Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Archive for August, 2010

Syndicate, Syndicate, Syndicate

By Jim Rossignol on August 4th, 2010.


So here’s a thing. It could be poetic justice, but it’s too early to tell. What I mean is this: I think XCOM looks great, but it’s the kind of thing that doesn’t tickle the love-strings of X-Com purists. “Nevermind,” I said, so cheerily, and having no critical or emotional attachment to the original series. “It’ll still be an entertaining take on the shooter.” Of course, if someone was to come along and give a similar treatment to my beloved Syndicate, things might be a little different. A switch would flick in my head, my worries about hypocrisy would disappear in a puff of indignation, and red mist would do hideous battle with my cool, logical implacability.

EA have just registered three trademarks for Syndicate. We already have rumours that Starbreeze are developing a Syndicate game. What are the chances it will remain a beautiful isometric dystopia? Oh, gaming future, please be kind.

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The Light That Never Goes Out: Torchlight II

By Kieron Gillen on August 4th, 2010.

A logo, yesterday.

Fantastic news. Runic have just announced that a sequel to their popular dungeon-crawl action-RPG will be coming in early 2011 via direct download. The site’s just gone live, which promises a few big changes. Most notable of this is peer-to-peer co-op, including matchmaking abilities so you can locate people with similar level of (er) levels. Also, outdoor areas – complete with weather – and four character classes. Are they all new or the originals plus a new one? We don’t know yet. We just don’t know. More details on the site. The biggest question is that what does this mean for the planned Torchlight MMO? We’ll try to find out via – er – journalism. Or at least sending e-mails and asking politely.

EDIT: And news leaks out in a hefty interview with PCG. Basically, it’s a different thing and a chance for Runic to wrestle with Multiplayer a little before progressing to the MMO.

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Mod News: Hilarity Ensues

By Lewis Denby on August 4th, 2010.


At the end of this week’s Mod News, I will present you with the funniest thing I’ve read in ages. I’m mean, so you’ll have to wait until right at the end, and I’m sure you wouldn’t even think of scrolling down. First, you’ll have to ingest and process the most interesting in this week’s happenings from the mod scene. Laughs are a dessert.
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Good Points: Achievement Unlocked 2

By Quintin Smith on August 4th, 2010.

Could we not start games with 1000 points and then lose them as we prove our incompetence?

Now this is a wonderful way to start a day! This, and a mug of steamy tea. Bliss. Everyone’s favourite elephant in the (series of) room(s) is back! To pick up where our coverage of the original left off, the best approach to writing about it is to write as little as possible, so I’ve stowed some thoughts and a video after the jump. For now, go play.
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Future-Catan

By Alec Meer on August 3rd, 2010.

yo kids, boardgames are cool again

Here’s the splendid boardgame Settlers of Catan running on Microsoft’s potentially splendid Surface tech. Surface is touchscreen-mega-PC theoretical fun, but more likely to be built into tables in public spaces than to be something you hook up to your own device. Here’s how it could work for social videogaming (in the traditional sense of social, not the FarmVille sense). I’m fighting my overwhelming urge to grumble “but why don’t they just play the boardgame? It must be far cheaper” – because I suspect that’s very much missing the point.
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Shock! Irrational’s New Game Looms Close

By Alec Meer on August 3rd, 2010.

That’s the studio formerly known as 2K Boston formerly known as Irrational to you. As in Ken Levine’s original-name-reclaiming bunch: the developers who made System Shock 2, SWAT 4, Tribes Vengeance, Freedom Force – and, of course, Bioshock the first.

And there’s that Pandora’s box opened. The important news, though, is that Irrational are finally taking the lid of whatever their new project is next week. Several years in the making, massively mysterious: whatever it is, whatever it’s like, it’s bound to be a big old chat-magnet.
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Golden Wrench Destruction For Charity

By Kieron Gillen on August 3rd, 2010.

I HATE WRENCHES

This is somewhat inspired. You recall the Golden Wrenches circa the last Team Fortress 2 update? WiNGSPANNT despised his – number 31 – but had a bright idea of how to turn its annihilation into a force for good. In short, he’s using its destruction as an excuse to raise money for Child’s Play. To simplify the whole system, the twenty highest donators will be invited to join him on a server to observe this crushing to powder of a modern day Excalibur. Inspired by this Seven (Count ‘em!) other golden-wrench owners are going to follow suit, with the whole ceremony being recorded for posterity. Hurrah! Anyway, go forth and donate, or watch this video which explains what’s going on in further detail…
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You Can Get Get Lamp

By Kieron Gillen on August 3rd, 2010.

You can tell advertising is splendid if I’m happy to use it as a story-header. Anyway – it’s a good week for documentation of a genre. Following the guide to graphic adventures, Georg Wille brings me news that Jason Scott is now shipping the long-awaited text adventure documentary “Get Lamp“. And I do mean long-awaited. I did think we’d posted about it before, but the trailer actually debuted around the time RPS went public, so we never have. You can find more here or here. Alternatively, you can order the 2-DVD set directly here for forty dollars plus postage. So specialist pricing, but no harm in that. And the venerable trailer follows…
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Japanese Gamers Vs ???

By Alec Meer on August 3rd, 2010.

If you looked at the filename you cheated

What do you suppose these frowning folk are unhappy about?

I’m going to have to tease you. I’m sorry. But you’ll like it. Hint: it’s not that they’re all wearing exactly the same clothes.

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RPS Interviews 8 Year Old Developer Ross

By John Walker on August 3rd, 2010.

You may remember a couple of weeks back we featured a game made by eight-year-old Ross, Alien Black Hole. What stood out about it was a really smart idea – needing to use your enemies to create paths to let you exit a level. Because we think Ross is a bit of a hero, making a game that clever at his age, we wanted to interview him to find out his thoughts. So with the help of his mum and dad, we got in touch. You can read it below.

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Linkin Park’s Medal Of Honor Trailer Is Here!

By John Walker on August 3rd, 2010.

And my girlfriend haaaaaaaaaaaaaates me.

They promised it. We hardly dared believe it was true. But the new Linkin Park single – The Catalyst – is now available via the medium of a Medal of Honor trailer! Gather your friends, put your phones on silent, and behold the might that is: Mr Beardy Guy in live action! With some shouty tosh in the background.

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