Fumito Ueda Formed a New Studio With Ico/Shadow Devs
The Last Guardian lead Fumito Ueda says he set up a new studio named genDESIGN last summer.
Speaking via Twitter, Ueda says the team is made up of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus developers. The goal? To push the boundaries of what a game can be.
“Last summer, I started a small studio with some of my old collaborators to challenge myself and try something new,” says Ueda. “Since last summer, I've been working from a smaller studio I formed with the original staff who helped make Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.
“Together we hope to challenge our personal creative limits and the possibilities of what games can be, both with The Last Guardian and beyond.”
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival Bundle Spotted
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival is getting its own bundle pack.
Details are scarce at the minute but according to the Amazon listing, the bundle includes a copy of the game, two amiibo figures and three amiibo cards – each of which unlock their own party game.
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival was announced yesterday during Nintendo’s big E3 Digital Event. The game itself bears a vague resemblance to the Mario Party series in that players move around a digital board completing tasks. The big difference between the two being the introduction of amiibo cards, which work exactly like how they sound.
Kerbal Space Program Blasting Onto PS4
Space flight simulator Kerbal Space Program will be coming to PlayStation 4.
It recently had a full release on PC after time in Early Access on Steam, and will now be coming to Sony's console, according to a Tweet from the Kerbal Space Program Twitter account.
There is now an FAQ on the Kerbal Space Program forums detailing what this means for existing and future users. "The PS4 controller has systems that make building and flying rockets just as easy and intuitive as the PC version," it says. Flying Tiger Entertainment will be helping bring Kerbal Space Program to PS4.
Lego Dimensions Builds a Portal Game for Preschoolers
Portal test subject Chell, Gandalf the Grey and Batman walk into the Aperture Science labs accompanied by Doc Brown’s DeLorean... But that’s not the setup for poorly written gag - it’s the beginning of my E3 hands-on with the Portal 2 playset for Lego Dimensions.
While the science facility setting from Valve’s famous first-person puzzle series has appropriately been rebuilt brick by virtual Lego brick, all of the Portal hallmarks remain - from the constant sarcastic sass spouted by the chatty GLaDOS to the depressed tones of the eternally bummed out robot turrets. Even the ‘cake is a lie’ graffiti makes an appearance on the concrete wall behind the lab’s facade, although in typically cheeky Lego series fashion someone has scrawled ‘the cake is in the kitchen on floor 2’ below it.
See Sony’s Project Morpheus Up Close and Personal
One of the biggest upcoming wars in the gaming space is over virtual reality, yet Sony has been relatively quiet on its Project Morpheus device this E3, only announcing a multiplayer FPS called RIGS at its press conference. That doesn't mean it isn't at the show, of course, as these high resolution images from the floor attest:
It's also worth noting that Sony discussed the headset at this year's GDC, announcing it will be available to consumers in the first half of 2016 and giving details on the latest prototype.
Chris Evans to be New Top Gear Host
UK TV and radio personality Chris Evans will replace Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear, the BBC has announced.
Evans will be the lead presenter of an “all-new” line up and has signed a three-year deal with the show, reports the BBC. The mention of an “all-new” line up is a reminder that Clarkson’s former Top Gear co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond will not be involved with the show going forward.
Evans, described as a friend of Clarkson, had been tipped as a replacement for Clarkson early but previously denied he was looking to take over hosting duties on Top Gear via Twitter back in March.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s Wonderful New Toys
As my demo presentation for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided began, I heard just the magic words I wanted to hear: Action RPG. Leading up to the release of Human Revolution, I was nervous that one of my favorite franchises would be turned into just another sci-fi shooter, but my fear were unfounded. I came into my Mankind Divided demo with the same fears, but I left without them. Though the folks at Eidos Montreal have said that they want combat to feel more satisfying than before, it doesn't appear to be at the expense of the depth Deus Ex has always provided. Whether you play silently and non-violently, or ruthlessly aggressive, the many new augmentations and improvements mean more meaningful choices to make.
Oculus Rift’s Touch Controllers Will Wreck Your Sense of Reality
These days, I’m always prepared for two things whenever I slip on a virtual-reality headset: intermittent waves of nausea, and the lingering urge to grab at whatever I see. The first consumer version of Oculus Rift doesn’t entirely solve that first problem still, though it’s improved on it quite a bit—but when paired with the Oculus Touch controllers, it takes a huge, satisfying step toward giving me what I want on the second count.
According to Nate Mitchell, VP of Product at Oculus, the Rift I put on during my E3 demo isn’t even the actual final version—its weight and ergonomics will still get slight tweaks between now and the visor’s Q1 2016 launch. But even if it’s not absolutely final, the Rift now feels dramatically better to wear. This version is much lighter than the dev kits and the Crescent Bay prototype, and has adequate room for glasses. I used to have to take off my glasses or let the nosepads jam painfully into my face during appointments; in both scenarios, I’d get headaches that led to queasiness after extended time in the visor. And that was on top of whatever motion sickness that cropped up.
Batman Forever: The Case for and Against It
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Batman Forever's release. Yes, it was two decades ago when director Joel Schumacher first dropped his new take on the Caped Crusader - and Robin too! - on us, and the course of the Batman films would never be the same again.
The film, of course, is widely regarded as a wrong turn for the Dynamic Duo, and one that ultimately did the franchise in with the DOA follow-up that came two years later, the abysmal Batman & Robin. But still, there are some who argue that Val Kilmer’s turn as the Bat in Batman Forever has not gotten a fair shake over the years.
So we’ve asked two members of the IGN team with opposing views on the matter to offer up their arguments for and against Batman Forever: Matt Fowler takes the con approach while Scott Collura takes the pro. Better gas up the batmobile, Alfred, ‘cause things are about to get crazy up in here…
Blizzard Announces Free Legacy of the Void Prologue
Blizzard has announced a free prologue to StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void.
Introducing the free prologue to #LotV, featuring the first Zeratul missions since Wings of Liberty. #pcgamingshow pic.twitter.com/3w7KXoX0FW
— StarCraft (@StarCraft) June 17, 2015
Titled Whispers of Oblivion, the prologue features the first Zeratul missions since Wings of Liberty.