When the first edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle was released in 1983 there was no Warhammer World. The only maps it had were of battlefields and their surrounds, with placeholder names like "Menglad" and "Ath Cliath" that were never used again. There was certainly no need for a timeline. Only in its supplements did locations that would become permanent parts of the setting like Lustria start being mentioned, and it wasn't until second edition that there was a full map of the Old World and a timeline to go with it. Later editions and spin-off games, novels, comics, audio dramas, and videogames would all add to the ongoing story, filling gaps and pushing the calendar forwards.Like all the best stories, it has an ending. The End Times, an apocalyptic event that brought a finale to the setting, was controversial. But its presence gives every game that takes place before the world ends a sense of epic tragedy and, whisper it so the comment section can't hear, Age of Sigmar is actually a … [Read more...] about Major events in the Warhammer timeline
Why Sleeping Dogs is the most interesting open-city game of recent years
With Yakuza back in the spotlight again and Shenmue reappearing after 20 years in the wilderness, I've been thinking a lot about Sleeping Dogs, United Front's open-world crime epic that is often considered a cousin to Yakuza. Yet while Shenmue and Yakuza are quintessentially Japanese games, while Sleeping Dogs is a Canadian production set in Hong Kong. If these games were restaurants and I wandered into Sleeping Dogs expecting to dine on tuna sashimi, I would rightfully be scorned.Nonetheless, I've been looking for an excuse to write about Sleeping Dogs for ages, and as I wandered around Yakuza 0's Kamurocho district for the first time earlier this year, the aesthetic similarities were enough for me to latch onto like a dog that has just been aroused from slumber by having its tail stood on.This is because Sleeping Dogs is by some margin my favourite open-city game; one that takes the familiar Grand Theft Auto template, adds some fantastic embellishments that more developers should … [Read more...] about Why Sleeping Dogs is the most interesting open-city game of recent years
Dragon Quest XI S for Nintendo Switch Logo Revealed by Square Enix, but No Images or Dates Yet
During a stage event from Tokyo Game Show in Chiba, Japan, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii revealed the title and official logo of the Nintendo Switch version of the game, which will be titled Dragon Quest XI S. Horii-san and Producer Hokuto Okamoto mentioned that “S” means a lot of things, including “Switch” and “Shaberu” (which means “Speaking”) and “Seiyuu-san” (which means “Voice Actor”), hinting that the voice overs may be added to the game. That being said, we also heard that it doesn’t mean “small.” Almost predictably, nothing else was shared, and we didn’t get a single image of the game, or a release date or window. You can see the animated logo below. If you want to learn more about the game (which is currently available for PS4 and can be purchased on Amazon) you can read my review. … [Read more...] about Dragon Quest XI S for Nintendo Switch Logo Revealed by Square Enix, but No Images or Dates Yet
Devil May Cry 5 has microtransactions
Devil May Cry 5 will allow players to spend real money to upgrade their characters. The news came via a build of the game being shown at Tokyo Game Show, in which orbs could be bought at Divinity Statues in-game to hurry up progression - a system that had previously appeared in Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition, though given the backlash that similar systems have faced it's still a surprise to see it return. Gamespot spoke to Devil May Cry 5 director Hideaki Itsuno about the inclusion of microtransactions in the game. "With giving people the ability to purchase Red Orbs, it's something we want to give people as an option," he said. "If they want to save time and just want to get all the stuff at once, those people can do that. But on the other hand I don't feel you have to get all the moves. You should be able to play it the way you want to play it." It's a slight on an otherwise remarkable looking game, and while it's hard to know the full impact until Devil May Cry 5's release next … [Read more...] about Devil May Cry 5 has microtransactions
Devil May Cry 5 will have upgrade microtransactions
In Devil May Cry 5 you'll be able to collect red orbs and trade them in for upgrades but, as Gamespot noticed during a recent demo of the forthcoming game, there's also an option to pay for them with real money. They asked Hideaki Itsuno, director of Devil May Cry 5, for clarification."With giving people the ability to purchase Red Orbs, it’s something we want to give people as an option. If they want to save time and just want to get all the stuff at once, those people can do that. But on the other hand I don’t feel you have to get all the moves, " he said. "You should be able to play it the way you want to play it."This isn't the first time a Devil May Cry game has had the option to pay for upgrades with cash. The special edition of Devil May Cry 4 released in 2015 added them as well, with options to pay for red orbs, blue orbs, and proud souls as DLC.The difference there is that microtransactions were added to a game that had already been balanced to play without them, … [Read more...] about Devil May Cry 5 will have upgrade microtransactions