Tag: games

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PlayStation 4 Video Games

Exclusive Interview: 3on3 Freestyle Executive Producer Chan Hyun Kim

 

While I’ve long been someone who doesn’t enjoy sports — playing them, watching them, seeing them on my TV when The Simpsons should be on instead — I’ve also long been someone who doesn’t enjoy sports video games. Unless, of course, the game takes a less serious, arcade-ish approach. Such is the case with 3on3 Freestyle, a PlayStation 4-exclusive street basketball from Joycity, who previously made the street ball games Freestyle and Freestyle2 for PC. Though to figure out if I’d actually like it as much as enjoyed such similar games as One On One: Dr. J Vs Larry Bird and NBA Jam, I spoke to Chan Hyun Kim, the game’s executive producer to get the lowdown on this free-to-play game.

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PC PlayStation 4 Video Games Xbox 360 Xbox One

Best Games Of 2016

While 2016 wasn’t the best year for video games, there were a bunch that I had a lot of fun playing.

Here now, in no particular order, are the best games I played in 2016.

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Books Video Games

Exclusive Interview: Assassin’s Creed Heresy Author Christie Golde

While there isn’t a new Assassin’s Creed game this year, there’s plenty of sci-fi history for fans of this series to enjoy regardless, including the Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection, an upgraded remake of the second, third, and fourth games; an an eponymous movie that’s stars Michael Fassbender (X-Men Apocalypse), Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises), and Michael K. Williams (The Wire). But for those who enjoy the games for the story, the most interesting addition is Assassin’s Creed Heresy (hardcover, paperback, digital), a new novel by Christie Golden, who, coincidentally, also penned the Assassin’s Creed: The Official Movie Novelization (hardcover, paperback, digital). Though in talking to Golden about both Heresy and Novelization, it doesn’t sound like she’s tired of traveling back in time to kill people.

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iOS PC PlayStation 4 PlayStation Vita Video Games

Exclusive Interview: Lara Croft GO The Mirror Of Spirits Developers

Earlier this year, Square Enix brought the turn-based, mobile stealth puzzle game Hitman GO to the PlayStation 4 and Vita. Now they’ve repeated that move with the turn-based, action puzzle game Lara Croft GO, which is out now for PlayStation 4, Vita, and PC after being available on iOS, Android, Amazon, and Windows Phones for a year. Except that lady Lara is packing a little something extra, as the PlayStation 4, Vita, PC, and Mac versions of Lara Croft GO are also getting an expansion called Lara Croft GO The Mirror Of Spirits, which won’t be available for iOS, Android, and Windows Phones until March.

To find out what Lara Croft GO The Mirror Of Spirits is all about, I sat down with Square Enix Montreal’s Antoine Routon, the Co-Creator of the original Lara Croft GO, as well as Design Director Bronson Zgeb and Studio Director Saleem Dabbous from Ko-Op, who designed this add-on.

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PC PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 PlayStation Vita Reviews Video Games Xbox 360 Xbox One

“Bethesda Pinball” For “Pinball FX 2,” “Zen Pinball 2” Review

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One of the common traits shared by the games published by Bethesda Softworks is how they always immerse you in rich, detailed worlds, whether it’s the medieval fantasy realm of The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, the ’50s-flavored post-apocalyptic wasteland of Fallout 4, or the Hell-adjacent space base of the new Doom.

So it’s interesting to see how the equally skilled folk at Zen Studios have not only translated these games into excellent pinball tables for Bethesda Pinball, a triple pack for Pinball FX 2 (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC), Zen Pinball 2 (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Vita), and Zen Pinball (iOS, Android, Amazon), but have done so in a way that makes them as fun for pinball fans who aren’t into Bethesda’s games as those who do.

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PlayStation 4 Reviews Video Games

The Last Guardian Review

While dogs and small children can be adorable, they can also be a huge pain in the ass when you want them to do something. Sometimes, they just don’t listen. But that’s only one of the reasons why the third-person action game The Last Guardian (PlayStation 4) — in which you help a kid and a dog-like animal get around — is so infuriating and disappointing.

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PlayStation 4 Video Games

Exclusive Interview: Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One X-Wing VR Mission Developers John Stanley & Kieran Crimmins

In honor of the upcoming movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and the recent release of the PlayStation Virtual Reality headset, EA will release a VR-only add-on for the PlayStation 4 version of Star Wars Battlefront called Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One X-Wing VR Mission on December 6th (the same day the Rogue One: Scarif add-on is released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC editions of Star Wars Battlefront).

Developed by Criterion Games, this single-player mission casts you as a rookie Rebel pilot who flies their X-Wing into battle against The Empire in a mission that’s set around the time of, and narratively connected to, the movie. It even features an appearance by a certain someone from the film. Best of all, this short but super sweet add-on will be free. Well, assuming you own the PlayStation 4 version of Star Wars Battlefront. And a PSVR system. And you ask nicely.

In anticipation of the Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One X-Wing VR Mission‘s imminent release, EA invited some journalists (myself included) to their Los Angeles offices to play through the mission and then chat with Criterion Games’ Designer John Stanley and Art Director Kieran Crimmins.

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News PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 PlayStation Vita Toys Video Games

Funko Announce Twisted Metal Sweet Tooth POP! Toy

Funko have announced that they’ll release a POP! vinyl toy of Sweet Tooth from the Twisted Metal video games this January.

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Books Video Games

Exclusive Interview: Power-Up Author Chris Kohler

It may seem strange to people who grew up playing Call Of Duty sequels and Halo games, but there was a time when Japan dominated video games. But while they may have lost that prominent position, their influence is still felt, even in Call Of Duty sequels and Halo games. Originally published in 2004, but newly republished with a new chapter, Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave The World An Extra Life (paperback, digital) by Wired’s Games Editor Chris Kohler — who, full disclosure, is a fellow game writer with whom I’ve shared many a conversation and meal — explores how Japan became such a cultural force in gaming at a time when America and Europe dominated movies, music, and other forms of entertainment. In the following interview, we discussed how the original came together, what prompted this reprint, and what he added to this new edition.

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