Joystiq

Minecraft Halloween Skin Pack hell-raised $770K for charity

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST

The Minecraft Halloween Skin Pack racked up a total of $770,448 for charities, developer 4J Studios revealed today. All proceeds from the spooky add-on, sold on Xbox Live for a month at 160 MSP ($2), are being split between the Block by Block, SANDS Lothians, Child's Play, and Macmillan Cancer Support charities. Based on the price, the figure suggests roughly 385,000 players bought the pack, making it a veritable graveyard smash.

4J Studios is hard at work on further Minecraft updates. The next in line, Title Update 7, includes among other things experience points and animal breeding, while Title Update 8 features The End and its Ender Dragon boss.

Minecraft Halloween Skin Pack hell-raised $770K for charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mass Effect 3 goes trick-or-treating with a Halloween Challenge

Mike Schramm — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 22:30:00 EST

BioWare is celebrating Halloween with a special trick and treat-inspired multiplayer challenge in Mass Effect 3. Beginning today and running through November 5, there are three new tasks for players to take on to earn a special holiday reward: Players need to run five extractions on the Firebase Ghost map (or its Hazard version), earn 7500 points against zombies (also known as husks or abominations in the Mass Effect parlance) and earn 10,000 points against monsters (which includes brutes, scions, praetorians, and banshees). Completing the tasks on any difficulty will earn players a Halloween Challenge Banner.

What's too bad is that you won't get the Halloween-themed characters teased above to join your gang. Bioware doesn't say, but we're pretty sure they're crew members for some other Mass Effect 3 team, maybe helmed by one Commander SCARE-perd of the USS Norman-DIE! Boooooo! [Ed. Note: You're fired.]

Mass Effect 3 goes trick-or-treating with a Halloween Challenge originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Killing terror with technology

Xav de Matos — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST

Welcome to The Level Grind, a column hell-bent on asking questions about video game design from the gamer's perspective. This week we examine scary games, in celebration of Halloween!

One of the main points stalwart defenders of Resident Evil 6 seem to be making in comments of many reviews is that we - as reviewers - should have adjusted our expectations. We wanted something classically scary but got an action game, and that was a reason for our staunch dismissal of the game, some have claimed. Though I disagree with that assessment and think what I've played of the game was a mess, it makes me wonder how much advancements in technology have mutated the survival horror genre.

In the PlayStation era, games like Silent Hill forced you to baby-step around the world out of genuine fear for what was around the next corner. That game's signature fog helped create an atmosphere such that, even if you knew exactly where to go, you had little idea what to expect on the way to your destination. Though the effect added tension, which in turn morphed into fear, its primary use was in response to processing power issues of the era. Distance Fog, as it is referred to, obscures objects in the distance and loads higher resolution (not high-res, mind you) textures as players approach them. The fog, one of the signature elements of the original Silent Hill, was used to ease limitations of the hardware and Konami brilliantly used it as a narrative device.

But as tech has grown more powerful, major developers have typically expanded games. With limitations abandoned, it seems they have no incentive to make reserved experiences. And with that, survival horror games of this generation have lost all mystery.

Continue reading Killing terror with technology

Killing terror with technology originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puppeteer shows off its spooky 'Hallowee' level

JC Fletcher — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:00:00 EST

If you're creeped out by things like puppets, dolls, and scarecrows moving around of their own volition, or - less likely - giant pumpkins and vampire disappointment, perhaps you should steer clear of this Puppeteer trailer, which shows off the "Hallowee Ville" environment.

The rest of you are welcome to soak up some Tim Burtonesque Halloween fun in this PS3 game video. What's up with those people scared of vampire disappointment, huh?

Puppeteer shows off its spooky 'Hallowee' level originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GOG celebrates Halloween wrong with anti-scary games sale

Sinan Kubba — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:30:00 EST

GOG.com is putting a selection of Halloween-themed games on sale today and tomorrow, the Halloween theme being they're "not scary." Each of the 16 spine-soothing games is priced 50% off, and the hair-settling assortment features entries from Simon the Sorcerer, Worms, and Rayman to name a few.

If you ask us, dark magic, weapon-wielding invertebrates, and a legless, armless, and neckless man with feet, hands, and a head that move independent of his body are all plenty scary, thank you very much.

GOG celebrates Halloween wrong with anti-scary games sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a Virtual Console Halloween

JC Fletcher — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST

Welcome to Living in the Past, a weekly column about what's new in old games. Now get off our lawn.

If you're going to be at home this Halloween, waiting to dispense candy and tinny Wilhelm screams to neighborhood children, why not pass the time with some spooky games? While it's easy to tell you to go play the latest zombie whatever or Castlevania, I am opting instead to mine the downloadable retro lineup of our most terrifying console: the Nintendo Wii.

There might still be some Castlevania.

Continue reading It's a Virtual Console Halloween

It's a Virtual Console Halloween originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Closure closes in on 66% off Halloween sale on PSN [update]

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST

Closure is shutting off two thirds of its price, going for $4.99 later today on PSN. Eyebrow Interactive's light-based puzzler is also discounted on Steam for the same price.

The Steam offer ends on November 1, while the PlayStation Blog is less clear about the PSN sale's, er, closure. The post simply says Eyebrow is "launching a special Halloween sale this week." We've reached out to the developer to shed some light.

Update: Eyebrow confirms to us the sale will last a week.

Closure closes in on 66% off Halloween sale on PSN [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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They Bleed Pixels hemorrhages price for Halloween, adds free level

JC Fletcher — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST

They Bleed Pixels will be on sale on Steam for $3.39 through November 1. It's a gentle suggestion from developer Spooky Squid Games that you should spend your Halloween spilling blood and setting custom checkpoints.

Along with the sale, Spooky Squid is adding a totally free new Halloween-themed level in which you earn candy for killing enemies. It'll show up in the "Extras" section of all copies sometime within the sale period.

Gallery: They Bleed Pixels (All Hallows’ Eve Level)

Continue reading They Bleed Pixels hemorrhages price for Halloween, adds free level

They Bleed Pixels hemorrhages price for Halloween, adds free level originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is in costume

Mike Suszek — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 23:30:00 EST

It shouldn't come as a surprise that everything seems to be Halloween-themed these days. With the spooky holiday upon us, let's reflect on some of our favorite scary games and hilarious gaming-related Halloween costumes.

... Ahh. It's fun to think back fondly on the memories, isn't it? Feel free to share your favorite spook-tacular games and (safe for work) costumes in the comments below while we continue to reflect quietly. Be sure to check out last week's webcomics, then vote for your favorite after the break while you compile your list!

Faster than Pie (Life in Aggro)
Elections (Manly Guys Doing Manly Things)
Dark Versions (Brawl in the Family)
Omega 13 (Virtual Shackles)
Spyrim (Angimoto)
History Lesson (Dave the Direman)
Videogame-o-Lanterns (Dorkly)
Gambling Problem (Awkward Zombie)

Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is in costume

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is in costume originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Oct 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Team Fortress 2 becomes 'Scream Fortress' once again, adds zombies and potions

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST

Team Fortress 2's fourth-annual "Scream Fortress" festivities have begun, bringing with them the usual blend of spooky items and ghastly baddies. This year's event, which runs until November 8, is also accompanied by a now-customary comic book, which explains how such terrifying circumstances came to be.

Said circumstances include haunted King of the Hill matches, during which players must battle the powerful ghost/wizard Merasmus and his book of bomb magic, the Bombinomicon. Additionally, control points have been booby trapped and now trigger the "Wheel of Fate" with each change in power, which has as much potential to harm as it does to help.

Item-wise, the ghoulish update adds magic spells in the form of potion bottles that can be applied to other inventory items; changing their colors, summoning ghosts or performing any number of other possible magical happenings. "One of the spells might even give you Glenn Danzig's eldritch phone number," Valve's announcement reads.

Mann vs Machine isn't left out of the fun either, gaining a brand-new mission called "Wave 666," which replaces the usual robotic enemies with those of an undead variety.

Team Fortress 2 becomes 'Scream Fortress' once again, adds zombies and potions originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock of Ages F2P on Steam this weekend, celebrates spooky times

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:59:00 EST

Rock of Ages is joining the season fun with a PC update that includes a redesigned matchmaking system, the ability to practice against the AI while waiting for online opponents, and most importantly of all, a new ghost boulder with cool cloth physics. That's right - cool cloth physics. Tell your friends.

The update also includes other Halloweeny treats, such as a jack-o-lantern GUI and tiny themed characters surrounding defensive units.

Rock of Ages has a free weekend on Steam now through Sunday, October 28, at 1 p.m. PT, and is 75 percent off (that's just $2.50) through Monday, October 29. Rock and roll out!

Rock of Ages F2P on Steam this weekend, celebrates spooky times originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minecraft XBLA gets a pack full of skins for Halloween

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:29:00 EST

"The Minecraft Halloween skin pack" sounds like a disgusting bag filled with blocky bits of flesh. The real Minecraft XBLA skins are almost as gross, but in a more charming, less messy way.

The Halloween skin pack includes 55 new, creepy character designs donated by developers around the world, and it runs 160 MS Points ($2). All of the proceeds benefit four charities chosen by Mojang, 4J Studios and Microsoft Studios. Bonus side note: For the first time in Minecraft XBLA's history, some of the skins feature capes.

The Halloween skin pack goes on sale on October 26 and will be available through November 26, the day following the end of Minecon 2012 at Disneyland Paris. Do the creep-ah.

Minecraft XBLA gets a pack full of skins for Halloween originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angry Birds Seasons calls out the Haunted Hogs

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:30:00 EST

The Halloween installment of Angry Birds Seasons adds 30 new levels and ghost bricks, along with some quirky-creepy music, if what's in the trailer gets transferred to the game itself. The Haunted Hogs update is live now - smash some pumpkins without the mess!

Angry Birds Seasons calls out the Haunted Hogs originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends unmasks Elise the Spider Queen, more for Halloween

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST

League of Legends is celebrating LoLoween this year with a new champion named Elise the Spider Queen, a remake of the Twisted Treeline map, and a set of Sinister Skins for Elise, Hecarim, Maokai and Twisted Fate. Peep the Spider Queen and her Twisted Trees below.

Continue reading League of Legends unmasks Elise the Spider Queen, more for Halloween

League of Legends unmasks Elise the Spider Queen, more for Halloween originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battlefield Heroes gets new map, weapons with special Halloween content

Mike Schramm — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 19:30:00 EST

EA's free-to-play Battlefield Heroes shooter is going trick-or-treating with a new set of Halloween content, as seen in the trailer above and the gallery below. The holiday update will bring a brand new map called the Perilous Port, as well as new Machete weapons, and a few different spooky items and outfits to wear.

There are also some new rewards to earn: Winning 10 games on the new map on ranked servers will earn you a faction-specific Halloween t-shirt, and there are also Trick or Treat-themed supply drops, with random chances to win other great stuff. Additionally, all of the other Halloween content from the game's previous years is back online as well, so jump on in and have yourself a frighteningly fun time.

Gallery: Battlefield Heroes (Halloween 2012)

Battlefield Heroes gets new map, weapons with special Halloween content originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Natural Selection 2 treats us to alien slaughter on October 31

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST

Natural Selection 2 is really pushing that October release window it set up in September; it's now due out on October 31. The original Natural Selection mod came out on October 31, 2002, precisely 10 years prior to its sequel's launch date.

"As the old saying goes, 'you've bitten off more than you can chew,'" Unknown Worlds writes in its release date announcement. "To which we reply: 'swallow it whole.'" While we're not quite sure of the context for that one, it is understandably spooky.

Natural Selection 2 treats us to alien slaughter on October 31 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minecraft's latest snapshot has a witchy woman

Mike Schramm — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 00:30:00 EST

Minecraft is getting a Halloween-related update in October, and among a slew of other changes (including updated sounds) a new creature is being added to the game. She's a witch! Mojang developer Nathan "Dinnerbone" Adams said the witch will be a ranged attacker, and will use the "Testificate" humanoid model, along with a polygonal nose that will wiggle and twitch.

Dinnerbone also hinted at a new animal type, while YouTuber Martyn (aka InTheLittleWood) posted a new video, which shows NPC bats are on their way to Minecraft. They'll spawn not only outside at night, but in any area, under or above ground, if there's a big enough space. They'll also hang upside down, rather creepily.

The new update should be out next month, so get your candy bags ready for then.

Minecraft's latest snapshot has a witchy woman originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Team Fortress 2 needs your spooky Halloween designs

Jordan Mallory — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:45:00 EST

Valve has issued a call to arms for all amateur Team Fortress 2 item designers, charging them with the responsibility of filling the game's Steam Workshop with as many spooky, gross or otherwise Halloween-y items as possible before the scaring season officially begins on October 1.

Incidentally, this means that there are already a whole bunch of adorable/icky new items floating around the Workshop, such as this cute lil owl or the Cortex Command exposed-brain Pyro mask seen above. We're especially fond of Sir Spooky, a rather fancy ghost who actually seems quite friendly, rather than terrifyingly macabre. He reminds us of another "friendly ghost," in fact.

Yes, you know who we're talking about - The Ghost of King Hamlet.

Team Fortress 2 needs your spooky Halloween designs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gears of War 3 celebrates Halloween with pumpkin heads

David Hinkle — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST

Have you loaded up some multiplayer in Gears of War 3 yet today? You may notice something festive: all players now have gigantic cartoonish pumpkin heads in celebration of Halloween.

The video above was captured and sent in by one of our readers. Overall, it's a pretty neat nod to the holiday, if we may say so, though the headshot around the 1:20 mark is a bit unsettling. We don't like the idea of blood inside of a pumpkin.

[Thanks, KingOfGods]

Gears of War 3 celebrates Halloween with pumpkin heads originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq's favorite unintentionally scary games

JC Fletcher — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST

Earlier today, we brought you one brave admission of childhood trauma caused by a game you wouldn't normally think of as scary. Now, the Joystiq staff is chiming in with their own tales of games that, despite not being traditional "horror" games, still managed to inspire absolute horror.

Let the nightmares of our collective youth entertain you! Happy Halloween!

Continue reading Joystiq's favorite unintentionally scary games

Joystiq's favorite unintentionally scary games originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ecco the Dolphin: unexpected terror in the deep blue sea

Heidi Kemps — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:20:00 EST

It's Halloween, the day we all turn our attention to all things spoooooooky. In honor of this occasion, Heidi Kemps makes a convincing case for the secret scariness of the seemingly non-horror-oriented Ecco the Dolphin. Later, the Joystiq staff will share their own picks for unintentionally frightening games. We'll just leave you in suspense for now (boo!)

Dolphins! Every adolescent girl on the planet loves dolphins, but being a fan of marine life in general, I really liked dolphins. I was certainly among the many, many girls with Lisa Frank school supplies emblazoned with imagery of brightly airbrushed, neon-colored dolphins, but I was far more into porpoises than even that, with plenty of other themed baubles in my possession. So, of course, when Ecco the Dolphin came out for the Genesis, I was excited to check the game out, especially with the rave reviews it had received in magazines at the time.

Little did I suspect the horrors Sega and Novotrade had in store for me.

Continue reading Ecco the Dolphin: unexpected terror in the deep blue sea

Ecco the Dolphin: unexpected terror in the deep blue sea originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scream Fortress 2 returns with new comic, costumes and at least one haunted eyeball

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:30:00 EST

If you've ever wondered why fanatical Valve devotees are so fanatically devoted, this is exactly why. The company's titles have an excellent sense of humor, sure, but its fun, intelligent stuff like this that endears the development studio to the hearts of gamers everywhere.

In celebration of everyone's favorite cosplay justification, Valve has released a free update for their free-to-play free-for-all Team Fortress 2, which promises an "ENORMOUS HAUNTED EYEBALL," as well as fresh 'chievos and costumes for each class. There's even a comic to provide a little backstory, which is worth checking out strictly for its artistic merit, even if TF2 isn't your jam.

Scream Fortress 2 returns with new comic, costumes and at least one haunted eyeball originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Limbo pumpkin is as eerie and beautiful as the game itself

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST

We may not have held a pumpkin carving contest this year, but that didn't stop Joystiq pun'kin' veteran Dennis C. from creating a hauntingly gorgeous gourd for us all to gaze upon. Recreating two of the most nerve-racking scenes from Limbo's forest area, this carved masterpiece serves as an example of just how impressively captivating a hollowed out dead thing can be when given to the right artist.

Gallery: Dennis C's Limbo Pumpkin

Limbo pumpkin is as eerie and beautiful as the game itself originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Non-spooky savings: Amazon's buy 2, get 1 free sale

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST

Look, just because it's Halloween season doesn't mean everything has to be Halloween oriented, okay? We love costumes and candy as much as the next website, but if we see the word "spooktacular" one more time we're going to straight-up gouge our own brains out.

Amazon, at least, has the common courtesy to run a non-festive, yet entirely excellent buy 2, get 1 free sale in lieu of the expected, ghoulish sales promotions extended by other corporations. The sale applies to a boat-load of fresh hotness like Batman: Arkham City, Dark Souls and The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection, so check it out if you'd rather spend $120 on new games rather than new cavities.

Non-spooky savings: Amazon's buy 2, get 1 free sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dungeon Defenders scares up free Halloween DLC on PC

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:30:00 EST

Dungeons are pretty spooky places to being with, what with the shackles and the chains and the spiders and everything, but are Trendy Entertainment and Reverb Publishing content with letting Dungeon Defenders' inherent dungeon-dwelling spookiness carry it through the brief-yet-important Halloween season? Hell no!

Well, "Hell no!" if you regularly defend dungeons on your PC, at any rate. PSN and XBLA defenders will have to make due, but Steam users can download Dungeon Defenders' Halloween Costume and Mission packs for free, right this very instant. In aggregate, the packs include eight new costumes, a "devilishly hard" Halloween mission, eight new seasonal weapons, and a redecorated tavern for Halloween merry-making.

We don't want PSN or XBLA defenders feeling left out, so we recommend imagining how different your life would be had you purchased the game on Steam, instead of your console of choice. Terrifying!

Gallery: Dungeon Defenders (Halloween Spooktacular)

Dungeon Defenders scares up free Halloween DLC on PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halloween Sale Megapost: Namco, EA, GoG, Direct2Drive, OnLive

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST

This Halloween weekend, many major game distributors are treating us to some massive sales on games they consider "scary," "dark," or that include zombies. To make the scavenging easy while you put the final touches on your Pyramid Head costume (you freak), we've compiled the Halloween-weekend deals from EA, GoG, Direct2Drive, Namco Bandai and OnLive right here.

The trick? We're eating all the candy ourselves, and you get none. Boo-ya.

Continue reading Halloween Sale Megapost: Namco, EA, GoG, Direct2Drive, OnLive

Halloween Sale Megapost: Namco, EA, GoG, Direct2Drive, OnLive originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dark Meadow updated, price dropped for Halloween

Justin McElroy — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST

It's true what The Grand Wizard says, you know, anything really can happen on Halloween. To prove it, Phosphor Games is dropping the price of its excellent, creepy iPhone adventure, The Dark Meadow, to $2.99 from now until Oct. 31.

What's that you say? A timed discount isn't proof of Halloween magic? Well, what if we told you the game was also getting an update in addition to the price cut, including 4S optimization, multiple save slots and a whole list of improvements we've got after the break? Now do you believe?

No? What's wrong with you? Have you no heart? Also: Has anybody seen my tambourine?

Continue reading The Dark Meadow updated, price dropped for Halloween

The Dark Meadow updated, price dropped for Halloween originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spooky Savings: Amazon's 'Un-BOO-lievable' Halloween sale

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST

Autumnal consumerism is usually linked with holidays based around turkeys and/or trees, but that hasn't stopped Amazon from conjuring up some scary-good deals to celebrate All Hallow's Eve.

The available gambit of creepy-eepy savings is fairly all-inclusive, ranging from Halloweenish gore-fests like Dead Island, Rise of Nightmares and Left 4 Dead, to the more subtle, yet still emotionally horrifying Catherine. There are a few odd-balls in there like Dead or Alive Dimensions and Duke Nukem Forever, although we suppose Duke is terrifying in a more abstract sense of the word.

Spooky Savings: Amazon's 'Un-BOO-lievable' Halloween sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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These gaming pumpkins are a real treat, no trick

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST

When planning a fun way to celebrate the fall season, we believe the early settlers tried a variety of creative, yet failed, traditions:

Asparagus-eating contests
The entire town acting out Hamlet at the same time, with their own grandfathers' skulls playing the part of Yorick
Jumping off a 60-foot cliff into a pile of dead leaves
Grave-robbing (that one stuck, but it became year-round and highly lucrative in a non-spiritual way)
Eggplant, leek, corn and lentil carving

Most of these died out with the maypole, but that last one may have led us to the modern fascination with pumpkin carving, which has now led us to these beautiful video-game-inspired pumpkins from ceemdee. This year's pumpkins feature Bastion, Doom 2, The Dig, Worms, Oregon Trail, Outlaws and Magicka. Apparently ceemdee has been doing this since 2009, and the squashy backlog is just as impressive.

Continue reading These gaming pumpkins are a real treat, no trick

These gaming pumpkins are a real treat, no trick originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Weinstein Company announces TWC Games label

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:40:00 EST

Having reached the pinnacle of success in the film industry -- by distributing Best Picture-winning The King's Speech -- The Weinstein Company has made the dutiful turn to games, taking up "a new initiative in the video game space." Forming a "strategic consultancy" with Beefy Media, the newly minted TWC Games label will look to further capitalize on Weinstein properties, notably from its Dimension Films division, by bringing them to mobile, social and console platforms.

Beefy teases that "we have a bunch of products in development," but no specific game announcements have been made at this time. The Dimension label houses a host of horror franchises, including Scream, Hellraiser, Halloween and Children of the Corn, in addition to lighter fare, like Scary Movie and Spy Kids.

Scream 4 hits theaters in three weeks -- so plenty of time to put together a "compelling, high quality, cost-efficient" port. They just have to change those pumpkin heads to Scream masks.

The Weinstein Company announces TWC Games label originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elemental sales improving alongside the game

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:45:00 EST

Elemental's campaign of redemption appears to be working, with sales up 30 percent in October. Speaking with Big Download, Stardock didn't share any specific sales figures, but noted that Impulse purchases are up and retail stores are increasing shipment orders. The company probably got a nice boost during the month by offering the next two game expansions for free to those who purchased the title before All Hallows' Eve.

Stardock has been doing a pretty solid job so far of turning the strategy RPG's "disastrous" launch around. Elemental may have been born prematurely, but with proper oversight from the game's new senior producer, the franchise might just grow up into a respectable member of society.

Elemental sales improving alongside the game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA discounts Mass Effect, Dead Space and more for PC Halloween sale

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 15:30:00 EST

EA's mobile offerings aren't the only games the publisher is marking down in honor of this most spooky holiday -- the EA Store currently has half-off deals on PC blockbusters like Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and Dead Space. Peep all the temporarily low prices below.

Continue reading EA discounts Mass Effect, Dead Space and more for PC Halloween sale

EA discounts Mass Effect, Dead Space and more for PC Halloween sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Oct 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Gears of War 2 multiplayer treating 31 times XP this weekend

Randy Nelson — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 06:00:00 EST

Want a really nice Halloween treat, Gears of War 2 multiplayer buffs? Epic Games and Microsoft have ratcheted up the XP bonus by 31 times, the only trick being that you must play beginning today (October 29) through Monday, November 1, in order to reap the rewards of their generosity.

PSA: Gears of War 2 multiplayer treating 31 times XP this weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Team Fortress 2 Halloween special adds game's first boss

JC Fletcher — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:30:00 EST

This year's Team Fortress 2 Halloween special includes things that no man has ever seen in Team Fortress 2 -- indeed, things that most TF2 players will insist do not, and cannot exist. Like an NPC. For the first time in any Team Fortress game, your team will meet an AI boss character: the "Horseless, Headless Horsemann." He'll be waiting for you in the spooky new Mann Manor map, which would be a much more frightening prospect if your whole team wasn't overladen with giant guns at all times.

Other new updates include Halloween items in the Mann Co. store, a randomly dropping Haunted Halloween Gift, and Ghostchievements, which are like regular Achievements but scarier, obviously. You can now gift wrap items in the store, as well, but despite Valve's best efforts, we're not going to buy that as a Halloween-themed update.

Team Fortress 2 Halloween special adds game's first boss originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minecraft Halloween update previewed, new evils revealed

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST

Oh, man. We're still a good week and some change away from the highly anticipated Halloween update for Minecraft, but we're already filled with raw, seething hate for the creatures depicted above. They're called "Ghasts," and they're a new type of enemy which only appears in the new hell-like dimension which players can fast-travel through using homemade obsidian portals, where the red rocks which compose the floor, walls and ceiling can burn eternally. Sounds just delightful, doesn't it?

PC Gamer recently checked out the new area -- and its hovering, flame-spitting inhabitants -- in an early preview. If you want to be prepared for the Ghasts' particularly unpleasant form of attack, we suggest you start doing your research.

Minecraft Halloween update previewed, new evils revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Father and son create elaborate Samus arm cannon

JC Fletcher — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST

11-year-old Joseph DeRose decided he wanted to (cross) dress as Samus Aran for Halloween this year. So he and his dad set out to build a replica of Samus's Metroid Prime-era Varia Suit, starting with the arm cannon. The final cannon has a speaker and LED lights controlled by an Arduino microcontroller, so it can be made to fire simulated Power Beam, Plasma Beam and charged shots. Joseph even has to correctly "log in" to use it!

The rest of the costume is still incomplete, but at this point Joseph has a perfectly acceptable backup costume: "Guy With This Awesome Arm Cannon."

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Father and son create elaborate Samus arm cannon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Treat yourself to this Pac-Pumpkin Halloween lawn decoration

James Ransom-Wiley — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

There's really ever only one excuse to drop $100 on an 8-foot Pac-Man lawn decoration. Thank you, Halloween.

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Treat yourself to this Pac-Pumpkin Halloween lawn decoration originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minecraft Halloween update adds new monsters, fishing, wristwatches

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:35:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

A blog post on the official website for the biggest indie hit in all of recorded human history, Minecraft, has revealed that a whole slew of new features will be added to the title as part of a "Halloween Update." These new features are fairly wide-reaching, including new monsters (which are "actually difficult this time around"), torches which eventually extinguish over time, fishing, the ability to fast travel by moving through an (assumedly dangerous) "hell world," and a craftable wristwatch, which lets players keep track of how much time is left in the day before the baddies rear their ugly heads.

There are also a few mechanical changes to the game planned for the October 31 update as well, such as new music and sounds, a few bug fixes and additional multiplayer functionality. We sure hope you can finish your to-scale recreation of the Taj Mahal before Halloween, because, man, it sounds your build site is going to get hazardous.

Minecraft Halloween update adds new monsters, fishing, wristwatches originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Costume Quest is Double Fine's first downloadable title

Christopher Grant — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

As reported from last month's Develop conference, Double Fine - the San Francisco-based development studio led by Tim Schafer - won't be following up Brütal Legend with Brütal Legend 2. Instead, it's working on four "smaller" games, the first of which has just been revealed. Costume Quest is the first of two games being published by THQ and it's not being designed by Tim Schafer himself.

"The concept is the brainchild of Double Fine lead animator Tasha Harris," 1UP reports. Shafer explains, "we are coming out swinging with two great adventures from two of the most creative minds in the company."

While the game is being published by THQ's KFC business (that's Kids, Family, Casual Games), VP Martin Good says the games' "potential appeal could encompass both hardcore and casual players."

Costume Quest has a Halloween theme and, in what is surely a coincidence, a Halloween release date this year on both Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. For more information on what kind of game it is (it's isometric!) and to see some screens of the lovely, cel-shaded art, hit up UGO in the Source link below.

Gallery: Costume Quest (PSN/XBLA)

Costume Quest is Double Fine's first downloadable title originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Splatterhouse to bring the gore in time for Halloween

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:28:00 EST

Gamespot reports that a Namco Bandai representative has informed the site that Splatterhouse is "due for a Halloween release," which is just about as appropriate as release dates get. What would you have preferred? Labor day? Veterans' Day? Those don't make any sense. We suppose a Día de los Muertos release might work, but let's not split hairs, okay? Let's just split zombies. With extreme force.

Halloween actually falls on a Sunday this year, so we're not sure whether the Namco Bandai representative meant on Halloween or shortly before Halloween. We've contacted the developer to try and get a clarification. The new trailer above simply says "fall 2010."

Splatterhouse to bring the gore in time for Halloween originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 May 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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