn't mind knowing they'll outlive humanity.

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