Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Space Marine’s recently added co-op horde mode already has additional content on the way. Latin-Dalek-impersonating Exterminatus mode originally added two scenarios for free, but THQ are preparing to release another chunk of content called Chaos Unleashed. Keeping Chaos on a leash is like keeping a cat on a leash so this is a sensible move but what does it add to the game? For the price of “800 Microsoft Points or equivalent”, them being the world’s major currency apparently, Chaos Unleashed let’s you fight swarms of Orks and Imperial Guard as a ruddy great Chaos Marine.

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Pretty-lookin’ cyberpunk robo-blaster Hard Reset – which John was amused but disappointed by – has received a big old patch, 1.2, which adds a Survival mode which “unleashes wave after wave of robotic hell upon the player, who has make good use of weapon upgrades to delay the inevitable as long as possible.” The mode is based in two new maps, and has a leaderboard setup so that Hard Reset adherents can fight their way to an obscure kind of fame with their survival skills.

The patch also “adds full NVIDIA 3D Vision and Surround support, as well as support for multiple displays.” So that’s fancy. The patch should automagic via Steam.

Egad, there’s a demo of Lego Harry Potter: Years 5 – 7 all of a sudden. Why the surprise, you ask? Because you haven’t been paying attention to Adam and me, when we’ve told you over and over how great the first Lego Harry game was. And as I’ve mentioned before, I’m saying that as someone who would rather eat his own shins than read one of those illiterate books. Honestly, I tried to read the first one and just wanted to mark it with a red pen. Does she even have an editor? Anyway, the good news is the Travellers’ Tales games are brill, and the Harry Potter one was exceptionally good. And I suspect this one could match it. Naturally the game is out in American a week earlier than in the UK, what with Harry Potter being a British book, and the game developed by a company in Britain… hang on, what? At least we can all get the demo at once. Warner? What are you doing?

Phew. I ran here as fast as I could. I know the entire internet is waiting for the hottest new trailer in town but some git thieved my automocar so I’ve had to come by foot. Here it is then. Thomas Was Alone is an upcoming indie game “about friendship and jumping”, with a cast of angular shapes working together to make their way through minimalist platform environments. It’s based on an earlier free prototype but the full release isn’t due until March/April next year. It’s worth taking a look at the trailer just for the gorgeous music by David Housden. Apparently the full game will have a procedural score, which sounds like something I’d like to wrap my ears round.

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A successful videogaming franchise is to see another installment! I know, whoever would have believed it? Whether Rockstar’s ever-exciting but nauseatingly over-speculated-about latest drive’n'shoot’thumper is going to be on PC as well as the toyboxes is something I don’t know at present, because I am writing these words 39 minutes in the past. You, however, are reading them 39 minutes into my future, and may already know the answer. Wait, 38. So I’ve put some fancy embed code in below that will hopefully magically transform into a live and kicking, honest-to-grud GTA V trailer come exactly 4pm UK time. If it doesn’t work, it’s probably because I’m an incompetent wuckfit, but you can see it on Rockstar’s own site. Or, y’know, every single videogame site on the internet, who’ve all been deploying all their most desperate attempts at SEO glory over the last week or so. Well done those sites, and I’m sure it will result in only the very highest-quality comment threads.

Hope it’s a good trailer, anyway. I’ll add some thoughts, if there are many to be had, once it’s unlocked and I’ve watched it. GODSPEED, VIDEOGAME FANS. I’ll see you on the other side of the marketing frenzy.

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The SNOW dev team are making some bold claims for their freshly-announced all-caps mountain-descending title. It’s being built in CryEngine 3, and will take a physics-based, simulationy approach to white stuff. Here’s one claim: “Using a completely new and improved control scheme that pays attention to the actual experience of skiing and snowboarding, SNOW enhances the link between player and character, creating a superior gaming experience.” And another claim: “Completely Open World. You are able to explore the rich environment any way you please. Mountains consist of dozens of different routes and discoverable items, encouraging the player to explore and define their own line.”

SNOW trailer below. SNOW!
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I’ve probably spent more time playing Crusader Kings than any other strategy game released in the last ten years. In all those glorious hours and days, I’ve raised mighty dynasties so envied by the wider world that they have felt the need to grind the bones of my children to dust and I’ve nurtured quiet island kingdoms, so inadequate in comparison to my neighbours that they have felt the need to grind the bones of my children to dust. I’ve loved almost every minute of it. Now, with Crusader Kings II on its way, is it time to move on?

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The open-ish beta for Valve’s action-RTS remake Dota 2 is apparently impending, with a clutch of far’n'wide folk last night mailed a link to a survey intended to assess your level of experience with the multiplayer-only title. I’m ashamed to say I couldn’t complete it myself, such is my inexperience with these things – I put a fair bit of time into Demigod, but only really in singleplayer, and my one experience with a Dota game was a shower of incompetence. Keep meaning to check out League of Legends and see what the fuss is about, though.

If, unlike me, you are not entirely ignorant in such matters and thus can easily answer questions such as “Please estimate your average total gold earned in a DOTA match”, then set Steam running then click on this link. If that doesn’t work, hit Run from your Windows Start menu, paste the link in, hit enter and you should be presented with the questionnaire.

You probably noticed the brouhaha that emerged last week, after GayGamer and, in turn, RPS reported on a very strange decision by Blizzard, to include an outburst many could only interpret as homophobic, during BlizzCon. After one of the less pleasant comments thread RPS has witnessed, and much discussion internet-wide, Blizzard have issued a proper apology. (This happened a few days ago, but we’ve realised we’ve not mentioned it here, so it’s only reasonable to post it.) You can read it below.

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As promised back in September, DC Universe Online is now free to play. While the combat isn’t quite as smooth as Mr Wayne’s moves in his Arkham adventures, it’s a lot more punchy than what passes for fisticuffs in most massively multiplayer efforts. Playing for free only provides two character slots and there are limits on inventory size among other things, including an inability to trade. You can see all the difference between paid and free subscription at the site.

I’d say it’s well worth a look for anyone interested in the characters and world, and it’s an entertaining solo game for a while if nothing else. I’m hoping this helps to repopulate Gotham since DCUO is the only online RPG I actually play. It’s lonely in there with no one to watch me brooding in the shadows. Get it here.

Beautiful, beautiful hack and slash dungeon-crawler (if a shattered archipelago of floating islands in the sky can be said to be a dungeon) Bastion is now half-price on the Steam digital computer game distribution pipe. I would use this opportunity to direct you to John’s review, where he implores you to buy the game. But you don’t need to believe his big lying face, because there’s also a demo you can play to try it out.

Then, once you have fallen in love with it, you can read this interview to learn a bit more about the making of this lovely thing. Hooray!