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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[New Monolith Soft game 'X' coming to Wii U in 2014]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/new-monolith-soft-game-x-marks-the-spot-on-wii-u-2014/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/new-monolith-soft-game-x-marks-the-spot-on-wii-u-2014/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/new-monolith-soft-game-x-marks-the-spot-on-wii-u-2014/#comments
X, a new game from Monolith Soft, is coming to Wii U in 2014. "The goal is to create a large-scale open world that players can explore seamlessly," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said during the E3 Nintendo Direct stream today. Monolith Soft's previous game was Wii RPG Xenoblade Chronicles.

JoystiqNew Monolith Soft game 'X' coming to Wii U in 2014 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2013monolith-softnintendonintendo-directnintendo-direct-e3rpgwii-uxTue, 11 Jun 2013 10:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Level-5 reveals slate of mobile RPGs in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/29/level-5-reveals-slate-of-mobile-rpgs-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/29/level-5-reveals-slate-of-mobile-rpgs-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/29/level-5-reveals-slate-of-mobile-rpgs-in-japan/#commentsLevel5 reveals slate of upcoming mobile RPGs for Japan Professor Layton series developer Level-5 is working on a trio of role-playing games for mobile platforms in Japan, according to a report in this week's edition of the Japanese magazine Famitsu.

Heading up the series is Wonder Flick, a loot-based RPG featuring a soundtrack by Final Fantasy series composer Nobuo Uematsu. Other announced games include the railway simulation RPG Majin Station and Chikyu Kaimetsu teki B-kyu Kanojo, a post-apocalyptic adventure starring a cast of female mercenaries.

Level-5 registered a series of trademarks earlier this month pointing to these upcoming releases. Judging from the gameplay descriptions Famitsu provided, the trademarked name Rare Drop Boukensha Note was apparently an alternate title for Wonder Flick.

All announced games are set to premiere in Japan by the end of the year.

JoystiqLevel-5 reveals slate of mobile RPGs in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 May 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chikyu-kaimetsu-teki-b-kyu-kanojojapanlevel-5majin-stationmobilerpgwonder-flickWed, 29 May 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Dust: An Elysian Tail explores Steam today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/psa-dust-an-elysian-tail-explores-steam-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/psa-dust-an-elysian-tail-explores-steam-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/psa-dust-an-elysian-tail-explores-steam-today/#comments As promised, Dust: An Elysian Tail has found its way to Steam today. Until May 31, you can grab Dust for $13.50, ten percent off its usual $15 asking price.

The action-adventure RPG from Humble Heart made its debut on Xbox Live Arcade back in August as part of the Summer of Arcade promotion. Despite how vast Dust: An Elysian Tail is, it's actually missing a third of its intended story, which was cut due to the months of extra time it would've taken to finalize the larger vision. Even with the omitted content, Dust: An Elysian Tail turned out to be a fine game.

JoystiqPSA: Dust: An Elysian Tail explores Steam today originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 May 2013 23:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionaction-adventureadventuredean-dodrilldust-an-elysian-tailhumble-heartpcrpgsteamvalveFri, 24 May 2013 23:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Remastered Final Fantasy VIII coming to PC in Japan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/report-remastered-final-fantasy-viii-coming-to-pc-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/report-remastered-final-fantasy-viii-coming-to-pc-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/report-remastered-final-fantasy-viii-coming-to-pc-in-japan/#commentsReport Remastered iFinal Fantasy VIIIi coming to PC in Japan [Rough translation of the above dialogue: "...whatever."]

The ever-sullen Squall and his friends are set to make a high-resolution return, as Famitsu reports that Square Enix is developing a remastered PC version of Final Fantasy VIII.

Final Fantasy VIII was originally released for the PlayStation in 1999, and PC players saw a no-frills Windows port one year later. News of Final Fantasy VIII's forthcoming rerelease follows up on last year's upgraded PC port of Final Fantasy VII, which added cloud saving and unlockable achievements. While the new version of Final Fantasy VIII boasts a graphical update, no further details are known, and a release date has not been announced.
[Image Credit: Famitsu]

JoystiqReport: Remastered Final Fantasy VIII coming to PC in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 May 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-viiipcportrpgsquare-enixwindowsFri, 17 May 2013 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New info and trailer for Techland's Hellraid]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/techlands-hellraid-gets-more-details-and-a-teaser-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/techlands-hellraid-gets-more-details-and-a-teaser-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/techlands-hellraid-gets-more-details-and-a-teaser-trailer/#comments The first few details of Techland Hellraid have been revealed to Eurogamer's Polish site. The game is a horror/fantasy-style first-person RPG using Techland's Chrome Engine 5 to portray melee and spell-based fights with various demons, skeletons, and other bad guys. Just like Dead Island, the game will have four player archetypes that can work together, though they'll be classes rather than characters: Warrior, Paladin, Mage and Rogue.

The game will be influenced by older games like "the first Quake, [and the] second Hexen or Diablo," says producer Marcin Kruczkiewicz. Hellraid's maps will be less open than Dead Island, and the experience system will be simpler, with skill trees that unlock as characters level up.

Techland is currently looking for a publisher for the game, which it expects to have out this year on the Xbox 360, PS3, and the PC.

JoystiqNew info and trailer for Techland's Hellraid originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 May 2013 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chrome-engine-5dead-islanddeveloperfantasyhellraidhorrormicrosoftpcplaystationpolishps3role-playing-gamerpgtechlandxboxWed, 08 May 2013 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Soul Sacrifice review: Escapism encapsulated]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/soul-sacrifice-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/soul-sacrifice-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/soul-sacrifice-review/#comments Soul Sacrifice is a steady ascent to superiority over your captor, a mad sorcerer named Magusar. You can provoke and challenge him from within your fetid cage at any time, but ultimate victory requires toil, repetition and mastery of the same magic that imprisons you. You'll have to play the game to get out, which makes you wonder what the real trap is.

Freedom through power is your goal in the game's fiction and function, with progression framed in a living, speaking journal covered by a contorted face. The cheeky diary, named Librom, recalls the inner turmoil and exploits of Magusar's former partner, from whom you acquire magic and memories packaged as short, perfect-for-portable quests. Discovering the author's identity and exploits is an intriguing, incremental accompaniment to your own gestation as a powerful conjurer.

Soul Sacrifice is a game you play more for the beach than for the sand. Like other sagas that spin around the aggressive acquisition of beastie bits, there is less reward in the act of fighting than the result - and in the case of bigger battles, "epicness" is often conflated with "duration." Soul Sacrifice has no pretense of exploration or towns, just a distilled drip-feed of enclosed arenas and creature extermination that enables new spells, augmented magical prowess or a greater life expectancy for the next challenge.

Gallery: Soul Sacrifice

Continue reading Soul Sacrifice review: Escapism encapsulated

JoystiqSoul Sacrifice review: Escapism encapsulated originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>comceptkeiji-inafuneplaystationplaystation-vitarpgsceasoul-sacrificevitaWed, 01 May 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Final Fantasy X HD includes FFX-2 HD, PS Vita versions separate downloads]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/rumor-final-fantasy-x-hd-includes-ffx-2-hd-ps-vita-versions-se/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/rumor-final-fantasy-x-hd-includes-ffx-2-hd-ps-vita-versions-se/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/rumor-final-fantasy-x-hd-includes-ffx-2-hd-ps-vita-versions-se/#comments Report Final Fantasy X HD includes FFX2 HD on PS3, separate purchases on PS VitaRumors from Japan suggest the upcoming remaster of Final Fantasy X - remember, it's not a remake - will come bundled with another game on PS3: a remastered version of its direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2. Though each will supposedly be sold on a single PS3 disc, the latest issue of Japanese mag Shonen Jump says they'll be separately available on Vita.

The remaster of Final Fantasy X was first announced back in late 2011, only for Square Enix to go silent for almost the next two years. The HD version resurfaced last month, when Square Enix producer Shinji Hashimoto gave us a brief glimpse at the game running on PS Vita. Square Enix has said an announcement with further details regarding the Final Fantasy X remaster is coming "soon."

[Thanks, Draco.]

JoystiqRumor: Final Fantasy X HD includes FFX-2 HD, PS Vita versions separate downloads originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>final-fantasy-xfinal-fantasy-x-2playstationplaystation-vitaps3remasterreportrpgsquare-enixvitaTue, 19 Mar 2013 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA['Torment: Tides of Numenera' meets Kickstarter goal, raises over $900K]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/torment-tides-of-numenera-meets-kickstarter-goal-raises-over/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/torment-tides-of-numenera-meets-kickstarter-goal-raises-over/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/torment-tides-of-numenera-meets-kickstarter-goal-raises-over/#comments 'Torment Tides of Numenera' meets Kickstarter goalWell, that was fast. After its launch this morning, the Kickstarter campaign to finance Inxile's latest endeavor Torment: Tides of Numenera has reached its goal of $900,000. Funding will be open for potential backers until April 5, 2013.

Torment: Tides of Numenera is a sequel inspired by the classic game Planescape: Torment, a single-player RPG game set in the Numenera role-playing system created by Monte Cook. Inxile's first Kickstarter campaign was a success, and the studio is currently working to produce a sequel to another classic IP, Wasteland 2.

Joystiq'Torment: Tides of Numenera' meets Kickstarter goal, raises over $900K originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-fargoinxile-entertainmentkickstartermacnumenerapcrpgtormenttorment-tides-of-numeneraWed, 06 Mar 2013 15:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Sacred Citadel will feature four classes to level up and a gear stash]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/sacred-citadel-will-feature-four-classes-to-level-up-and-a-gear/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/sacred-citadel-will-feature-four-classes-to-level-up-and-a-gear/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/sacred-citadel-will-feature-four-classes-to-level-up-and-a-gear/#comments Sacred Citadel will feature four classes to level up and a gear stashSacred Citadel isn't just a goofy beat-em-up spinoff of Deep Silver's long-running Sacred series - turns out it's also an action RPG. When the game was announced last year, all we knew about it was that it featured co-op action and some groovy graphical flairs, but now we're seeing how Citadel relates to its big role-playing brother.

Players will be able to play as three characters at a time, picked from four character classes (including a Khukuri Shaman, an Ancarian Ranger, a Safiri Warrior, or an unrevealed class), and each has their own set of skills to be leveled up and unlocked. Additionally, characters can equip weapons or armor that can be stashed in town, or pop potions to refill either a health or a power meter.

Sacred Citadel, says Deep Silver, will serve as a prologue to the upcoming Sacred 3, and should be out for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and the PC sometime this year.

Continue reading Sacred Citadel will feature four classes to level up and a gear stash

JoystiqSacred Citadel will feature four classes to level up and a gear stash originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionaction-rpgclassesdeep-silverequipmentlevelingmicrosoftpcplaystationps3role-playing-gamerpgsacred-citadelsouthend-interactivexboxThu, 28 Feb 2013 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CD Projekt Red introduces REDengine 3, latest iteration of in-house tech]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/cd-projekt-red-introduces-redengine-3-latest-iteration-of-in-ho/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/cd-projekt-red-introduces-redengine-3-latest-iteration-of-in-ho/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/cd-projekt-red-introduces-redengine-3-latest-iteration-of-in-ho/#comments CD Projekt Red shows off REDengine 3 techCD Projekt Red has shown off the first image of REDengine 3, the third iteration of its in-house technology for open-world RPGs. Boss Adam Badowski says REDengine 3 is unique because it's able to create and combine a vast game world with player choice-driven stories - he says most RPGs can do either a massive game world or immersive story, but seldom do both well.

"With the REDengine 3 we combine the positive aspects of both approaches for the first time, creating an open environment with a complex, multi-thread story. Together with believable characters, a captivating tale and a world where players can roam freely without loading times, we will be able to move gaming to a new level with a realistic feel and full player immersion." The first iteration of REDengine powered The Witcher 2 on PC, while REDengine 2 allowed CD Projekt Red to port The Witcher 2 onto Xbox 360. And now with REDengine 3, CD Projekt Red is currently building Cyberpunk 2077, its adaptation of the popular pen-and-paper RPG series.

"Cyberpunk 2077, the second project the studio is working on, will have prime examples demonstrating that REDengine 3 is the perfect tool for creating immense universes filled with exciting, nonlinear adventures. The advanced technology of the REDengine 3 makes RPGs comparable to top-shelf shooters, both in terms of game world presentation and the epic proportions of events that the player is drawn into." CD Projekt Red also notes the engine is ready for next-generation consoles and features improved REDkit mod tools, which were first introduced late last year.

Continue reading CD Projekt Red introduces REDengine 3, latest iteration of in-house tech

JoystiqCD Projekt Red introduces REDengine 3, latest iteration of in-house tech originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cd-projektcd-projekt-redcyberpunkcyberpunk-2077pcredengine-3redkitrpgFri, 01 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spiritual successor to Planescape: Torment in 'very early' stages]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/spiritual-successor-to-planescape-torment-in-very-early-stage/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/spiritual-successor-to-planescape-torment-in-very-early-stage/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/09/spiritual-successor-to-planescape-torment-in-very-early-stage/#comments While many have anxiously awaited a sequel to Planescape: Torment, it's not the pipe dream it once was. Brian Fargo - the InXile Entertainment founder who has the Torment rights and once ran the original game's developer, Interplay - has said a successor is in the works, though there are a few caveats fans should consider.

For one, the sequel will ditch the Planescape setting for the Numenera role-playing system, the Kickstarter-funded brainchild of Monte Cook blending together sci-fi and fantasy elements to emphasize "story and ideas over mechanics." Cook should be a memorable name to those who played the Planescape pen-and-paper campaign setting, having helped design and write that series and numerous other games for Wizards of the Coast back in the day. "The more we explored the Numenera setting, the clearer it became that it's a natural fit for a Torment game," Fargo told Rock Paper Shotgun.

And with the new setting, Fargo suggests that this sequel will be less so in the literal sense and more so in the ideas Planescape: Torment presented to players. "Rather than overt links, we are trying to recapture the feeling that players experienced through PST -both while playing it and after having completed a playthrough. We will remain true to the essence of PST, but we'll also be looking for ways to improve the areas in which PST could have been even better."

The new Torment game is still a ways off, "very early" in the pre-production phases, Fargo says. "We have a basic story outline, design sketches of the major characters, and thematic concepts defined," Fargo said, adding that with Wasteland 2 in full production, InXile can't focus too great of resources to working on this new Torment game.

However, with writers and concept artists finished their early stages work on Wasteland 2, they're freed up. "There will be some other surprise talent that I'll announce later on but I thought it important to stress the heritage of the great team we have." As for funding this sequel, Fargo is unsurprisingly considering Kickstarter.

JoystiqSpiritual successor to Planescape: Torment in 'very early' stages originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jan 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-fargointerplayinxile-entertainmentmonte-cooknumenerapcplanescape-tormentrpgtormentWed, 09 Jan 2013 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter-based MMORPG accused of stealing artwork]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/twitter-based-mmorpg-accused-of-stealing-artwork/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/twitter-based-mmorpg-accused-of-stealing-artwork/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/twitter-based-mmorpg-accused-of-stealing-artwork/#comments Twitterbased MMORPG accused of stealing artworkTweeria is a web-based role-playing game that advertises itself as the "laziest MMORPG ever." It uses Twitter to passively power and level up a virtual character set in a fantasy-based world, and has now been accused of stealing art from the World of Warcraft collectible card game.

Mike Sacco, a columnist for WoW Insider who also happens to work at WoW CCG owner Cryptozoic Entertainment, points out that artwork uploaded by the Tweeria staff for the title is ripped right off from the cards.

Tweeria's creator, a Russian company called Twee Game, claims it's a "mostly experimental" project, and the game has since added a "copyright notice" at the bottom of its pages to try and attribute the artwork to its creators. For now, the game is still up and running, despite user feedback saying that it's unclear just how it all works anyway.

JoystiqTwitter-based MMORPG accused of stealing artwork originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Dec 2012 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artartworkccgcollectible-card-gamemmorpgpcrpgstolentwee-gametweeriatwitterworld-of-warcraftwow-ccgFri, 28 Dec 2012 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[2012: the year in RPGs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/2012-the-year-in-rpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/2012-the-year-in-rpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/2012-the-year-in-rpgs/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

2012 the year in RPGs
What a fun, odd year it's been for role-playing games. The genre in theory is looking as good as it has for over a decade. In practice? The year was light on pure RPGs, even as aspects of role-playing spread to many of the year's best. Still, (almost) every month saw something interesting happen in the world of western RPGs, so let's look back, shall we?

Continue reading 2012: the year in RPGs

Joystiq2012: the year in RPGs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012-in-reviewpcrowan-kaiserrpgFri, 21 Dec 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How Morrowind and KOTOR defined modern RPGs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/how-morrowind-and-kotor-defined-modern-rpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/how-morrowind-and-kotor-defined-modern-rpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/how-morrowind-and-kotor-defined-modern-rpgs/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

How Morrowind and KOTOR defined modern RPGs
In the early 2000s, two Western role-playing games grabbed the genre and shoved it into new and surprisingly popular directions. Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002) and BioWare's Knights Of The Old Republic (2003) modernized RPGs' technology, expanded the audience, and created the two most popular models for the genre moving forward.

Before these two games were released, the term Computer Role-Playing Game (CRPG) was commonly used to describe the games in this column. Ultima, Wizardry, Fallout, Baldur's Gate, these all came out on computers (at least initially), with DOS/Windows becoming the computer platform of choice as the decade progressed. But Morrowind and KOTOR were designed and released for the Xbox - and they succeeded there. The realm of console RPGs was opened to very different styles of game from the Final Fantasies which had dominated. This successful move opened entirely new modes of money-making, allowing BioWare and Bethesda to become some of the biggest developers in gaming overall.

Continue reading How Morrowind and KOTOR defined modern RPGs

JoystiqHow Morrowind and KOTOR defined modern RPGs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Dec 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>morrowindpcrowan-kaiserrpgstar-wars-knights-of-the-old-republicwrpgFri, 07 Dec 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo's Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/22/nintendos-wii-u-may-be-an-attractive-device-for-japanese-rpg-fa/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/22/nintendos-wii-u-may-be-an-attractive-device-for-japanese-rpg-fa/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/22/nintendos-wii-u-may-be-an-attractive-device-for-japanese-rpg-fa/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

I didn't manage to get a Wii U over the weekend. By the time I got around to ordering one, pre-orders were closed, and I wasn't willing to camp outside in the rain or add my name to the wait list. I'm still getting a Wii U though, and not because of Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros. U, or even The Legend of Zelda. I'm getting a Wii U because I'm intrigued by the potential of its RPG library.

[Ed. Note: For more on the Wii U, check out Joystiq's comprehensive coverage.]

As I've discussed before, this is not a new development for Nintendo. Toward the tail end of the Wii years, it made a concerted effort to woo RPG developers. The result was the "Operation Rainfall" games - Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora's Tower. Last week, I listed the Wii's Top 10 RPGs for 1UP, and I didn't even have to include Shiren the Wanderer or Tales of Symphonia 2. That platform's RPG selection is deeper than many people know.

Continue reading Nintendo's Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans

JoystiqNintendo's Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Nov 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsjrpgnintendoOpinionrpgwii-uThu, 22 Nov 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Barkley Shut Up and Jam Gaiden sequel heading to Kickstarter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/12/barkley-shut-up-and-jam-sequel-heading-to-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/12/barkley-shut-up-and-jam-sequel-heading-to-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/12/barkley-shut-up-and-jam-sequel-heading-to-kickstarter/#comments Barkley Shut up and Jam sequel getWe get a new Call of Duty game every year, but how often do we get a continuation of 1994's Barkley Shut Up and Jam!? Indie dev Tales of Game's Studios is trying to up that frequency with a soon-to-be-announced Kickstarter for (deep breath) The Magical Realms of Tír na nÓg: Escape from Necron 7 - Revenge of Cuchulainn: The Official Game of the Movie - Chapter 2 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa.

Tales of Game's is responsible for Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden, the 2008 fanmade RPG parody of the original SNES basketball game. The studio says it will be aiming to secure funding for the story of "X114JAM9, an amnesiac baller with no recollection of his past and no concept of his incredible b-ball destiny." Players will explore a non-linear world and find out if they "have the courage, vigor and sagacity to slam with the best." Probably?

The Kickstarter is set to go live later this month, and Tales of Game's promises more information on its Twitter account soon. We hope Charles Barkley is involved in this silliness, if only so we can see someone explaining the whole thing to him.

JoystiqBarkley Shut Up and Jam Gaiden sequel heading to Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgballerzbarkley-shut-up-and-jam-gaidenfanmadepcrpgspinofftales-of-games-studioMon, 12 Nov 2012 20:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Genesis RPG 'Pier Solar' goes HD via Kickstarter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/05/genesis-rpg-pier-solar-goes-hd-via-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/05/genesis-rpg-pier-solar-goes-hd-via-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/05/genesis-rpg-pier-solar-goes-hd-via-kickstarter/#comments
Pier Solar was developed for the Sega Genesis and released on cartridge in 2010. With the benefit of fifteen years or so of technological advancements, developer WaterMelon Co. was able to put it on a 64MB cart, making it the biggest Genesis RPG ever. It's a traditional role-playing game about a botanist named Hoston on a quest to find a rare herb and cure his sick father. Now, the developer wants to update its turn-based throwback RPG for platforms people still use ... and Dreamcast too.

Pier Solar HD is planned for Xbox 360, PC, Mac, Linux, and Dreamcast - that last one won't actually be in HD. The style is reminiscent of the original, but places more detailed 16-bit style sprites on hand-drawn HD backgrounds. To fund the redrawing of assets and licensing for new platforms, WaterMelon is seeking $139,000 on Kickstarter.

Backers get a copy of the game for PC, Mac, Linux, or Xbox 360 by pledging at least $15; $49 is required for the Dreamcast CD or a physical copy on the other platforms. Naturally, there are more expensive collector's editions, as well as luxury items like a Pier Solar branded Dreamcast or arcade stick.

JoystiqGenesis RPG 'Pier Solar' goes HD via Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dreamcastgenesiskickstartermacmega-drivemicrosoftpcpier-solarrpgxboxMon, 05 Nov 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix launches free-to-play 'Wizardlings' RPG on iOS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/28/square-enix-launches-free-to-play-wizardlings-rpg-on-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/28/square-enix-launches-free-to-play-wizardlings-rpg-on-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/28/square-enix-launches-free-to-play-wizardlings-rpg-on-ios/#comments
Square Enix registered a number of trademarks back in September, including one for "Wizardlings." While it didn't garner as much discussion as the "Circle of Mana" trademark the company filed, it did turn out to be a free-to-play mobile RPG that released this week on iOS.

Described as a "casual tap adventure," Wizardlings has players fighting enemies to unveil the bright land of Skywind hidden beneath darkness. Check out the game's launch trailer above, or head straight to the App Store to play it. Of course, you can do both. We won't stop you.

JoystiqSquare Enix launches free-to-play 'Wizardlings' RPG on iOS originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>free-to-playiosipadiphonemobilerpgSquare-EnixwizardlingsSun, 28 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Shadowgate navigates the wilds of Kickstarter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/new-shadowgate-navigates-the-wilds-of-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/new-shadowgate-navigates-the-wilds-of-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/new-shadowgate-navigates-the-wilds-of-kickstarter/#comments
Zojoi, a new development studio composed of the creators of seminal point-and-click adventure Shadowgate, has started up a Kickstarter to bring the series back. This Shadowgate reboot is a "re-imagining" of the original game, not a remake.

The original Shadowgate tasked players with navigating treacherous rooms in a vast castle as they hunted down key artifacts to battle an evil sorcerer. The new Shadowgate will include 60 rooms, both familiar and new, and be available on Windows and Mac, and iPad and Android tablets.

The goal for the Kickstarter campaign is $150,000, and right now Zojoi has already raised over $10,000 with 30 days left to go. Pledging $15 will get you the game on PC or Mac, and $60 will get you the game on iPad and Android too. The mobile versions will be available a few months after the initial Windows and Mac launch, if all goes according to plan.

The top pledge amount of $7,500 will book you a flight out to Charlottesville, VA to hang out with the developers, play a few board games and round out the day with some wiffle ball in Shadowgate creator Dave Marsh's backyard.

[Thanks, Anthony B.]

JoystiqNew Shadowgate navigates the wilds of Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidiosipadkickstartermacmobilepcrpgshadowgatezojoiFri, 26 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vita's Persona 4 Golden is both exciting and worrisome]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/vitas-persona-4-golden-is-both-exciting-and-worrisome/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/vitas-persona-4-golden-is-both-exciting-and-worrisome/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/vitas-persona-4-golden-is-both-exciting-and-worrisome/#commentsThis is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
I can't tell you how excited I am for Persona 4 Golden. In a holiday that's relatively barren of RPGs (unless you like MMOs), it immediately stands out.

As RPGs go, it's pretty much a perfect fit for the Vita. It's lengthy, the art looks sharp on the OLED screen, and it plays out in discrete chunks that mesh well with the portable experience. It's just the sort of fully-fleshed portable RPG that the Vita needs.

It's also a port, something that's become an unfortunate trend for the PlayStation Vita. In fact, all three of the system's most anticipated RPGs - Final Fantasy X, Persona 4 Golden, and now Muramasa: The Demon Blade - are ports or updates from aging release lists. I'm not going to lie: This was exactly what I was afraid of when the Vita first arrived. Publishers appear to be playing it safe on the platform, to the detriment of RPG fans.

Granted, it's always a bit of a battle between the desire to take the path of least resistance and the desire to make something new at the outset. Early adopters are typically more willing to go out and try something new when the library is still small, but the smaller install base makes heavy investment in a new platform risky. It's very much a chicken-and-egg scenario - platforms need dynamic new properties to sell systems, but publishers want to see a large userbase before they are willing to leave their comfort zone. And it appears this is a bigger problem for the Vita than the 3DS.

Gallery: Persona 4 Golden

Continue reading Vita's Persona 4 Golden is both exciting and worrisome

JoystiqVita's Persona 4 Golden is both exciting and worrisome originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtlusOpinionpersona-4-goldenplaystationplaystation-vitarpgvitaWed, 03 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Torchlight 2 review: Up in the world]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/20/torchlight-2-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/20/torchlight-2-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/20/torchlight-2-review/#comments Torchlight 2 review Witty title goes hereI gave Diablo 3 a five-star review, and though the word "perfect" didn't come up, I did call it "a masterpiece." I still stand by that score, despite the somewhat bumpy reputation the game has earned since launch. Now, Torchlight 2 has finally arrived to complete the pair. Besides their obvious genre connection, Runic Games' Max Schafer co-founded Blizzard North (where he helped make Diablo and Diablo 2), and these two anticipated sequels have crossed paths more than a few times during production.

Spoiler: I'm giving Torchlight 2 a half-star less. The game makes some minor missteps in design, and I don't think the pacing or the scope matches up to that of Diablo 3.

I say that right here in the beginning so I can move on to a different point: Ratings and comparisons aside, Torchlight 2 is an accomplishment by this studio of less than 30 people, a feat that's impressive regardless of any other long-awaited dungeon crawlers that arrived earlier this summer. It's an excellent follow-up to the popular first game in the series, and at a ridiculous price of just $19.99 it demands to be played both by fans of the genre and of great PC games.

Gallery: Torchlight 2

Continue reading Torchlight 2 review: Up in the world

JoystiqTorchlight 2 review: Up in the world originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pcrpgrunic-gamestorchlighttorchlight-2Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RPG combat: Tanks, threat and aggro, oh my]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/12/tanks-threat-and-aggro-oh-my/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/12/tanks-threat-and-aggro-oh-my/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/12/tanks-threat-and-aggro-oh-my/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
On the surface, the last 10 years of role-playing games have not been momentous. Skyrim looks much more like Morrowind than Morrowind did Arena; Diablo 3 fits comfortably in the mold established by Diablo 2; there's a direct line from Knights Of The Old Republic to Dragon Age; and massively multiplayer role-playing games are still judged by how much they deviate from Everquest and World Of Warcraft. This is not to say that there haven't been changes. Certain narrative techniques, like moral choices for example, have been well-documented.

But there's a major mechanical shift going in role-playing games that doesn't get much attention. One of the core components of RPG combat - how enemies choose to attack different characters - is being reshaped. There isn't necessarily a single term for it yet; it encompasses the concepts of "tanking," "aggro," and "threat." All of these combine for a shift in how players manage enemy attacks.

Continue reading RPG combat: Tanks, threat and aggro, oh my

JoystiqRPG combat: Tanks, threat and aggro, oh my originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aggropcrpgtankWed, 12 Sep 2012 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Paper Mario: Sticker Star sticks to the basics]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/paper-mario-sticker-star-sticks-to-the-basics/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/paper-mario-sticker-star-sticks-to-the-basics/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/paper-mario-sticker-star-sticks-to-the-basics/#comments The hardest thing about Paper Mario: Sticker Star is just remembering it's an RPG. Even in his cute little 2D-in-a-3D world form, Mario's running and jumping on enemies, an act so comfortable that you do it automatically whenever you see a Goomba or a Koopa Troopa walking by. Usually, that move results in a satisfying crunch and a coin or two, but in Sticker Star it sends you into a turn-based battle scene.

There are quite a few new mechanics in both the battle system and the game's overworld, and fans with fond memories of the other Mario RPGs will likely relish the chance to level up the Italian plumber yet again.

Continue reading Paper Mario: Sticker Star sticks to the basics

JoystiqPaper Mario: Sticker Star sticks to the basics originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsgoombamario-rpgnintendopaper-mariopaper-mario-sticker-starrpgsticker-starFri, 07 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pressure's off: What Square can accomplish with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/05/pressures-off-what-square-can-accomplish-with-lightning-return/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/05/pressures-off-what-square-can-accomplish-with-lightning-return/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/05/pressures-off-what-square-can-accomplish-with-lightning-return/#commentsThis is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
Pressure's off What Square can accomplish with Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII
It's been a long, strange ride for Final Fantasy XIII. From long delays and substantial disappointment, it has lately seen its stock fluctuate wildly between the improved reception afforded Final Fantasy XIII-2 and the rumors of Final Fantasy Versus XIII's demise. Now Square Enix has a chance to make its definitive statement on the series with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII - an ambitious sequel that defies the accusations that Square is only out to squeeze a few more dollars out of its expensive engine.

As 1UP's extensive preview points out, this is pretty much Lightning's show now. The battle system has been completely rebuilt to showcase her specific talents. The rest of the cast is out, and so are the battle menus. Lightning Returns isn't quite a full-on action RPG, but it looks pretty close. The only real holdovers are the omnipresent Active Time Battle gauges that moderate the use of each of Lightning's moves, which are mapped to the face buttons on the controller.

It's a move that will prove divisive as always, but I can't hate the reasoning behind it. The pressure's off. Final Fantasy XIII is very much a known quantity. If this is truly to be the grand finale for an already controversial set of games, why not be as experimental as possible?

Continue reading Pressure's off: What Square can accomplish with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

JoystiqPressure's off: What Square can accomplish with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiiimicrosoftplaystationps3rpgsquare-enixxboxWed, 05 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Card Hunter combines tabletop gaming with digital magic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/card-hunter-combines-tabletop-gaming-with-digital-magic/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/card-hunter-combines-tabletop-gaming-with-digital-magic/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/card-hunter-combines-tabletop-gaming-with-digital-magic/#comments Card Hunter combines tabletop gaming with digital magicJon Chey is a co-founder of Irrational Games, who recently formed up a brand new studio called Blue Manchu, to work on a new game called Card Hunter. Card Hunter might easily be mistaken for many similar games of much lower quality: It's a Flash game that runs in your browser, and it's going to be a free-to-play title monetized by microtransactions, using collectible cards to fuel the gameplay.

While Card Hunter may look shallow on the surface, it's anything but. Chey and his team have crafted what's essentially a love letter to tabletop gaming, combining mechanics usually meant for traditional board gaming (like game boards, cardboard cutouts, dice, and action cards) with a high-quality and well-designed video game.

Gallery: Card Hunter (PAX Prime 2012)

Continue reading Card Hunter combines tabletop gaming with digital magic

JoystiqCard Hunter combines tabletop gaming with digital magic originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>card-huntercardsdicedigitalflashfree-to-playgamingjonathan-cheynostalgiapax-2012pax-prime-2012pcrpgtabletopTue, 04 Sep 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The controversial, unbalanced narrative of Dragon Age 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/the-controversial-unbalanced-narrative-of-dragon-age-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/the-controversial-unbalanced-narrative-of-dragon-age-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/the-controversial-unbalanced-narrative-of-dragon-age-2/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
Dragon Age 2 is one of the most controversial role-playing games of recent years. Highly anticipated after the successes of BioWare's previous two games, Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2, it was released to strong sales and initially positive reviews. Yet it didn't take long before there was both fan and critical backlash to the game. What seemed like an unambiguously promising release turned into a lightning rod, and Dragon Age 2 went missing from many Game Of The Year lists. On the other hand, I noticed a small but extremely devoted cadre of fans, including some people who loved it so much that they immediately replayed it, four or five times, touching no other games for months.

So it was with both trepidation and excitement that I finally approached Dragon Age 2, as I missed it on initial release and then was warned off of it afterward. Having finally played it, I can see what the fuss was about, both good and bad. Dragon Age 2 almost demanded to be controversial thanks to its structure. In a genre filled with narratively complete, balanced games, DA2 ambitions push it in less balanced and incomplete directions. That's risky.

Gallery: Dragon Age 2 (2/8/2011)

Continue reading The controversial, unbalanced narrative of Dragon Age 2

JoystiqThe controversial, unbalanced narrative of Dragon Age 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecolumnDragon-Age-2microsoftOpinionpcplaystationps3rowan-kaiserrpgwrpgxboxFri, 31 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy brings the Warriors of Light to Android]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/28/final-fantasy-brings-the-warriors-of-light-to-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/28/final-fantasy-brings-the-warriors-of-light-to-android/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/28/final-fantasy-brings-the-warriors-of-light-to-android/#comments Final Fantasy now on AndroidHot on the heels of Final Fantasy 3's launch on Android, the original has made its debut on the Google Play store - well, a remake of the original, anyway. Final Fantasy on Android is the same as the iOS version from years ago and the recent Windows Phone 7 version, both of which are based on the PSP remake from back in 2007.

Final Fantasy on Android is available for $6.99 in the Google Play store right now, and runs on Android 2.1-compatible devices and up.

JoystiqFinal Fantasy brings the Warriors of Light to Android originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidfinal-fantasygooglegoogle-playmobilerpgsquare-enixwarriors-of-lightSat, 28 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[An RPG fan's guide to the Steam Sale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/20/an-rpg-fans-guide-to-the-steam-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/20/an-rpg-fans-guide-to-the-steam-sale/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/20/an-rpg-fans-guide-to-the-steam-sale/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
An RPG fan's guide to the Steam Sale
It's the most wonderful time of the year to be a PC gamer: the Steam Summer Sale! For those of us who are fans of Western/PC RPGs, this is a chance to get some of the best games available for prices that ought to make console fans jealous.

This column is going up toward the end of the sale, so some of the best prices for some may have come and gone, but between the voting, the flash sales, and the fact that Steam usually uses the last day or so to repeat some of the biggest sales, it's possible to get the best prices again even if you missed the first round.

Continue reading An RPG fan's guide to the Steam Sale

JoystiqAn RPG fan's guide to the Steam Sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pcrowan-kaiserrpgsteamsteam-summer-salesteam-summer-sale-2012wrpgFri, 20 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott's Portalarium secures $7 million funding for iOS social RPG]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/11/richard-garriotts-portalarium-secures-7-million-funding-for-io/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/11/richard-garriotts-portalarium-secures-7-million-funding-for-io/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/11/richard-garriotts-portalarium-secures-7-million-funding-for-io/#comments Richard Garriott's Portalarium secures funding for iOS social RPGRichard "Lord British" Garriott is in the middle of a new gaming venture called Portalarium (it's working on a social game for Facebook and iOS called Ultimate Collection: Garage Sale), and he's just been able to convince a round of venture capitalists to support his projects, to the tune of roughly $7 million.

The money will also be used to build a social RPG tentatively titled "New Britannia," which may have ties to the Ultima tradition, as well as new school features like asychronous gameplay and social profiles.

Portalarium was announced to be one of the launch companies in Zynga's upcoming partner program, so Garriott and crew are definitely laying the foundations to launch some large and well-supported titles. Ultimate Collection is supposed to be available to play sometime later on this year.

JoystiqRichard Garriott's Portalarium secures $7 million funding for iOS social RPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidasynchronousfundingiosipadiphonemillionmobilepcrichard-garriottrpgsocialvcventure-capitalWed, 11 Jul 2012 04:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wasteland 2 will include the original Wasteland]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/wasteland-2-will-include-the-original-wasteland/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/wasteland-2-will-include-the-original-wasteland/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/wasteland-2-will-include-the-original-wasteland/#comments While we imagine most who are eager to play Wasteland 2 have fond memories of playing the original RPG and might possibly still own it, InXile is still tossing it in free of charge with each copy of Wasteland 2. It is due in no small part to the aid of EA, the publisher of the original Wasteland.

InXile's Brian Fargo says including the classic PC game was the biggest request during Wasteland 2's Kickstarter campaign. "Fortunately EA has continued to support us on this project and has granted us the ability to bring the original to the players," Fargo said. "It is great to be able to make Wasteland available for those feeling nostalgic or who want to experience it for the first time. It certainly will not be a pre-requisite to understand Wasteland 2, but it adds some extra flavor if you did play the prequel."

Wasteland 2 is currently on track to launch sometime next year.

Continue reading Wasteland 2 will include the original Wasteland

JoystiqWasteland 2 will include the original Wasteland originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eainxile-entertainmentlinuxmacosxpcrpgwastelandwasteland-2Tue, 10 Jul 2012 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[It's all too much: Why Mass Effect 3's Extended Cut ending can't possibly fix everything]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/its-all-too-much-why-mass-effect-3s-extended-cut-ending-cant/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/its-all-too-much-why-mass-effect-3s-extended-cut-ending-cant/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/its-all-too-much-why-mass-effect-3s-extended-cut-ending-cant/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
BioWare's free response to the Mass Effect 3 ending hoopla, the "Extended Cut" add-on, was released this week. In many ways, it acts as a direct response to the most common criticisms of the ending. If your primary problems were that the ending choices weren't properly explained beforehand, or that it was unclear what happened to the universe and the specific characters after the climax, the "Extended Cut" will be a notable improvement. But it doesn't actually change the quality of the ending, it just adds more content.

(Obviously, spoilers for the Mass Effect series follow.)

Continue reading It's all too much: Why Mass Effect 3's Extended Cut ending can't possibly fix everything

JoystiqIt's all too much: Why Mass Effect 3's Extended Cut ending can't possibly fix everything originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>extended-cutmass-effect-3microsoftpcplaystationps3rowan-kaiserrpgxboxFri, 29 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Playing with Diablo 3's paper dolls - and loving it]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/playing-with-diablo-3s-paper-dolls-and-loving-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/playing-with-diablo-3s-paper-dolls-and-loving-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/01/playing-with-diablo-3s-paper-dolls-and-loving-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
Playing with Diablo III's paper dolls and loving it
It's the little things that push a game from good to great. Attention to detail is a big reason why Diablo 3 sold six million-plus copies in its first week. It's part of why Blizzard has one of the best reputations of any developer in gaming.

My favorite collection of "little things" in Diablo 3 are the "paper doll" effects. When your character equips new armor or weapons, they clearly show up on your avatar. New helm? Ooo, it's got a plume! New two-handed sword? Man, that sucker is big.

Continue reading Playing with Diablo 3's paper dolls - and loving it

JoystiqPlaying with Diablo 3's paper dolls - and loving it originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Diablo-3paper-dollpcrpgFri, 01 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CD Projekt Red teases futuristic RPG for tomorrow's livestream]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/cd-projekt-red-teases-futuristic-rpg-for-tomorrows-livestream/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/cd-projekt-red-teases-futuristic-rpg-for-tomorrows-livestream/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/cd-projekt-red-teases-futuristic-rpg-for-tomorrows-livestream/#comments ImageCD Projekt Red is working on something new in partnership with GOG.com, who had been traditionally much more apt at handling older things. Tomorrow a livestream press conference will reveal a new RPG with a futuristic setting, evidenced by Rayban Charles up there.

He's some concept art that CD Projekt Red released to tease tomorrow's stream, which you can catch over on Facebook or at thewitcher.com. And with the stream taking place over on the latter, that blip about The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf from earlier today seems like another candidate for an announcement tomorrow. The plot thickens.

The livestream takes place tomorrow at 1pm ET. To see the rest of Rayban's centerfold, you'll need to grab the hoverboard and cruise past the break.

Continue reading CD Projekt Red teases futuristic RPG for tomorrow's livestream

JoystiqCD Projekt Red teases futuristic RPG for tomorrow's livestream originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 May 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cd-projektcd-projekt-redgoggog.comrpgTue, 29 May 2012 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 review: Hitting the jackpot]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/diablo-3-review-hitting-the-jackpot/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/diablo-3-review-hitting-the-jackpot/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/diablo-3-review-hitting-the-jackpot/#comments ImageHack-and-slash action RPGs, pioneered by Blizzard's Diablo, are essentially slot machines. You click the mouse, and every time you do there's a chance you'll get the loot you want . Yes, the trappings of role-playing and combat mechanics are there, weaker in some cases and stronger in others, but in terms of brain chemistry you're playing for the jackpot.

As anyone who's been to Vegas will tell you, there are different kinds of slot machines. There's the rickety old unit sitting in the gas station near the airport. And there's the junky Jokers Wild machines blinking and chirping in that one casino downtown, where the air smells too much like your grandmother's bathroom.

And then there are the machines in that one room in the Bellagio, where velvet seats wait underneath crystal chandeliers. That's where the shahs from Dubai come to play with thousand dollar tokens, where pretty ladies serve you drinks as you play, and where a private concierge will happily help you order up a steak, buy a Brooks Brothers suit, or get you anything else you might want. Blizzard's Diablo 3 is that Bellagio room, high stakes and luxurious and ready to cater to your every dungeon crawler need.

Gallery: Diablo 3 (10/21/11)

Continue reading Diablo 3 review: Hitting the jackpot

JoystiqDiablo 3 review: Hitting the jackpot originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 May 2012 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgblizzarddiabloDiablo-3error-37onlinepcreal-money-auction-houserpgsocialMon, 21 May 2012 12:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Lionhead listing for 'MMO-like title for next generation consoles']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/lionhead-listing-for-mmo-like-title-for-next-generation-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/lionhead-listing-for-mmo-like-title-for-next-generation-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/lionhead-listing-for-mmo-like-title-for-next-generation-console/#comments ImageLionhead's latest job post brings up two salient points:
  • That listing for a multiplayer level designer with "a deep understanding of online multiplayer games" may encompass more than a simple FPS title with online capabilities.
  • Microsoft could be looking to bring MMOs to its console market in a big way.
The most recent want ad, spotted by Superannuation and since removed, described the potential game as an "MMO-like title" and an original IP for the "future generation of platforms." It "will be an RPG-based game with a radical new take on how co-operative and multiplayer gameplay feeds into the experience, while blending online and single-player into one complete experience," the listing read, as reported by MCV.

The title "will have a complex progression system, multiple routes through the campaign and an MMO-like multiplayer experience that will affect the outcome of the player experience, and many other attributes surrounding their profile (such as the environment and the outcome of certain actions)." Superannuation notes that it was labeled as a multithreaded RPG with four-player co-op.

Lionhead's specific use of "MMO-like" and the description's emphasis on a "radical new" genre leaves the game's direction open to interpretation, while nodding at the style of former creative lead Peter Molyneux.

MMOs can be a big gamble, even for an established studio, and especially if its audience is tethered to a single console unfamiliar with the genre as a whole. Good luck, Lionhead. You may need it.

JoystiqLionhead listing for 'MMO-like title for next generation consoles' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectLionheadLionhead-Studiosmicrosoftmmooriginal-iprpgxboxWed, 16 May 2012 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CD Projekt Red hiring for RPG in a 'brand new setting']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/cd-projekt-red-hiring-for-rpg-in-a-brand-new-setting/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/cd-projekt-red-hiring-for-rpg-in-a-brand-new-setting/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/cd-projekt-red-hiring-for-rpg-in-a-brand-new-setting/#comments CD Projekt Red, the makers of The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, has posted a boat-load of job openings for an unannounced "RPG in a brand new setting" over on its official blog. "We're looking for people who would rather work on an entirely new and different IP," reads the listing, "a vast RPG for which we want to assemble the best possible staff. It represents an opportunity for you to create a grand new project from the ground up!"

The listing also makes reference to the developer's existing "mature dark-fantasy world," distinguishing this new project as likely separate from The Witcher (at least in location), and as one for those who "can't stomach dwarves, elves or sorceresses who put their ample charms on display in Playboy magazine."

If you're an artist, programmer or designer looking for work in Poland, give it a shot! There's never any harm in trying. Well, unless you're trying to teach synchronized swimming to an uncooperative bear - there's probably a lot of harm in that.

JoystiqCD Projekt Red hiring for RPG in a 'brand new setting' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CD-Projektcd-projekt-redemploymenthiringjobsRPGthe-witcherthe-witcher-2the-witcher-2-assassins-of-kingsunannouncedSat, 12 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Indie-core' collective funding retro action-RPG on Kickstarter]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/indie-core-collective-funding-retro-action-rpg-on-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/indie-core-collective-funding-retro-action-rpg-on-kickstarter/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/indie-core-collective-funding-retro-action-rpg-on-kickstarter/#commentsLegend of the Time Star has all the potential to be a brand new nostalgia bomb whose inherent paradox rips a hole in the thinly woven fabric of space and time itself, but only if we allow it to. We think that sounds like a pretty cool thing we'd like to witness, but in the end it's up to the larger community on Kickstarter to decide if this retro, side-scrolling action RPG will be made. It's kind of like building the atomic bomb, but with more citizen input.

Legend of the Time Star is in development by Attack Mountain, an "indie-core" collective based in New York City with the goal to "bring that warm, fuzzy feeling back to gaming by providing players with polished and engaging games that have just the right amount of old and new." The game itself features a protagonist named Hero, a villain who looks like Rasputin and a robust world built with a classic SNES RPG art style.

Attack Mountain is asking for $57,500 to create Legend of the Time Star, and with 21 days to go it has raised $5,700. Donate here if you're intrigued and follow progress on Attack Mountain's tumblr.

Joystiq'Indie-core' collective funding retro action-RPG on Kickstarter originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 May 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Action-RPGattack-mountainfundingindie-corekickstarterlegend-of-the-time-starNYCpcrpgsnesThu, 03 May 2012 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Why skills are in, attributes are out in modern role-playing games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/why-skills-are-in-attributes-are-out-in-modern-role-playing-gam/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/why-skills-are-in-attributes-are-out-in-modern-role-playing-gam/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/why-skills-are-in-attributes-are-out-in-modern-role-playing-gam/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
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It took four or five levels gained for me to realize something was different. I was playing the Diablo 3 open beta last weekend, merrily leveling my monk up, when I noticed that half the time a gained level just happened, without me needing to do anything. Sometimes I could choose new skills, yes, but I wasn't given five points to distribute to my core attributes like Strength, Vitality, etc. There's a little bit of text that notes which attributes have improved, but that's all. Diablo 3 isn't the only major recent role-playing game* to downplay the importance of its characters' core attributes. Mass Effect 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, both released within six months of Diablo 3, avoid core attributes entirely.

Skyrim and Mass Effect 3 don't include attributes at all, in fact, something that would have been unthinkable for a computer role-playing game at the dawn of the genre. But the lessened importance of attributes isn't necessarily a sign of the simplification of the genre (although that's often part of it). Instead, it's part of a trend in which skills, not attributes, serve as the most important statistical measure of an RPG character.

Continue reading Why skills are in, attributes are out in modern role-playing games

JoystiqWhy skills are in, attributes are out in modern role-playing games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columnDiablo-3microsoftpcplaystationps3rpgxboxFri, 27 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[What makes role-playing game combat good?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/what-makes-role-playing-game-combat-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/what-makes-role-playing-game-combat-good/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/what-makes-role-playing-game-combat-good/#commentsThis is a weekly column focusing on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
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Last week's column on changes in role-playing combat systems through history ruffled a few feathers, so I thought it would be a good idea to discuss what, in my opinion, makes for good RPG combat systems. I had no intention of sounding like I hated turn-based combat (since my two favorite RPGs use it!), or that every new game was better than old.

Responsiveness may be the single most important component of a good combat system. I mean "responsive" in a broad fashion, specifically encompassing four different forms of responsiveness that can all work together: pace, information, animation, and sound.

Responsive pace means that when you press the button to have something happen, that thing happens quickly. In Jagged Alliance 2, one of the greatest tactical RPGs of all time, you click your mouse and you immediately see what happens. Your choices register instantly. Or, in games like The Elder Scrolls: Arena and Daggerfall, your sword follows your mouse when you hold the attack button, and you see the effect instantly. On the other hand, there are games like Anachronox, a fascinating Ion Storm homage to Japanese classic Chrono Trigger. Anachronox does extremely well at setting a tone for the game with interesting characters and narrative, but its sluggish combat is a major drawback and renders the game extremely frustrating in battle-heavy areas.

Continue reading What makes role-playing game combat good?

JoystiqWhat makes role-playing game combat good? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pcrowan-kaiserrpgrpgsFri, 06 Apr 2012 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Browserquest: an MMO tech demo made to work in browsers everywhere]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/browserquest-an-mmo-tech-demo-made-to-work-in-browsers-everywhe/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/browserquest-an-mmo-tech-demo-made-to-work-in-browsers-everywhe/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/browserquest-an-mmo-tech-demo-made-to-work-in-browsers-everywhe/#comments Browserquest is a game put together by Mozilla (the company behind the popular Firefox browser) and intended to show off WebSockets, a technology that allows constant communication between your browser and a server online. But outside of the tech, it's a nice little streamlined MMORPG. There's no story to speak of, but you can explore a beautiful world, meet NPCs, and kill creatures while upgrading your items.

Browserquest is also impressive because it's as cross-platform as these things get -- even just resizing your browser screen will change the way the HTML 5 game is displayed, so it works great on your big-screen monitor, mobile devices, or anything else you run it on. If you happen to be a coder, the full source is also available on Github, so you can see how it's all done, and even use that code to build your own games.

The graphics and gameplay are charming enough that you'll wish it was filled out more, but Browserquest already works as a template for what browser-based games might be like in the future.

JoystiqBrowserquest: an MMO tech demo made to work in browsers everywhere originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>githubmmorpgmobilemozillapcrpgtech-demowebsocketsThu, 29 Mar 2012 07:30:00 EST