Monthly Archives: June 2014

Quantum Rush Champions: New weapon details

Today, the Berlin based developer of the futuristic racing game Quantum Rush: Champions has released detailed information about the many different weapons in the game that is currently campaigning on Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight. Fans of Quantum Rush Online will already be familiar with the game’s weapons, but the large variety of different challenges in Quantum Rush: Champions will require players to strategically choose the best configuration for each challenge.

As with Quantum Rush Online, weapons will also play an important role in Quantum Rush: Champions. While the game also provides a variety of special weapons that can be picked up during a race, the information released today is about the cannons that are mounted on the racer.

Players start the game with a tier-1 racer from each manufacturer. By default, all racers come with two mounted cannons that can be replaced after unlocking new weapons through completing challenges in the game’s Career mode.

The extensive system for customizing your racers is one of the game’s big strengths. After all, apart from the cannons, you will also be unlocking and replacing engines, boosters, shields, coolers and armors. And new parts will not always be better, but often they will just be different and the player will have to decide which parts to use for which kind of challenge.

The cannons are divided into various categories (e. g. single shot or auto-fire) and each cannon uses one of three different amunition types. Cannons from the same category using the same ammunition will have different attributes, such as rate of fire and heat generation.

There is a total of four categories of cannons:

  • Single-shot cannons will fire a single shot when triggered
  • Auto-fire cannons will fire a certain amount of shots per second while being triggered
  • Shotguns will fire a certain amount of pellets when fired
  • Beam cannons cast a beam that deals a certain amount of damage per second

And there are three ammunition types:

  • Ion cannons deal increased damage against energy shields, but less damage against armor.
  • Laser cannons deal the same amount of damage against shields and armor.
  • Ballistic cannons deal an increased amount of damage against armor, but less damage against energy shields.

For more info, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/572125879/quantum-rush-champions

Tanki Online: New Wasp Hull Available

Tanki Online

Following on from the introduction of the heaviest hull in the game, ‘The Mammoth’, AlternativePlatform are pleased to outline the lightest and fastest option hull, ‘The Wasp’. As with turrets, there are seven different hulls available, each upgradable through four different levels (M0 – M3). Players can also implement ‘microupgrades’ to quickly improve certain parameters of each equipped hull. Basic microupgrades (MU’s) are inexpensive and quick to implement, they are available at any rank and will instantly help a player to gain the edge over an enemy on the battlefield.

‘The Wasp’ is the quickest most lightweight hull in Tanki Online and sacrifices everything in order to gain more mobility on the battlefield. The Wasp is the best option when hunting for flags, zipping around tricky landscapes and picking off careless enemies.

Obviously this mobility comes with a heavy price. The Wasp has the least HP of all hulls in Tanki Online. This means if you’re not careful or stay still for any length of time, you are likely to be destroyed in one shot! Counteract this by keeping mobile at all times and you’ll become a tricky target to hit.

The Wasp works well when attacking in close range skirmishes and will run rings around the enemy. For longer range targets, you‘ll need to refine your skills to the highest level to make this hull choice effective.

For more info, visit http://tankionline.com

Guns & Robots: New Arena Introduced

Guns & Robots

Masthead Studios, a leading independent game developer, today introduced new arena in their online shooter Guns and Robots.

New Arena in Guns and Robots welcomes all robot-fighting fans to the ruins of Pompeii. In Pompeii players will have to fight against each other in the heart of the city- the fire-breathing Coliseum of Pompeii.

The map offers completely new setting , inspired by the Roman architecture and gives a thrill to fight right beneath the erupting volcano Vesuvius. With complicated system of tunnels for players to escape, the map gives significant open battle space for them to use special tactical devices and immerse themselves in the ancient atmosphere.

For more info, visit http://play-gar.com

LEGO Minifigures Online: Now availble in Open Beta

LEGO

Funcom and The LEGO Group are very excited to have kicked off the Open Beta for LEGO® Minifigures Online, and LEGO fans from all over the world have now begun assembling their Minifigure teams and sent them out on grand, online adventures! LEGO Minifigures Online is set to launch later this fall, and throughout the coming months of Open Beta and beyond players will see the game grow and expand as new content and gameplay is introduced.

The game is currently available for play on the Windows PC, and the developers are hard at work preparing tablet versions of the game which will be available later this year.

Based on the hugely popular Minifigures series of collectible toys, LEGO Minifigures Online is a free-to-play game geared towards a younger audience, but can be just as much fun for the young at heart; especially when playing with your kids! Here players get to collect countless Minifigures, discover their unique abilities, and take them out on great adventures through colorful LEGO worlds together with thousands of other players. Funcom is making sure LEGO Minifigures Online is a fun, enjoyable and safe experience for everyone, and the game is fully COPPA compliant and has a robust privacy policy certified by TRUSTe. In-game chat is filtered and monitored using Crisp Thinking technology, and is restricted to members only to ensure a friendly and safe social environment; especially for younger players.

“This is the first step on a new and exciting journey,” says Funcom CEO Ole Schreiner. “We are going to use these months of Open Beta to push the game in the right direction by adding, tweaking, polishing, changing and doing everything it takes to make sure the game is constantly evolving and improving. Players can expect to see both smaller and bigger changes over the course of Open Beta, and we look forward to surprising players with great new content and gameplay.”

Currently players can explore exciting locations in Pirate World, Medieval World and Space World, but the developers are hard at work finishing up more great content. More worlds will be added, and coming up next in Open Beta is the legendary Mythology World, where adventurers get to visit the Underworld and even battle Hades himself! Players can also look forward to new gameplay mechanics, such as a new and super fun way to collect minifigures.

For more info, visit www.playminifigures.com

WildStar: The Strain Blighthaven and Northern Wastes Details Revealed

Last week, Carbine Studios announced its first “Ultra Drop” for WildStar — The Strain – which was introduced to fans by way of a Flick. This week, Carbine is rolling out additional details about the first content update starting today with a deeper look at the new zones; Blighthaven and Northern Wastes.

WildStar Blighthaven 1

What is the heck is the Strain you ask? Born in the depths of a mysterious Eldan laboratory, the Strain is a virulent biological anomaly that has begun to spread across planet Nexus. With the power to change life forms into terrifying, mutated abominations, the Strain is an unimaginably dangerous threat. All efforts to fight this nightmarish plague have met with failure. Does it have anything to do with what happened to the Eldan? And can the universe be saved, or is it already too late?

WildStar Blighthaven 2

Blighthaven is a diseased wasteland home to the secrets of the Genesis Prime’s creation. A foul and corrupted region in the vast Grimvault hellscape, Blighthaven is dominated by bestial Strain abominations, out-of-control Eldan constructs and a bizarre alien monstrosity called the Globellum. Bring your A-game, plenty of ammo and a full  pack of medishots. In Blighthaven, players will explore areas like the Globellum, Cankertube Swamps, Sanctuary of the Keepers and Genesis Chamber.

WildStar Northern Wastes 1

The saga of the Northern Wilds continues for max level players with Northern Wastes, which will pick up the story from the last time players were in the zone. In the wake of the battle of Camp Icefury, both factions have returned to the Northern Wilds to lay claim to the frozen wasteland. But as the conflict between the bitter enemies intensifies, a new danger emerges from an ancient Eldan exo-lab, threatening heroes from both sides. Players can compete in new public events, quests, challenges and path missions.

WildStar Northern Wastes 2

Additional information about Blighthaven and Northern Wastes can be found here.

Prepare Yourself for Hero Civilization: A New Dawn

Hero Civilization Art

Vibrant Games has announced the launch of New Era of its successful top ranked browser MMORTS game Hero Civilization (HC)

Build your empire, train your troops and level up your Hero. Start a new era and join one of three factions — Human, Shaba, or Alec — and begin building your kingdom from the ground up. Participate in a variety of quests, each designed to further your goal of conquering the world. Join in an alliance with other players to further your path to glory. Trade with others for the materials and resources needed to keep a kingdom growing, and spread your influence across the land!

The game is based on the elements of strategy and tactics. The secrets of a big successful gaming environment are all combined in this game. The game has lots of features which simulates the real lives of middle age wars.

Some game features include:

  • Three factions: Join the Humans, Shaba, or Alec as you attempt to carve a name for yourself into the land. Each race offers a different ideal, and different troops and abilities along the way.
  • Alliance based system: Join with your fellows to grow more powerful, as you spread your influence across the land. Assist your allies and request their help for attacking and defence alike.
  • Trader’s economy: Have an excess of something, but need more of another? Trade it with another player so you can both benefit!
  • Quest based gameplay: Complete your empire efficiently using the extensive quest system in Hero Civilization. These quests will help guide your forces to victory!

Company of Heroes 2: The Western Front Armies Now Available

CoH2 Western Front Armies Key

SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced that Company of Heroes™ 2: The Western Front Armies, the much-awaited first big content offering for the tactical strategy blockbuster Company of Heroes 2™ is now available in store and online. Company of Heroes 2: The Western Front Armies brings players back to the Western Front first introduced in the original award-winning Company of Heroes™. The Western Front Armies introduces two unique collections of new content – the US Forces and the German Oberkommando West.

Each individual army will also be available as a standalone purchase via digital download, providing new players with a minimal entry point into the massive Company of Heroes 2 multiplayer community, regardless of which content they own. A ll Company of Heroes 2 players can then battle across 31 maps (along with more than 1000 community maps available on Steam Workshop) in auto-match multiplayer.

The addition of US Forces has been the most requested army since Company of Heroes 2 first launched, by a large margin . Each new army has distinctive tactical gameplay options, new infantry, team weapons, vehicles, abilities and upgrades on a total of eight seasonal multiplayer maps set on the Western Front. They have been carefully balanced to ensure optimal game play with previously released armies.

Oberkommando West
Battle hardened and fielding some of the most impressive heavy armor yet seen, the technical prowess of Germany is on full display. The Oberkommando West is a devastating force equipped with a new generation of super-heavy tanks, repeatedly counterattacking the US Forces attempting to drive into the heart of Germany.

US Forces
Suffering from combat fatigue and spread out on enemy soil, US Forces have fought their way deep into Europe, driving back the German war machine. An army made of citizen soldiers; they have been pitted against a hardened professional military with over four years’ experience. Facing the best Germany has to offer, the US Forces fight desperately and viciously to expand the frontlines.

Company of Heroes 2: The Western Front Armies is developed by Relic Entertainment and available today for Windows PC.

Skara: The Blade Remains – Checking out the Alpha

By Jordan Hall (ApocaRUFF)

 

SkaraKickstarterfeature

Skara – the Blade Remains is an upcoming title brought to us by 8-bit Studio. The devs hope to create a new type of game, a “Multiplayer Online Versus” game, which combines the best bits of their favorite genres. The feel of a versus fighting game, the depth of an RPG, the thrill of a multiplayer battle happening all around you, and the non-stop intensity of an action game. The game is already on the final push to release, and now the devs just need to get funding from their Kickstarter Campaign to be able to finish things up. The devs also plan to release the game not only on the PC (using the Steam platform), but on the Xbox One as well. With the dedication of the developers and the versatility of the game, Skara – The Blade Remains should shape up to be a fantastic game. Oh, and it will be Free-to-Play.

 

Skara Kickstarter Factions

The Backstory

All good games need a backstory, and Skara is no different. Especially with its emphasis on RPG features. Skara is the name of the planet which the game takes place. The events in Skara take place after an apocalyptic event, caused by Skara’s sun, Lôm. In a basic sense, this apocalyptic event caused the balance to be disrupted and completely changed the face of Skara. This caused some new races to make their way out of the woodwork of the planet. And thus we have the five races that are warring on Skara.

Skara Kickstarter Story

And that’s where we find ourselves within the game – right in the middle of a five-way fight of races desperately fighting to get the last of the resources available after the apocalypse in order to survive. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of both fantasy and post-apocalyptic settings, so I find this story quite interesting. Plus, having a reason for all the slaughter is a bit nice. I actually find myself waiting for further lore releases from the developers. It’s nice to see a story is so integrated. Most games feel like the story is tacked on at the last minute, while with Skara it feels like the game was built around the story.

 

Skara Kickstarter Lava2

The Graphics

One thing the developers have stated again and again to be a top priority is launching with amazing visuals. They want the fights to not only feel good, but look good to. And from what I’ve seen in the Alpha, they’re on the right track. The art-style chosen for the game is realistic, with a slightly stylized twinge, as best as I can describe it. Even in the alpha state of the game, the graphics look great – especially the particle effects of some of the moves.

Skara Kickstarter Graphics

There wasn’t any UI in the alpha while I played. I’m not sure if that’s how they plan to keep the game, or if one will be added later on. There were only a couple maps available for play in the alpha, of which the desert (which is seen in many of the screenshots) was my favorite to play on. That’s just due to personal preference, as the other map included in the alpha, the lava coliseum, is overly saturated with reds, and lots of red has always given me a headache. But, again, I’ll say the graphics look superb.

 

Skara Kickstarter Lava Map

Alpha Gameplay

I was given the chance to partake in the Skara alpha testing. This is a fairly early form of alpha that focuses on the combat side of things. It felt a lot like a proof-of-concept demo than an alpha, honestly. And that’s what you need to keep in mind while reading this part of the article – the game is in its early alpha stages and things can (and will) change drastically from what I say here. But still, it was decent fun.

Skara Kickstarter Combat

The combat is hard to compare to other games. It’s similar to a fighting game, in that there are a lot of flashy moves, blocking, and dodging involved. Right now, attacks are fairly limited. So the customization they want to provide in how your character fights isn’t quite in (such as customizing your finishing move). There aren’t many people with access to the alpha right now either, so it can be difficult to find someone to fight. However, fighting against the bots is enough to give you an idea of the potential the combat has.

Skara Kickstarter Charged Attack

From my time in the alpha, I get the impression that timing is the most important factor in Skara combat. Blocking at the right moment and then countering with the correct type of hit right after will often win or lose a fight. Honestly, the combat reminds me a lot of Chivalry: Medieval Warfare but in 3rd person. The combat is intense and the risk of tunnel-visioning an opponent is high. Unfortunately, that can be a fatal mistake if there are more than two people in a match, as you never know when someone else will run behind you and join in. In the end, I’m going to say I enjoyed this small taste of Skara’s combat a lot. It holds a lot of potential and is already fun.

 

Skara Kickstarter Combat2

Planned Features

Of course, like I’ve said several times, the version of Skara I played was an early alpha version. That means that a lot of the planned features for the game were not available to me. That includes a plethora of customization options – from your characters looks, to your equipment, to your fighting style. Factions aren’t in yet, which are the guild-like entities that are closely tied into the lore and are the forces vying for control of Skara. Personally, the feature I’m looking forward to the most is the ability to customize your finishing move. How fast the developers got people to Greenlight Skara on Steam is a testament on how many great features Skara will have.

 

Skara Kickstarter Lava Map

Conclusion

Skara – The Blade Remains has a lot of potential packed into it. From the story, to the combat, to the faction-based conquest gameplay. The fact that it took just over a week for the game to become Greenlit on Steam goes to show how much people want to play the game that Skara promises to be. If you’re interested, I would say head over to the Kickstarter Campaign and pledge before it ends. The game should have no issues getting funded, with just $10,000 of their $35,000 goal left to get with over ten days left. Skara – The Blade Remains way is definitely worth looking into if you’re a fan of fighting games.