Monthly Archives: January 2015
Podcast Unlocked: Revealing Our Game of the Year Votes
DOWNLOAD PODCAST UNLOCKED EPISODE 178
IGN's Game of the Year has been announced. We discuss how we cast our individual votes. Plus: a big MOBA hits Xbox One, Forza Motorsport 6 gets announced...in Detroit, Microsoft may be bringing back a "beloved" strategy game, Xbox One wins an Emmy(?!), and more!
DOWNLOAD PODCAST UNLOCKED EPISODE 178
Find previous episodes if you missed any!
Dexter Alum Cast as Other Trickster in The Flash
Former Dexter and American Horror Story actor Devon Graye has joined the cast of The Flash.
According to The Wrap, Graye will star as Axel, also known as The Trickster, in Episode 17 of the series alongside Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, who is signed on to play an older version of the superhero. Hamill first portrayed the character in the short-lived Flash series in 1990.
Trickster is a member of the Rogues, a band of super villains that cause chaos in Central City. Graye joins fellow Rogues Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell) and Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller), as well as Weather Wizard (Liam McIntyre) and The Pied Piper (Andy Mientus).
Hotline Miami 2 Refused Classification in Australia
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number has been refused classification in Australia. The decision has been published in the Classification’s Board’s ratings database.
As it stands Hotline Miami 2 cannot be sold, hired, demonstrated or advertised in Australia.
The Board notes the game “is classified RC in accordance with the National Classification Code, Computer Games Table, 1. (a) as computer games that "depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.”
Warcraft Movie Star Promises Brilliant Visual Effects
In a little over a year, director Duncan Jones will unveil his epic fantasy adventure Warcraft, based on the wildly popular game set in the world of Azeroth. Vikings lead Travis Fimmel stars in the film as Sir Anduin Lothar, the central protagonist for the Alliance, who is set against Toby Kebbell's Durotan of the Horde.
We were able to sit down with Fimmel recently to talk about the upcoming third season of History's Vikings. During our conversation, we briefly touched on his experience working on Warcraft.
"The fighting style is very different," the actor said, comparing Vikings' raw brutality with the more stylized nature of Warcraft. "There's all of those special effects
Be the Bad Guy in Upcoming PS4 Game Rack N Ruin
Top-down-style adventure game Rack N Ruin has been in development for three years, and soon, PlayStation 4 players will be able to finally explore its nightmarish world—as the bad guy.
Gamers play as Rack, "the evilest evil-doer in the history of evil," who is ordered by dark master Ruin to enslave a planet full of innocent peoples. Rack corrupts the open-world environment--turning animals into demons and poisoning the planet--with over 25 weapons, spells, and items. Ultimately, Rack's power grows and he must make the choice to hand things over to Ruin, or bring on the apocalypse.
LifeSpark Entertainment says Rack N Ruin employs "fast and hectic" shooter-style combat in a hand-painted video game landscape, created by former Blizzard artist Tyler Hunter (World of Warcraft, Diablo 3). It also "aims to recapture the magic of classic adventure games like Legend of Zelda" with a modern twist, according to the developer's website.
The Simpsons Top 25 Couch Gags
For all the complaints that The Simpsons isn't as good as it once was, one element of the show that has improved over the years is the couch gag. Each episode has its own unique way of depicting the Simpson family dashing to the living room to watch themselves on TV. Where once these segments were only a few seconds in length, these days they often stretch out for a full minute or two of elaborate animation. Sometimes guest director are brought on board to create these couch gags.
New Driveclub Japanese Track DLC Showcased
Driveclub developer Evolution has posted a video preview of one of the new Japanese tracks coming to Driveclub later this month via the game’s Facebook page.
Evolution described the track – Nakasendo – as “an epic point-to-point drive offering plenty of wide open sections for high speed overtaking and
switchbacks where you can get your drift on.”
As Evolution explained last year, Driveclub's post-release track content will be provided free.
Arrow: Midseason Return Trailer
Arrow is back next week, but is Oliver Queen? After the events of the midseason finale, a lot of questions remain about what's going to happen next. But in the meantime, Starling City has some new problems, including Brick (Vinnie Jones). But there are still heroes like Arsenal and Diggle in Starling, and as the new trailer for the show's return indicates, they may have some help very soon.
Jump Street Directors Talk Men in Black Crossover
21 (and 22!) Jump Street co-director Phil Lord has addressed the potential merge between the successful comedy franchise and Sony's Men in Black universe, saying "Nothing's changed" with the idea.
“It’s still a crazy idea, and we only do things that seem like they’re going to be terrible,” Lord told MTV News at this week's Golden Globes. He added, "We’re really focusing on what’s a great story for Schmidt and Jenko and how to tell the next chapter in their lives. And perhaps use creatures from another world at the same time.”
The crossover was revealed in a series of leaked emails between execs and actors, including Jump Street stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. All involved were eager about the idea, with Hill writing, "jump street merging with mib i think that’s clean and rad and powerful."
Console Modder Builds PS4 and Xbox One Combo Laptop
In what may be the closest we ever get to ending the console war, one brave modder has managed to fit a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One into one gaming laptop.
Ed Zarick, the guy behind the XBOOK ONE and PLAYBOOK 4, has built what he's calling the PlayBox 4One.
Only slightly larger than his previous creations, the PlayBox is made up of a PlayStation 4 one side and an Xbox One on the other. The unit has one power cord and though swapping between consoles just takes the flip of a switch, only one console can be powered at a time to prevent overheating. The PlayBox features a sturdy plastic casing, a 22″ 1080p Vizio monitor, and custom graphics.