Tag Archives: Video Games

Indie platformer Celeste gets a short, free 3D spinoff for its sixth anniversary

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It's been six years since Maddy Makes Games released Celeste, a tough but heartfelt 2D platformer that turned out to be one of the most memorable indie games of the last decade. It was one of our favorite games of 2018 too. To mark the anniversary, the studio has created a 3D spinoff that you can play for free right now.

Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain has many of the hallmarks of the original game. You'll once again take control of Madeline as she attempts to traverse difficult terrain, only this time there's an added dimension. Madeline can jump, dash and climb her way up perilous floating platforms while avoiding spikes and pitfalls. There are some Easter eggs for fans to discover too. As ever, Madeline's movement is slick and, based on some brief hands-on time, Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain is an enjoyable, fresh dose of this universe.

"Relive the magic of Celeste Mountain alongside Madeline in this small, heartfelt 3D platformer," Maddy Makes Games wrote in the game's description. "Created in a week(ish) by the Celeste team to celebrate the game’s sixth anniversary."

Unsurprisingly, given the original game's popularity in the speedrunning community, players are already blitzing through the new installment. Some are already getting to the finish line in under a minute, while it took one player just over 26 minutes to complete a 100 percent run (on their first attempt) by finding all the collectible items. Best of all, composer Lena Raine crafted a new soundtrack inspired by Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine that plays off the original Celeste score.

Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain is available for Windows and Linux. You can download it from itch.io. Meanwhile, Maddy Makes Games' next project, Earthblade, is set to arrive this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/indie-platformer-celeste-gets-a-short-free-3d-spinoff-for-its-sixth-anniversary-150937085.html?src=rss

Former Call of Duty chief Johanna Faries is Blizzard’s new president

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Microsoft didn't have to look too far to find the new president of Blizzard. Former Call of Duty general manager Johanna Faries is replacing Mike Ybarra, who stood down from the role amid last week's sweeping layoffs in Microsoft's gaming division. Blizzard was said to be particularly hard hit as Microsoft fired around 1,900 people.

Faries, a former National Football League executive, joined Activision as the head of Call of Duty esports in 2018. She started overseeing all things Call of Duty in 2021 and officially starts her new role on February 5. 

Blizzard has largely operated independently since it merged with Activision in 2008. As such, Blizzard workers may be forgiven for being concerned at someone from the Activision side taking control. Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick often meddled in Blizzard's affairs, reportedly resulting in Overwatch 2 delays, among other things.

In an attempt to soothe any worries, Faries wrote in an email to staff that "Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures and communities. It is important to note that Call of Duty’s way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard’s realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success. I’ve discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I’m walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights."

Faries added that she is "committed to doing everything I can to help Blizzard thrive, with care and consideration for you and for our games, each unique and special in their own right.” Meanwhile, on X, Faries wrote that Blizzard's Diablo 4 was part of her current rotation of games, alongside Call of Duty and Baldur's Gate 3.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/former-call-of-duty-chief-johanna-faries-is-blizzards-new-president-193852238.html?src=rss

Former Call of Duty chief Johanna Faries is Blizzard’s new president

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Microsoft didn't have to look too far to find the new president of Blizzard. Former Call of Duty general manager Johanna Faries is replacing Mike Ybarra, who stood down from the role amid last week's sweeping layoffs in Microsoft's gaming division. Blizzard was said to be particularly hard hit as Microsoft fired around 1,900 people.

Faries, a former National Football League executive, joined Activision as the head of Call of Duty esports in 2018. She started overseeing all things Call of Duty in 2021 and officially starts her new role on February 5. 

Blizzard has largely operated independently since it merged with Activision in 2008. As such, Blizzard workers may be forgiven for being concerned at someone from the Activision side taking control. Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick often meddled in Blizzard's affairs, reportedly resulting in Overwatch 2 delays, among other things.

In an attempt to soothe any worries, Faries wrote in an email to staff that "Activision, Blizzard, and King are decidedly different companies with distinct games, cultures and communities. It is important to note that Call of Duty’s way of waking up in the morning to deliver for players can often differ from the stunning games in Blizzard’s realm: each with different gameplay experiences, communities that surround them, and requisite models of success. I’ve discussed this with the Blizzard leadership team and I’m walking into this role with sensitivity to those dynamics, and deep respect for Blizzard, as we begin to explore taking our universes to even higher heights."

Faries added that she is "committed to doing everything I can to help Blizzard thrive, with care and consideration for you and for our games, each unique and special in their own right.” Meanwhile, on X, Faries wrote that Blizzard's Diablo 4 was part of her current rotation of games, alongside Call of Duty and Baldur's Gate 3.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/former-call-of-duty-chief-johanna-faries-is-blizzards-new-president-193852238.html?src=rss

The first PlayStation State of Play of 2024 will stream this Wednesday at 5PM ET

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Sony’s PlayStation division has cooked up its first State of Play event for 2024, which will stream this Wednesday at 5PM ET. The company promises a runtime of 40 minutes and coverage of more than 15 upcoming titles.

To that end, Sony says two of the games profiled will be Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin. Stellar Blade, formerly called Project Eve, has been on our radar for a while, and it’s been around 18 months since we got an update. The PS5-exclusive was supposed to hit store shelves in 2023, so we’re due for a release date and another trailer that shows off more footage of the forthcoming action RPG. For those keeping score, the first teaser trailer for Stellar Blade appeared way back in 2019.

As for Rise of the Ronin, it’s a historical action RPG from Team Ninja, the developer behind Nioh. The game’s set in 1863, during Japan’s Bakumatsu era, and you play as a wandering Ronin. Expect plenty of third-person melee combat and gorgeous visuals. You'll be able to get your hands on it on March 22, so expect some sort of final trailer. 

Those are the only two confirmed games that’ll get the spotlight during this week’s stream, leaving more than 13 unknowns. There have been rumors swirling around the internet throughout the weekend regarding what else will be on the docket. These leaks suggest the stream will also feature Death Stranding 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, a remaster of Sonic Generations, a remake of Silent Hill 2 and a new Metro game, among others. Like all leaks, take this information with a grain of salt. However, the original leaker did nail the date of the event, so there’s that.

You can watch via the official PlayStation site. It’ll also be available on the company’s YouTube, TikTok and Twitch channels. Sony promises information on both PS5 exclusives and upcoming PS VR 2 games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-playstation-state-of-play-of-2024-will-stream-this-wednesday-at-5pm-et-192534173.html?src=rss

The first PlayStation State of Play of 2024 will stream this Wednesday at 5PM ET

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Sony’s PlayStation division has cooked up its first State of Play event for 2024, which will stream this Wednesday at 5PM ET. The company promises a runtime of 40 minutes and coverage of more than 15 upcoming titles.

To that end, Sony says two of the games profiled will be Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin. Stellar Blade, formerly called Project Eve, has been on our radar for a while, and it’s been around 18 months since we got an update. The PS5-exclusive was supposed to hit store shelves in 2023, so we’re due for a release date and another trailer that shows off more footage of the forthcoming action RPG. For those keeping score, the first teaser trailer for Stellar Blade appeared way back in 2019.

As for Rise of the Ronin, it’s a historical action RPG from Team Ninja, the developer behind Nioh. The game’s set in 1863, during Japan’s Bakumatsu era, and you play as a wandering Ronin. Expect plenty of third-person melee combat and gorgeous visuals. You'll be able to get your hands on it on March 22, so expect some sort of final trailer. 

Those are the only two confirmed games that’ll get the spotlight during this week’s stream, leaving more than 13 unknowns. There have been rumors swirling around the internet throughout the weekend regarding what else will be on the docket. These leaks suggest the stream will also feature Death Stranding 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, a remaster of Sonic Generations, a remake of Silent Hill 2 and a new Metro game, among others. Like all leaks, take this information with a grain of salt. However, the original leaker did nail the date of the event, so there’s that.

You can watch via the official PlayStation site. It’ll also be available on the company’s YouTube, TikTok and Twitch channels. Sony promises information on both PS5 exclusives and upcoming PS VR 2 games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-playstation-state-of-play-of-2024-will-stream-this-wednesday-at-5pm-et-192534173.html?src=rss

Arzette, a love letter to the CD-i Zelda games, will also revive an awful controller

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Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore is getting a controller worthy of its inspiration — for better or worse. The upcoming game, a spiritual successor to the infamous 1993 Zelda titles for the Philips CD-i, will launch with a limited edition controller that resembles one of the largely forgotten system’s original remotes.

Developer Seedy Eye Software (a homophone for “CD-i software”) says using the controller on “Classic Controls” mode will let you “play Arzette, as it might have played back in 1993.” That’s when the title’s inspirations — Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon — arrived for Philips’ (brief) stab at a game-changing home entertainment system. (A third title in the series, Zelda’s Adventure, launched in 1994 with a top-down view, and Philips discontinued the system four years later.)

One may wonder why a developer would want to pay homage to a pair of historical duds better known for their memed cutscenes and masochistic gameplay than, oh, fun. Earlier this month, creator Seth “Dopply” Fulkerson told Game Developer he saw “untapped potential” in the notorious titles.

“The limitations the games suffered thanks to the hardware, budget and time constraints became painfully obvious,” he said. “I found it very inspiring to see how much [director Dale DeSharone] and his team accomplished with so little. There is a handcrafted charm to the games. They are hand-animated, hand-drawn, with brilliant music, designed in a surprisingly non-linear way that encourages you to explore them.” He continued, “Though they have many, many flaws, I truly believe there is innate potential in the games. Making a new game in the same style, with improvements to the core gameplay, was an irresistible idea.”

The game brings back several artists from the Zelda CD-i games. These include artist Rob Dunlavey and voice actors Jeffrey Rath (Link) and Bonniejean Wilbur (Zelda).

Promotional image for gear promoting the upcoming game Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore.
Seedy Eye Software / Limited Run Games

The “retro-inspired” controller will only work with Switch and PC. (The game will also support PS5 / PS4 and Xbox.) The remote looks nearly identical to Philips’ paddle controller, except for a couple of extra buttons. A fair warning that, given how the original remote played, the new version won’t likely make Arzette (or any other games) more playable or enjoyable — just more nostalgic.

Seedy Eye has partnered with Limited Run Games to distribute the controllers (and physical game copies). The two companies say they "worked hand-in-hand to craft the perfect physical goodies that pay tribute to Arzette and this oft-overlooked era in gaming.”

The controller will be available to pre-order starting February 2 at 10AM ET. (Pre-orders close on March 17.) The remote costs $35, will ship in a gray color and currently has an estimated November ship date. A pink variant will be exclusive to Arzette’s Collector’s Edition bundle. Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore arrives on February 14. You can watch its trailer below.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/arzette-a-love-letter-to-the-cd-i-zelda-games-will-also-revive-an-awful-controller-180450138.html?src=rss

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League pulled offline after a bizarre game-beating bug

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Rocksteady’s new third-person action shooter Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been pulled offline just one hour after launch when players encountered a bizarre bug that immediately beats the game. We’ve all heard of game-breaking bugs, but this may be the first game-beating bug. Obviously, players want more than three minutes of playtime out of their $70 purchase.

The issue immediately locks players out of all story missions, including tutorials, in a race to reach the end credits. This also makes it impossible to receive trophies and achievements, though most purchasers will probably get hung up on the whole “the game is basically unplayable” aspect. Still, if you’re looking for the easy mode to beat all easy modes, this is it. We could have used this bug for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice or Cuphead.

There’s one major caveat here that’s saving this from becoming a huge story comparable with the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2099, and many other recent AAA launches. The game doesn’t officially release in most of the world until February 2. Some territories get it tomorrow, January 30, and that’s where the bug comes in. Due to the magic of global time zones, it’s already January 30 in New Zealand, which is where players encountered the issue. However, it’s not too hard to change your Xbox system clock to New Zealand time to snag the game early. Don’t do that. Give Rocksteady some time to fix the problem.

To that end, the developer says they are working on a fix, which involves performing maintenance on the servers. Rocksteady urges patience, writing that it could take “several hours” before being handled. Throughout this time, the game will remain offline. In any event, the ship should right itself before February 2.

Looking for a silver lining? Being as how the bug skips the vast majority of the game, the risk of story spoilers is really low for the next few days. So go ahead. Hit up your favorite social media sites and message boards.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-pulled-offline-after-a-bizarre-game-beating-bug-161955046.html?src=rss

Fan-made Bloodborne Kart catches heat from Sony, forcing developers to shift gears

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We were so close to finally drifting on the cobblestone streets of Yharnam, but it looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer for Bloodborne Kart. And, it’ll be called something else when it does arrive. Lilith Walther, the developer behind the project, said the team has to “scrub the branding” off of the game and delay its release after Sony intervened. It was supposed to be released on January 31 for PC. The outcome isn’t exactly surprising, but it means the game will take shape a bit differently than planned — in a thread posted on X, Walther said, “This is a fan game no more!”

Bloodborne Kart, a retro-style racing game that started out as a meme, has generated a ton of support from fans who have been yearning for new Bloodborne content. In response to the latest development, many have joked that the whole saga has forced Sony, which owns the IP, to actually acknowledge the title for the first time in years. Walther previously released a free Bloodborne “demake” in the style of a PS1 game.

“So Sony contacted us,” Walther wrote in an update on Friday. “Long story short, we need to scrub the branding off of what was previously known as Bloodborne Kart. We will do this, but that requires a short delay. Don't worry, the game is still coming out! It'll just look slightly different.”

The developers planned to feature 12 racers styled after familiar Bloodborne characters, including The Hunter and The Doll from the Hunter’s Dream, with single-player and multiplayer modes. There were to be 16 maps and boss fights, so you could race against the likes of Father Gascoigne. It really sucks that they won’t be able to follow through with the original idea, because it looked awesome, but I have no doubt they’ll spin it into something equally great.

“We were honestly expecting something like this to happen and the idea of having full creative control is kind of exciting!” Walther wrote. There's no new release date just yet, but in the meantime, you can rewatch the Bloodborne Kart trailer on a loop and dream of what we almost had. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fan-made-bloodborne-kart-catches-heat-from-sony-forcing-developers-to-shift-gears-183652390.html?src=rss

Fan-made Bloodborne Kart catches heat from Sony, forcing developers to shift gears

Posted on by

We were so close to finally drifting on the cobblestone streets of Yharnam, but it looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer for Bloodborne Kart. And, it’ll be called something else when it does arrive. Lilith Walther, the developer behind the project, said the team has to “scrub the branding” off of the game and delay its release after Sony intervened. It was supposed to be released on January 31 for PC. The outcome isn’t exactly surprising, but it means the game will take shape a bit differently than planned — in a thread posted on X, Walther said, “This is a fan game no more!”

Bloodborne Kart, a retro-style racing game that started out as a meme, has generated a ton of support from fans who have been yearning for new Bloodborne content. In response to the latest development, many have joked that the whole saga has forced Sony, which owns the IP, to actually acknowledge the title for the first time in years. Walther previously released a free Bloodborne “demake” in the style of a PS1 game.

“So Sony contacted us,” Walther wrote in an update on Friday. “Long story short, we need to scrub the branding off of what was previously known as Bloodborne Kart. We will do this, but that requires a short delay. Don't worry, the game is still coming out! It'll just look slightly different.”

The developers planned to feature 12 racers styled after familiar Bloodborne characters, including The Hunter and The Doll from the Hunter’s Dream, with single-player and multiplayer modes. There were to be 16 maps and boss fights, so you could race against the likes of Father Gascoigne. It really sucks that they won’t be able to follow through with the original idea, because it looked awesome, but I have no doubt they’ll spin it into something equally great.

“We were honestly expecting something like this to happen and the idea of having full creative control is kind of exciting!” Walther wrote. There's no new release date just yet, but in the meantime, you can rewatch the Bloodborne Kart trailer on a loop and dream of what we almost had. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fan-made-bloodborne-kart-catches-heat-from-sony-forcing-developers-to-shift-gears-183652390.html?src=rss

Naughty Dog’s behind-the-scenes documentary on The Last of Us Part 2 arrives February 2

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The Last of Us Part II Remastered arrived last week, and if the cutscene commentary from the game's director, writer and key actors wasn't enough for you, Naughty Dog has another behind the scenes piece coming. Grounded II: Making The Last Of Us Part II, a documentary on the game's creation, will arrive on February 2 at 12PM ET on YouTube as well as in the game itself. There's a trailer in the remastered game currently, and the full documentary will be added via a downloadable patch. That patch will also have some new skins for Ellie and Abby in the main game.

The development of The Last of Us Part II was challenging, to say the least —Naughty Dog infamously crunched its employees to get the game done, but it was still delayed multiple times. Plus, key scenes from the game that contained extensive spoilers were leaked just a few weeks before the game launched, and the team also had to content with the Covid-19 outbreak while finishing everything up. 

Judging from the Grounded II trailer that Naughty Dog released a few weeks ago, it looks like all those topics and more will be added in the documentary — though I wager Naughty Dog will only address the crunch situation in a way that doesn't reflect badly on the studio or Sony. That caveat aside, the previous Grounded documentary that covered the development of the original The Last of Us for the PS3 was a pretty in-depth look at how things work inside a game studio. So while we're certainly going to get a sanitized version of the truth, fans of the game will likely be interested to hear directly how the studio decided to make the controversial narrative choices it did, and how the fallout from the leaks affected the game's launch. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/naughty-dogs-behind-the-scenes-documentary-on-the-last-of-us-part-2-arrives-february-2-184556009.html?src=rss