Author: Thomas Ortsik

Founder and Kinda-Editor-In-Chief at Twinstiq.
Also known as Dr. Strangethumb

13 Minutes of Shadow Warrior 2 Gameplay

The Shadow Warrior reboot is getting a sequel and damn, does it look good. The first one was already a very competent shooter with juvenile, but nonetheless fun comedic elements. The 13 minute vertical slice of Shadow Warrior 2 that surfaced during E3 however looks outstanding.
Superb 3D movement, fast, beautiful to look at and a mix of shooty and slicey weapons. This is what I would have wanted Doom 4 to look like.
Co-op is one of the new features you see in the trailer and they gave it an interesting twist: You don’t actually start in the same place. Instead, your path intersects at a certain spot. Level design didn’t seem to suffer from it either, so that’s good to know.
Sword play was one of the best parts in the first game, somewhat ironical in a shooter, and besides more melee weapons, you also be able to slice enemies in a more “realistic” way. No longer will they spill their organs in pre-defined places, but actually react to where you placed the cut.
The vertical movement looks to come natural and the visuals are amazing, especially if you take into account that this is very much an indie studio.

But yes, let’s not get too hyped up already: it’s a vertical slice made for E3 and the game is still some time away (2016).

New PlayStation Store Releases: “I’m Batman!”

This week, I've got three words for you: Batman. Arkham. Knight. Whilst Steam users seem to be having their fair share of issues with the game, PS4 players everywhere are sitting pretty (in their batmobiles) right now. Sorry PC crowd, it seems that you are still an afterthought to some of the bigger publishers out there.As if getting the best version (currently) of the most anticipated game of the year wasn't enough, PlayStation fans also have access to a few other exciting games today. These include the new, updated version of Devil May Cry 4 (which ironically happens to feature a Dark Knight mode that is unrelated to Batman), a new jet ski game by the makers of Hydro Thunder Hurricane, a port of the excellent WayForward platformer, Shantae: Risky's Revenge, and finally, a true PlayStation 2 classic, Suikoden III. Become vengeance, become the night, then jump past the break to see this list of new releases.
PlayStation 4

PlayStation 3

[Image: Warner Bros]

Andrew J Amideo

Phantom Dust development on halt

One thing that was missing from this year’s Microsoft E3 conference was the CCG/RPG/3rd person action game Phantom Dust and now we know why.
The remake was originally announced during last year’s E3 conference, but with the closure of developer Darkside Games, the development is now officially in limbo.
In a interview with Gamertag Radio at E3, Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg said: "We're exploring what we're going to do longer term with Phantom Dust. The project is not canceled. We don't have an active developer on it right now but it's a project that, like many things, will take a little more time. But at this point we're not giving any more updates on it."

Lots of bad news today, huh?

Source: Gamertag Radio
via: Polygon

Criterion turned down Nintendo

My day just got a lot worse and now I’m going to drag you down with me!
Racing fans know the name Criterion very well. The developer is responsible for the beloved Burnout series and a return to form for Need for Speed. Arcade racing and Criterion go hand in hand, and that’s why the following news breaks my heart.
There is one Nintendo franchise I would love to come back with a fresh coat of paint. It’s the only real racing series Nintendo has, besides Mario Kart. I’m talking of, yeah, you guessed it: F-Zero.
Turns out Nintendo asked Criterion to make a new one for the launch of the WiiU. This obviously didn’t happen. Alex Wards from Criterion now confirmed to Nintendo Life that this was due to prior commitments (probably Need for Speed).

It’s unlikely that Criterion would do it now, with the WiiU not doing so well and them already working on a new IP. So… sorry guys, I need a moment. Gotta let the tears flow from time to time…

PSA: Batman – Arkham Knight PC Performance Issues

The highly anticipated 3rd Batman game from Rocksteady is out now and early reviews indicate that it is a real masterpiece. PC gamers might still want to wait with the purchase however, since reports about performance issues are aplenty.
The game uses Nvidia Gameworks technology, so you could expect that it would at least run decent on an Nvidia Cards, but as it turns out, both manufacturers cards aren’t able to guarantee a smooth experience. If you look at the Steam reviews, you will find quite a few people using flagship cards like the GTX 980, 290X or Titan X complaining about frame rate issues. Dips below 10fps seem to be no exception, which makes the game clearly unplayable in its current state.

While there is no fix for the frame rate issue yet (the newly released Nvidia driver does not seem to help), the frame rate cap is something you can fix yourself by editing a .ini file. Keep in mind though that this could break the game even further. If you still want to try it however, do the following:

  1. Browse to  C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Batman Arkham Knight\BMGame\Config\BMSystemSettings.ini
  2. Press Ctrl+F and search for the phrase "maxfps"
  3. Change the number 30 to 60
  4. Save the file and launch the game

This is also a good time to remind everyone about Steam refunds ;)

Source: Steam Reviews
via: Destructoid

Metareview: Batman Arkham Knight

The last (?) part of Rocksteady Studios’ Batman: Arkham trilogy has finally arrived and the reviews are glowing (91 on Metacritic for the PS4 version), at least for the most part. After the lukewarm reception Origins received (not developed by Rocksteady), Batman is back on form and some hail it as the best game this generation has seen so far. Only the implementation of the Batmobile seems to have some people disappointed …on consoles.The PC version on the other hand, well, you might want to look at this article about performance issues before you buy it.

The following reviews are all for the PS4 version, except the one from The Escapist (XBO)

Polygon (10/10): Arkham Knight is Batman perfected
Rocksteady has said this is its last Batman game, and I'm praying to the New Gods that they're on the level. After Arkham Knight, trying to find more meat on the Batman bone would define futility. After Arkham Knight, Batman has been perfected — and the end result is the best game of this console generation.

VideoGamer (10/10): Batman: Arkham Knight is not only the best Batman game ever made, but a game that will be remembered as exemplary. Obviously being a fan of the license is going to help no end - the Arkham trilogy as a whole is as important and impactful as its filming equivalent - and how this will ever be topped in terms of donning the cowl and being Gotham's protector is anyone's guess. But even those who don't frequent themselves with Bruce Wayne and his many adventures will still walk away feeling they've experienced something special.
It's epic; it's grand; it's addictive; it's ridiculously good-looking and it's going to be remembered for a long time to come. A masterpiece.

GameInformer (9.5/10): At the end of it all, Batman: Arkham Knight delivers a great sense of closure for this series. Rocksteady leaves a few plot threads dangling to tease and taunt us, but the grim tale that started all the way back in Arkham Asylum is done. I walked away from Arkham Knight shocked, satisfied, and in dire need of someone to discuss the story with. Rocksteady built a special experience that dazzles with its cleverness, intelligence, and ability to shift from kick-ass Batman moments to emotional gut punches to scenes stripped straight from some of Batman's greatest comic book stories. Lock yourself away, avoid social media and friends, and finish this game. You won't want this one spoiled for you.

IGN (9.2/10): If this is in fact the last Rocksteady-developed Batman game, the series will end on a high note. Arkham Knight is the biggest Batman game yet, not just in map size, but in the wide range of different types of gameplay, and its collection of characters. The addition of tank combat thematically clashes with everything Batman stands for, but it is fun, and having access to the Batmobile for the first time gives us a new world of possibilities for interacting with Gotham City. Arkham Knight is an outstanding game on almost every level.TheEscapist (4.5/5): The game performs well, but required a large day one patch - about 3.5 gigs - to function. Bugs were rare, but present, including two hard locks that crashed the Xbox One during my play through. Both occured during a key event that changes the face of the city, so it's unclear if that was their cause, but because the game frequently autosaves even in the open world I didn't lose any progress either time. An occasional bug caused enemies in stealth segments to forget they saw batman mid-fight, but that was rare and more amusing than troubling.

GamesRadar+ (4/5): Once I put a bit of distance between the campaign’s problems and the more positive experience of patrolling Gotham and mopping up these hours of sidequests, I really started to love Arkham Knight. I can see players just dipping in and out of this world forever, jumping in the Batmobile to chase down some criminals, visiting the villains in the lock-up at GCPD, gliding from an airship onto the LexCorp building; just being Batman in this worthy depiction of his universe.

GameSpot (7/10): What Batman: Arkham Knight does well, however, it does really well. Gotham is a dazzling playground where neon lights pierce through the rain and mist; all it takes is a single glimpse to tell you that this is a city in need. Moreover, many individual elements are so carefully constructed, and presented with such flair, that appreciation is the only reasonable reaction. Yet most of these elements--excellent acting, wonderful animations, moody soundtrack--are ones that Batman: Arkham City also excelled in, making Arkham Knight's missteps all the more noticeable. Rather than escape the pull of the games that spawned it, The Bat's newest adventure refines the fundamentals; it is a safe but satisfying return to the world's most tormented megalopolis.

[UPDATE] Good News/Bad News for Fallout 4: 1080p/30fps on everything (not really)

UPDATE: Gamespot got a clarification from Bethesda that states "resolution and FPS are not limited in any way on the PC." Whoever wrote that story without giving it some doubt looks pretty stupid now. It was only half of the internet though (d'oh!)If you are an Xbox One gamer, we have some good news for you! If you play on anything else, it’s bad though.

Todd Howard, director of Fallout 4, confirmed that the game will run in 1080p at 30fps “on everything.”
Yes, everything. Interesting choice of words. I don’t want to believe that the PC version is also getting a cap, so I asked them. No answer yet, but I guess we’ll find out soon.

Source: Digital Spy

We Happy Few – A new perspective

I'm excited for this title. I'm excited for the artwork, the creativity, the scripts even the music the list just continues. So I want to apologize in the beginning because I'm currently drooling over my keyboard.

We Happy Few - Welcome to Wellington Wells, you Saucy Minx  has but 12 days left on Kickstarter, and I'm going to be sad if this one doesn't make it.  Now normally I don't pimp out random titles I find while searching through pages of Kickstarter, but this one had me wrapped up in it's story-line the moment I clicked on the trailer.

Take a moment and watch the announcement trailer with your old friend, Uncle Jack.
A simple survival game with a twist. You have to stay 'happy' by taking 'joy' or the entire town will turn on you and bash your head in. The people of Wellington Wells are suspicious and have a ton of secrets that you as the main character have to find out. You have to survive, by any means necessary and uncover the dark history surround the townsfolk.This game has a completely different art style that I can't put my finger on. The game-play reminds me of BioShock, but instead of powers you get a melee weapon and a stamina based combat system.  Not only do you have to worry about stamina but also have to control your thirst and hunger. This can add to the challenge of fitting in when you're constantly breaking and entering to collect food and drinks from unsuspecting homes. To make it more entertaining, while searching you also stumble upon crafting materials for different weapons, lock-picks and other craft-able items.

The game was introduced earlier this year at PAX with a showcase and is currently in the pre-alpha. Joshua Mills, one of the game designers at Complusion games has a 15 minute play-through video posted to Youtube to give fans who have already donated to the Kickstarter an idea of what to expect.

Each encounter is different, but you are only given one life, and one life alone. If you die or even beat the game you go on to start it all over again with different loot, encounters, everything! You'll never play the same game twice basically.

I hope you guys take the time to actually check this one out!

Kickstarter: We Happy Few

Is the Vita dead? Spoiler: Not exactly, it’s still on life support.

Were you expecting a bunch of new Vita announcements during Sony’s press conference and are now disappointed? Well, that’s on you. What even made you think that?
At this point, the Vita is mostly a glorified second PS4 controller with a built in monitor, while also acting as a masturbation material provider for people who are into overly sexualized fanservice.
Ok, that’s only half true, there are also indies and Sony released a trailer showcasing some of the upcoming ones (with the occasional Japanese non-indie in the mix).
There aren’t many Vita exclusives, but just look at those names: Severed, Mighty No. 9, Volume, Drifter, Day of the Tentacle, Telltale’s Game of Thrones, Samurai Warriors 4, Blazblue, Skullgirls, the Oddworld HD remake, and the one I’m most excited about …Darkest Dungeon!

But whats up with that Persona 4 dancing game? Really have to look into that now.