Dark Souls Franchise Sales Pass 8 Million Mark
From Software's Dark Souls franchise has sold over 8 million copies globally.
The figure comes courtesy of Famitsu (via Neogaf) and includes four key titles: the original Dark Souls and Dark Souls with the Artorias of the Abyss expansion, as well as Dark Souls II and the remastered release, Scholar of the First Sin.
Demon's Souls and Bloodborne are not included.
As for specifics, Dark Souls and the Artorias of the Abyss sales stand at just over 5 million, while Dark Souls II sales are just under 2 million and Scholar of the First Sin edition sales for PS4 and Xbox One sit at around 530,000. Interestingly, it's on the PC that the game has seen runaway success, with more than 3.25 million copies sold on that platform.
Skullgirls 2nd Encore Release Dates Announced For PS4, PS Vita
Lab Zero Games announced today that Skullgirls 2nd Encore, the updated version of its original 2D fighting game, is coming to PlayStation 4 on July 7 in the U.S.
The developer is aiming to release the PlayStation Vita version six weeks after the launch of the PS4 version. Fans can currently pre-order the game now and those who buy it on PS4 can get it PS Vita and vice-versa.
Thrilled to finally announce that #Skullgirls 2nd Encore will be available on US #PS4 on 7/7! Pre-order now if you haven’t already!
Windows 10 Preview Gets Even More Xbox Features This Month
A slew of new Xbox on Windows 10 features are heading to Windows Insider members with a new app preview version rolling this month.
As outlined on the Major Nelson blog, the update introduces a "My Games" section that lists installed games from the Windows Store. The preview adds an enhanced game hubs that allows users to initiate an Xbox One game streaming session from its game hub page.
Star Citizen’s First-Person Shooter Module Delayed
The developer of Star Citizen is delaying the game’s first-person shooter module called Star Marine indefinitely, according to an update from Cloud Imperium Games founder Chris Roberts.
Roberts explains that ongoing technical and gameplay-related issues are hindering the release of the FPS component that was initially slated to launch shortly after PAX East in April.
“The tl;dr is that we feel the current build doesn’t feel like it lives up to the standards we’ve want to achieve with Star Citizen,” the post reads. “There are several issues that will need additional time in order to deliver the first iteration of the gameplay we want you to experience. The challenges facing the FPS launch are a mix of technical blockers and gameplay issues.
Fallout Shelter Adds its First Fallout 4 Character
Fallout Shelter has added its first official Fallout 4 character.
Leader of the Commonwealth Minutemen Preston Garvey is now available in shelter, as is his Laser Musket. Preston is categorized as a Legendary Dweller, which means you'll need to open a lunchbox - which you can also purchase with real world cash - in order to find him.
Launched at E3 a couple of weeks ago, Fallout Shelter has been hugely popular, with play sessions surpassing 70 million per day globally in its first week.
Lucy O'Brien is Entertainment Editor at IGN’s AU office. Follow her ramblings on Twitter.
Marvel Turns Skottie Young’s Art Into the Cutest. Pins. Ever.
Marvel has revealed 28 collectible enamel pins (via MTV News) -- designed by Eisner-winning artist Skottie Young (Rocket Raccoon) -- that will be sold exclusively at San Diego Comic-Con this year.
Here's a full checklist of Marvel's adorably exclusive Comic-Con pins, based on existing cover designs by Young, along with some pics of the packaging:
Ronin Review
Ronin is a stealthy, cyberpunk-themed action platformer starring an assassin with an axe to grind. Taking some cues from Kill Bill, slick tracksuit and motorcycle helmet included, you infiltrate enemy compounds to pinpoint the location of five targets who left a stain on your past. Marred only a little by control flubs, Ronin is a brief but entertaining ride, packed full of gripping covert infiltrations and plenty of bloodshed.
As video games have often taught, it is a lot of fun to play as a lithe assassin, and Ronin is no exception. Here, you clamber up walls and dive through windows; you stick to the shadows, dodging traps and enemy eyesight; you crawl on ceilings, swing from a grappling hook, and slide down ventilation shafts--all the while sinking your sword into anyone who stands between you and your goals. The locomotion of your vengeful assassin is intuitive and fun. Hopping over platforms and rooftops is smooth, and ending your brisk sprint by bursting through a glass pane to knock down a dumbfounded security guard and plunge a katana into his back is a sinister thrill that never gets old.
But as fancy as your moves may be, it takes only one bullet for enemies to end your violent jaunt--so, naturally, you need to kill them first. Ronin employs a turn-based combat system, which makes for a rather dramatic gear shift from the methodically paced sleuthing. However, the combat is steady and challenging, and is a joy to boot. The game pauses the moment you enter battle, which offers a chance to scan the area and get your bearings on the fight ahead. Enemies train their laser sights on you, forcing you into a situation where you must escape harm. Using your mouse or analogue stick, you create a jumping arc line to evade incoming fire indicated by a red laser sight. Leaping into a guard knocks him over, which momentarily stuns him, occasionally giving you the chance to deal a finishing blow. Every action moves the battle forward one second, which is important to note, as enemies can call in lockdowns unless you can stop them within a 10-second time limit.
You have access to all of your abilities while in combat, and your mastery of them can mean the difference between a successful dodge and getting blown to bits. The tense battles have you swinging through the air on your grappling hook or bouncing from wall to ceiling like Spider-Man. Knocking down or killing an opponent earns a point that goes into a handful of unlockable skills. After collecting enough unused points, you're granted a limit break, or one free move to use however you wish, from leaping to quickly finishing off a nearby enemy.
Unfortunately, the controls aren't always as sharp as your helmeted assassin's blade.
Completing all objectives in a mission earns you a point to put toward even more skills to be added to your arsenal of moves. As your move set evolves, you're soon able to stun multiple targets, drop a distracting hologram, or perform a stealth kill (the latter being a personal favorite). The animation for the kill--basically a black rope that reaches down to pull an enemy into the rafters--does admittedly look odd. But nothing offers the same level of grim satisfaction as sneaking into a room of hapless foes and leaving meaty piñatas behind.
Unfortunately, the controls aren't always as sharp as your helmeted assassin's blade. At times, your character doesn't follow the jumping arc. It's rare, but it occurs enough to be an irritation--such as during moments when instead of leaping in an arc that leaves you a foot off the ground, the assassin jumps into the air and catches a bullet in the brainpan. For the lack of a better term, it's wobbly: controls work fine most of the time, but suddenly something shifts and you eat a bullet sandwich. Luckily, checkpoints are scattered throughout each mission, which keeps frustration to a minimum.
Worse, however, and far more aggravating, are the mistakes made due to button prompts that change depending on the situation. For example, one button is typically used in order to enter doors, but the given prompt sometimes changes if you're near someone, such as a civilian--whom you typically try not to kill. So, after getting it stuck in your head that a certain prompt is used for entering a door, you may feel a tad perplexed as to why your assassin is suddenly dealing a death blow to a civilian standing just off to the side.
This happens because Ronin allows for multiple button prompts to enable you to tackle many enemies at once while in combat. During exploration, typically only one particular button is used. But when there is suddenly another possible target, the button might swap with another (for example, from A to B), sometimes allowing the aforementioned unfortunate situation to occur. It can happen in combat as well; an accidently thrown sword will quickly teach you to take battles more slowly and stay mindful of the button prompts. It isn't a damning problem, but it is jarring, and can often lead you to reload your last checkpoint.
Minor control issues don't keep Ronin down. Though the game can be finished in around six hours, it provides enough intense moments to keep your attention locked through every second. There is also a new-game-plus mode if you're hungry for more and looking for some tougher action. Enjoyable and captivating, Ronin proves that revenge is a dish best served cold--and sometimes hanging from the ceiling.
Where Should Fallout 5 Take Place?
Fallout 4 was revealed a few weeks ago on June 3, and it's been non-stop Bethesda since then. The initial trailer confirmed that Boston would be the game's setting, and did a fantastic job of teasing a much larger gameplay reveal at E3 2015. Cut to a few weeks later, and Bethesda blew the doors off of Fallout 4 with a whole mess of story reveals, new gameplay systems (crafting!), and a mobile game that took the IGN office by storm.
Now obviously all eyes are on Fallout 4 leading up to its November 10th release, but our good friends at ThinkGeek wanted to get ahead of the curve. They polled over 800 people on where they wanted the next-next Fallout game to take place. They also wanted to see which platforms gamers were stoked to play the upcoming game on. Take a look:
Rumor: Tomb Raider Reboot Seeks Female Director
A new rumor suggests that Warner Bros. and MGM are seeking a female director for their upcoming reboot of Tomb Raider.
According to Heroic Hollywood's sources, screenwriter Evan Daughtry's (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) script for the Tomb Raider reboot is now complete, and the studios want to fast-track production on the film with a female director along the lines of Breaking Bad helmer Michelle MacLaren.
"Well the script is out to directors and here is the kicker, they're looking for a female director, a Michelle Maclaren type," notes the site. "The reboot is on a fast track, and there is strong progress to production language in the rights deal with Square Enix, the video game company behind the game."
Star Wars Battlefront Leads Game Critics Awards Best of E3 Nominees
This year's Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 nominees have been announced. IGN's Game of the Show, Star Wars Battlefront, leads the way with five nominations, followed by Fallout 4 and Horizon: Zero Dawn with four each.
2015's Best of Show nominees are Fallout 4, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Oculus Touch, Star Wars Battlefront, and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Electronic Arts and Sony Computer Entertainment lead all publishers this year with eleven nominations. Bethesda earned seven nominations, while Microsoft Studios and Nintendo each have six.