CODE VEIN is Now Available for Pre-Purchase on Steam!
In the not too distant future, a mysterious disaster has brought collapse to the world as we know it. Towering skyscrapers, once symbols of prosperity, are now lifeless graves of humanity’s past pierced by the Thorns of Judgment. At the center of the destruction lies a hidden society of Revenants called Vein. This final stronghold is where the remaining few fight to survive, blessed with Gifts of power in exchange for their memories and a thirst for blood. Give into the bloodlust fully and risk becoming one of the Lost, fiendish ghouls devoid of any remaining humanity. Wandering aimlessly in search of blood, the Lost will stop at nothing to satisfy their hunger. Team up and embark on a journey to the ends of hell to unlock your past and escape your living nightmare in CODE VEIN.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 07-03-2019, 10:51 AM - Forum: Lounge
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Madden NFL 20 Player Ratings Revealed For Rookies
One of the most exciting parts of each new Madden release is the announcement of player ratings, and that began this week, ahead of the game's release on August 2. While you'll have to wait a bit longer to see the ratings for Madden NFL 20's best players, EA Sports has now published ratings for rookies.
DT Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets is the highest-rated rookie overall, with a rating of 80 OVR. Rounding out the top five are Buffalo Bills DT Ed Oliver Jr (79 OVR), San Francisco Giants RE Nick Bosa (78 OVR), Jacksonville Jaguars LE Josh Allen (77 OVR) and Baltimore Ravens WR Marquise Brown (77 OVR). You can see the full list of rookie ratings here on EA's website, while a silly video below shows some of the rookies reacting to their ratings.
As usual, these are the "launch" ratings for Madden NFL 20's rookies. Ratings change throughout the season depending on how players perform on the field.
In other ratings news, the highest-rated Madden NFL 20 rookie QB is Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals with a 73 OVR. The highest rated WR rookie is Brown of the Ravens (77 OVR), while Josh Jacobs of the Oakland Raiders is the highest-rated HB rookie at 74 OVR.
The rest of Madden 20's ratings will be revealed throughout July leading up to the game's release at the end of the month. Keep check in back with GameSpot for more.
Nintendo has set up a new Twitter account to provide support information about its products and services to Japanese followers.
This one is a bit different to its existing accounts, and far less social, as it won’t reply to any comments, questions or direct messages from followers. It’s simply there to notify users about any technical changes and network issues.
Users in need of proper support will still have to visit the official Nintendo website for any inquiries. Click here to take a look. Before making an inquiry, it’s advised you look through the frequently asked questions section.
The Pokémon Company Is Releasing An Official Line Of Bubble Teas This Summer
Pikachu Bubble Mango Smoothie Bubble Tea – 756 yen
There’s nothing better than an ice cold drink on a hot day, that’s why The Pokémon Company is releasing a special range of Pokémon bubble teas in Sweet Dynasty Bubble Tea Drink Bars across Japan this summer.
There will be a total of six different teas to select from and prices range from 540 yen (US$4.98) to 756 yen.
Eevee Milk Bubble Tea, Plenty of Pikachu Melon Soda Bubble Tea, Bulbasaur Matcha Bubble Tea, Pikachu Bubble Mango Smoothie Bubble Tea, Plenty of Pikachu Rainbow Soda Bubble Tea and a Mew Watermelon Smoothie Bubble Tea.
Eevee Milk Bubble Tea – 540 yen Plenty of Pikachu Melon Soda Bubble Tea – 648 yen Bulbasaur Matcha Bubble Tea – 648 yen Plenty of Pikachu Rainbow Soda Bubble Tea – 756 yen Mew Watermelon Smoothie Bubble Tea – 756 yen
If you live in Japan, you’ll be able to quench your thirst from 17th July until the end of September. There’ll also be a special pop-up store selling these teas opposite Tokyo’s Pokémon Cafe.
Which of these drinks would you like to try? Do you enjoy bubble tea from time to time? Tell us below.
When the crew of Apollo 13 informed Houston that they had a problem it required considerable ingenuity under extreme pressure to get them home safely. When the crew of the Iktomi are hit by disaster, the situation that they find themselves in is substantially worse. They are still ten weeks away from their destination, and not only has their ship been seriously damaged but their pantry has been completely destroyed. The crew not only face the prospect of no biscuits with their cuppa but the even grimmer possibility of having to chow down on their dearly departed comrades. Cannibalism ftw?
Tharsis is a disaster management game that immediately brings to mind classic roguelike, FTL. The big difference here is that the action takes a more leisurely turn-based approach rather than demanding real-time decision-making. Tharsis also has a narrower range of less demanding crisis points, which makes for a much more approachable game but still a very tough one.
Each turn represents a week aboard the failing Iktomi, in which the crew have to repair various system failures or suffer the consequences. These consequences include a faulty life support system damaging the crews’ health or a severe fire destroying the ship’s hull and bringing an abrupt end to your mission. Tharsis begins with two of the six crewmembers taking you through a brief tutorial, before disaster strikes and they meet an untimely demise. Look on the bright side; they can always be stored away in the fridge for later, yum.
The remaining four astronauts must use their action dice, alongside their unique skills to traverse the ship, moving from module to module. First, select an astronaut and then use the side on view of the ship to deploy them to a module, be careful though because passing through damaged areas will reduce your astronaut’s health. On reaching a location, the crewmember will first need to roll their action dice. Much like Yahtzee, you can set aside favourable rolls and then re-roll the rest. However, each crisis will have additional hazards that are triggered by particular rolls. These extra problems include preventing re-rolls, causing injury, or sending dice into the void. This results in many a tense situation. For example, when you send a guy with low health into a module where an unlucky roll causes injury, they may well end up being added to the evening’s menu.
Each crisis will have a damage rating, which is lowered by allocating dice. Reduce the damage to zero and disaster is averted – for a time, at least. What elevates Tharsis from being just a Yahtzee clone is that much like Castles of Burgundy your dice are not limited to a single use. Throwing low numbers, although not much use for repairing damage, can still be put to good use. Research allows you to build up a sequence of dice that can be spent on a one-off bonus. Dice with a value of five or six can be used to trigger a character’s unique ability, this means that the Doctor can, for instance, restore one health point to everyone that is in the same module. Once a module is fully repaired you will be able to make use of its special ability. The greenhouse is a very useful module since it allows a pair of matching dice to be converted into food.
When all of your characters have taken a turn and used their dice then the negative effects of any remaining disasters are resolved. Between turns, characters must forfeit action dice, but if you have any spare food then a quick meal will restore an additional three dice, up to a maximum of five. If you have no food available then the non-vegans in your crew can indulge in a bit of cannibalism. Eating a dead crewmember restores two dice, but, understandably, isn’t that great for the character’s mental health. Also, between turns, you will be able to choose one of the side projects that your crew have been working on. These have both a positive and negative effect and the less stressed the crewmembers are then the more useful their project will be. An insane character will go off on their own and work on their own project, which will invariably have selfish bonuses and detrimental effects for the rest of the crew.
Presentation is excellent, with moody sound and a graphical style that pays tribute to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s 1970’s sci-fi shows UFO and Space: 1999. After each day there is an atmospheric cut scene that recounts a neat time-looping storyline. Adding to the budget sci-fi feel is the fun technobabble – no one wants a leak in their Photovoltaic Thermal Control System. The animated crew close-ups are also nicely done; as their stress levels escalate, they become increasing twitchy and agitated. The interface is smooth and responsive, with all relevant information just a single tap away, although once a dice has been allocated you cannot switch its position, which feels a little harsh.
There are a couple of other features that can aid your mission. Assist points can be acquired and used to negate hazards, whilst dice can be put into a holding area rather than being allocated immediately. You also have a forecast of the disasters that will assail you one week ahead, although you will probably be way too busy handling the current situation to pay too much attention. The main storyline can be tackled on three different skill levels, but even the easy level can be brutal at times. There are an additional ten extra missions that can help if you are struggling, as they reveal some vital strategic advice. The final challenge is to unlock new crewmembers by reaching various targets, like eating a set number of human-based meals.
The main criticism levelled at Tharsis is that the dice rolling makes it appear very random and just too frustrating to formulate an effective strategy. However, I found that the game allowed just enough choice so that although at times it can be exasperating it still manages to remain entertaining. The key is to prioritise the disasters and have a backup plan so that your dice can be put to good use even when the rolls are not what you want to see. It is brutal; any disasters that you do not deal with are carried over making things even more hectic and desperate, and, yes, one bad roll can ruin your entire game. However, at the same time, if you are cagey enough you shouldn’t often find yourself in a position whereby you are relying on a single roll to save your skin.
Accusations of an excessive reliance on luck could be partly down to the fact that whilst many games hide their luck factor away under the bonnet Tharis delights in rubbing your nose in it. There is a real sense of theatre as the dice teeter and totter across the screen, promising a certain six only to topple over at the very last second. It’s a cliché but Tharsis is a real Marmite game, you either roll with the blows or say blow to the rolls and play something else instead. I found that even when I turned off the game in frustration the addictive gameplay and dark undertones soon had me eager to try again.
Representatives of the Galactic Federation, thank you for having me here tonight to celebrate Earth?s acceptance into this noble organization! It is an absolute honor to act as the Ambassador of Earth, a most honorable role, and? what?s that? Earth is? missing!?
They Are Billions is a Steampunk strategy game set on a post-apocalyptic planet. Build and defend colonies to survive against the billions of the infected that seek to annihilate the few remaining living humans. Can humanity survive after the zombie apocalypse?
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 07-03-2019, 02:42 AM - Forum: Lounge
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The Witcher: Netflix's New TV Show Is Coming To Comic-Con
The Witcher is coming to San Diego Comic-Con this year. The upcoming Netflix TV series will have its own panel in the convention's biggest and most notorious hall, Hall H, on Friday, July 19 (via Deadline). During this panel, the highly-anticipated series will be discussed, and surely, there will be some big surprises there.
The panel runs from 2:15 PM to 3 PM PT, though it's unclear at this stage if it'll be streamed. Also unclear is who from the show may be on the panel. The three main stars as Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra, and Frey Allan, who play Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri respectively. They could show up, while another likely candidate is showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich (The West Wing, Daredevil, The Umbrella Academy).
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown (Drake & Josh, Avengers: Endgame) will moderate the panel. The 10-episode first season is scheduled to premiere in 2019, and a start-date could be among the announcements at Comic-Con. No footage from the show has been released yet, either, so a first trailer might also be on tap, but nothing is confirmed.
The Witcher TV show is set on "The Continent," which is a place where humans, elves, gnomes, witchers, and monsters live in disharmony. According to Netflix, the line between good and evil is "not easily identified." You can check out the first images of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri in the embed above.
The Witcher TV show is based on the books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski not the video game series from CD Projekt Red. That's why Geralt only has one sword, not two, in the key art. Hissrich wondered aloud if there will be a "rumble" between those who enjoy the books and those who like the games.
She also posted character descriptions for each of the three main characters; she described Geralt as "stoic, circumspect, balance, and fierce," while Ciri is "resilient, relentless, brazen, and growing." Yennefer is "fiery, proud, shrewd, and contradictory."
Will there be a rumble between book-lovers and gamers by the end of the day? #Swordgate2019
Where we started it all. ❤️⚔️? @witchernetflix GERALT IS: Stoic. Circumspect. Balanced. Fierce. Soft-and-squishy-in-a-tiny-place-in-his-heart-that-he'll-never-reveal-until-maybe-the-end-and-even-then-it-will-just-be-a-hint-AND-yes-he-only-carries-one-sword-until-wait-for-it... pic.twitter.com/KKYRPBfE4a
Back to where we started! @witchernetflix YENNEFER IS: Fiery. Proud. Shrewd. Contradictory. Seeking-to-fill-a-family-sized-hole-in-her-heart-even-though-she-resents-it-&-swears-she's-just-fine-on-her-own-but-she-is-not-and-we-love-her-for-being-both-independent-and-vulnerable. pic.twitter.com/YAOVMHgIGX
Studio Trigger Is Handling The Opening Animation For Shantae 5
Since the announcement of Shantae 5 for the Nintendo Switch earlier this year, WayForward hasn’t given us any other information to really get excited about. Now, though, the developer does have some news to share about the half-genie hero’s next outing.
In a recent tweet, it revealed the talented Japanese animation studio Trigger would be responsible for the opening animation in Shantae 5. Here’s a look at some of the production artwork so far:
Trigger is previously known for its work on Little Witch Academia, its first original anime television series Kill la Kill and has gone on to help out with video games such as Fire Emblem Fates. Unsurprisingly, it’s also involved with the upcoming multi-platform release, Kill la Kill: IF.
In the same tweet, WayForward was asked when exactly Shantae 5 would be released. According to the official account, it’s still on track for a 2019 release and more details will be revealed soon. One fan also asked if an animated Shantae series could potentially happen now that the developer was collaborating with Trigger. Unfortunately, there are no plans for it at the moment.
Are you looking forward to the release of Shantae 5? Have you played the previous games? Tell us below.
Don’t Miss: Understanding the successful relaunch of Final Fantasy XIV
“Okay, let’s get right to the core: Let’s analyze why Final Fantasy XIV failed.”
– Game director Naoki Yoshida speaks candidly about how Square Enix stumbled when launching their second big MMORPG.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a game worth studying, if only for the fact that it’s proven to be a markedly successful relaunch of the Final Fantasy XIV MMORPG Square Enix debuted in 2010 to disastrous critical and commercial response.
Director Naoki Yoshida spoke at length about the experience this year during GDC 2014, analyzing the causes of the game’s initial failure and disclosing some of the behind-the-scenes decisions that led Square Enix to take the game down and relaunch it in 2013. Yoshida also delved into the practical dangers of hubris, the challenges of developing a contemporary PC/console MMORPG in a relatively short timeframe, and the rapidly-shifting landscape of online game business models.
His talk offers interesting insight into large-scale Japanese online game development, so we’ve gone ahead and embedded the free video of “Behind the Realm Reborn” above. You can also watch it (translated into English) here on the GDC Vault. You can watch the Japanese language version here.
In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.
Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.
Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Tech
