BlizzCon 2018: New Overwatch Lego Sets And Toys Announced
During BlizzCon 2018, Blizzard announced new Overwatch-themed toys and Lego sets. The products will be made available for purchase in 2019.
"Throughout 2018 our goal has been to give fans an abundance of new ways to express their affinity for their favorite Blizzard games, and it was exciting to be able to showcase our plans for 2019 and beyond today at BlizzCon," said Blizzard vice president of global consumer products Matthew Beecher. "We cherish these game worlds as much as our players do, and today's reveals helped put a spotlight on how far we've come, through our stellar partnerships, in developing toys and apparel that reflect that shared passion."
There are six Lego sets in total, with the cheapest starting at $15 USD and the most expensive being $90 USD. The sets are called Tracer vs. Widowmaker, Hanzo vs. Genji, Dorado Showdown, D.Va & Reinhardt, Bastion, and Watchpoint: Gibraltar. All together, the six sets add figures of Overwatch characters Tracer, Widowmaker, Hanzo, Genji, Soldier: 76, McCree, D.Va, Reinhardt, Pharah, Mercy, Reaper, and Winston to Lego's expanding line-up of block people. The Lego sets are scheduled for release in early 2019.
Blizzard is also releasing a Nerf gun shaped like McCree's Rival. The first figure in Blizzard's new Overwatch Ultimate Figure line, Mercy, was also shown and scheduled for 2019. The Nerf gun hits store shelves in January 2019, and the figure is currently aiming for a spring 2019 release.
Pokemon: Let’s Go to be last director role for Junichi Masuda
According to an interview from Pokemon.com, this month’s release of Pokemon Let’s Go: Pikachu and Eevee will be the final time Junichi Masuda directs games in the core Pokemon series.
Masuda, who’s been directing Pokemon games since Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire (and who did sound design on the original Pokemon Red and Blue) states in the interview that “it’s important to have the younger generation at Game Freak take over the development of Pokemon as a series,” seeming to indicate he’ll be staying at the company.
Masuda returned as game director for the Let’s Go games after spending time working on the global hit Pokemon Go.
In the interview, he states that he chose to work on the Let’s Go titles because he “wanted to realize that goal by creating games that could connect with Pokemon Go and feel somewhat similar to it without feeling like we were copying it.”
For developers who are curious about the careful choices that define Pokemon’s game development, it may be worth reading the full interview over at the Pokemon website. Masuda’s joined by his collaborator Kensaku Nabana for a conversation that highlights some of the specific choices that have helped the Pokemon series evolve over the last two decades.
Video: How Tom Francis dealt with scope change while making Heat Signature
Last year, developer Tom Francis, the former PC Gamer editor-turned game developer, released Heat Signature, the long-awaited follow-up to the critically acclaimed Gunpoint.
Heat Signature however, took three times as long to make as Gunpoint, and Francis realized there were lessons to be learned about making sure his future projects wouldn’t take as long. At GDC 2018, Francis took the time to present a talk on his his experiences, sharing how other indie developers can avoid overscoping their game into oblivion.
It’s a great talk that many developers can learn from, and you can also watch it in its entirety (for free!) on the GDC YouTube channel.
In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel 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 or VRDC 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 Americas.
Limited Run Games Announces Physical Edition For Battle Chef Brigade
Hungry for more physical game releases on the Nintendo Switch? No need to worry, Limited Run Games is already busy preparing its next big meal for collectors to enjoy.
The publisher’s latest announcement via Twitter has revealed a physical edition for Battle Chef Brigade is on the way to the Switch. Pre-orders for the title go live on 9th November at 10AM Eastern Time. Here’s the full reveal:
The Trinket Studios’ title was first released on the eShop in November last year and sees you feeding orcs, elves and humans until their bellies are full. In case you missed the initial reveal, Battle Chef Brigade is basically a combo-based action title mixed with match-three puzzler gameplay and finished with lovely 2D animation. We gave it eight out of ten stars and described it as a must-play for every Switch owner.
Is this a Switch game you would be interested in adding to your physical collection? Tell us below.
Limited Run Games Announces Switch Physical Edition For Battle Chef Brigade
Hungry for more physical game releases on the Nintendo Switch? No need to worry, Limited Run Games is already busy preparing its next big meal for collectors to enjoy.
The publisher’s latest announcement via Twitter has revealed a physical edition for Battle Chef Brigade is on the way to the Switch. Pre-orders for the title go live on 9th November at 10AM Eastern Time. Here’s the full reveal:
The Trinket Studios’ title was first released on the eShop in November last year and sees you feeding orcs, elves and humans until their bellies are full. In case you missed the initial reveal, Battle Chef Brigade is basically a combo-based action title mixed with match-three puzzler gameplay and finished with lovely 2D animation. We gave it eight out of ten stars and described it as a must-play for every Switch owner.
Is this a Switch game you would be interested in adding to your physical collection? Tell us below.
THE QUIET MAN™ is Now Available on Steam and is 10% off!*
THE QUIET MAN™ delivers an immersive story driven cinematic action experience seamlessly blending high-production live action, realistic CG and pulse-pounding action gameplay.
Posted by: xSicKxBot - 11-04-2018, 10:43 AM - Forum: Lounge
- No Replies
Spider-Man PS4 Devs Goof On Complainers By Adding Puddles To Photo Mode
If there's something Spider-Man PS4 needs, it's more puddles. With its latest update to Marvel's Spider-Man, developer Insomniac Games has made sure all players' versions of New York City are up to the internet's standard of dampness. The new update, which came just ahead of the release of Spider-Man's first round of downloadable content, The Heist, includes a new difficulty mode and a New Game Plus mode, as well as additional stickers for Spider-Man's Photo mode--specifically, puddles.
Insomniac User Interface and Experience Lead Gil Doron shared a shot of the new puddle capabilities on Twitter. It was also shared by Insomniac Community Manager James Stevenson, who cheekily wrote, "You can add your own puddles in Photo mode now with puddle stickers. You're welcome."
You can add your own puddles in photo mode now with puddle stickers. You're welcome. https://t.co/l0Jem6SWcL
The addition of puddle stickers allows players to add as many puddles as they like to the game, in a hilarious throwing of moist shade by Insomniac. The puddle gag is a reference to an internet controversy that pooled up before the September release of Spider-Man, when some Reddit users claimed one shot of the game included fewer puddles than were shown in the same scene at E3 2018.
The lack of puddles led to some players claiming Spider-Man had received a graphical downgrade as compared to the E3 demo, maybe to hide the limitations of the PS4, and they were not happy about it. The situation became, as some dubbed it, Puddle-gate. Insomniac answered back by saying the puddle sizes had been reduced, but there was no graphical downgrade. The Photo mode answer to the Puddle-gate question is undeniably better.
Apparently the controversy wasn't a wet blanket for too many players, since Spider-Man broke Sony's sales records in its first three days on store shelves.
Apple HomePods are on sale for $269 ($80 off) today only
By Christine McKee Saturday, November 03, 2018, 01:22 pm PT (04:22 pm ET)
Woot is knocking $80 off Apple’s HomePod in open box condition today only. Now $269.99 while supplies last, this is the lowest price anywhere for the smart speaker. Since Woot is owned by Amazon, Prime members can also take advantage of free shipping for added value.
Woot is back at it with one-day only Apple deals, and this time the HomePod is seeing an $80 markdown. Pick up Apple’s HomePod in White or Space Gray for just $269.99 today only. And since Woot is an Amazon owned company, shipping is free for Prime members.
According to Woot, these HomePods are in open box conditiontion and come with a 90-day Woot warranty. In comparison, you would have to pay full MSRP from other retailers for a new unit, according to our Smart Speaker Price Guide.
This deal is valid on Nov. 3 only while supplies last. Woot’s Apple deals have been known to sell out early, so don’t delay if you want to take advantage of the special offer.
Additional Apple Deals
AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running a handful of additional exclusive promotions this month on Apple hardware that will not only deliver the lowest prices on many of the items, but also throw in discounts on AppleCare, software and accessories. These deals are as follows:
What is ELOH? An acronym? Is it the god of the Hebrews? Is it HOLE backwards? In a world where words no longer have stable meanings, perhaps it is simply the best (and most Googleable) name for a chilled-out puzzle game with an elegant musical twist.
Essentially, what we have here is the classic light-and-mirrors puzzle, but instead of light, you have bouncing balls and instead of mirrors you have blocks in the shape of animal heads. That sounds strange, but the aesthetic really works, especially coupled with the sound design. ELOH has a jungle theme with animal noises and drumbeats, plus a smooth, flat, totemic animation style that will look familiar if you’ve played any mobile puzzle game of the last five years.
At the most basic level, you’re moving blocks into different set positions to bounce balls around the field from set sources into set holes. Tapping the speaker will start the stream flowing, and as the balls successfully land in the cup, a pedestal will rise from the bottom carrying your prize: the button to continue to the next level.
As the puzzles get more difficult, you get more options and tricks to work with. Some blocks can only move from one end of a track to the other and need to be carefully positioned by impeding their movement with other blocks. Others change the color of the balls, making them only able to exit the arena through the matching-colored hole. Gates allow one color of ball through but reflect the others back in another direction. While each is introduced individually, the different abilities each block brings build upon each other in natural and intuitive ways to gradually increase the difficulty and complexity of the puzzles. Each puzzle uses the building blocks in a slightly new way, keeping the game challenging but progressive.
It takes some experimentation to solve each puzzle. Some of the easier ones may be unexpectedly brute-forced, since there’s a relatively limited number of states the game board can be set to. A more complicated game would give you more freedom in setting up the board, but we’re dealing with a nice relaxing mobile puzzler here. It’s fun to start shooting balls around at first, then deduce some of the limitations you are working with, and finally work each piece of the puzzle into its proper place. It’s not too mind-twisting, but you do get nice aha moments every few puzzles.
None of the puzzles should take longer than a few minutes to bounce your way through, but there’s over eighty of them, so you’re looking at a few good hours of gameplay for your minimal upfront investment (No ads or IAP to be found). Since the design of the puzzles is so straightforward, it’s a little disappointing there’s no option to create and share your own designs: with infinite user-made levels to try, this would really be a must-buy for puzzle fans.
There’s a musical element to the game, but the rhythmically-challenged can have no fear. The balls that fly around the level pop out of their trumpet to the beat. Striking each block produces a different percussive sound, and forms complex polyrhythms as a series of balls clang pop and bump off of each surface. Combined with the relaxing ambient animal sounds, the overall effect is soothing, yet also culminates in a very satisfying groove by the time you finish each puzzle. That said, there’s no absolute need to play with headphones if you don’t want to.
What really makes the game a pleasure to play is the amazing attention to detail. For instance, the gradual but insistent movement of the prize pedestal as you solve a puzzle feels very satisfying in a way a simple “you won” would not. Partial solutions will only raise the pedestal partway, encouraging you to try again. Also, each block seems to have its own personality. They sleep at the beginning of the puzzle, but as you bounce balls off of them, their faces pop and contort delightfully. Enigmatic splash pages introduce each set of puzzles and the new blocks that will join the line-up.
It’s not revolutionary, but ELOH is a good puzzle game that develops its central ideas well and puts them in a very attractive package.
