Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[RetroBlazer feels like Doom by way of Saturday morning cartoons]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/retroblazer-feels-like-doom-by-way-of-saturday-morning-cartoons/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/retroblazer-feels-like-doom-by-way-of-saturday-morning-cartoons/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/retroblazer-feels-like-doom-by-way-of-saturday-morning-cartoons/#comments Amil Parra isn't a big fan of violence. That might sound strange coming from a man designing an homage to '90s sprite-based FPS games like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, but one look at the game in motion and it becomes obvious that the inspiration Parra draws from those games is the feel, not the aesthetic.

Meet RetroBlazer: a PC game that feels like a 1994 run-and-gun shooter, but looks like something you'd catch between episodes of Biker Mice From Mars and Mighty Ducks (that's the cartoon featuring space-ducks fighting space-dinosaurs by the way, not the live-action film featuring a lawyer fighting to be a better person).

Continue reading RetroBlazer feels like Doom by way of Saturday morning cartoons

JoystiqRetroBlazer feels like Doom by way of Saturday morning cartoons originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>doomhydra-game-workskickstarterpaxpax-southpax-south-2015pcretroblazerTue, 27 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Check-in, Knock-out: More fun than jumping on hotel beds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/check-in-knock-out-more-fun-than-jumping-on-hotel-beds/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/check-in-knock-out-more-fun-than-jumping-on-hotel-beds/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/check-in-knock-out-more-fun-than-jumping-on-hotel-beds/#comments

Checking into a hotel can be stressful. Even if your overnight establishment of choice doesn't lose or otherwise muck up your reservation, what if you don't have a reservation in the first place and there's no vacancy? And then, there are the hotels that force you to do battle with your fellow room-seekers, tossing exploding luggage and tearing the room apart in an effort to make them fall to their death.

What, you've never had that happen? Clearly you haven't played Check-in, Knock-out. But you should.

Continue reading Check-in, Knock-out: More fun than jumping on hotel beds

JoystiqCheck-in, Knock-out: More fun than jumping on hotel beds originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>check-in-knock-outlionade-gamespaxpax-southpax-south-2015pctinybuild-gamesSun, 25 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Adventures of Pip is modern cute plus classic challenge]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/adventures-of-pip-is-modern-cute-plus-classic-challenge/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/adventures-of-pip-is-modern-cute-plus-classic-challenge/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/25/adventures-of-pip-is-modern-cute-plus-classic-challenge/#comments I'm calling it now: the Kickstarted Adventures of Pip from developer TicToc Games is going to win cutest game of 2015. I don't care that we're not even to the end of January; Pip is so cute that I want him in a kids' TV show. He's so heart-meltingly precious that I want plush figures and a breakfast cereal themed after him.

Pip is so gawl-darned lovable and sweet that it makes me deeply, deeply angry.

The game's charming aesthetic masks a sinister beast. For despite the playful bounce of our square-shaped hero and the bright colors that surround him, this is a world looking to commit straight-up pixelated murder.

Continue reading Adventures of Pip is modern cute plus classic challenge

JoystiqAdventures of Pip is modern cute plus classic challenge originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 25 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventures-of-pipkickstartermacmicrosoftnintendopaxpax-southpax-south-2015pcplaystationps4tictoc-gameswii-uxbox-oneSun, 25 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First-person puzzler Magnetic: Cage Closed is like Portal, cubed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/first-person-puzzler-magnetic-cage-closed-is-like-portal-cubed/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/first-person-puzzler-magnetic-cage-closed-is-like-portal-cubed/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/first-person-puzzler-magnetic-cage-closed-is-like-portal-cubed/#comments Guru Games isn't afraid of having their recently-announced game, Magnetic: Cage Closed compared to Portal. In fact, that's where it started: a school project designed as an homage to both Valve's famous, meme-producing first-person puzzler and lesser-known horror/suspense film, Cube.

Magnetic takes place in an alternate history version of the 1960s, where inmates sentenced to death can be sold for scientific testing. Such is your fate, as you are a prisoner charged with testing the D27 Magnetic Propulsion Device - or, in simpler terms, a magnet gun.

Continue reading First-person puzzler Magnetic: Cage Closed is like Portal, cubed

JoystiqFirst-person puzzler Magnetic: Cage Closed is like Portal, cubed originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Jan 2015 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cubeguru-gameshey-does-anyone-remember-that-movie-cubemagnetic-cage-closedmicrosoftpaxpax-southpax-south-2015pcplaystationportalps4xbox-oneSat, 24 Jan 2015 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@PAX South: PAX Plays Pokemon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/seen-pax-south-pax-plays-pokemon/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/seen-pax-south-pax-plays-pokemon/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/seen-pax-south-pax-plays-pokemon/#comments
[You are now watching PAX South Plays Pokemon - Input your commands below]
up

Continue reading Seen@PAX South: PAX Plays Pokemon

JoystiqSeen@PAX South: PAX Plays Pokemon originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 24 Jan 2015 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-southpax-south-2015seen-atseen-at-paxseen-at-pax-southtwitch-plays-pokemonSat, 24 Jan 2015 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Breach and Clear: Deadline brings tactical thinking to zombie slaughter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/breach-and-clear-deadline-brings-tactical-thinking-to-zombie-sl/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/breach-and-clear-deadline-brings-tactical-thinking-to-zombie-sl/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/breach-and-clear-deadline-brings-tactical-thinking-to-zombie-sl/#comments A zombie apocalypse is no excuse for sloppy tactics. That's the thinking behind Breach and Clear: Deadline, an undead twist on the top-down strategy genre and offshoot of the iOS/Android game Breach and Clear.

In Deadline, ransacked interiors and mangled streets are home to various forms of infected; parasitic worms capable of "hyper-evolution" have invaded the soft, squishy bodies of the former humans that once lived here.

Okay, so they're not technically undead zombies, but the upside is that Mighty Rabbit is using the hyper-evolving worms as justification for a new campaign, a wide variety of enemies and a fresh gameplay experience.

Continue reading Breach and Clear: Deadline brings tactical thinking to zombie slaughter

JoystiqBreach and Clear: Deadline brings tactical thinking to zombie slaughter originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breach-and-clearbreach-and-clear-deadlinedevolver-digitalgun-mediamighty-rabbit-studiospaxpax-southpax-south-2015pcFri, 23 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Citizen is now a first-person shooter, too]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/11/01/star-citizen-is-now-a-first-person-shooter-too/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/11/01/star-citizen-is-now-a-first-person-shooter-too/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/11/01/star-citizen-is-now-a-first-person-shooter-too/#comments Star Citizen isn't just about spaceships anymore. At PAX Australia, developer Cloud Imperium Games showed off the extremely well-crowdfunded game's first-person shooter module, which lets players fight for glory with handheld armaments (as opposed to galactic vehicle-mounted ones).

A gameplay video posted to YouTube by CIG shows a team of four spacefaring badasses securing a space station full of enemies who would like nothing more than to see our intrepid heroes turned into space dust. Things look a bit standard as far as shooters go - albeit with pretty graphics and nice flourishes - but near the end of the video, gravity pulls a disappearing act and the shooting takes to the air.

The FPS module isn't ready for widespread battle just yet, but we'll keep you informed of its continuing development. In the meantime, enjoy watching the PAX gameplay demo and check out screens showing off the new mode after the break.

Continue reading Star Citizen is now a first-person shooter, too

JoystiqStar Citizen is now a first-person shooter, too originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Nov 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloud-imperium-gamespaxpax-aus-2014pax-australiapcroberts-space-industriesstar-citizenSat, 01 Nov 2014 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How Spry Fox used (human) guinea pigs to evolve Free-Range Dragons overnight]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/11/how-spry-foxs-free-range-dragons-evolved-during-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/11/how-spry-foxs-free-range-dragons-evolved-during-pax/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/11/how-spry-foxs-free-range-dragons-evolved-during-pax/#comments If you played Spry Fox's Free-Range Dragons at PAX Prime earlier this month, you may have a vastly different impression of the game than players who returned to the team's booth during the show's final hours.

This isn't just a matter of taste, either. Spry Fox actively updated its PAX Prime demo of Free-Range Dragons throughout the expo weekend, making sweeping changes in response to player behavior and feedback. The experiment was a valuable learning experience for Spry Fox, and produced results that will likely inform the project's future direction.

Continue reading How Spry Fox used (human) guinea pigs to evolve Free-Range Dragons overnight

JoystiqHow Spry Fox used (human) guinea pigs to evolve Free-Range Dragons overnight originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Sep 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developmentfree-range-dragonspaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcspry-foxThu, 11 Sep 2014 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy creator sees mobile success in download numbers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/08/final-fantasy-creator-sees-mobile-success-in-download-numbers/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/08/final-fantasy-creator-sees-mobile-success-in-download-numbers/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/08/final-fantasy-creator-sees-mobile-success-in-download-numbers/#comments Hironobu Sakaguchi's name is credited with leading and assisting in the creation of many games over the years, from Final Fantasy to The Last Story, Chrono Trigger to Parasite Eve. The veteran designer announced his latest project in July, an action-RPG-puzzle game for iOS and Android called Terra Battle, before showing it off at PAX Prime earlier this month in Seattle.

At its heart, Terra Battle is more RPG than puzzler, but it looked like a card game-style sidequest from a Final Fantasy entry more than anything else. In it, players slide card-like icons that represent their team of fighters to a battle grid, each with a mess of unique skills and abilities. One turn consisted of selecting a teammate, then gliding it on the grid, pushing teammates around before settling in a spot within four seconds.

Depending on the enemies it was adjacent to and the fellow fighters it lined up with, it initiated individual and team attacks and spells. Within seconds, damage numbers, detailed character designs and ability names flashed on the screen in quick succession. The data stream was immediately overwhelming, then it evaporated from the screen. None of it made a lick of sense, yet the slide-and-move-on action was innate and enjoyable enough to encourage continued play.

Continue reading Final Fantasy creator sees mobile success in download numbers

JoystiqFinal Fantasy creator sees mobile success in download numbers originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Sep 2014 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcardsccgCollectible-Card-Gamedownload-starterHironobu-SakaguchiiosipadiphoneMistwalkermobilePAXpax-primepax-prime-2014puzzlerpgtcgterra-battleMon, 08 Sep 2014 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Behemoth finally has enough clout to get away with Game 4]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/05/the-behemoth-finally-has-enough-clout-to-get-away-with-game-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/05/the-behemoth-finally-has-enough-clout-to-get-away-with-game-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/05/the-behemoth-finally-has-enough-clout-to-get-away-with-game-4/#comments The Behemoth, better known as the house that made Castle Crashers, is continuing a pattern in which it approaches new genres with each project. Its newest venture, Game 4, is a turn-based strategy game for PC and Xbox One that retains the developer's quirky humor and trademark charms while stripping away some of the expected tropes found in the genre. In it, players collect a team of interchangeable, oddball heroes wielding the strangest weapons and helmets, then select their movement paths on the battlefield and observe as attacks play out. It's an intriguing direction for a studio that made its biggest mark with a beat-em-up.

Continue reading The Behemoth finally has enough clout to get away with Game 4

JoystiqThe Behemoth finally has enough clout to get away with Game 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Sep 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien-hominidbattleblock-theatercastle-crashersDan-Paladindevelopmentgame-4gameplay-trailerindiepaxpax-primepax-prime-2014recommendedscreenshotssequelsstrategyteaserThe-Behemoththe-behemoth-game-4trailervideoFri, 05 Sep 2014 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Harmonix's A City Sleeps dreams of bullet hell]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/harmonixs-a-city-sleeps-dreams-of-bullet-hell/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/harmonixs-a-city-sleeps-dreams-of-bullet-hell/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/harmonixs-a-city-sleeps-dreams-of-bullet-hell/#comments
It quickly becomes apparent that the developers of Harmonix's A City Sleeps are hardcore arcade shoot-'em-up fans. Its screen-filling bullet patterns recall Cave games like Deathsmiles and DoDonPachi, and its multi-faceted mechanics draw inspiration from Radiant Silvergun and other highly regarded classics.

On its surface, A City Sleeps seems like a sudden and dramatic shift for Harmonix, a studio best known for creating the rhythm-driven Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises. Snap on a pair of headphones, however, and you'll instantly recognize A City Sleeps as a Harmonix game. Exceptional sound design elevates A City Sleeps within its genre, and the pedigree of talent involved in its creation made it a standout at PAX Prime.

Continue reading Harmonix's A City Sleeps dreams of bullet hell

JoystiqHarmonix's A City Sleeps dreams of bullet hell originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Sep 2014 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-city-sleepsharmonixmacpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcThu, 04 Sep 2014 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Extreme Exorcism is pixelated chaos for you and your ghostbusting friends]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/extreme-exorcism-is-pixelated-chaos-for-you-and-your-ghostbustin/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/extreme-exorcism-is-pixelated-chaos-for-you-and-your-ghostbustin/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/04/extreme-exorcism-is-pixelated-chaos-for-you-and-your-ghostbustin/#comments
Extreme Exorcism begins simply. The first round of play pits players against a possessed piece of furniture in one of several spacious rooms scattered throughout a haunted mansion. The enemy is easily dispatched with one of the many randomly spawned weapons found nearby, and the round concludes with little fanfare.

In round 2, a ghost enters the arena. Several seconds may pass before you figure out that the phantom mirrors your movements during the previous round perfectly, replicating your jumps and attacks in a pre-programmed daze. If you can remember what route you took while you were battling the possessed furniture in round 1, your ghostly doppelganger should pose little challenge.

Round 3 begins. Your ghost from round 1 teams up with a new apparition that replicates your performance from round 2, and you must exorcise them both. Every round afterward adds another ghost to the fray, and it isn't long before you succumb to your previous expertise. This is the essence of Extreme Exorcism, a game in which you are truly your own worst enemy.

Continue reading Extreme Exorcism is pixelated chaos for you and your ghostbusting friends

JoystiqExtreme Exorcism is pixelated chaos for you and your ghostbusting friends originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Sep 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>extreme-exorcismgolden-ruby-gamespaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcThu, 04 Sep 2014 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Never Alone blends clever platforming with cultural insight]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/never-alone-blends-clever-platforming-with-cultural-insight/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/never-alone-blends-clever-platforming-with-cultural-insight/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/never-alone-blends-clever-platforming-with-cultural-insight/#comments I like to think of Never Alone as a less depressing version of 2011's indie hit, Limbo. It features similar environment-based puzzle-platforming in an unforgiving world, but its buddy-system mechanics give an encouraging sense of optimism throughout.

This isn't to say that you won't be challenged in Never Alone. You'll fail its platforming sequences frequently, and its puzzles are suitably vexing. It's a clever and solid entry in the genre, and its focus on Alaska Native culture gives it a weight and purpose beyond its inventive gameplay.

Continue reading Never Alone blends clever platforming with cultural insight

JoystiqNever Alone blends clever platforming with cultural insight originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Sep 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e-line-mediamicrosoftnever-alonepaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcplaystationps4upper-one-gamesxbox-oneTue, 02 Sep 2014 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Globe-trotting with Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/globe-trotting-with-geometry-wars-3-dimensions/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/globe-trotting-with-geometry-wars-3-dimensions/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/globe-trotting-with-geometry-wars-3-dimensions/#comments It wouldn't be fair to Lucid Games to say that Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is "just more Geometry Wars," and then leave one's impressions at that. Announced just a few weeks ago, the game literally takes the series where it has never been, primarily thanks to new three-dimensional visuals (with a pun-tastic title to match). In all honesty though, calling it "more Geometry Wars" serves as a reassurance to the twin-stick series' devotees that its fast-paced action hasn't gone anywhere.

My time with Geometry Wars 3 at PAX Prime in Seattle demonstrated that the game fits perfectly with its 2D brethren. Piloting the iconic, angular cruiser through galactic grids felt as tight as ever, while slipping past threats and rapidly firing laser-like bullets at geometric baddies is as chaotic as ever. It took a few attempts to get acquainted with the game's latest twist, though the enemy and bullet behavior is just that, a "twisted" version of the previous games.

The flat grid-like playing field fans are used to is now a sphere, tube, pill, peanut or one of numerous other shapes, depending on which of the single-player mode's 50 levels you jump into. Every element in play is stuck to the surface like Nintendo's iconic plumber in Super Mario Galaxy, but ultimately Geometry Wars 3 draws some appropriate comparisons to Super Stardust HD. Missiles rocketed past my ship and around the bend of some levels, but aiming for the more distant neon creatures never felt like a real shot in the dark, if I'm allowed to make my own puns here.

Continue reading Globe-trotting with Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions

JoystiqGlobe-trotting with Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Sep 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Geometry-Warsgeometry-wars-3-dimensionshands-onlucid-gamesmicrosoftpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcplaystationps3ps4recommendedSierraSierra-Entertainmenttwin-stick-shooterxboxxbox-oneTue, 02 Sep 2014 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[(Not) Seen@PAX Prime: The many outfits of Assassin's Creed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/01/not-seen-pax-prime-the-many-outfits-of-assassins-creed/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/01/not-seen-pax-prime-the-many-outfits-of-assassins-creed/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/01/not-seen-pax-prime-the-many-outfits-of-assassins-creed/#comments PAX Prime in Seattle was host to many displays that celebrate video game series. Ubisoft's booth included several mannequins donning the outfits of characters from its rich Assassin's Creed series. Honestly, we just couldn't find most of them.

Continue reading (Not) Seen@PAX Prime: The many outfits of Assassin's Creed

Joystiq(Not) Seen@PAX Prime: The many outfits of Assassin's Creed originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Sep 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Assassins-Creedassassins-creed-unitycostumesoutfitspaxpax-primepax-prime-2014seen-atseen-at-paxUbisoftMon, 01 Sep 2014 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[You only get one chance to play Upsilon Circuit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/01/you-only-get-one-chance-to-play-upsilon-circuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/01/you-only-get-one-chance-to-play-upsilon-circuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/01/you-only-get-one-chance-to-play-upsilon-circuit/#comments Upsilon Circuit is an upcoming PC game from Legend of Dungeon developers Robot Loves Kitty, but you might never get the chance to play it. In fact, only eight people will ever be playing the game simultaneously, and once one of those players dies, that's the end for them; in Upsilon Circuit, you only have one life. Ever.

Think of it like Twitch Plays Pokemon meets Diablo 3, as televised by The Running Man, playing a game of 1 vs 100. Yeah.

Continue reading You only get one chance to play Upsilon Circuit

JoystiqYou only get one chance to play Upsilon Circuit originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alix-stolzercalvin-gobleindiepaxpax-prime-2014pcrobot-loves-kittyupsilon-circuitMon, 01 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spry Fox explores the joy of flight in Free-Range Dragons]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/spry-fox-explores-the-joy-of-flight-in-free-range-dragons/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/spry-fox-explores-the-joy-of-flight-in-free-range-dragons/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/spry-fox-explores-the-joy-of-flight-in-free-range-dragons/#comments
After challenging players with the uncompromising high-stakes roguelike Road Not Taken, Spry Fox is taking on more lighthearted fare with Free-Range Dragons, an action-oriented game in which players pilot flying dragons across fanciful 2D worlds.

There's a hardcore streak underneath Free-Range Dragons' cheery surface, however. Citing inspiration from Capcom's Monster Hunter series, Free-Range Dragons features high-flying battles in which you'll hunt down dangerous creatures and drag them back to your home base to recruit them. Free-Range Dragons is flexible enough to support multiple playstyles, and it's up to the player to decide how far they want to push themselves during their quest.

Continue reading Spry Fox explores the joy of flight in Free-Range Dragons

JoystiqSpry Fox explores the joy of flight in Free-Range Dragons originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>free-range-dragonshands-onpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcspry-foxSun, 31 Aug 2014 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Super Meat Boy Forever trims fat, cooks up 'huge' challenge]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/super-meat-boy-forever-trims-fat-cooks-up-huge-challenge/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/super-meat-boy-forever-trims-fat-cooks-up-huge-challenge/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/super-meat-boy-forever-trims-fat-cooks-up-huge-challenge/#comments Super Meat Boy Forever is as much a game as it is a meat grinder. It's "impossible," but only in the sense that it's similar to The Impossible Game, Grip Games' 2011 auto-running platformer that placed an emphasis on blazing hard difficulty. Super Meat Boy Forever dumps a similar formula into Team Meat's universe, and it's optimized for touch-based controls. "The goal is, this is going to be a Meat Boy that you play everywhere," Team Meat's Tommy Refenes told Joystiq at PAX Prime.

We took a moment to play both the tablet and PC versions of the game at the event, which both relied on two physical (or touch-based) buttons. While Meat Boy never stopped sprinting through the boldly-outlined demo level, he happily jumped, slid and fell to the Earth at a rapid pace on command. Leaping across broad gaps and jumping from wall to wall, our Meat Boy dodged spinning saw blades just like he did in the original, making the experience feel immediately at home with pared-down controls, particularly on a mobile device.

Continue reading Super Meat Boy Forever trims fat, cooks up 'huge' challenge

JoystiqSuper Meat Boy Forever trims fat, cooks up 'huge' challenge originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidhands-oniosipadiphonemobilepaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcrecommendedsuper-meat-boy-foreverteam-meattommy-refenesSun, 31 Aug 2014 14:36:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare's Shadow Realms is 4-on-1, action-RPG mayhem]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/biowares-shadow-realms-is-4-on-1-action-rpg-mayhem/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/biowares-shadow-realms-is-4-on-1-action-rpg-mayhem/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/31/biowares-shadow-realms-is-4-on-1-action-rpg-mayhem/#comments "We're focused on delivering the unexpected," Shadow Realms Senior Producer Dallas Dickinson said during a demonstration event at PAX Prime this weekend. After seeing the game in action, "unexpected" doesn't even begin to describe the chaos that will soon be unleashed by a developer rooted in deliberately paced single-player RPGs.

BioWare's Shadow Realms is a 4-versus-1 competitive multiplayer game that aims to capture the unpredictable nature of a dungeon master directing a tabletop game. The result is a deft mixture of Left 4 Dead and Tecmo's Deception series, challenging a party of players to navigate deadly dungeons overseen by a sadistic and omnipresent human opponent.

Continue reading BioWare's Shadow Realms is 4-on-1, action-RPG mayhem

JoystiqBioWare's Shadow Realms is 4-on-1, action-RPG mayhem originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarehands-onpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcshadow-realmsSun, 31 Aug 2014 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mew-Genics on hold, will return when it's 'more coherent']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/mew-genics-on-hold-will-return-when-its-more-coherent/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/mew-genics-on-hold-will-return-when-its-more-coherent/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/mew-genics-on-hold-will-return-when-its-more-coherent/#comments Mew-Genics is officially on hold, Team Meat's Tommy Refenes confirmed to Joystiq at PAX Prime in Seattle. The game was first revealed in October 2012, though the Super Meat Boy developer did not fully explain how the genetically-altered cat lady simulator would operate for another four months.

The decision to drag the game's esoteric explanation out is one that Refenes seemed to regret, saying the developer "shouldn't have been talking about it as much in the beginning as we did, because the game expanded beyond what it originally was." As a result, the game grew beyond Team Meat's own original vision: "Even some of the posts that we made in the beginning, that stuff doesn't exist in the game anymore," he added. For example, the developer discussed a "trinkets" system in December 2012, which is now gone from Mew-Genics, as it's "expanded into the stores" in the game.

Continue reading Mew-Genics on hold, will return when it's 'more coherent'

JoystiqMew-Genics on hold, will return when it's 'more coherent' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 19:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidDelayholdiosipadiphonemeat-boymew-genicsmobileon-holdpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcsuper-meat-boysuper-meat-boy-foreverteam-meatSat, 30 Aug 2014 19:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Motiga's Gigantic makes a big first impression]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/motigas-gigantic-makes-a-big-first-impression/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/motigas-gigantic-makes-a-big-first-impression/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/motigas-gigantic-makes-a-big-first-impression/#comments In Motiga's Gigantic, a team of five players choose unique champions who must work together to effectively control a map and slaughter their enemies - another team of five players - with the ultimate goal of destroying the opposing team's Guardian, a valuable asset that lies in wait at the opposite end of the map.

On paper, it sounds like yet another MOBA, the rapidly-expanding genre pioneered by games like League of Legends and Dota 2. In practice however, while the game's DNA is undeniably colored by the m-word genre, you'd be doing the game a ... well, gigantic disservice to think of it as another imitator.

Continue reading Motiga's Gigantic makes a big first impression

JoystiqMotiga's Gigantic makes a big first impression originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>giganticmobamotigapaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcSat, 30 Aug 2014 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Don't Starve Together is for people who 'just want to watch their friends burn']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/dont-starve-together-is-for-people-who-just-want-to-watch-thei/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/dont-starve-together-is-for-people-who-just-want-to-watch-thei/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/dont-starve-together-is-for-people-who-just-want-to-watch-thei/#comments Klei's cooperative Don't Starve expansion, Don't Starve Together, has the potential to bring you and your friends closer than ever before. That's when they'll least expect an axe in the face.

Don't Starve Together is unique in that it encourages both cooperative and competitive play. Plopped down in the middle of the unforgiving wilderness, up to four players team up to build a camp, hunt wildlife and eke out a meager existence, strengthened by their bonds of friendship.

The core Don't Starve experience can be much more forgiving, for instance, when you assign one friend to craft survival supplies while another goes and chops firewood. If you ran into any opposition alone and unprepared, you'd be in serious trouble, but with an armed buddy watching your back (and reviving you when you're overwhelmed), being stranded in the wilderness isn't so bad after all.

If one of your teammates decides to choose the pyromaniac character class, though, you could be in for a world of hurt.

Continue reading Don't Starve Together is for people who 'just want to watch their friends burn'

JoystiqDon't Starve Together is for people who 'just want to watch their friends burn' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dont-starvedont-starve-togetherklei-entertainmentmultiplayerpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014pcSat, 30 Aug 2014 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@PAX: The Behemoth's arcade]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/seen-pax-the-behemoths-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/seen-pax-the-behemoths-arcade/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/seen-pax-the-behemoths-arcade/#comments Above is the massive control panel that powers The Behemoth's untitled fourth game, currently codenamed "Game 4." After organizing their troops across a hex-based field, players confirm their selections with a tantalizing glowing green button, and send out orders by pulling an unusually shaped lever at their side, slot machine-style. After completing the PAX Prime demo, the screen instructs players to fill out a nearby comment card to rate the experience.

This isn't the only throwback hardware The Behemoth has on display at PAX, though. Hit the break below to get a look at some unique arcade cabinets created for Alien Hominid, Battleblock Theater, and Castle Crashers.

Continue reading Seen@PAX: The Behemoth's arcade

JoystiqSeen@PAX: The Behemoth's arcade originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2014 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien-hominidbattleblock-theatercastle-crashersmicrosoftpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014the-behemothxbox-oneFri, 29 Aug 2014 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Game Show Night at PAX Prime: 3 hours of hilarious filth (and prizes!)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/game-show-night-at-pax-prime-3-hours-of-hilarious-filth-and-pr/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/game-show-night-at-pax-prime-3-hours-of-hilarious-filth-and-pr/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/game-show-night-at-pax-prime-3-hours-of-hilarious-filth-and-pr/#comments Is your life missing a deep, soul-warping sense of depravity? Could you use a few chuckles? Enjoy game shows? Has Joystiq got the PAX panel for you! As part of a long-running tradition, our own Managing Editor, Susan Arendt, will be hosting Blankety Blank, a disgusting but hilarious take on the classic game show Match Game.

Join Susan as she asks audience members to answer simple fill in the blank questions, in the hopes that their answers will match the answers of the five game industry panelists, including Russ Pitts of False Gravity, Kathleen de Vere and Graham Stark of Loading, Ready, Run, Chris Kohler of Wired and Ubisoft community manager Dan Amrich. The event begins at 9:00pm Pacific in the Hedgehog theatre at PAX. Fair warning (especially if you have kids): The panelists' answers will be filthy. Like, wash your mouth out with Borax filthy.

Blankety Blank is part of a massive, three hour long super panel, Game Show Night. The whole thing kicks of at 7:00pm Pacific with Pyramid, followed by Jeopardy at 8:00pm and, finally, Blankety Blank at 9:00pm.

If you're not attending PAX this weekend, you can catch all of Game Show Night on Twitch right here.

JoystiqGame Show Night at PAX Prime: 3 hours of hilarious filth (and prizes!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-show-nightpaxpax-prime-2014Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell reveals its colors at PAX Prime [Update: trailer!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/saints-row-gat-out-of-hell-volition-deep-silver/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/saints-row-gat-out-of-hell-volition-deep-silver/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/29/saints-row-gat-out-of-hell-volition-deep-silver/#comments Volition has announced a new Saints Row 4 standalone expansion, titled Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell, during its panel today at PAX Prime 2014. A trailer shows Saints gang members Kinzie and Johnny Gat delving - and this is not a metaphor - into Hell to rescue the Saints Row boss who was promoted to President of the United States during Saints Row 4.

Hell is said to be roughly 50 percent the size of Steelport - the city from Saints Row: The Third and Saints Row 4 - and players will be able to fly around the city using demonic wings. Volition is also including weapons themed after Biblical curses and stories, including a gun that fires a plague of locusts, a gun that fires a plague of frogs, and a chair with machine guns and rockets strapped to it, representing sloth - one of the seven deadly sins.

There will also be a musical number.

The expansion will feature 2-player co-op where one partner plays as Kinzie while the other takes control of Johnny Gat. The expansion will be released January 27, for $19.95. Check out the trailer after the break.

Continue reading Saints Row: Gat Out Of Hell reveals its colors at PAX Prime [Update: trailer!]

JoystiqSaints Row: Gat Out Of Hell reveals its colors at PAX Prime [Update: trailer!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deep-silverpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014saints-rowsaints-row-4saints-row-gat-out-of-hellvolitionFri, 29 Aug 2014 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[See Joystiq at PAX Prime 2014!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/27/see-joystiq-at-pax-prime-2014/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/27/see-joystiq-at-pax-prime-2014/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/27/see-joystiq-at-pax-prime-2014/#comments Are you headed to PAX Prime later this week? So are we! Your pals at Joystiq will be scouring the show floor for scoops on upcoming games, and we'll be making appearances at a number of panels throughout the weekend. Come see us and say hi!

Search for "Joystiq" at PAX Prime's website and you'll find out which panels we're appearing at. Joystiq's Managing Editor Susan Arendt hosts the always hilarious (and unspeakably profane) Game Show Night: Blankety Blank on Friday. Saturday finds Feature Content Director Xav de Matos directing the fictional life sim Game Journalism Story, and Sunday sees Weekend Editor Sam Prell helming Not My Problem: Why Everyone Has A Role In Promoting Equality.

PAX Prime will showcase a number of standout indie games this coming weekend, including new projects from The Behemoth, Team Meat, and Spry Fox. We'll bring you the latest developments direct from Seattle starting this Friday.

[Image: PAX]

JoystiqSee Joystiq at PAX Prime 2014! originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Aug 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiqpaxpax-primepax-prime-2014Wed, 27 Aug 2014 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 10 spotlights Framed and Duet]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/29/pax-10-spotlights-framed-and-duet/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/29/pax-10-spotlights-framed-and-duet/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/29/pax-10-spotlights-framed-and-duet/#comments This year's PAX 10, a collection of games from independent developers, has been determined and will be highlighted at next month's PAX Prime convention. The ten games were hand-picked by 50 industry experts, starting with Duet, Kumobius' elegant arcade-style action game for iOS. Duet is joined by LoveShack's Framed, a narrative puzzle game trapped in a comic world. Both Duet and Framed received attention earlier this year when the games were among six total mobile titles in the PAX East Indie Showcase.

Those two games are joined by an abstract 2D PC platformer from DigiPen's Neat Snake known as Flickers. Infinity Monkeys' Life Goes On is also in the mix, in which players set out to find the Cup of Life by ironically sacrificing knights to the game's deathly contraptions. Untame's amorphous puzzler Mushroom 11 will be included in the showcase, as will Funktronic Labs' sci-fi, turn-based adventure game Nova-111.

Continue reading PAX 10 spotlights Framed and Duet

JoystiqPAX 10 spotlights Framed and Duet originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jul 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidduetflickersframedIndieiosipadiphonelife-goes-onLinuxmacmobilemushroom-11nova-111PAXpax-10pax-primepax-prime-2014pcpoof-vs-the-cursed-kittyshowcaseskullduggerystikboldthe-counting-kingdomTue, 29 Jul 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX South passes on sale ... right now!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/09/pax-south-passes-on-sale-right-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/09/pax-south-passes-on-sale-right-now/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/09/pax-south-passes-on-sale-right-now/#comments It's official, PAX South passes are now on sale. The news come via the official PAX Twitter account. Those interested in grabbing passes can point their browser here, where you'll be placed in a virtual queue that will let you purchase a pass when the time comes. The queue was fairly short as of this writing, but given how quickly PAX badges tend to sell out, anyone wishing to attend the San Antonio conference best get while the gettin's good.

PAX South goes down this January.
[Image: Indie Mega Booth]

JoystiqPAX South passes on sale ... right now! originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jul 2014 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-southsan-antonioWed, 09 Jul 2014 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX South in San Antonio announced for January 23-25]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/12/pax-san-antonio-announced-for-january/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/12/pax-san-antonio-announced-for-january/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/12/pax-san-antonio-announced-for-january/#comments PAX Prime, PAX East, PAX Australia and now ... PAX South. The new show will take place in January 2015. The announcement was just made at PAX East by Penny Arcade's Jerry Holkins. PAX South will run from January 23-25 at an undisclosed venue.

"We've been hearing for years that those in the south had a tough time making it to the northern corners of the country," Penny Arcade President Robert Khoo explained during the conference. "PAX South has always been a matter of 'when' rather than 'if.'"

This announcement makes us feel like we should start predicting future expansions to the PAX tour, since extra shows don't seem entirely out of the question. Anyone care to take a bet that PAX Antarctica is next on the list? What about PAX Atlantis, where Bioshock franchise owner 2K Games co-hosts the event in a recreation of Rapture, complete with splicers? Talk about untapped markets!

Update: The location of PAX South is the Henry B. Gonzalez convention center.
[Image: Penny Arcade]

Continue reading PAX South in San Antonio announced for January 23-25

JoystiqPAX South in San Antonio announced for January 23-25 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Apr 2014 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PAXpenny-arcadepenny-arcade-exposan-antonioSat, 12 Apr 2014 10:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Hotline Miami 2, Hyper Light Drifter headline PAX East's Indie Megabooth]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/31/hotline-miami-2-hyper-light-drifter-headline-pax-easts-indie-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/31/hotline-miami-2-hyper-light-drifter-headline-pax-easts-indie-m/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/31/hotline-miami-2-hyper-light-drifter-headline-pax-easts-indie-m/#comments Indie Megabooth has announced its lineup of featured games for PAX East 2014, revealing that Hotline Miami 2, Hyper Light Drifter, La-Mulana 2, and other indie standouts will be on display at next month's event in Boston.

Megabooth offerings include upcoming games like Die Gute Fabrik's Sportsfriends, Tiger Style's Spider: Rite of the Shrouded Moon, and Ronimo's Swords & Soldiers 2. Event organizers will also host the Indie Minibooth, a smaller venue that will feature a rotating lineup of games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

PAX East will be held in Boston on April 11-14. A full list of all featured games is after the break below.

[Image: Indie Megabooth]

Continue reading Hotline Miami 2, Hyper Light Drifter headline PAX East's Indie Megabooth

JoystiqHotline Miami 2, Hyper Light Drifter headline PAX East's Indie Megabooth originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Mar 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indieindie-megaboothpaxpax-eastpax-east-2014pcMon, 31 Mar 2014 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2014 panels bring you joy(stiq)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/13/pax-east-2014-panels-bring-you-joystiq/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/13/pax-east-2014-panels-bring-you-joystiq/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/13/pax-east-2014-panels-bring-you-joystiq/#comments If you're one of the few that managed to pick up tickets to PAX East 2014 in the narrow window they were available, then your schedule of events is now available to view. The Joystiq staff will be at PAX East this year in full force, and they're even headlining the event's list of fascinating panels.

If you're looking to maximize your odds at high-fiving folks like Joystiq's Managing Editor Susan Arendt, News Content Director Alexander Sliwinski or Reviews Content Director Richard Mitchell, you'll want to attend panels such as "Was I Wrong? Revisiting Controversial Reviews," "We didn't start the DLC fire, but we fed the monster. Now what?" and "Keep Your Opinion to Yourself: The Myth of the 'Objective' Game Review." We promise that not every panel will take multiple tweets to tell your friends about.

When you're not attending every one of Joystiq's panels, the PAX East Indie Showcase appears to be a good destination for PAX-goers, as six mobile indie games will be on display this year. PAX East 2014 will be held in Boston on April 11 through April 13.
[Image: PAX East]

JoystiqPAX East 2014 panels bring you joy(stiq) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiqpanelpanelspaxpax-eastpax-east-2014penny-arcadepenny-arcade-exposcheduleThu, 13 Mar 2014 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Citizen dogfighting module lands 'shortly after' PAX East]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/06/star-citizen-dogfighting-module-lands-shortly-after-pax-east/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/06/star-citizen-dogfighting-module-lands-shortly-after-pax-east/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/06/star-citizen-dogfighting-module-lands-shortly-after-pax-east/#comments In his latest monthly status update, designer Chris Roberts reveals plans to grant the public access to the dogfighting component of Kickstarter success story turned space epic Star Citizen.

"As I write this, the Star Citizen team is all around me hard at work on the Dogfighting Module," Roberts wrote. "We plan to premiere dogfighting at a special Citizens-only event just prior to PAX East. If all goes as planned, the Dogfighting Module itself will launch shortly after PAX and you will finally get your hands on your flight sticks!"

While this is not the first taste of Star Citizen's gameplay offered to prospective players - Kickstarter backers were granted access to hangars late last year - it is the first major component of the game to make its public debut. Unfortunately, Roberts offers no information on how fleshed out this dogfighting module might be, though with PAX East scheduled for April 11 through 13, we likely won't be waiting long for a first-hand glimpse.
[Image: Cloud Imperium Games]

JoystiqStar Citizen dogfighting module lands 'shortly after' PAX East originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Mar 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris-robertskickstarterpaxpax-eastpcspacestar-citizenThu, 06 Mar 2014 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX separates from Penny Arcade in co-founder's New Year resolution]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/02/pax-separates-from-penny-arcade-in-co-founders-new-year-resolut/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/02/pax-separates-from-penny-arcade-in-co-founders-new-year-resolut/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/02/pax-separates-from-penny-arcade-in-co-founders-new-year-resolut/#comments Penny Arcade the comic is officially distancing itself from PAX, the yearly gaming convention held in Seattle, Boston and Melbourne. Co-creator Mike Krahulik announced the ideological split in a blog post, as part of his New Year's resolution to be less of "a bully."

"You'll notice that it is no longer the Penny Arcade Expo," Krahulik writes. "It's outgrown us and it belongs to the gaming community at large now not just PA fans. Someday I expect to attend a PAX and not even be recognized. That's honestly fine with me. I don't want the material on PA or who I am to keep people from attending and enjoying PAX."

Penny Arcade similarly distanced itself from the charity it started, Child's Play, when Krahulik and co-creator Jerry Holkins realized the comic's content was impeding the charity's outreach, Krahulik says. Child's Play is now its own organization that Penny Arcade supports from afar.

Much of Krahulik's resolution stems from "a difficult year" where he received negative public attention for things he said on Twitter, the Penny Arcade blog and at PAX. In 2010, Penny Arcade ran a comic that made light of rape, and Krahulik and Holkins responded to outcry by selling merchandise supporting the strip - the "dickwolves" debacle. Krahulik and Holkins removed the dickwolves stuff from its stores, but on a panel at PAX Prime 2013, Krahulik said that pulling the merch was "a mistake." His statement reopened the wound.

Continue reading PAX separates from Penny Arcade in co-founder's New Year resolution

JoystiqPAX separates from Penny Arcade in co-founder's New Year resolution originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jan 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mike-krahulikPAXpax-2014pax-eastpax-primepenny-arcadepenny-arcade-expoThu, 02 Jan 2014 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2014 sold out]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/pax-east-2014-sold-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/pax-east-2014-sold-out/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/pax-east-2014-sold-out/#commentsPAX East 2014 sold out With 154 days to go before the actual event, PAX East 2014 is officially sold out. The annual expo is set for April 11-13, 2014, in Boston.

"Sunday passes are gone! We are now entirely out of badges for PAX East 2014," tweeted the official PAX twitter this morning.

So, that's it. We'll see you there if you're going. Actually, wait, did we get our tickets? Yikes! This is all so sudden.

[Image: Nadezhda1906 via Shutterstock]

JoystiqPAX East 2014 sold out originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Nov 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-east-2014penny-arcadeThu, 07 Nov 2013 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Three-day passes to PAX East 2014 sell out in minutes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/24/three-day-passes-to-pax-east-2014-sell-out-in-minutes/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/24/three-day-passes-to-pax-east-2014-sell-out-in-minutes/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/24/three-day-passes-to-pax-east-2014-sell-out-in-minutes/#comments Three-day passes for PAX East 2014 went on sale yesterday, and if you haven't secured one yet, it's already too late. Less than an hour after registration opened for the upcoming Penny Arcade-sponsored event, the group's initial allocation of three-day passes sold out completely.

The Penny Arcade Expo and its spinoff events have grown in popularity over the last several years, leading to near-instant registration sell-outs. Three-day passes for this year's PAX Prime also sold out less than an hour after becoming available in April.

As of this writing, passes for PAX East's Friday and Sunday showings are still available for purchase. Hotel reservations are available here. PAX East will take place in Boston from April 11 through 13, 2014.

JoystiqThree-day passes to PAX East 2014 sell out in minutes originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Oct 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-eastregistrationThu, 24 Oct 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2014 registration opens tomorrow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/22/pax-east-2014-registration-opens-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/22/pax-east-2014-registration-opens-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/22/pax-east-2014-registration-opens-tomorrow/#comments Hey, friends, what are you doing April 11, 2014 through April 13, 2014? If you're planning on attending PAX East 2014 in Boston during that time, you may want to get your mouse-clicking fingers ready for the event's registration, which is slated to open tomorrow.

The official PAX East site says that hopeful attendees should check the site as soon as 12:00pm ET tomorrow to be there the exact moment registration opens up. Planning in advance is certainly more important for those looking to stay in Boston for the whole event; the official PAX Twitter account notes that the three-day passes sold out in one day last year.

JoystiqPAX East 2014 registration opens tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Oct 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-eastpax-east-2014penny-arcade-expopsaregistrationTue, 22 Oct 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Win a Xbox One via Doritos, Mountain Dew promotion online, at PAX Prime]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/31/win-a-xbox-one-via-doritos-mountain-dew-promotion-online-at-pa/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/31/win-a-xbox-one-via-doritos-mountain-dew-promotion-online-at-pa/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/31/win-a-xbox-one-via-doritos-mountain-dew-promotion-online-at-pa/#commentsXbox Ones from Doritos, Mountain Dew Microsoft has partnered with the Doritos and Mountain Dew brands to give away thousands of Xbox Ones in exchange for the longevity of your health, a press release revealed last week.

Specially-marked packages of Mountain Dew and Doritos will contain codes to be used as currency in online auctions for Xbox One consoles beginning on November 5. Participants can begin to stockpile codes on the contest's website on September 30, but nothing's stopping anyone from stockpiling the snack foods for the next two months.

PAX Prime attendees can also scan QR codes hidden in the convention center to bid on Xbox One systems in an auction on Sunday from 9 p.m. til midnight PST. The QR codes can be scanned with the PAX Guidebook App to bid on one of 30 Xbox One consoles, as well as subscription cards, gaming headsets and general merchandise. The press release notes that some codes "are worth more than others," so scrounging for as many as you can find might be worth your time.

Continue reading Win a Xbox One via Doritos, Mountain Dew promotion online, at PAX Prime

JoystiqWin a Xbox One via Doritos, Mountain Dew promotion online, at PAX Prime originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 31 Aug 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestdoritosmicrosoftmountain-dewPAXpax-primesweepstakesxboxxbox-oneSat, 31 Aug 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitch live stream schedule for PAX Prime]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/26/twitch-live-stream-schedule-for-pax-prime/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/26/twitch-live-stream-schedule-for-pax-prime/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/26/twitch-live-stream-schedule-for-pax-prime/#comments Unable to attend PAX Prime in Seattle, Washington this weekend? Well, you can still partake in many of the festivities through the modern marvel that is the internet.

Streaming website Twitch has uploaded a full schedule of content spanning the extended weekend, with various events hosted at its own booth every 20 minutes. There are also streams dedicated to panels in the Main and Kraken theaters.

Joystiq will be on-hand at PAX Prime this year, ready to relay all of the big news and our own impressions from this year's lineup of games. PAX Prime begins on the morning of Friday, August 30 and runs through Monday, September 2.

JoystiqTwitch live stream schedule for PAX Prime originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>paxpax-primepax-prime-2013twitchMon, 26 Aug 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gearbox remaking Homeworld 1 and 2 for Windows]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/20/gearbox-remaking-homeworld-1-and-2-for-windows/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/20/gearbox-remaking-homeworld-1-and-2-for-windows/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/20/gearbox-remaking-homeworld-1-and-2-for-windows/#commentsGearbox remaking Homeworld 1 and 2 for PC
Gearbox announced plans at PAX Australia to warp drive HD remakes of Homeworld 1 and 2 to Windows this year, following their recent acquisition of the franchise from THQ for $1.35 million. Direct ports of the original games will also be made available on unspecified digital distribution platforms for Windows.

Gearbox Software CCO Brian Martel expressed his fondness for the series in April after the purchase, stating his intent to make them "accessible on today's leading digital platforms" in a statement released by Gearbox.

Relic Games, creator of the Homeworld franchise, was sold to SEGA during the liquidation of THQ's assets and is currently working on Company of Heroes 2. Part of the Homeworld development team has since left the mother ship to begin work on a more grounded RTS, Hardware: Shipbreakers.

JoystiqGearbox remaking Homeworld 1 and 2 for Windows originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 20 Jul 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gearboxgearbox-softwareHomeworldhomeworld-2PAXpax-australiapcportRelicRelic-EntertainmentremakeTHQSat, 20 Jul 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie Megabooth is so popular it has to add shared spaces, more changes]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/26/indie-megabooth-is-so-popular-it-has-to-add-shared-spaces-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/26/indie-megabooth-is-so-popular-it-has-to-add-shared-spaces-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/26/indie-megabooth-is-so-popular-it-has-to-add-shared-spaces-more/#commentsIndie Megabooth is too popular The solution is shared, curated spaces Indie Megabooth has a problem.

It's not something that's easy to bring up in polite conversation. Like a friend complaining that he has two dates in one night, or someone pouting because she has too much ice cream, the problem could easily be misconstrued as a humblebrag and brushed aside. But it's a serious issue.

Indie Megabooth is too popular.

"One of the problems we were running into, is that the amount of submissions that we have this year far exceeds what we can support," Indie Megabooth marketing mastermind Rami Ismail tells Joystiq.

This is a major roadblock because Indie Megabooth's goal is to promote the full spectrum of independent games. Even though the Megabooth takes up the most space of any exhibit on the PAX East and Prime show floors, it isn't enough to give every willing developer a spot. Indie Megabooth hosts 40 - 60 developers at each show - that's larger than Sony's booth at E3 - but this year, 150 developers submitted 200 games for consideration, Ismail says.

"We just don't have space for that," he says.

Luckily, Indie Megabooth has a solution. Or two.

Continue reading Indie Megabooth is so popular it has to add shared spaces, more changes

JoystiqIndie Megabooth is so popular it has to add shared spaces, more changes originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Indieindie-megaboothkelly-wallickmacmicrosoftmobilenintendoPAXpax-eastPAX-East-2013pax-primepax-prime-2013pcphilip-tibitoskiplaystationps3rami-ismailwii-uxboxWed, 26 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST