During a recent media event in San Francisco, Team Ninja confirmed the not-so-surprising appearances of Ayane and Hitomi in the developer's forthcoming brawler Dead or Alive 5. We've known about Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa and DOA's Hayate being in the roster as well, but this was our first chance to see the newest additions in action.

The more I played Dead or Alive 5 during our session, the more that I became convinced that the last time I've seen these many drastic changes to the series was when Dead or Alive 2 came out. It's with these two gals that you can really see how Team Ninja is consciously shifting away from the doll-like facial features of past DOA character designs. Hitomi for example is showing a more slender face, shedding of some of her baby fat. The changes are very slight, just enough to be noticeable, but still unmistakably Dead or Alive.

Read More »

When bad things happen to good people the first question they always ask is, “why?” My name is Tura Satana and I am The Dragonborn. I am also a mass-murderer. Join me on my dark journey through Skyrim where I will slip into the skin of a killer and try to make sense of the antisocial impulse. You may not like the answers you find.

THE ORC

My first murder in Skyrim is the result of a theft gone wrong. I found myself in the middle of an autumnal plain North of the Brittleshin Pass. A series of columns, surely a signpost towards adventure, lure me across the expanse. There I found a grating set into the ground. A treasure chest was beneath, but beyond my reach. And I don't know the combination to the puzzle pillars nearby so I decide to quit sniffing after the chest and move on.

Read More »

There’s no doubt that Saints Row: The Third offers up some of the craziest, over the top action this holiday season, but there is one thing that can make the action even crazier: Another person. Saints Row: The Third includes the same excellent co-op system from Saints Row 2, albeit with some minor changes, allowing every satchel charge explosion, garbage truck super jump and sex toy beat down to be experienced with another person laughing alongside of you.

There’s a lot to do and see in Steelport, so read on for some tips to make your co-op experience the best it can be.

Read More »

Shopping for a gamer is a tall order. Not only do we tend to be rather obsessed with our hobby, but we also tend to get the games we want right away – leaving loved ones with a blank list come holiday gift-giving season. If you’re one of those poor souls, don’t worry – you don’t need to resort to socks and ties – because there are plenty of ways you can feed our addiction in fun ways, without ever worrying you’re buying us something we already have (or worse, a game that really sucks). Here’s our list of the very best non-game gifts for gamers, sure to delight your favorite fanboy/fangirl.

Read More »

So you have a gamer girlfriend/wife/”special lady” – lucky you! Chances are, you’re the subject of envy among gamers whose better halves don’t "get" the hobby. Holiday shopping should be a breeze – unless, of course, it turns into a minefield. To avoid the worst of the holiday explosions, we present a holiday gift guide full of suggestions for the best gifts for your gamer girlfriend.

One quick word of advice – listen to her, and you can’t go wrong. Take note of the types of games she plays, the themes she enjoys, and the stuff she’s not into. If she’s a hardcore shooter fan with an aversion to pastels, she may not appreciate it if you wrap up Kirby’s latest with a pink bow. Likewise, a smart lady who enjoys her puzzle-platformers may not be thrilled with Duke Nukem Forever. Keep your eyes open, and you’re bound to make your gaming goddess very happy this season.

Read More »

Saints Row has never been a very serious franchise. While other open-world games have sober storylines and far-reaching narrative ambitions, the folks at Volition have instead embraced the gleeful chaos of the sandbox genre. Instead of poker-faced gangsters and cowboys, the Third Street Saints live in a world so steeped in over-the-edge urban theatrics that you’d be hard pressed to find a better embodiment of satire in videogame form.

A huge part of that success is in the weapons. On top of the more mundane guns and toys in your arsenal, you’ve always been privy to insane arms – like the pimp cane, samurai sword and the septic waste-spewing truck from Saints Row 2. You may think that was hard to top, but Saints Row: The Third ups the ante, with weapons so ridiculous that it’s hard to imagine that a group of particularly creative middle-schoolers weren’t consulted in the weapon design process.

Here’s a look at some of the game’s most insane hardware, featuring everything from the infamous “fart in a jar” to the even more infamous “penetrator”.

Read More »

The Future of Indies

Indie games have absolutely exploded in recent years, aided by the phenomenal success of mobile platforms, PC download platforms and the console downloadable services. While big games get bigger (in terms of scope and budget), the indie scene has blossomed with smaller games, titles that take risks and experiment with everything from controversial themes to crazy mechanics to funky art styles.

In fact, many established developers have been striking off from the so-called big leagues and going indie. The greater creative freedom afforded by smaller studios (sometimes even one or two-person teams) has made for a renaissance of more provocative titles that eke out new territory in the land of interactive entertainment.

Indie popularity and accessibility has never been greater – and the best indies have become blockbuster hits – just ask Mojang (Minecraft) or Rovio (Angry Birds) about the “starving artist” stereotype. It’s a fast-moving landscape, with enormous innovation.

Here are a few of the brightest new games set to launch onto the scene in the coming months – indies that will change the industry in one way or another.

Read More »

Is the strategy genre dead? Is it just too inaccessible alongside clean-cut modern games? I don't know about you, but when there's just been a convention holding a tournament with a $1.6m prize fund for an upcoming strategy game that probably won't even see light of day until 2013, something tells me that the strategy genre ain't dead, no way sir and madam.

From the makers of Half-Life, World of Warcraft, and Minecraft, this list houses games being developed and published by some of the biggest names in the industry, and it's that talent that's leading a charge of content across PCs, consoles, and even onto handhelds in the coming years. There are millions of players passionate about the genre, and millions devoted to the individual series listed here. Try asking all of them if they think strategy games are dead.

You might need a very thick notepad.

Read More »

The hop and bop genre has been through quite a bit since its humble beginnings, when Pitfall Harry and Mario first took their first leaps of faith. We’ve seen the rise and fall and rise again of the mascot platformer, the renaissance of 2D, and the advent of user-generated content.

Platformers have always been incredibly important to Nintendo, being the flagship franchise bearer’s genre of choice, but increasingly, we’re seeing plenty of innovation in Sony’s devices, and on the indie-friendly platforms – including Xbox Live Indie Games, IOS devices, and even in browsers.

Indies have been making waves by kicking it old school with a twist (see VVVVVV and Bit.Trip.Runner for a couple of excellent recent examples), breathing new life into both the aesthetics and the mechanics of the 8-bit platformers that paved the way. Think of it as revisionist history. Meanwhile, 2D has come back into style again, with the runaway success of New Super Mario Bros., and larger studios are mixing and matching genres to give the hop n’ bopper new tricks.

Looking ahead, unique physics, experiments in perspective shift, and genre blending are going to be the strongest trends moving forward. From industry standards like the big N and Sony all the way down to the tiniest indie studios, experimentation is keeping the genre alive and well in 2011 and 2012. Here are a few of the most exciting and likely influential games on the horizon.

Read More »

Batman: Arkham City is finally here, and after two years of waiting you're going to need a guide to help you get around. But the good news is that we're finally returning to Gotham City and taking on the role of the Dark Knight once more. The most obvious difference between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City is the sheer scope of the map. Arkham City is enormous and, as it turns out, way more dangerous than the island ever was. Good thing you have us to keep you company!

This guide will walk you through the ins and outs of Batman: Arkham City, from the combat system, to the upgrades to advice for exploring the city. And yes, we'll even fill you in on what the Riddler has in store. We're good like that.

Read More »

It wasn’t Occupy Wall Street. It was more like Occupy Nerd Street. The New York Comic Con was a strange but effective conglomeration of diverse businesses, all parading under the banner of “We are EveryNerd.”
 
So you had to be smart and aware while traversing the floor. Some true nerds were overly aggressive, pushing and elbowing, much more so than, say, at Pax East. And there were fake nerds, much worse than true nerds. At one booth, a dozen HD monitors shone, massive speakers boomed, and some sci-fi bed of ball bearings vibrated when you sat on them as the visage of Terry O’Quinn cautioned you, “What happens when the senses are not cared for?” Just when I thought, "Yay, Lost’s John Locke is starring in a game I haven’t heard of," I discovered it was all a promotion for orange-flavored gum. Fail!
 
Games were displayed in more abundance than in any other year. While there was game news, it wasn’t the wealth of news as in, say, the San Diego comic convention. Yet it’s getting there. Rockstar Games showed off the dark story and fluid game design of Max Payne 3 (check out our NYCC preview for more info) as well as a fascinating, well-thought out reboot of Grand Theft Auto III for its 10th Anniversary (first look impressions right here).

Read More »

 New York Comic-Con 2011 has come and gone, but we’ll never forget the good times we had, the games we saw, the outfits that still haunt our dreams, and of course the collectibles we drooled over. G4 correspondent Harold Goldberg was on site and did a little collectible recon on some of the standout offerings from this year’s Con.

What: Batman: Arkham City characters
Manufacturer: DC Direct
Price: Not yet priced
Release Date: November, 2012

All of these characters will probably set you back a hundred bucks or more. But to re-imagine the play from the game, money is no object. Right?

Read More »

This week of Epictober is dedicated to PC gaming, and MMOs are the perennial PC-only genre. In the article below, we whip out our crystal balls and look into the future of the genre.

What's coming in the future of MMOs? Ding. Grind. Ding. Grind. Every MMO is the same old repetitive time drain. Except they're not, not even close, and it only takes a look to the future big names of the online scene to see how MMOs are changing. From shooters pitting thousands of players against each other in what can only be described as a territorial war to players working together to unpiece the mystery of the lost city of Atlantis, not one of the MMOs on this list fits neatly into the mould. Developers now have the hardware and bandwith power to set their ambitions sky-high and attempt incredible things, and that's exactly what they're doing in the name of bringing people all over the world together to play and have fun.

Some of the MMOs don't even have levelling, while others are shunning subscriptions. Three of the 10 games aren't even close to role-playing games, while seven are brand spanking new IPs. Some are set deep in the realms of futuristic space, be they with lightsabers or bunny girls, while others throw into lush fantasy worlds full of splendour to be explored. Some are set more modern-day, with players travelling all over the world to investigate the unknown or to simply take it from the enemy with big old tanks. And bless 'em, some just give you a gun and send you on your way.

And that's just the games on the list. Even outside of the 10 picks, the honourable-mentions section is so star-studded with the kind of names that get any player, be they a long-term MMO fan or no, salivating with anticipation. This may just part of a series of articles looking at the future of games, but let's face it, the future is here and it is spelt with three letters.

Read More »

Has it really been that long? Next week marks the 10th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto III, one of the landmark games that literally changed everything for gamers. At the New York Comic Con, Rockstar tried hard to ensure that you’ll want to indulge in the open world mayhem of GTA 3 all over again – on iOS devices like the iPad2 and the iPhone 4S.
 
With all the stunning new games being offered every week, why would gamers want to revisit the old game? Aren’t those graphics ancient now, so much so that the game should be nothing more than a wonderful, salient memory of a time gone by? That kind of thinking makes sense. But if you saw what I saw, you’ll probably be psyched to play those classic courier missions all over again.

Read More »

Hi, this is the OVERKILL crew - and we're gonna talk a little bit about the arsenal available in our upcoming PS3/PC game. In Payday, you gain cash by completing objectives and challenges. Cash is much like Experience Points in that you unlock certain weapons, equipment, upgrades, and perks as you reach certain amounts of cash - you "level up".

Payday has an extensive upgrade tree with 144 upgrades available - and it's divided into three branches: "Assault", "Support" and "Sharpshooter". Each branch awards you with its own unique set of weapons and upgrades that suit the play style that the branch is named after. At any point in the game, you can switch between the branches and the next time you level up you get whatever is next in line on that upgrade branch. It's rather clever: As you choose what you want as a reward at the level up *ahead* of leveling up, there's no interruption in the game-play where you need to go into a menu or anything to "buy" rewards for the XP you've collected.

What's nice is that in Payday you can carry three weapons at a time: One primary weapon, either of the two SMGs or the smaller shotgun as a secondary, and on top of that - either of the three handguns as a sidearm. Anyway, why are we wasting time talking about all this!? Let's have a look at that arsenal!

Read More »