Archive - 2013

Injustice: Gods Among Us Release Date and Battle Edition Unveiled

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JANUARY 15, 2013 — Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today revealed details for the Injustice: Gods Among Us Battle Edition. The package will be available in limited quantities at Gamestop and EB Games stores located in the United States and Canada for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Injustice: Gods Among Us is also confirmed to be available in North America beginning April 16 for Xbox 360, PS3 and the Wii U™ system from Nintendo.

The Injustice: Gods Among Us Battle Edition will retail for $149.99 and includes the game disc, exclusive Injustice: Gods Among Us Fight Stick featuring official artwork from the game and three exclusive skins based on Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman from DC COMICS – THE NEW 52. The Fight Stick is a lightweight controller that boasts a non-skid foam underside, a lockout feature for the Start, Select and Guide buttons, as well as adjustable illumination for the buttons and joystick.

Accompanying the news is an image featuring all the contents of the Injustice: Gods Among Us Battle Edition, as well as a new image showcasing the contents of the Injustice: Gods Among Us Collector’s Editionwhich will be sold separately for $99.99 at various retailers throughout North America for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

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TOSY mRobo Dance Off at CES 3013

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TOSY Robotics was showing off their mRobo dancing bass robot at this year’s CES. Derek Hough, three-time winner of TV’s Dancing with the Stars, choreographed a dance-off between two of the speaker-equipped robots, and fun ensued. The mRobo will be available later this year for $199.

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Could the Xbox 720 and PS4 Be Announced Before E3? [Rumor]

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Looks like Game Informer magazine may have some info about the revelations of the forthcoming “next-gen” Microsoft and Sony video game consoles. In Game Informer’s February 2013 issue, the magazine claims that the companies are planning “Apple-syle press conferences” near the time of the Game Developers Conference in the last part of March, 2013. This would put the game console announcements a month and change ahead of the venerable Electronic Entertainment Expo in June – leaving E3 to be more about the game announcements rather than the hardware.

The full quote from the magazine report reads, “We hear that both Sony and Microsoft are targeting special Apple-style press conferences to unveil their platforms near the Game Developers Conference in late March…”

Only time will tell, but we will keep you in the loop as soon as we hear more.

Dead Space 3 Dev Team Edition Announced

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January 14th, 2013 — Want a more personal look into the creation of the first big entertainment launch of 2013, Dead Space™ 3? In partnership with Treehouse Brand Stores, the Dead Space 3 development team at Visceral Games has assembled an insider look for fans into the clues, art and inspiration behind the highly-anticipated game that CNET says “is back and promises to be more terrifying than ever.” Available when Dead Space 3 launches on February 5, 2013, the Dead Space 3 Dev Team Edition delivers exclusive merchandise and is available for presale* with the game for $160 (North America only) or without for $100 at http://deadspace3devteamedition.com/. Gamers that want to take down the terror before the game launches can do so by playing theDead Space 3 downloadable demo starting January 22 on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace and January 23 on the PlayStation® Network.

“We’re super excited to team-up with Treehouse and make something extra special for gamers that have been supporting us since the first Dead Space game,” says Steve Papoutsis, VP and GM of Visceral Games. “We, as a development team, really wanted to put our personal touch on these exclusive items so that they feel authentic and meaningful to our passionate fan base.”

Dead Space 3 Dev Team Edition includes:

  • Dead Space 3 Limited Edition (North America only): Includes the “First Contact” and “Witness the Truth” packs.
  • Tin Collector’s Case: Measuring nearly 14”x9,” this case is covered with mysteries and trivia from all three Dead Spacegames, debossed with full color art based on the designs from Ben Wanat (Creative Director for Dead Space 3) and Dino Ignacio (UI Designer for Dead Space 3).
  • Serrano’s Journal: Dr. Earl Serrano’s journal full of clues and haunting artwork of his findings on Tau Volantis has come to life with exclusive content by Chuck Beaver (Story Producer on Dead Space 3).
  • Art Book: A 4.75”x6.5” hardbound book containing 96 stunning full color pages, plus exclusive material from the Dead Space art department headed by Alex Muscat (Art Director for Dead Space 3).
  • Flip Book “Data Pad:” A 10”x7” book with a metal cover that contains 9 image sets made with clear PET cover sheets over heavy-weight cardstock. The flip book was designed by Dino Ignacio to be a functional prop version of the Dead Space User Interface in the game.
  • Marker Statue: A 8” hand-sculpted, custom-molded polyresin statue that’s coated in metallic paints to replicate the maddening glyphs of the Black Marker.
  • Med-Pack: The med-pack in the game has been recreated as a 14 oz. PET water bottle, perfect for carrying your beverage of choice.
  • Poster Pack: A set of three 5”x10” single-sided posters replicating the nostalgic posters found throughout Dead Space3 that depict an older age of space travel.
  • Postcard Set: A set of six 3.75”x6” Peng themed postcards, double-sided with art on the front and Dead Space-branded postcard information on the back.

Winner of more than 15 critic awards at E3 2012 including Best of Show from Game Informer Magazine, Dead Space 3 cuts to the heart of deep space terror. The game is recognized by game critics worldwide for its incredible craftsmanship in horror, action, suspense and sound design. Players will embark on a thrilling ride through space that takes them to a hostile new planet, Tau Volantis. Fortunately, they are not alone this time around. The fully integrated drop-in/drop-out co-op feature gives players the option to play alone or team-up with a friend anytime. Players that choose to take down the terror together will experience additional story details, side missions and gameplay mechanics only found when playing as John Carver.

Dead Space 3 will be available on February 5, 2013 in North America and February 8, 2013 in Europe for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PC. Follow us on Twitter at:www.twitter.com/deadspace or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/deadspace. For additional information and news, visit www.deadspace.com.

S2 Games Doubles Workforce due to Heroes of Newerth Success

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Kalamazoo, MI – January 14, 2013 –S2 Games wasn’t short on ambition in 2012. The publishers and developers of the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game Heroes of Newerth more than doubled its workforce last year, creating their very own mobile gaming division in the process. To make room for these latest additions and continued growth in 2013 and beyond, S2 has relocated its headquarters to a corporate suite in the Portage Trade Centre, outside Kalamazoo.

“Our Heroes of Newerth player base grew by about 50 percent in 2012 and we have high expectations with the launch of HoN 3.0 in 2013,” said Marc DeForest, CEO of S2 Games. “We’re constantly seeking ways to improve our games and the services we offer to the player base, and that’s why we’re investing in a top-notch workforce and a great space to do the work.”

The new S2 offices now accommodate all of the company’s 90 employees, 49 of whom were added in 2012 alone. The 18,000 square foot space – 6,000 square feet more than their previous location – features state of the art amenities, as well as a new 55-seat enrichment classroom that will help educate S2’s employees on not only industry-related information, but also valuable job skills and topics for personal growth.

“Our employees are our biggest strength,” DeForest added. “A productive, educated, and happy workforce mean our games will be that much better.”

With that future in mind, S2 Games proudly launched a new mobile games development division – iGames –on Jan. 2, 2013. iGames is a wholly-owned subsidiary of S2 designed to bridge the gap between casual players and experienced gamers while growing S2’s unique vision of online multiplayer gaming. The team’s goal is to push the boundaries of what mobile games are and can be by focusing on a balanced mixture of fun and intuitive mechanics with deep, engrossing gameplay that caters to players of all skill levels.

Information on employment opportunities with iGames can be found at www.igames.com.

Chris Taylor is Going “Wild” with a New Action RPG

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REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 14, 2013 — Acclaimed game developer Chris Taylor and his award winning Gas Powered Games® (GPG) team is ready to take you on a “walk on the wild side” with a brand new and unique gaming experience. Gas Powered Games today announced the development of Wildman™, a combination of an action role-playing game (RPG) and real-time strategy (RTS) game that could only come from the creative (and wild) mind of one of the industry’s  most entertaining figures.

Wildman will be funded with a Kickstarter campaign that also was announced today. The official Kickstarter page has a video interview with Taylor and members of the GPG team and includes information about the game including videos and some early artwork from the dev team. GPG has a goal of raising $1.1 million in pledges.

“Kickstarter and crowdfunding allows us to fundamentally change the way we develop games.  I’m thrilled that we are finally entering a new era of gaming, an era that allows collaboration and unprecedented levels of transparency with our customers,” says Taylor, creative director at GPG. “It allows us to work together as a team, create games more efficiently and direct our energy at the things that the players care about most.”

The GPG team has a long history of making successful RPG and RTS games such as Dungeon SiegeSupreme Commander and Demigod™. And the team will be pulling some of the best features from each of them to create the unique Wildman experience that is a combination of both popular genres.

Imagine a game where you control a single hero unit—the “Wildman”—in the middle of a raging battle between opposing forces in a specially designed War Zone. You engage the enemy and see your opponent switching tactics, forcing you to reconfigure your army to counter. You push the enemy back to their base before facing your opponent’s champion. Over the course of this battle, you upgrade your armies with new technology, execute special abilities, construct defenses, change your army composition, and shape-shift into new forms that grant you new abilities. This is Wildman.

Now imagine that between these War Zone battles you can go on role-playing adventures. You can explore fantastical environments. You can discover ancient dungeons full of mystery and treasure. You can earn new skills. You can discover and equip new weapons and armor. You can collect materials. You can craft new items. You can fight relentless onslaughts of men and monsters. This is also Wildman.

“Wildman takes the elements that we’ve crafted over the years with our action role-playing games and combines them with the things we love about real-time strategy,” said Taylor. “It’s original, it’s unique and we think our fans will embrace this new approach. And if you like what you are seeing and hearing about the game, we hope you’ll back us on Kickstarter.”

Wildman will release as a PC only product. It will be single player game that includes co-op multiplayer play modes. For more information on the game go to www.wildmangame.com. The official Kickstarter page for Wildman is located at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gaspoweredgames/wildman-an-evolutionary-action-rpg.

Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2 Wii U Release Date

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BURLINGAME, Calif. January 14th, 2013 – TECMO KOEI AMERICA announces today that a download only Wii U™ version of the second video game adaptation of renowned action manga ‘Fist of the North Star’, entitled ‘Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2’, will be released on February 7th, 2013. Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2 will also be released on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system via the PlayStation® Network on February 5th, 2013.

‘Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2’ follows the storyline of the entire manga and offers players a variety of modes and new features:

  • Legend mode starts with a re-imagined version of ‘Raoh’ and covers ‘Celestial Emperor’ and ‘Land of Shura’. This way the game can be enjoyed by both existing fans of the manga and newcomers to Kenshiro’s post-apocalyptic world. Different characters will be controlled for each episode while ‘boss’ encounters will feature entire famous scenes from the manga.

Additionally, ‘Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2’ also features an episode dedicated to Ken’s faithful companions, Bat and Rin. This chapter, although part of the original manga, hasnever before been visualised and provides a brand new, original experience for players.

  • Over 20 playable characters will be available, including Juda, Rei, Shew, Shin, Thouzer, Jagi, Raoh, Toki, Fudo, Juza, Mamiya, Ryuga, Ein, Falco, Hyou, Kaioh, Shachi, and more.
  • Dynamic new moves.  The destructive power of the techniques of Hokuto Shinken and Nanto Seiken meet the intense action of the Warriors series to produce a thrilling experience. In addition to the signature moves of the first title, new actions such as ‘sprint’ and ‘dodge’ have been added to the move sets.
  • Dream Mode introduces new, original storylines to the Fist of the North Star Universe while bridging the gaps between parts of the main story, often focusing on some of the series’ minor characters.
  • Online Co-Op and Versus play. Four to eight players can use Dream Mode to enjoy online co-op or versus play.

Corsair Vengeance C70 Mid-Tower Gaming Case Review (Hardware)

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Corsair’s Vengeance C70 Mid-Tower PC gaming chassis features excellent steel construction, plenty of internal space, top-notch cable management, and lots of air flow – all in something that resembles a futuristic ammo box. Our Vengeance C70 was painted military green and the first thing I noticed when un-boxing it were the awesome ammo box-style carrying handles on its top. Clearly, the case was designed to be moved around with easy. This is a huge feature in its own right as I have used several mid-tower gaming cases that I rued having to move anywhere. Often ungainly and heavy, the Corsair Vengeance C70 gaming chassis is none of those things. Whether it is empty or fully-loaded, its steel frame is deceptively easy to move – thanks to those especially-glorious carrying handles. Additionally, accessing the side panels of the case is accomplished via a cool (again ammo box-like) snap system. Each side panel has two snaps on it that open and close with a solid, rugged feel. They are incredibly strong and far more user-friendly than the sometimes finger-pinching slide systems most chassis use.

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Carrying Handle and Side Snap (closed position)

Air flow is a huge issue for PC gaming rigs, and the Vengeance C70 is no slouch in this department – especially once upgraded a bit. Stock, it comes with three respectable 120mm fans. However, for those of you who want to take it up a notch, the case has room for SEVEN more 120mm fans. In my setup, I already had an Antec Kühler H2O 620 all-in-one liquid cooler with its own 120mm fan. So, I removed the fan on the back of the Vengeance C70 and used the radiator’s fan instead. Then, I moved the Corsair fan to one of the fan spots on the side window. The other two 120mm fans which come stock on the case are located at the inside of the two drive cages, pulling air across the SATA drives and into the case. In terms of noise, the case fans were reasonably quiet except when running at high speeds and, even then, were not horribly-noisy. To help keep noise down, Corsair has included some nifty rubber gaskets on the stock fan screws. These help reduce any noise from vibration. For you serious liquid cooled gamers out there, the case will support a 240mm radiator at its ceiling and another one if you remove the lower hard drive cage.

Another aspect of PC gaming cases are their cable management capabilities. A lot of manufacturers are simply adding space in between the motherboard tray and sidewall in which to stuff your various cables. Thankfully, the Corsair Vengeance C70 goes several steps beyond that with three plastic cable clips on the backside of the motherboard tray. Additionally, the three rubber cable ports allow for lots of access to various computer components while also allowing easy channeling of cables away from the visible areas of the case. I am not a cable management master by any stretch of the imagination. One of my mates who works at a well known hardware company often ribs me over this point. In building this system, however, I was very easily able to do some decent cable management with next to no skill at doing so. The Corsair Vengeance C70 comes with a few zip ties as well for further organization of your machine’s various cables.

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Corsair Vengeance C70 with Cable Management in Place

The biggest issue I had with the Corsair Vengeance C70 is the lack of USB ports on the front panel – the case only features two of them. I would have liked to see four ports on the front panel, minimum. Thankfully, the two ports are USB 3.0 ports – so that helps. Aside from the lack of front panel USB ports, I would have also liked to have seen a bit more pizzazz inside the case. There is no internal case lighting at all and I think some vibrant, green LEDs would have complimented its military styling well. Aside from the design aspect of this, I always appreciate seeing what is happening inside my computer case without having to shine a flashlight at it.

Overall, the Corsair Vengenace C70 Mid-Tower Gaming Case is an excellent chassis that will fit your needs, whether your are a novice at case-building or a veteran. Furthermore, the large internal volume of the case allows for easy installation of liquid cooling radiators and up to nine 120mm fans for as much air cooling as you can handle. With that many fans in the case, you better take care to anchor it down as it could achieve straight and level flight. 🙂 The Corsair Vengeance C70 gaming case retails for $139.99 and is available now at the company’s official website.

[easyreview title=”Corsair Vengeance C70 Mid-Tower Gaming Case Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″] Our Rating Scores Explained

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Pros

  • Excellent build quality
  • Convenient carrying handles
  • Well-designed cable management areas
  • Sturdy side panel snaps keep case closed up tight

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Cons

  • Only two USB ports on the front panel
  • No internal lighting

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Technical Specifications

Package contents
  • Vengeance C70 Gaming Case
  • Accessory kit with screws and cable routing tools for a clean build
  • Quick Start Guide

Specifications

  • Room for two 240mm radiators when lower drive cage is removed for outstanding watercooling potential.
  • Tool-free thumbscrews for each of the eight expansion slots, making it easy to upgrade to dual, triple, or quad video card setups
  • Front panel USB 3.0 ports with internal header for modern peripherals
  • Tinted side window with dual fan mounts lets you cool, and view your hardware in style
  • Three 5.25” bays and Six 3.5”/2.5” hard drive bays for excellent expansion capabilities
  • Two included 120mm intake fans directly blowing across your GPU for maximum cooling potential, and a single 120mm fan for heat exhaust
Compatibility
  • ATX and Micro ATX motherboards