Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon are in development, trademark filings from Europe reveal. Both listings just popped up in the database today and were filed by Nintendo.
Nerd Leaks spotted the two trademark registrations filed by Nintendo Co. Ltd. at the Office for Harmonization in the International Market, the organization that registers trademarks for the European Union. The trademarks for Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon cover a wide variety of video game and merchandise-related goods.
A brief Pokémon Direct presentation will be hosted tomorrow. We should hear more about both of these games then.
Nintendo Pokémon Direct is scheduled for tomorrow, February 26, at 16.00 CET/15.00 GMT/7.00 am PT and it will be broadcasted on Twitch at twitch.tv/nintendo and Nintendo Direct website at nintendo.com/nintendo-direct.
In Siegecraft Commander, players can select between turn-based or real time strategy (RTS) before each PvP match, while single-player will operate in real-time. Siegecraft Commander will also offer cross-platform support, allowing Windows and Xbox One gamers to go head to head.
In Siegecraft Commander, players start with and must defend their initial tower known as the Keep. From their Keep, players can branch out and create new structures and extend their forces. If the Keep falls, it’s game over.
Building those walls
In real time this equates to creating multiple towers and walls stretching closer to the enemy’s headquarters. In return the enemy is building closer towards, sending units and bombardments to cut off your advancing stone tendrils.
Creating new towers involves shooting out a ‘seed package’ from an existing structure. To get the distance and angle correct can be difficult at first as it uses a bow and arrow like mechanic. When the package lands, the new tower is created and a wall raised connecting the previous structure. If the wall is destroyed or blocked by terrain, the new tower will be destroyed.
During the brief time we had to play around with Siegecraft Commander on the PAX show floor we could form some strategies on offense and defence. Offensive towers can provide focused attacks or even supply foot soldiers to the field. Defensive towers attack pre-determined units that come close to them.
Dragons stealing cows
Units created by the offensive towers automatically move forward to attack the nearest enemy. This leaves the player to more worry about placement than unit micromanagement. According the Benjamin Lee,
“By removing the reliance of unit micromanagement and allowing multiplayer gameplay to be either turn-based or real-time, Siegecraft Commander will provide a rich tactical experience with broad appeal to every gamer who enjoys strategy,”
More important than just ‘What to build?’ is the question of “Where to build?” Getting around your opponents initial defensive towers to attack a section of wall deeper in is an excellent offensive strategy. This can set off a chain reaction destroying multiple enemy towers at once. Taking the time to build near resources is also vital, as this will boost your supplies, allowing you to build more towers.
Protecting your keep
If you’re looking for a fun way to challenge your friends online or on the couch, Siegecraft Commander boasts some unique mechanics and tense moments. The cross platform multiplayer alone makes this title more appealing.
We’ll be keeping an eye on this Aussie indie darling and will keep you updated.
Years ago, I played Pokemon competitively for quite a while. Whether it was over Wi-Fi or simulators, I just couldn’t get enough. But as with all things, it came to an end.
I packed up my faithful DS shortly after the release of Black and White versions and never looked back. Fast-forward to December 2015. Finally got around to getting myself a 3DS and started to play through X version, followed by Alpha Sapphire. I also have Y version but that can wait for now.
Like many people who grew up with the first generations of Pokemon, I had my “First Gen is best Gen” hat firmly on for the first few towns. For what it’s worth, X and Y are pretty good. I could do without Team Flare and the story was kind of all over the place. But in terms of additions to the franchise’s mechanics, it’s all pretty solid. I can appreciate the changes that are being made with respect to competitive battling as well but I’ll get into that later.
How is it that my competitive battling experience has sullied Pokemon for me? There are a few keys areas we need to consider.
Team Building
When you start playing online, you get rid of bad habits really quickly. Sort of like losing your baby teeth. They start falling out early so your stronger teeth (in this case, better battling habits) can take over.
There’s a certain methodology behind building a competitive team that differs from an in-game team. It was very challenging for me to get myself out of the competitively-viable mindset and into one that would let me stomp the Youngsters and other in-game trainers.
All through my naive days playing Red,Gold, and Ruby versions – before I started playing on the net – there were convenience tactics that would be abhorrent to me now.
For instance, I’d briefly considered using both Fire Blast and Flamethrower on my Nintales. Reasoning is simple enough: higher PP and accuracy on Flamethrower for the times between Pokemon Centres but having access to a move with a little more punch for the crucial 2HKO. I couldn’t bring myself to do it, however.
Thankfully, TMs are now multi-use but still. That little voice in the back of my head telling me it’s anathema to give up so many move slots with the same type.
It’s these small differences between optimal strategy in competitive and optimal strategy for in-game that made it very challenging. Sadly, when trying to reconcile these differences I ended up somewhere in the middle. A team that was somewhat good in-game but had the whispers of a competitive past.
The same thing happened when catching legendaries. Do I use Kyogre in my team and possibly spoil the EVs? Is it worth the effort soft resetting to get the nature I could potentially use? Am I even going to take these Pokemon online? These questions are the ones that plagued my entire journey through the story.
End Game
Playing through the story, everything was pretty okay. Beat the criminal organisation, train the Pokemon past level 50, beat the Elite Four. Sure it’s the same as the other games but I enjoyed it. A few minor concerns but there was an objective. There was something for my play to work towards.
Once the Elite Four fell, however, things took a turn for the worse. I’d accidentally wandered into Zygarde and caught him without much difficulty (yay luck). But then there was nothing left to do. In the first few games, being able to explore new areas, complete your PokeDex, and track down these unique legendaries was enough to drive excitement and keep training.
Even the desire to get your team to level 100 was a temptation rarely resisted. As someone who battled online, the unique legendaries – and, indeed, every other Pokemon – were just chess pieces. There was no reason for me to hunt them down; the majesty of the adventure was gone.
Even training to the level cap was pointless. WiFi battles will auto-scale my Pokemon. Sure, I could play in the Battle Resort. Stagnant battles that don’t have any pay off? No thanks. I’ll stick to my online competitive battles.
The Temptation of Competitive Pokemon
The great thing about Pokemon online battling is that it’s accessible. All you need is a copy of the game that you are already playing and a friend (or access to a forum). The transition in-game from the Pokemon League quest to the Battle Frontier/Mansion/Resort is inspiring for players. It sets them up with the notion that they are the best trainer in the world. Not entirely incorrect because in the context of the world inside the game, they are. Online battling is the natural progression for these people.
What this meant for me was being trapped in a cycle of wanting to get through the story, make a team, and recapture lost glory but then remembering the amount of work needed to play at that level. The result is a ten-hour playthrough of mild discomfort.
I still love Pokemon as a franchise, I do. But now that I’ve seen through the looking-glass, I simply can’t go back to the offline mundanity.
Sega is giving away Golden Axe, Jet Set Radio and Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit along with some other classics for free via Steam.
A package has been put together in the Steam store called, ‘Make War Not Love 3‘ and is available for free. Head over there to take a look at the package of games that includes Golden Axe, Jet Set Radio and Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit.
Moving to install one of the titles will do for free, and also add all available free titles to your Steam library.
Today Bethesda revealed details for the first three Fallout 4 DLC packs along with some other interesting details. Plans for more add-ons, plans for additional content, free updates, mods, and more.
Fallout 4 DLC Packs
The three packs announced, Automatron, Wasteland Workshop and Far Harbor should be landing one a month starting in March this year. Each DLC pack looks to tackle a different area of customization in Fallout 4 and will hopefully expand the playability of
“Since Fallout 4 launched, we’ve been blown away by your support for the game. It stands as our most successful title ever and that couldn’t have happened without you. It’s been truly inspiring, the stories, images and experiences that you’ve created. And now it’s time to share with you some of what we’ve been creating – our first series of add-ons: Automatron, Wasteland Workshop and Far Harbor.”
Automatron
Price: $9.99 USD
Release: March 2016
More weapon mods and the ability to build (and mod) custom robot companions looks like it could be fun. Going from the picture supplied you can get quite a big robot monstrosity to follow you around, I wonder what kind of trouble it will be
The mysterious Mechanist has unleashed a horde of evil robots into the Commonwealth, including the devious Robobrain. Hunt them down and harvest their parts to build and mod your own custom robot companions.
Does traveling with an android still mean you’re a Lone Wanderer?
“Choose from hundreds of mods; mixing limbs, armor, abilities, and weapons like the all-new lightning chain gun. Even customize their paint schemes and choose their voices!”
As the first Fallout 4 DLC to drop, Automatron doesn’t seem to have much in the way of new quests and areas. At least from the brief announcement, it looks like it’ll mostly be weapon mods and a custom companion.
Wasteland Workshop
Price: $4.99 USD
Release: April 2016
The second Fallout 4 DLC we can expect this year is Wasteland Workshop, additions to Fallout Settlements including creating your very own Death-Battle ring.
Commentators have pointed out that the Fight-Club style area ‘The Combat Zone’ in Fallout 4 was quite lacking and didn’t match up to expectations set by the E3 trailer. Perhaps it was still a work in progress upon launch and Bethesda has bundled it into DLC.
With the Wasteland Workshop, design and set cages to capture live creatures – from raiders to Deathclaws! Tame them or have them face off in battle, even against your fellow settlers.
The Wasteland Workshop also includes a suite of new design options for your settlements like nixi tube lighting, letter kits, taxidermy and more!
While creating a Thunderdome to entertain settlers is all well and good, the new suite of design options for settlements will be welcome. Settlements can be a bit unwieldy to design and often look drab, though some mods have made this process better. At half the price of the Automatron, I wouldn’t be expecting too much though.
Far Harbor
Price: $24.99 USD
Release: May 2016
Here’s the Fallout 4 DLC we’re looking for, a new area and quests to uncover for everyone’s favourite Synth-Detective Nick Valentine. Or at least through Valentine’s Detective Agency, you’ll get a new town to explore and some NPCs to interact with.
Here’s hoping there’s more to Far Harbor than ‘KILL, LOOT, RETURN’
A new case from Valentine’s Detective Agency leads you on a search for a young woman and a secret colony of synths. Travel off the coast of Maine to the mysterious island of Far Harbor, where higher levels of radiation have created a more feral world.
Navigate through the growing conflict between the synths, the Children of Atom, and the local townspeople. Will you work towards bringing peace to Far Harbor, and at what cost? Far Harbor features the largest landmass for an add-on that we’ve ever created, filled with new faction quests, settlements, lethal creatures and dungeons.
Become more powerful with new, higher-level armor and weapons. The choices are all yours.
Higher-level armour and weapons sounds great, though I’m pretty sure once you’ve hit a certain level in Fallout 4 you don’t really need to worry about what you’re packing.
More Fallout 4 DLC Planned
And more important, this is only the beginning. Bethesda has announced plans for more. More than $60 worth of new Fallout adventures and features throughout 2016.
Fallout 4 Season Pass Price Change
Given the expanded DLC plan, the price of the season pass will increase from the current $29.99 to $49.99 USD on March 1, 2016. However, if you already purchased the season pass for $29.99, nothing changes – you still get everything at no additional cost— the full $60 offering of add-on content for the original price of $29.99. In addition, if you didn’t buy the season pass yet, there is still time:
Anyone who buys the Season Pass for $29.99 before March 1st will get all $60 worth of content.
This is our way of saying thanks to all our loyal fans who have believed in us and supported us over the years.
Beta for Fallout 4 DLC?
Want a chance to play these add-ons early? We’ll be running closed betas for each of the add-ons for consoles and PC. And you can sign up right now on Bethesda.net. In order to apply, you’ll need to create a registered Bethesda.net account.
We’ll be selecting applicants in the upcoming weeks. Players accepted into the beta will receive a code to redeem the content. The beta is the full version (complete with achievements) and those participating will not have to purchase the add-on.
And something that we’re really excited about, a complete overhaul of Survival Mode that changes how you play the whole game. Food, sleep, diseases, danger and more.
We’re also hard at work on the Creation Kit, which will allow you to create and play mods absolutely free. We’re currently testing both Survival Mode and the Creation Kit now, and more details will be forthcoming.
All in all these announcements and updates are welcome, Fallout 4 is still a widely played game that is regarded by many of the Non-Fiction Gamers as their Best Game of 2015.
What do you think of these announcements? Let me know in the comments below.
Hyrule Warriors: Legends will release exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on March 24.
After Hyrule Warriors took the Wii U by storm, it’s no surprise that the 3DS would get a look into those large-scale battles. The 3DS ‘Legends’ version of Hyrule Warriors comes complete with new abilities: Command and switch seamlessly between up to four characters on the battlefield, play as five new characters, and enjoy two new and exclusive storylines.
Legend Mode
If you’ve spent long hours reading the Hyrule Historia then you’ll be familiar with The Legend of Zelda’s sprawling timeline. Legend mode sees players take on hordes of enemies as they relive classic Zelda games reimagined in the style of Koei Tecmo’s long-running “Warriors” series.
When a sorceress by the name of Cia rips time and space apart, Link must team up with Impa, Sheik, and The White Sorceress Lana to save Hyrule in battles inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Players will have to strategically switch between up to four characters as the tides of battle command.
Adventure Mode
Hyrule Warriors: Legends also comes with two new exclusive stories: a four-chapter epilogue based on The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and a five-chapter story based on series newcomer Linkle, a dual-crossbow-wielding Cucco farmer who believes her heirloom compass means that she’s destined for greater things.
Linkle isn’t the only new addition to the series, as Toon Link, Tetra and King Daphnes from The Wind Waker, and the mischievous Skull Kid from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask also make their debut.
As a special bonus for fans of the original Wii U game, all new copies of Hyrule Warriors: Legends will come with a code that allows players to download these new characters to Hyrule Warriors on Wii U. Characters transferred to Hyrule Warriors on Wii U are only available for use in Adventure Mode and Free Mode. Codes will also allow players to unlock Ganondorf’s new trident weapon.
Another addition comes in the form of My Fairy Mode. This time around, when players explore Adventure Mode there are fairies to be found, each of whom can be levelled up to bestow additional benefits in battle across all modes.
By feeding them and dressing them in new costumes, players can increase their trust, change their personality traits, or strengthen their Fairy Magic. They can even be rented to friends through Local Play, allowing them to take advantage of their skills for up to 24 hours.
Charge into battle wherever you go with Hyrule’s mightiest legends in Hyrule Warriors: Legends
No matter which Nintendo 3DS family system Hyrule Warriors: Legends is played on, there is plenty of action for both new and returning players.
Those who play the game on a New Nintendo 3DS or New Nintendo 3DS XL system can enjoy an enhanced experience made possible by the additional horsepower and features of those systems, such as the ability to control the camera via the C Stick.
Amiibos
New Nintendo 3DS owners – as well as those with access to the NFC Reader/Writer accessory for other Nintendo 3DS family systems – will also be able to use amiibo based on The Legend of Zelda characters to generate more powerful versions of previously-unlocked weapons for their respective characters.
This includes the new Wolf Link amiibo that will be available in a special bundle with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, which will bestow these more powerful weapons onto Midna or Twili Midna.
Hyrule Warriors: Legends will also release as a Limited Edition, featuring a copy of the game and a compass watch replica of Linkle’s family heirloom compass. Last but not least, March 24 will also see the release of the New Nintendo 3DS XL Hyrule Edition in Australia and New Zealand.
If you’re a long time Zelda fan or looking to catch up on old classics, there are now quite a few available on the 3DS via the Nintendo eShop.
The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Ubisoft recently released a brand new trailer for its action-adventure title Far Cry Primal that gives a basic overview of the title’s world, story, and gameplay.
If you’ve been following Far Cry Primal since it’s reveal trailer several months ago then you probably already know the story. For someone like myself who’s only seen announcements in his periphery, this was a great summary of the main character and what to expect of the game.
Far Cry Primal‘s pre-historic influences shine through with explanations of the tribes you’ll have to go up against and the dangers of the Stone Age wilderness.
Discover all you need to know about Far Cry Primal’s weapons, powerful Beast Master abilities, and vicious human foes.
Far Cry Primal will be available on PlayStation 4, XBOX One and PC, coming out the 23rd of February 2016. PC release on March 2016.
Oh, Undertale. You strange, quirky game. You’ve earned a lot of acclaim from many critics and consumers. An acclaim on the level of pure love and adoration. And now, I too, have fallen in love with you as well.
Undertale
Developer: Toby Fox
Publisher: Toby Fox
Platform: PC, Mac
It’s really hard to describe what I like so much about this game. I think it’s the strong connection I had with the characters and their stories. The places you go to are imaginative and colorful. Even the mechanics refuse to cooperate with the games rules, while still being interesting. It’s never annoying or misused.
The art style of Undertale is done in a retro 8-bit look and Toby Fox and his team executed it beautifully. Very colorful, well designed characters. Areas are very pleasing and diverse even with the story being set entirely underground. Even for very simple graphics the look of the world still manages to immerse you.
Undertale’s story starts fairly simple on the surface, but eventually takes some very big twists and turns. After a war between monsters and humans the monsters are defeated and forced to live underground. There is a barrier that seals them underground. The game begins many years later after your character falls into a hole to the underground.
The story unfolds differently depending on whether or not you attack or spare the monsters. Either way both provide excellent story telling that can only be done in a game.
Undertale uses a bullet hell style of combat. When you engage in a fight with either an enemy or boss you’ll find yourself placed into a box. You are represented as a little red heart and you move the heart around as the enemy fires projectiles at you.
Although, it isn’t always that simple. The bullet hell elements will change frequently. Not everything is confined to your little square box and there really isn’t always a consistent pattern to boss battles. Hell, there are multiple ways to beating certain enemies.
If you’ve been living under a rock haven’t heard, the game offers a way to spare monsters you encounter. Often times it requires meeting certain conditions to use the mercy option through the Act option. One monster may be an aspiring comedian and laughing at one of its puns will cause the monster to be satisfied and will leave you alone.
Sparing monsters and bosses will prevent you from gaining experience and leveling up, but you gain something else for sparing these creatures. You’ll often create personal relationships with these monsters ranging from fun acquaintances, to best friends and even some really awkward dating.
Undertale also breaks the fourth wall frequently, but in a very clever way. It doesn’t do so with a nudge and a wink. It does it by recognizing the player is a player.
The game can be a bit repetitive at times when it comes to monsters. You’ll run into the same monsters several times in a row requiring the same strategies to be put to use. Those following encounters wear a little thin after the initial one. But it’s minimal and hardly affects the overall game.
Also, there was something else wrong with my experience of this game: I didn’t go in blind. If you haven’t watched any let’s plays or are starting one of Undertale I highly recommend you don’t. I ruined the experience and story of this by watching full let’s plays first.
Conclusion 10/10
Undertale is an exceptional game all around. A wonderful narrative, interesting mechanics, fantastic music and aesthetics are all here. Undertale is an excellent piece of the gaming medium.
I know I’m being vague about a lot of this, but if I were to into more detail it would only spoil the game for you. This is a game you’re meant to play as blind as possible.
I personally wish I had played the game blind instead of watching let’s plays beforehand. If you haven’t yet you should experience the game for yourself.
We had a great (although brief) time playing The Division when the Closed Beta rolled around earlier this month. One of the main thinks to look at and get a feel for were the Skills, Talents and Perks on offer.
There weren’t many available in the beta itself, but they did show you what would be on offer once the full game released.
Miodec has put together a nice looking Division Skill Calculator tool, which allows you to take a look at the different abilities and work out how you want to build your Division member.
Although unofficial and still a work in progress, the Division Skill Calculator can give you some great insight into the three main skill trees available in the game. Medical, Tech and Security are upgraded by completing missions around the map and ‘powering up’ those wings in your home base.
You can see the further potential this tool will have when more information is available. The interface gets that ‘Division‘ feel just right, pretty slick.
Once you’ve got a crew together you’ll want to come back and take a look at this calculator to work out what synergy you’ll build into your team.
The Division launches in March on PC, PS4 and Xbox One with the Open Beta taking place February 19-21.
What skills did you use most in the beta? I mostly kept my points in medical by upgrading Pulse and taking First Aid as the Medical Wing was the only area to upgrade. It helped in the Dark Zone, but I didn’t get you play around with sticky bombs or Armour.
“Adrift” is an immersive first-person experience that tells the story of an astronaut in peril. Floating silently amongst the wreckage of a destroyed space station with no memory and a severely damaged EVA suit, the only survivor struggles to determine the cause of the catastrophic event that took the lives of everyone on board. The player fights to stay alive by exploring the wreckage for precious resources, and overcomes the challenges of an unforgiving environment to repair the damaged emergency escape vehicle and safely return home.
Developed by original creator Dave Jones, Crackdown 3 delivers unrivaled verticality, cooperative mayhem and destruction. Stop crime as a super-powered Agent of justice in a hyper-powered sandbox of chaos. Explore the heights of a futuristic city, race through the streets in a transforming vehicle, and use your powerful abilities to stop a ruthless criminal empire.
Cuphead and Mugman traverse strange worlds, acquire new weapons, learn powerful supermoves and uncover hidden secrets in Cuphead. This run-and-gun platformer game heavily focuses on boss battles for a distinctive challenge of patterns to strategize against and techniques to master. Inspired by 1930s cartoons, the visuals are hand drawn and inked and the music is all original jazz recordings.
Prepare to die again with the third entry in the brutal blockbuster action-RPG franchise. A dark and brooding fantasy adventure awaits players in a vast twisted world full of fearsome beasts, devious traps and hidden secrets. The embers of a once-proud kingdom set the stage for this new adventure. Battle against fearsome enemies and bosses with a variety of weapons and magic through a mysterious land riddled with secrets.
