Yearly Archives: 2017

Koei Tecmo America Showcases Attack on Titan 2’s New Features

Attack on Titan 2 - New features news

We have some new details concerning Attack on Titan 2, and the features and enhancements that are coming with the next installment of the Titan-slaying series. Due out in March of 2018 on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC, it comes with a whole host of new features. Buddy Actions are actions team members can offer to one another. From Rescue, Recovery and Titan Transformation, these are all useful. But the final one is the most interesting, bringing to your team the power of Titans. Jump-and-evade style attacks are improved with hook drives, helping Scouts increase their strategic moves in combat, and hold back their attacks until just the right moment. Sneak attacks are going to be viable, where the Scout must remain undetected by the Titans. Flash Grenades are coming as well, to incapacitate Titans in danger zones. Other useful items are also on the way, like restraining guns. Outside of the battle, Scouts will be able to replenish their gas, blades, and other supplies at Bases. Some bases also serve as safe havens as they are equipped with automated artillery towers that attack Titans.

Tales of a Lootbox Addict

or, “Why Lootboxes are so goddamn bad to me”.

by Jason Parker (Ragachak)

Shadow of War: Loot Chest Edition

Come on, look at it. It’s not even subtle.

I’m back, Internet! It was a nice few days of relaxation and catching up with friends and family alike. One conversation, in particular, happened to be about Battlefront 2. A friend of mine is playing it, with the Microtransaction stuff out of the game (but we both know it’s coming back before too long), and his thoughts on it were, “I want to play it now, because in four months nobody will be playing it” and I have a feeling that just might come to pass. Which is fine, I don’t even have it. Their openly predatory practices will not earn them my money. And I do think EA are sincerely, genuinely sorry. They’re sorry they got caught. They’re sorry that they can’t make infinite money on top of an already guaranteed gold mine (RE: Star Wars). How many major Star Wars titles didn’t make boatloads of money? Spoiler Warning: Not all that goddamn many. They had a good thing and blatantly ruined it, which I personally trace back to Overwatch. Activision-Blizzard realized they could get people to buy lootboxes in a retail-priced game, and other people did too. But this led me back to think, why are lootboxes so bad for me?

Lootbox Addiction

Even if three of these are duplicates, it was still a lovely feeling.

I love cosmetic stuff, and everyone likes having the “new cool thing”. But why are they so addictive to me personally? I have spent unfortunate amounts of money on League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch. It’s why I don’t play those anymore. Well, I play the odd League match when I need to or to keep up with the meta/in-game adjustments. But what I was doing was arguably worse than said friend who would just dump tons into a game with lootboxes all at once. What I did was, pick up like 20 in lootbox stuff, here and there, maybe once or twice a paycheck. I would justify it to myself as “It’s just a little bit, just something nice for myself once in a while”, and then it would spiral out of control. There would always be “one” skin I wanted, even if I didn’t play the character. For Heroes of the Storm, League of Legends, it’s not quite as predatory, in that they’re free to play. However, League’s new “Blue Essence” system is predatory and is a terrible grind. It is funneling players into spending money on champs instead of getting them with in-game currency. If you’re new, trying to get champions, it’s way harder now. So, my personal justification was a blatant lie. I know how much I’ve spent on League of Legends over the past six or seven years, and it’s a very disappointing number (to me. I’m sure Riot loves it). Even if a fair amount of it was stuff given to other people to do something nice for a friend, it was still a bad idea.

Lootbox Addiction 2

The first packs I ever opened, and they weren’t even mine. From there it was Fallen Empires.

So why is this such a hard thing for me to deal with? It’s not, anymore. I’ve become very good at just not playing these games, which does mean I avoid things that are fun and I do enjoy, but it’s just safer this way. But why? My friend made a very excellent point. We were both Magic: the Gathering players, pretty hardcore at it too. He asked me, “What is the best feeling in the world? Cracking open a pack of cards”. And he’s right. He’s fucking right. I love the feeling of popping open a few packs of MTG cards, even if I don’t need or even want anything out of them. I’ve helped people crack boxes of cards, just because I love the feeling of seeing what comes out of them. I’m usually disappointed, but that downer is immediately replaced by another pack of cards coming to life in my hands. Hell, when the Pokemon TCG went online, I cracked dozens, possibly hundreds of packs. Now, those I got for virtually nothing, because the Internet is a wonderful place, but I still did it and didn’t even need them. As soon as I realized what I was doing, I uninstalled beore it could get worse. But that’s why. Because cracking open packs of Magic cards is damn addictive. It’s just the best feeling. And that’s what lootboxes are. They’re glorified card packs. At least in MTG booster packs, I’m guaranteed a rare. It might be a garbage rare with no real monetary value, but I know there’s one in there.

Overwatch-Halloween-Trailer

Lootboxes generally aren’t guaranteed anything, and in some games (until recently), you could get piles of duplicates in them. I once popped 10 boxes in Overwatch, only to find two new items. I received that many damn duplicate items. That was towards the end, when I was so frustrated, I really sat down and looked in the mirror to see what I was wasting my time and money on. And the worst part, I think, is that these companies do not care about the well-being and health of their paying customers. They just want more money. European countries are starting to see that these forms of lootboxes are gambling, and are dangerous/unhealthy. They started off as a way to make money for free-to-play games, and that’s fine! As long as it isn’t turned into something you have to do in order to succeed, then it’s fine. But companies started to see they could make a profit with no real ceiling. Even if it’s bought used, even if they don’t get a single penny off of the actual product, they can still make money off of the lootboxes as that goes 100% back to them, and not to Gamestop, Amazon, or anywhere else. Over the years, hundreds, thousands of dollars from me alone has been sunk into these glorified gambling chests. Is Magic: the Gathering gambling? In its own way, yes. But you know exactly how many of each rarity you’ll get. Except for the odd shiny rare/legendary, you know what’s going to be in there. It’s still dangerous, but that’s part of what makes it so great.

Lootbox Addiction 3

It’s dangerous and powerful…

But what scares me, is Magic: the Gathering Arena. I love MTG, but I haven’t played seriously, competitively for a few years now. It’s not healthy for me financially unless I started going to tournaments regularly, but that requires me to keep up with the Standard Meta, which is horribly expensive. That’s why I played Legacy/etc, which really only required one deck or two. They were pricey, but they never really had to change unless I sincerely wanted to. But MTG: Arena will be a free-to-play version of Magic online, with the current Meta/cards available. And you know I’ll be reviewing it, as the resident card player on the roster. But I’m afraid because I know how tempting it will be to crack packs to get cards. I know the temptation, and it’s real. It might sound melodramatic, but it’s not. It’s a real, sincere fear, and I know quite a few people that feel the same. If they turn it into a grind, where you must spend money to be relevant, it will just get uninstalled. I won’t have a choice. But that, to me, is the danger of a lootbox.

Symphony of the Night Orchestra Album: New Track Preview

We’re in the last stretch of the Symphony of the Night Orchestra Album, and to get people hyped for it, we have a track preview in Finale Toccata. This is arguably one of the most important pieces in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and is definitely gorgeous. It’s not too late to back Resurrection of the Night: Alucard’s Elegy and help them hire an orchestra+choire for the album. You can do so at the Kickstarter Link right here.

Way of Redemption Steam Key Giveaway

We have partnered with Pixel Cream to offer a special Steam Key giveaway for Way of Redemption!

Way of Redemption is the perfect combination of sports and action games, creating a new and dizzying genre: Multiplayer Online Sport Arena. Up to 4 players will be challenged with endless and frenzied games, frenetic action and competitiveness, where you must win redemption from the gods and destroy the enemy portal by throwing the ball.

Show your skills in the field and crush your opponent using awesome heroes. You can even try taking their amazing abilities to the next level! Block, jump, run, shoot, and mix different actions to create mighty combos, but don’t forget to protect your portal!

FEATURES:

  • Play 1 vs 1 or 2 vs 2 games, both local and online.
  • PS4/PC Crossplay.
  • Find your game style in each round with each of the heroes and their talents.
  • Try different Arenas with new ways of playing.
  • Prove that you are unrivaled in the Leagues.
  • Customize your hero’s look with over 11000 combinations.
  • Unlock content thanks to a progression system for both the user and the hero.
  • Enjoy all Way of Redemption’s free updates!
  • Available in 10 languages.

Find Way of Redemption now on Steam or PS4!


Your key is a Steam code that includes the full PC version ($14.99). MacOS systems are currently not supported.

To Redeem your Key:

  • Launch the Steam client software and log into your Steam account.
  • Click the Games Menu.
  • Choose Activate a Product on Steam…
  • Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process.

Note: Unfortunately ad blockers may interfere with our site. If you have any issues claiming a key, please disable them and try again.

Onmyoji

Onmyoji is a free-to-play mobile CCG developed by NetEase available in China and in Closed Beta in the West. In a time where humans and demons coexisted evil spirits from the underworld began to emerge, looking for power and dominance. The balance between the two worlds is now at risk, but there exists a group of gifted humans who can read the stars and amulets. They have the power to connect the two worlds and tame evil spirits. Known as the Onmyoji, they are willing to lay everything on the line to maintain peace and order between the worlds. Become one of these gifted and summon the shikigami to your side to defend the world’s balance!

Features:

Anime-styled World: Jump into an anime-styled world of Yin and Yang filled with a cast of colorful cards to collect and battle with. You’ll find everything from fox spirits to swordsman here!

Character Management: Help your characters gain experience to level them up and gather resources to evolve them with and increase their strength. Form your perfect team so your characters play off of each other’s strengths.

Energy: In battles players will have to manage their blue flame energy. This energy can be used to conduct battle actions for cards, allowing players to command them in whatever ways they need.

Turn-based: Every card is given a turn order, determining thee arrangement that they will act in. Learn how to use this order to your advantage to dominate the competition in both story mode and in arena battles!

Phantom Chaser

Phantom Chaser is a mobile free-to-play fantasy RPG developed by Floppygames Inc. and published globally by Glohow. It is an upgraded version of Yokai Saga, published by Netmarble in Korea and Thailand. In Phantom Chaser players can manage their own team of of various characters in an epic story to defeat the mighty evil all the while encountering different Phantoms on their journey. With exciting strategic controls and impressive graphics players can expect a broadened fantasy RPG experience in Phantom Chaser. Create your perfect team of Phantoms that can take on anything in their path and show the world that your team is the best!

Features:

Phantom Collection: Phantoms can fill different battle roles like melee, mid-range, and long range. They can use a unique feature called ‘Mimic’ which allows them to possess one of your characters and obtain new powers during combat, making them even more versatile.

Story Mode: Collect Phantoms as you play through the game’s story mode while trying to fulfill their final goal. You never know what surprises might be in store for your team!

Arena: There are always new opponents and challenges waiting to be taken on when there are awesome weekly prizes to claim at the end! Challenge other players in Arena mode and climb your way through the leaderboards in search of glory and the chance to strengthen your team even more.

ARK: Aberration Release Date Announced

ARK Aberration Screenshot

Studio Wildcard has announced that ARK: Aberration, the newest upcoming expansion for ARK: Survival Evolved, will launch on December 12 worldwide on Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Aberration will be available as a standalone expansion pack for $19.99 US or as part of the ARK: Explorer’s Edition Season Pass.

“Aberration” Expansion Pack Features:

Tame New Creatures
The intense radiation of Aberration has led to incredible genetic mutations, resulting in new creatures with amazing abilities! Clamber up walls & glide through the air on the back of a camouflaging chameleon-like ‘Rock Drake’, keep the dark at bay with a friendly ‘Lantern Pug’, or grab and toss multiple creatures simultaneously with a massive ‘Cave Crustacean’, or — if you are talented enough to tame one — command the vile ‘Reaper Queen’ to impregnate your foes with a horrifying reproductive chest-burster!

Craft 50+ Unique Items
Traverse this new ARK using cave-climbing picks, gliding wingsuits, and ziplines. Learn advanced engrams to dominate the harsh environment, protect yourself with hazmat outfits, charge lanterns, explosive rounds, batteries, glowsticks, railguns and much more. Thrive by gathering new resources, using fishing baskets, gas collectors, fortify your home within the caverns using cliff structures, and much more!

Conquer New Challenges
With the maintenance systems of this new ARK malfunctioning, earthquakes, radiation exposure, gas leaks, and Element chambers are among the many hazards that survivors will learn to grapple with Aberration’s varied biomes, both aboveground and below the surface. Among Aberration’s greatest challenges is the hierarchy of ‘Nameless’: unrelenting, Element-infused monstrosities, requiring constant vigilance to defend against! And in the deepest depths of Aberration, their terrifying master awaits… will you be among the survivors powerful enough to face it?

Star Trek Online (Console) Faction Starter Pack Giveaway

Star Trek Online’s latest update, Season 14 – Emergence is now live on Xbox One and PlayStation®4! To celebrate the launch of this new update, we’re teaming up with Perfect World Entertainment and Cryptic Studios to give out starter packs for each of the factions available in the game, including Federation, Romulan and Klingon.

Star Trek Online is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online game where players can pioneer their own destiny as Captain of a Federation starship, become a Klingon Warrior and champion the Empire through the far reaches of the galaxy, or rebuild the Romulan legacy as the commander of a Romulan Republic Warbird. In Star Trek Online, players have the opportunity to visit iconic locations from the popular Star Trek universe, reach out to unexplored star systems and make contact with new alien species. Star Trek Online is currently available on PC, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One.

To download and play Star Trek Online today for free, visit http://www.startrekonline.com


 

Federation Starter Pack Content:

  • Tier 1 Constitution Class Starship
  • 12 Inventory Slots
  • 12 Bank Slots
  • 1 Borg Bridge Officer
  • 13 Mark II Very Rare Space Gear
  • 7 Mark II Very Rare Ground Gear
  • One Small XP Boost

Klingon Defence Force Starter Pack Content:

  • Tier 1 B’Rotlh Bird-of-Prey Starship
  • 12 Inventory Slots
  • 12 Bank Slots
  • 1 Borg Bridge Officer
  • 13 Mark II Very Rare Space Gear
  • 7 Mark II Very Rare Ground Gear
  • One Small XP Boost

Romulan Legacy Starter Pack

  • Tier 1 T’Varo Light Warbird Starship
  • 12 Inventory Slots
  • 12 Bank Slots
  • 1 Borg Bridge Officer
  • 13 Mark II Very Rare Space Gear
  • 7 Mark II Very Rare Ground Gear
  • One Small XP Boost


We have 50 codes for the Xbox One and 50 codes for the PlayStation 4!

In order to get your Faction Packs, please visit this forum thread and make a post telling us which console you are playing on. Codes will be given out on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last, and sent via forum PM.

Note: These codes are only eligible for their respective console (PlayStation®4 or Xbox One) version of Star Trek Online in North America and can only be redeemed by one character on a single account from each corresponding faction. Codes expire December 31, 2020.