Author: Thomas Ortsik

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

Post-P.T. Petition

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Hideo Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro's playable teaser for Silent Hills has undoubtedly struck a cord with gamers. Although rarely making a difference, petitions are good for catching attention and raising awareness on an issue, and so Change.org user Yauheni Zinkevich has created one to demand that production on the game continues in one form or another.
The petition is addressed to Kojima and Del Toro specifically, asking for Kojima Productions to continue work on a Konami franchise, but may be far fetched at this point with all that's happened.

Del Toro has expressed that he still wishes the game could see the light of day, "We wanted to do some stuff that I’m pretty sure – just in case it ever comes back, which honestly I would love for somebody to change their mind and we can do it – but in case it comes back there was some stuff that was very new, and I wouldn’t want to spoil it."

He then notes that it would be difficult to continue in the gaming space after experience two heartbreaks in a row. “Well, you know, I’ve tried twice and I don’t know if I’ll ever come back to the form. In one instance, the company went down, and in the second, the completely unexpected happened, which was Kojima and Konami separating. It’s kind of left me reeling.”

As a huge fan of P.T., I hope that this work of passion is able to continue in some form.

Source: Cinemablend
Quotes: IGN

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: Pulsing Ribbontrellis

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I’m back home from celebrating the 60th anniversary of my grandparents-“in-law” and I bring an interesting discovery with me: pretty much everyone under the age of 40 was playing videogames. Granted, there was a level 80+ Clash of Clans player in the mix, but even he was into Skyrim. So, there I was, stuck in the middle of pretty much nowhere, surrounded by nice, but for the most part not particularly hip, not exactly young folks, yet discussions about the Oculus Rift and Ubisoft doing Ubisoft things ran rampant.

At the end of the day, we had two groups of people. One drinking beer, talking about stuff they’ve probably talked about for the last 40 years or so. One playing Space Team together on their phones. I guess both had fun, but I got to shout “Excite the Tachyon Adapter” at my girlfriend, while she was quelling the robot uprising and her cousin set the Idiosyncratic Photocontrol to 2.

Not a great week for gaming centric webcomics though, so I had to cut it down to 5 …WEBCOMICS!

Penny Arcade (Universals)
ReadySoup (Get Some Action Figure)
Nerd Rage (Konami Conundrum)
GU Comics (Paying the Price)
Game Boy Lands (Micromachines)

Twin Peeks : Monuments of Mars

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Twin Peeks is our new series where we take a quick look at a video game, either old or new, and we let you know what we think in a very loose, very off the cuff format. Today we're looking at one of the games in the 3D Realms Anthology Pack: Monuments of Mars. There's no transcript for this one so I'll just be posting the video after the break, but if you'd like us to include a written breakdown of what we think (no script with these after all), then we can look into that for future videos.

Quick version: It's an old school puzzle platformer where you control an infinite supply of astronauts. Your goal is to save the astronauts that have gone missing on Mars, and to do that you'll need to beat 4 chapters, each with 20 levels. It's a fun  enough game, but it's not something I'll be coming back to in the future.  Let us know what you think of the game, or just the video, in the comments below!
Author: Billy C
Game: The Monuments of Mars
Publisher: Scenario Software
Publisher: 3D Realms / Apogee Software
Cost: $39.99 on Steam as part of the Anthology Pack OR free from the publisher's site.

New Steam Store Releases: Axiom, Inc

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Confession time. I used to not care much for Steam. Although I would consider myself to primarily be a console gamer, GOG has consistently been my go-to site when it comes to downloadable PC titles. And why not? There's no DRM, they offer exclusive goodies and extras like free soundtracks, artwork, and guides, also there's no DRM (that's kind of an important one). That's not to say I never used Steam. It's hard to say no to a game on any service when you can find it on sale for just 99¢ or a couple of bucks. Even more so when they happen to be really good games. Well, it just so happened that I had taken advantage of one such sale recently over at the Humble Store. I had acquired an inordinate amount of ridiculously priced (in a good way) Steam games, and as I was engaged in the lengthy process of installing all of them, I began to take notice of everything that Steam had to offer, and suddenly the service started to click for me.

I realized that I really appreciate having the ability to organize a large portion of my games all together in one place, as well as being able to categorize them as I see fit. Furthermore, I appreciate the fact that many of the games available on Steam, both offer, and clearly display important features like achievements (something that I fell in love with on the Xbox 360), and controller support (for my 360 controller). With Steam, I've found that not only can I catch up on oftentimes better looking versions of the same excellent games I never finished on the 360, but also great games that appeared on other platforms such as PSP, and PS3 (and PC of course), all brought to one easily accessible location.

I still appreciate everything that GOG brings to the table, and I will definitely continue to purchase games there as well, but I think it's safe to say that for the reasons I've listed above (as well as others), Steam has finally made a convert out of me. Since I now have a new-found appreciation for their service, I've decided I should start keeping track of the weekly Steam releases, as I currently do for the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop. So, without further ado, I present the new Steam Store releases from this past week (after the break). (FYI, the highlights are the quite excellent, and previously-PlayStation 4-only, Axiom Verge, the stealth/strategy mash-up, Invisible, Inc, and the Final Fantasy IV follow-up, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years.)

  • Axiom Verge (Thomas Happ Games, Single-player, $19.99) (Controller Support, Steam Achievements)
  • Invisible, Inc (Klei Entertainment, Single-player, $19.99) (Steam Achievements)
  • Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Square Enix, Single-player, $15.99) (Controller Support, Steam Achievements)
  • Virtual Pool 4 (Celeris, Single & Multi-player, $24.99) (Steam Achievements)
  • Action Henk (RageSquid, Single & Multi-player, $14.99) (Controller Support, Steam Achievements)
  • Windward (Tasharen Entertainment, Single & Multi-player, $14.99) (Controller Support, Steam Achievements)
  • Interplanetary (Team Jolly Roger, Single & Multi-player, $14.99) (Steam Achievements)
  • NOT A HERO (Devolver Digital, Single-player, $12.99) (Controller Support)
  • Galactic Civilizations II (Stardock Entertainment, Single & Multi-player, $49.99) (Steam Achievements)
[Image: Thomas Happ Games]

Andrew J Amideo

Verizon Buys AOL

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AOL, the folks who used to house Joystiq are set to be bought out by Verizon, a communications giant.

The amount of money exchanging hands is $4.4 billion, far less than some of the other splurges AOL has been on in the past.

More-than-likely, this buyout is so that Verizon can get hold of AOL’s advertising technologies.
Bird Image Courtesy of Pixabay
Author:  Greywolfe
Source:  Verizon Press Release

Another Round of Splatoon on May 23rd

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Smile! You've got another hour to play Splatoon, at 6PM EST on May 23rd. If you're getting in on this early preview, you'll also be able to save 10% off the digital version of the final game from Nintendo's eShop. The demo is still up online for preloading, so download now and be ready!
Splatoon's release is only two weeks away, and Nintendo is stress testing their servers to make sure multiplayer goes smoothly on launch day. That will be May 28th in Japan, the 29th in NA and EU, and the 30th in Australia.

There will also be a campaign mode and local co-op in case you don't want to play online.

Source: VGChartz

Sony Opening North West Studio

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Sony is starting up a new first party located in England, which will be focused exclusively on developing VR games. All Games Beta broke the news after spotting a job listing on playstationjobs.co.uk.
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Sony's getting serious about building a launch library for their VR headset, although with a launch in early 2016, it'll be a challenge for a studio that hasn't been finalized to build content so quickly.

Games and Meditation: Enhance Your Calm, Spartan 117

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At the end of a long day, I often like playing Tetris just to clear my head of thoughts. When it's hard for me to sleep, I picture doing a run of familiar game levels, such as World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros, or the Green Hill Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog, and it doesn't take long to calm down and drift off.

As it turns out, games and meditation have a deep link. Ogyen Trinley Dorje, a high ranking Buddhist leader recognized by China, Tibet, and India, and head of the Karma Kagyu school, believes that video games are better than meditation for taking out aggression. There are further reaching benefits of video games for the mind and body, and we'll explore some of these after the break.

Kick Some Ass

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Expressing aggression in a video game can often be beneficial. Opposing the views often conveyed in mass media, video games do not nurture violent thoughts, but can be used to release it in a more passive way. Dorje elaborates in an interview with TechDirt, "So, for me sometimes it can be a relief, a kind of decompression to just play some video games. If I’m having some negative thoughts or feelings, video games are one way in which I can release that energy in the context of the illusion of the game. I feel better afterwards. The aggression that comes out in the video game satiates whatever desire I might have to express that feeling. For me, that’s very skillful because when I do that I don’t have to go and hit anyone over the head."
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Rampaging in Grand Theft Auto V, mowing down a field of soldiers in Dynasty Warriors, or bashing baddies with multi hit combos in Bayonetta can be extremely satisfying in this regard. Fighting games can be cathartic as well, as long as you're on a winning streak!

Just Chill Out

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Not all meditative experiences are about dealing with an overpowering emotion. Meditation can be about focusing on one thing while letting go of any distractions that may enter your thoughts. It is possible to induce such relaxation through repetitive tasks which can quiet the mind. Daily chores in Animal Crossing or Harvest moon, a casual dive in Endless Ocean, and whisking across a field in Flower can be quite calming. Grinding for levels or replaying a favorite you've memorized while listening to a podcast can be a good way to unwind.
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We can also engage in a complex thought process to distract us from negative thoughts, breaking free from a circular pattern that could otherwise become a crippling obsession. Solving a puzzle in the appropriately named Zen Bound, contemplating an advanced Picross board, or a more active challenge such as Tetris and even a racing game can allow us to engage in an elaborate mental exercise. Keeping your brain busy with something constructive can help conquer a ceaseless and futile cognitive discourse.

Escape Reality Temporarily

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Losing ourselves completely in a story can be an escape that allows us to clear our heads and later return to our daily problems with a fresh perspective. Just like a challenging boss can be overcome on the first try after taking a break, so can a real life roadblock after we come back with a renewed calm. Chrono Trigger is a perennial favorite, wandering the vast world in Skyrim feels freeing, and it's hard to remain stressed while playing the beautiful and whimsical Ni no Kuni. All of these games have incredible soundtracks, some of which can soothe your thoughts, and others that will hook you with their catchy melodies.

A Healthy Dose of Games

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While combating negativity improves our mind, games can also aid our bodies. Dulling physical pain, a good play session can allow patients to recover more easily, and help those who suffer from a condition experience some form of relief. This idea is central to the focus of the Penny Arcade Child's Play charity, which has raised over $33 million dollars through contributions since its inauguration in 2003.
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Free Dive by BreakAway Games creates a virtual world in which patients hunt for treasures in the tropics, swimming with dolphins and schools of fish along the way. It was designed to distract children from chronic pain, immersing them in an environment that promotes calmness.
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Dr. Hunter Hoffman allows burn victims to explore a computer construct called SnowWorld, a frozen surreal adventure filled with challenges. Using VR headsets, patients are alleviated from constant agony. "Pain requires conscious attention. Humans have a limited amount of this and it's hard to do two things at once," Hoffman states. SpiderWorld is designed to help those suffering from arachnophobia, allowing them to adapt within a safe environment.

He is also attempting to help those with post traumatic stress disorder, such as survivors of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. "Virtual 'exposure' therapy allows access to the event a step at a time, starting with getting up on the morning of September 11th and gradually working up to the most disturbing events of the memory. It is a controlled way of eliciting and processing the memories."

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Do you find yourself using games to relieve stress and tension? What games do you use, and for what situations? Are there any games you avoid for these purposes? Let us know your thoughts!

What is a WRUP? A miserable backlog of games!

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A little bat told me that there's going to be a new Castlevania that isn't called Castlevania. That's enough to stir me from my eternal slumber and post the WRUP in place of our beloved Dr. S... may he rest in peace.

But enough talk... What are you playing?

  • Andrew J Amideo (@Andoro36):  Project Cars (if I can swing it), otherwise, Tomb Raider and Fallout: New Vegas.
  • Billy Colley (@Amuntoth):  Chroma Squad, Wild Season, and perhaps a bit of Fire Pro Wrestling Returns (if I'm feeling frisky).
  • Cody Hall (@Yoda0VGs):  Gonna play The Entertain the Parents After Graduating College Ceremony Game. And hopefully sneak in some Invisible, Inc. , a few rounds of Hearthstone and some more Deus Ex.
  • Greywolfe (@lostwolfe, YouTube): Quest for Glory 2, Limbo (which rotates in as a result of Hearthstone being done) and The Dig.  Twenty years later, I'm still in love with that game.  I wish more games were made that shared the same sort of quiet tone.
  • Jye Cauffle: Bloodborne, I've almost finished New Game+ and it's somehow even more fun.
  • Thomas Ortsik (@Dr_Strangethumb): Not much, maybe a quick round of Puzzles & Dragons Z. 
  • Trisha Baumgartner (Twitch): Working this weekend, but I'm still going to get in some Hearthstone and keep leveling my next character in WOW.
  • John Rausch (@visitzebes): My Infinite Backlog. Toren and Helldivers. I might start Destiny too.