Shacknews Recent Articles http://www.shacknews.com/rss?recent_articles=1 en-us Wargame: Airland Battle trailer details dynamic campaign http://www.shacknews.com/article/79366/wargame-airland-battle-trailer-details-dynamic-campaign http://www.shacknews.com/article/79366/wargame-airland-battle-trailer-details-dynamic-campaign The classic RTS campaign is a stodgy affair, with mission following mission and maybe a side-mission or two if you're lucky. R.U.S.E. developer Eugen Systems has gone a little more exciting with its next game Wargame: AirLand Battle, using a dynamic campaign where you can hit regions across the campaign map as you please, but each decision has a consequence.

The dynamic campaign lets you lead either the Soviet-y Warsaw Pact to conquer Scandinavia or NATO to stop them. Different areas of the map give bonuses when you conquer them in the real-time 3D battles, such as ports helping deployment and capital cities scoring big political points.

You'll want those political points, as they can get you support like missile strikes, special forces and even tactical nukes, and also reinforcements. As your army is persistent--leveling up as it fights, but also suffering permanent losses--reinforcements may be mighty handy.

As well as being single-player, as you'd expect, the dynamic campaign's for 1v1 multiplayer, too.

Wargame: Airland Battle is a downloadable release on PC coming next Thursday, May 30.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 16:30:00 PDT Alice O'Connor Halo 'Bootcamp' confirmed by Microsoft http://www.shacknews.com/article/79365/halo-bootcamp-confirmed-by-microsoft http://www.shacknews.com/article/79365/halo-bootcamp-confirmed-by-microsoft Microsoft continues to expand the Halo universe. They just recently announced a Halo TV project with Steven Spielberg for Xbox One, and are planning the next two installments in 343 Industries' Reclaimer Trilogy (i.e Halo 5 and 6). But now we find out about another project called Bootcamp that is unrelated to any of that.

The listing for Bootcamp was found on the Korean Ratings Board (via GameFront), and Microsoft confirmed its existence without providing details: "What's Bootcamp? It is not related to our Xbox One efforts, or the Reclaimer Saga, but rather a project we're very enthusiastic about and will have more to say about in the near future."

Whatever it is, the listing mentions Halo 3 and PC, so we could finally be seeing a non-console port of the game. Another possibility, as GameFront points out, is that it could be related to the Brian Reed novel Halo: Fall of Reach: Bootcamp. I guess we will find out soon enough, in whatever Microsoft's definition of the near future is.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:00 PDT John Keefer Weekend PC download deals: Tomb Raider for $14 http://www.shacknews.com/article/79364/weekend-pc-download-deals-tomb-raider-for-14 http://www.shacknews.com/article/79364/weekend-pc-download-deals-tomb-raider-for-14 Weekend. PC games. Download. Cheap. Buy. This weekend's deals include Tomb Raider for $14, Payday for $5, Chivalry for $8, Torchlight II for $10, SimCity for $32, and a lovely bundle of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Civilization IV Complete, and Civ V Gold for $20.

Here's our selection of this weekend's PC deals:

GameFly

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

Amazon

Amazon's huge sale includes so much more than just these:

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Bitcon Bundle

Pay what you want--in Bitcoins--for a bundle of And Yet It Moves, Eufloria, a beta of Eufloria HD, Spirits, and World of Goo. I know, right?

Eufloria

GamersGate

Torchlight II

Get Games

Get any two of the following games for $10. All activate on Steam.

  • Aliens vs. Predator

  • Binary Domain

  • Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition

  • Dungeon Siege III

  • Hotline Miami

  • Medieval II: Total War Collection

  • Puddle

  • Stealth Bastard Deluxe

  • The Cave

  • Worms: Ultimate Mayhem

Hotline Miami

GOG

GOG's FPS sale includes:

Blood

Green Man Gaming

GMG offers 20% off most games with the code GMG20-LLASD-D8WBQ, which you'll need for most of (but not all) these prices:

And on Friday:

The code GMG25-55FJ7-ADQ3P gets you 25% off these:

SimCity

Groupees

Pay what you want for Patrician IV, Slam Bolt Scrappers, Fairy Bloom Freesia, Paranutical Activity, and Radical Roach. Pay over $5 to also get Blood Bowl: Legendary Edition, Constant C, Blades of Time, and Drakensang.

Slam Bolt Scrappers

Humble Bundle

Pay what you want for Alan Wake and Alan Wake's American Nightmare. DRM-free, with Steam keys if you want them.

Alan Wake

Impulse

Metro 2033

Origin

Dead Space 3

Steam

As well as being on sale until Monday morning, Defiance is free to play until Sunday afternoon.

Payday: The Heist

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 15:30:00 PDT Alice O'Connor Baldur's Gate 2 Enhanced already has 350,000 words of new content http://www.shacknews.com/article/79363/baldurs-gate-2-enhanced-already-has-350000-words-of-new http://www.shacknews.com/article/79363/baldurs-gate-2-enhanced-already-has-350000-words-of-new Things have been awfully quiet from Beamdog after the release of Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition late last year. We know they are working on DLC for the game, and also a Baldur's Gate 2: Enhanced, so we contacted the company to find out just what was going on in the land of Faerun.

"We're hard at work on BG2:EE and it is going well," Beamdog president Trent Oster told Shacknews. "Phil (our design lead) mentioned to me there is over 350,000 words of new content."

He said all those words were related to quests and story across Shadows of Amn and the expansion, Throne of Bhaal, and is part of the bundle for PC and Mac, and DLC for iPad and Android.

He wouldn't go into too much other detail other than to say they hope to start talking about the sequel soon. Oster told us before the first game (pictured above) was released that BG2:EE would take precedence over their DLC plans for the original, and he confirmed that hasn't changed.

"DLC-wise, we have plans, but nothing completed, yet."

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 14:00:00 PDT John Keefer Game Dev Tycoon studio outlines future plans http://www.shacknews.com/article/79362/game-dev-tycoon-studio-outlines-future-plans http://www.shacknews.com/article/79362/game-dev-tycoon-studio-outlines-future-plans Greenheart Games, developer behind the indie title Game Dev Tycoon, enjoyed a burst of publicity after its piracy protection made headlines. That has resulted in some shifting for the studio and feedback on the game, so the studio has outlined its plans for the future.

A post on the developer website reveals that the game has been greenlit on Steam, and that one of the developers (Daniel) can now transition from his full-time job into game development. Going forward, Greenheart plans to address balance issues, specifically around giving more feedback to adjust your strategy as you run into pitfalls.

It's setting a tentative window of August for the update to go live, and in the meantime will be issuing normal service updates and bug fixes. Steam keys aren't available yet, and won't be until the balance issues are fixed, but the site promises that if you buy it now they'll send Steam keys when it comes out.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 14:30:00 PDT Steve Watts Grid 2 sets world record for most expensive Special Edition http://www.shacknews.com/article/79361/grid-2-sets-world-record-for-most-expensive-special-edition http://www.shacknews.com/article/79361/grid-2-sets-world-record-for-most-expensive-special-edition Most video game special editions range around $100-200 on the high end. Grid 2 developer Codemasters has decided not only to outdo that figure, but to blow it away with a world record that is unlikely to be topped anytime soon. The Grid 2 "Mono Edition," which only goes to a single customer, costs a cool $190,000.

So what do you get for a price tag that could otherwise be put towards a house? The edition includes the game with special packaging, a PlayStation 3 to play it on, a BAC Mono supercar specially outfitted with Grid 2 livery (pictured above), and full set of Grid 2 and BAC branded racing gear including a helmet, suit, boots, and gloves -- all tailored to your size, of course. You also get a day at the BAC factory, including a tour and time with technicians to customize your ride. So basically, you're buying a car that includes a racing game, more than the other way around.

For obvious reasons, this wins Codemasters the Guinness World Record for the absurdly specific category, "Most Expensive Video Game Commercially Available - Special Edition." The record has been shortlisted for placement in the next Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.

The Mono edition is available for pre-order, but the site claims it's currently out of stock. Either that's in error, or someone already bought it. That would mean that out there, somewhere, is someone who needs less than 24 hours of thought to drop 200 grand, and that my friends is just amazing.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 11:30:00 PDT Steve Watts Weekend Confirmed 166 - Xbox One http://www.shacknews.com/article/79360/weekend-confirmed-166-xbox-one http://www.shacknews.com/article/79360/weekend-confirmed-166-xbox-one Jeff Cannata is a man on an island (a Hawaiian one, that is), which leaves host Garnett Lee to captain the S.S. Weekend Confirmed alone. He's joined this week by his hardened crew of "Indie" Jeff Mattas, the Escapist's Andrea Rene, and Double Jump's Christian Spicer. Their destination: The fabled isle of Xbox One. The team discusses Tuesday's reveal event, what we know about the new console, and dive into the pile of unknowns and what-if's. After discussing the hardware, features, and rumors, everyone discusses reader reaction and how the Xbox One will fare against stiff competition from Sony and Nintendo. The show ends with some non-Xbox related Finishing Moves.

Weekend Confirmed Ep. 166: 5/24/2013

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If you're viewing this in the GameFly application, you can play Weekend Confirmed Episode 166 directly.

Weekend Confirmed comes in four segments to make it easy to listen to in segments or all at once. Here's the timing for this week's episode:

    Show Breakdown:

    Round 1 - 00:00:34 - 00:30:02

    Whatcha Been Playin Part 1 - 00:31:14 - 01:00:20

    Whatcha Been Playin Part 2 - 01:01:59 - 01:30:18

    Feedback/Finishing Moves - 01:32:12 - 02:05:50

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Weekend Confirmed @WeekendConfirmd

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Remember to join the Official Facebook Weekend Confirmed Page and add us to your Facebook routine. We'll be keeping you up with the latest on the show there as well.

Original music in the show by Del Rio. Check out his latest music video, I Brought It Here, featuring cameos from Jeff Cannata and Christian Spicer on YouTube. Get his latest Album, Club Tipsy on iTunes. Check out more, including the Super Mega Worm mix and other mash-ups on his ReverbNation page or Facebook page, and follow him on twitter @delriomusic.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:00 PDT Ozzie Mejia Call of Duty: Ghosts using voice commands for Xbox One Kinect http://www.shacknews.com/article/79359/call-of-duty-ghosts-taking-advantage-of-xbox-one-kinect http://www.shacknews.com/article/79359/call-of-duty-ghosts-taking-advantage-of-xbox-one-kinect Call of Duty: Ghosts was the biggest (and one of the only) gaming pitches Microsoft made at its Xbox One announcement. Activision has once again thrown its lot in with Microsoft for exclusive content, and Activision Publishing head Eric Hirshberg has talked about how it plans to leverage some of the console's features.

For one, the Kinect being integrated into every Xbox One means they can count on users having it hooked up to the system. "I made a passing comment that you're going to see voice integration, voice commands via Kinect, which is something that we haven’t done in the past with Call of Duty," Hirshberg told GamesBeat. "We think the improvements to Kinect really excite us because of the level of responsiveness and detail."

He then went on to imply that a more formal outline of the Kinect features will be coming later. "Obviously, we didn't reveal that element today. We just mentioned it. But we’ve always made sure that we don’t just use new technology for novelty's sake. We always make sure that it makes the gameplay better. In this case, we think it will."

Hirshberg also said that the more detailed visuals has influenced the direction of the story on all platforms, since more realistic graphics make characters more believable. "The more human and natural they feel, the more we can build real connections with the characters through the narrative," he said. "That's why we're focusing so much on story. That's why we're working with someone like Steven Gaghan. That's why we're focusing on a single squad for the entire campaign. Traditionally, Call of Duty has jumped around, and your identity changes from level to level. Sometimes that even happens multiple times per level. This commitment to going through the adventure and the journey with one band of brothers is going to be a nice shift for the franchise."

For an early look at what Infinity Ward is showing off for the game so far, check out our preview.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 09:30:00 PDT Steve Watts Contrast casts shadows on vaudevillian Paris http://www.shacknews.com/article/79358/contrast-shifting-shadows-in-vaudevillian-paris http://www.shacknews.com/article/79358/contrast-shifting-shadows-in-vaudevillian-paris It was a murky world, the Parisian nightlife of the 1920s, but sometimes a little shadow can be useful when you're an 8-year-old girl's glamorous imaginary friend. Publisher Focus Home Interactive today announced it's picked up Contrast, a puzzle-platformer where you can shift into shadow to pass obstacles in the unreal world.

Contrast sees little girl Dawn in a 3D Parisian dreamscape, working with Didi by moving lights and objects to create platforms and remove obstacles for her imaginary friend in 2D shadows. You know, a bit like Echochrome II and stuff.

Contrast was announced for PC some time ago, but today's news brings word that it'll also get a downloadable release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It'll arrive towards the end of 2013.

Visit the official website for more information, and peep this trailer:

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 13:15:00 PDT Alice O'Connor EA puts Fight Night on hold in favor of UFC http://www.shacknews.com/article/79357/ea-puts-fight-night-on-hold-in-favor-of-ufc http://www.shacknews.com/article/79357/ea-puts-fight-night-on-hold-in-favor-of-ufc In the sports sub-genre of "men hitting each other," you might have noticed Fight Night Series has gone a bit quiet lately. EA Sports head Andrew Wilson says that's because the company has refocused that team towards its recent acquisition of the UFC rights.

"Right now, a great portion of the core of the Fight Night team are actually the team that are building UFC," Wilson told IGN. He added that the team has "an amazing understanding of the pugilistic arts" and they're "really dedicated and focused on UFC right now." Of course, UFC tends to involve a good deal more kicking than boxing.

So what fate lies in store for the sweet science? Wilson seems noncommittal. "Do I see a future for Fight Night? You know, sure. But right now, UFC is where our fighting focus is."

EA hasn't detailed its UFC game yet, but at Tuesday's Xbox One announcement, UFC was among the franchises represented when EA Sports took the stage. The company said next-gen EA Sports titles (including UFC) will use the new "Ignite" engine, which promises better AI and 3D crowds.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 12:30:00 PDT Steve Watts Ninja Theory announces mobile game Fightback http://www.shacknews.com/article/79356/ninja-theory-announces-mobile-game-fightback http://www.shacknews.com/article/79356/ninja-theory-announces-mobile-game-fightback Ninja Theory is best known for its console action games, but the studio announced today that it will be trying its hand at a mobile title. The game is called Fightback, and will be published by EA's Chillingo division.

The title is a free-to-play action game modeled after 80s action flicks, and according to the announcement uses a "revolutionary" touch-based combat system. Chillingo is said to be collaborating with mobile first-timer Ninja Theory on the project. It's due out this summer on the iOS App Store and Google Play for Android.

“Mobile and tablet gaming is a phenomenon that we just couldn't ignore as a studio and we're very proud to be working with one of the industry's heavy-weights on bringing Fightback to market," said Ninja Theory product manager Dominic Matthews, in the announcement. "Ninja Theory has always strived for the highest production values and that absolutely remains the case in this exciting new space."

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 08:15:00 PDT Steve Watts Star Wars Battlefront opportunity 'very exciting,' says EA http://www.shacknews.com/article/79355/star-wars-battlefront-opportunity-very-exciting-says-ea http://www.shacknews.com/article/79355/star-wars-battlefront-opportunity-very-exciting-says-ea When Electronic Arts announced exclusive rights to publish games with the Star Wars license, the news was met with some degree of cautious optimism. EA has taken its licks in recent years, but that could also mean we'd get some games that fans have been asking about for a long time. A new Battlefront game, for example, would carry a lot of weight, and EA CFO Blake Jorgensen recently hinted at just that possibility.

"The opportunity to do a new Battlefront, for example, which is one of the very popular Star Wars games, or some of the other traditional games that were made, is very exciting," Jorgensen said at the Stifel 2013 Technology Conference, reported by GameSpot.

He noted that Disney's marketing muscle could help push new games by tying into its various arms like the amusement parks, cruise lines, and media outlets. But he did also reiterate that the Star Wars games coming from EA are not going to be tied to any Star Wars films, except for possible marketing ties by releasing close to the films.

This comment doesn't necessarily mean that a new Battlefront is currently in development, but it is a hopeful sign that EA knows what Star Wars fans want. The death of Battlefront 3 has been lamented by fans, especially as Free Radical has talked about how close it was to finished. In July, we got an extended look of the canceled game.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:00 PDT Steve Watts ITC rules Xbox did not infringe on Motorola patent http://www.shacknews.com/article/79354/itc-rules-microsoft-did-not-infringe-on-motorola-patent http://www.shacknews.com/article/79354/itc-rules-microsoft-did-not-infringe-on-motorola-patent Microsoft and Motorola have been continuing to trade legal blows over the last few months, and Microsoft recently scored a victory in the long-running patent war. The International Trade Commission ruled yesterday that the Xbox did not violate Motorola's wireless communications patent.

Reuters reports that this was the last remaining of the five patents that Motorola accused Microsoft of infringing upon. Four of them had been dropped as the case progressed since 2010.

"This is a win for Xbox customers and confirms our view that Google had no grounds to block our products," said Microsoft deputy general counsel David Howard, in a statement. Motorola, meanwhile, said it was "disappointed" with the decision and currently evaluating its options.

Depending on what option Motorola chooses, this might be the last we hear of the long legal battle -- at least related to the games industry. Motorola previously won on the grounds of some of its patents, but the ITC sent the case back to the judge for consideration. One ITC judge recommended a console ban, which was subsequently rejected. In January, Motorola Mobility parent company Google dropped two more of the patents from the complaint, leaving only one remaining. At that time, the company also promised to no longer request sales bans based on the infringement complaints.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 10:30:00 PDT Steve Watts Sony explains why Gran Turismo 6 is not coming to PlayStation 4 (for now) http://www.shacknews.com/article/79353/sony-explains-why-gran-turismo-is-on-playstation-3 http://www.shacknews.com/article/79353/sony-explains-why-gran-turismo-is-on-playstation-3 The announcement of Gran Turismo 6 so shortly after the PlayStation 4 was announced had some fans scratching their heads. Why wouldn't Polyphony aim this graphical showpiece as a debut title for the next-generation console?

The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, seems to come down to sales potential. Speaking to the PlayStation EU Blog, SCEE CEO Jim Ryan talked about squeezing the juice out of the PS3, before quickly turning toward talking about the install base.

"You had GT1 and GT2 on PS one, GT3 and GT4 on PS2, then there's GT5 on PS3 and a space next to it. The difference between Gran Turismo and GT2 is unbelievable, but they're both on the same platform," Ryan said. "The difference between GT3 and GT4 is huge. We're absolutely confident when GT6 comes, you'll see a big step change up from GT5 too. There's still a lot of potential on PS3 that a developer like Polyphony can really exploit.

"And the other factor is that on PS3 we have an install base of 70 million units. On PS4 on launch day we'll have an install base of zero units. There'll be plenty of games to help drive PS4 â€" not least Driveclub in the racing genre from Evolution Studios, a studio with a fantastic pedigree."

That doesn't mean the game will never reach PS4, however. Polyphony president Kazunori Yamauchi has already said that it has a PS4 version in mind "for the future," but wanted to focus on the PS3 version for this holiday season.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 07:30:00 PDT Steve Watts Valve forms Overwatch for CS:GO community to police itself http://www.shacknews.com/article/79352/valve-explores-community-self-policing-with-cs-go-overwatch-scheme http://www.shacknews.com/article/79352/valve-explores-community-self-policing-with-cs-go-overwatch-scheme As someone reading this on the Internet, you know that people on the Internet are often awful. Doubly so if they're playing a video game. To help weed out horrors, Valve is playing with a community self-policing scheme for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It sounds similar to the Tribunal in Riot's League of Legends, presenting players with "cases" of others who've been reported and asking them to make judgements.

Under the Overwatch scheme, CS: GO players can file reports against others they believe are cheating or griefing. People who are reported more than others will be flagged as "Suspects" and their case will go before a selection of "Investigators."

Investigators are people judged by Overwatch to be good community members, based upon how long they've played, how much they win, how often they're reported, and so on. When a case is brought against someone, it'll be presented to several Investigators through a button appearing in the game menu. There they can watch a short replay stripped of names and chat and judge if the Suspect is a 'Majorly Disruptive' cheater, 'Minorly Disruptive' griefer or whether there's 'Insufficient Evidence'. No, there's apparently no innocent verdict. No one on the Internet is innocent.

Suspects, or criminals as I'll call them at this point--perps, felons, ruffians, hoodlums--will suffer a ban if the verdict goes against them, which is weighted based upon Investigators' records. Ban duration is decided by naughty they've been judged as, and how often they're naughty.

It's all curiously Kafkaesque. The story will end when we realise we've judged ourselves guilty.

Overwatch is only in beta right now, so Valve will review and analyse cases before letting bans go through. It'll tweak the system over the time, selecting more Investigators and drawing more cases.

This being Valve, we'll doubtless see the Overwatch ideas rolled out to other games too. Dota 2 in particular could use it, as the current reporting system is a mysterious and baffling black box, where players yell reports into a void then sometimes are simply informed by a popup that an unspecified someone they once reported has been punished somehow.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 06:45:00 PDT Alice O'Connor Joe Danger racing to PC this year http://www.shacknews.com/article/79351/joe-danger-racing-to-pc http://www.shacknews.com/article/79351/joe-danger-racing-to-pc After a few years of touring one-stoplight towns, slowly building fame, the world's greatest stuntman is ready to play the finest venue in the land. Splendid stunty platformer Joe Danger and its sequel Joe Danger 2: The Movies are jumping from consoles to PC later this year, developer Hello Games announced today.

The Joe Danger series sees its eponymous super stuntman racing and bouncing around movie sets on stuntbikes, mine carts, jet packs, and other Hollywood staples. You go fast and jump and collect things and earn points and sometimes punch people or flee dinosaurs.

The PC editions are naturally wearing their most spangly jumpsuit, replete with new levels, Steam Workshop support for sharing levels you make, and ghost recording with Steamworks sharing.

"Actually, PC is Joe Danger's spiritual home," Hello Games founder Sean Murray said in the announcement. "I coded my first ever PC engine when we started making the original Joe Danger back in 2009, because we couldn't get hold of console devkits. So it's incredibly exciting to be finally able to release it."

Joe Danger debuted on PlayStation 3 in 2010, opening on XBLA release in late 2011 then exported to iOS earlier this year. The sequel followed on PSN and XBLA in fall 2012.

Joe Danger 2 running on PC

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 06:00:00 PDT Alice O'Connor FIFA 14 on PC won't use Ignite engine http://www.shacknews.com/article/79350/fifa-14-on-pc-wont-use-ignite-engine http://www.shacknews.com/article/79350/fifa-14-on-pc-wont-use-ignite-engine Huzzah, EA Sports finally has an engine which could put a modern gaming PC to good use! Oh, but no, the PC edition of FIFA 14 won't use the shiny new Ignite engine, EA has said. Oh well.

"Clarification for the PC related questions earlier--EA Sports Ignite will power FIFA 14 on Xbox One and PS4, not PC," FIFA community manager Rob Hudson told fans on Twitter (via Strategy Informer).

This is hardly a great surprise. PC editions of FIFA have used older versions of the engine than their Xbox and PlayStation counterparts for some years, and this just continues the trend. FIFA has mass appeal so EA probably doesn't want it to require a bleeding-edge PC, but it's a shame it couldn't add enough config options to keep the game crawling along on slower systems.

FIFA 14 comes to PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 on September 24, with Xbone and PS4 versions following when those systems launch. Pre-ordering gets you 24 'gold packs' for the trading card-y Ultimate Team mode, delivered one per week for 24 weeks, each with a randomised selection of 12 players, kits, staff, stadiums, contracts and whatnot, and one guaranteed rare.

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 15:30:00 PDT Alice O'Connor Ace Attorney Trilogy coming to iOS next week http://www.shacknews.com/article/79349/ace-attorney-trilogy-coming-to-ios-next-week http://www.shacknews.com/article/79349/ace-attorney-trilogy-coming-to-ios-next-week After the recent delay announcement, you probably thought you'd have to wait until the dog days of summer to play the Ace Attorney HD Trilogy on your iOS device. But you just HOLD IT! right there, mister, because Capcom has doubled back on that announcement and now says the compilation is due next week instead.

A post on the Capcom Unity blog lays out the details. It will hit on May 30, and the app includes the first two cases of the first game for free. You can download the rest of the first game for $5.99, and the other two for $6.99. Or you could just spring for them all at once for $16.99, if you want to save a few fins. It's a bit pricey by iPhone standards, but then again, each of the three games came out for more than that in their day on the DS.

As previously reported, the collection includes Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Justice for All, and Trials and Tribulations. Each of them have gotten an HD revamp, and the game has added touch and swipe controls and social features.

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:00 PDT Steve Watts Epic Mickey 2 for Vita coming June 18 http://www.shacknews.com/article/79348/epic-mickey-2-on-vita-june-18 http://www.shacknews.com/article/79348/epic-mickey-2-on-vita-june-18 The Vita version of Epic Mickey 2 is coming on June 18. The announcement of a release date came alongside some more details about how the game will take advantage of the Vita's touch screen.

The PlayStation Blog has the details. We already knew that it would feature touch controls for painting, but the blog also notes you can tap for functions like giving instructions to AI, selecting sketches, bursting bubbles, and navigating menus. As previously reported, the Vita version will also include tilt controls for races, and a wi-fi co-op mode.

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 14:00:00 PDT Steve Watts Warhammer Quest hitting iOS May 30 http://www.shacknews.com/article/79347/warhammer-quest-hitting-ios-may-30 http://www.shacknews.com/article/79347/warhammer-quest-hitting-ios-may-30 Warhammer is getting a little more representation on the App Store next week. "Warhammer Quest" is set to hit on May 30 for $4.99, based on the 1995 tabletop game that was itself a spin-off from the standard Warhammer.

Eurogamer reports that it's a universal app and supports cloud saves, so you'll be able to swap between playing on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. The dungeon-crawler is coming from Rodeo Games, the studio behind the Hunters series of games, and it will run on the same engine. You can check out an off-screen walkthrough below.

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:00 PDT Steve Watts Poker Night 2 antes up on iOS http://www.shacknews.com/article/79346/poker-night-2-antes-up-on-ios http://www.shacknews.com/article/79346/poker-night-2-antes-up-on-ios Telltale has an ace up its sleeve for Poker Night 2. An iOS version of the single-player Texas Hold'em game has surprisingly popped up and is available today, bringing the series to mobile for the first time.

Poker Night 2 is being optimized for Apple's mobile devices and will feature all of the poker-related goodness of its PC and console brethren. Just as in those versions of the game, players will match wits with Claptrap from Borderlands, Brock Samson from Venture Bros., Ash Williams (still not voiced by Bruce Campbell) from Army of Darkness, and Sam (the dog, not the rabbity thing) from the Sam & Max series. And of course, Portal's GLaDOS will still offer her two cents as the dealer.

One thing that appears to be missing from this version, however, is exclusive platform unlocks. Owners across PC and consoles can unlock exclusive Borderlands 2 skins along with platform-specific goodies, but this does not appear to be the case for iOS.

Poker Night 2 is a universal app and is $4.99 on the App Store. If you're not sure you want to go all-in, you can check out our review.

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 13:30:00 PDT Ozzie Mejia Splinter Cell Blacklist co-op modes partially detailed http://www.shacknews.com/article/79344/splinter-cell-blacklist-co-op-modes-partially-detailed http://www.shacknews.com/article/79344/splinter-cell-blacklist-co-op-modes-partially-detailed Ubisoft recently began showcasing its co-op in Splinter Cell Blacklist, and today the company delved into a bit more detail. The 14 unique co-op missions are split into four mission types, each given by a different member of the team.

A post on the PlayStation Blog details the first two. Isaac Briggs missions are most similar to a co-op campaign, but they're unique stories that fit into the rest of the game. The Grim missions from Anna Grimsdottir, meanwhile, focus more on stealth and not leaving behind any trace of your presence. That probably means no kills, and no sightings.

The blog didn't detail the other two mission types, but we know combat has been split into three play-styles: Ghost (stealth), Assault (shooting), and Panther (mix). The Briggs missions can be approached any of the three ways, and the Grim missions are Ghost-focused, so it would make sense for the two remaining to be Assault and Panther.

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 16:30:00 PDT Steve Watts Final Fantasy XIV gets reborn on August 27; collector's edition detailed http://www.shacknews.com/article/79343/final-fantasy-xiv-gets-reborn-on-august-27-collectors-edition http://www.shacknews.com/article/79343/final-fantasy-xiv-gets-reborn-on-august-27-collectors-edition Final Fantasy XIV has been going though a facelift, and fans of the MMO will finally be able to get a look at the new product when A Realm Reborn launches on August 27 for PC and PlayStation 3. Publisher Square Enix has also announced a special Collector's Edition for the game.

"It has been a long road from the game’s inception to the beta, but thanks to your fervent support and invaluable feedback, the world of Eorzea will soon complete its journey of rebirth," Naoki Yoshida, producer and director of A Realm Reborn, said in a release. "We have endeavored to make the game affordable so that adventurers will be able to experience the vibrant world of Eorzea."

The CE, which will retail for $79.99, includes an art book and soundtrack, a video detailing the event leading up to the "rebirth," a security token for game accounts, collectible cards and four in-game items: Helm of Light, Baby Behemoth Minion, Coeurl Mount and Behemoth Barding. Of course, if none of that appeals to you, you can grab the new game for $29.99 on PC, $39.99 on PS3.

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 11:30:00 PDT John Keefer Mirror's Edge 2 found on Amazon Germany http://www.shacknews.com/article/79342/mirrors-edge-2-found-on-amazon-germany http://www.shacknews.com/article/79342/mirrors-edge-2-found-on-amazon-germany Update - Added comment from EA.

We've been hearing about the potential sequel to the cult favorite Mirror's Edge for a long time. Most recently we heard rumblings that it could be in development at DICE. All those rumors may be coming closer to an actual announcement, as "Mirror's Edge 2" has been spotted on a German retail site.

Amazon Germany lists the game for the Xbox 360. It's a sparse page other than that, but it's a bit more hope than Mirror's Edge fans have had in a long while. Amazon has had a history of spilling the beans on projects, like when the German version of the retailer outed Europe's Skyrim Premium Edition.

This is no guarantee of Mirror's Edge 2, but it would make a nice announcement for Electronic Arts at E3. We contacted EA regarding the listing, and a representative issued the following statement.

"We appreciate fan enthusiasm for Mirror's Edge, especially fans throughout the retail channel. This is not official EA material. We have nothing to announce at this time."

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:00 PDT Steve Watts Destiny live-action CG trailer directed by Jon Favreau http://www.shacknews.com/article/79341/destiny-live-action-cg-trailer-directed-by-jon-favreau http://www.shacknews.com/article/79341/destiny-live-action-cg-trailer-directed-by-jon-favreau Oh, live-action trailers! They're how publishers try to convince us that their games have deep, meaningful stories, and that our parents will definitely respect us now because look, these are actual human beings shooting men in the face and the face-shooting isn't the part we enjoy, honest! So here's a new trailer for Bungie's FPS-RPG Destiny, directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man; Iron Man 2), which mixes live-action footage with that other hollow trailer medium, CG.

The "Law of the Jungle" trailer sees a man--Giancarlo Esposito, who stars as Gustavo in Breaking Bad--reading a story to his son, telling him about the time a man and his chums shot some other men. That'll be the enjoyable part of Destiny, the bit which hooks us and delights us and rewards us: shooting men until they fall over so we can loot their corpses.

We won't get to see that bit until June 10, when gameplay is revealed during Sony's E3 press conference. Destiny is in the works for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and PS3.

]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 10:30:00 PDT Alice O'Connor