Jagex is proud of its charitable giving history, with regular internal staff fundraising, as well as record breaking community fundraising for some incredible causes.
This year we'll be working alongside CPSL Mind, The Prince's Trust, and YMCA Right Here on a local, national and international level, with a target of raising �150,000 to support their programmes. Our three chosen charities all work tirelessly to support mental health awareness - something we're very passionate about.
Throughout 2017 we'll be running a series of in-game and real-world events to raise funds for our chosen charities, ensuring that you guys are at the forefront of our fundraising efforts. Through live streams, dedicated in-game events and more, we'll work alongside you to make a real difference.
Included in this is our involvement in the Prince's Trust career introduction programme, Get Started in Games Design, which will see young people participate in __game design workshops, hosted right here at Jagex HQ.
We'll also be actively working, and financially supporting CPSL Mind's 'Stop Suicide' campaign, as well as supporting YMCA's Right Here �Find, Get, Give' initiative. This programme promotes finding and getting help, and giving feedback, on mental health issues for those aged 13-25 years old and will see Jagex assisting in the development of a mental health networking app.
We'll soon be launching a JustGiving page and sharing more details about the various activities and events planned. Together, we can raise much-needed funds for these three vital charities.
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host this week. With the tomfoolery of __game of the Year entirely behind us the community and staff have been in a perpetual buzz about the prospects of 2017. Vast swaths of the community shared their excitement for the new year by sharing their most anticipated releases, and initial impressions of the Switch. Beyond this two major talking points much of the community used the doldrums of Winter to tackle their gaming backlog. With that, let's get on with the site related housekeeping:
The 5th Annual Giant Bomb Anime Discussion for AOTY results are up! Check out which anime took the Giant Bomb community's top prize, and total rankings for the endeavor.
Join the rest of the Giant Bomb Community in wishing Mary Kish the best in her future endeavors after her announcement she will be leaving GameSpot.
Because Jason Oestreicher doesn't want any of us to sleep anymore, he went ahead and posted this on Twitter:
Clips Of The Week
Metal Gear Scanlon Rising - So Nice You Said it Twice (By: @mepsipax)
Did you have a feeling of déjà vu while watching Metal Gear Scanlon Rising? Mepsipax's latest compilation video backs you up and annotates why.
Giant Bomb Galleria
BANNER - The East Coast Version Of The Giant Bomb Logo (By: @humanity)
Giant Bomb user Humanity tried to envision what the Giant Bomb logo would look like if it were born in the boroughs of New York City. This is what he came up with and it is PERFECT!
Contra - This Is The Run CRT Art (By: @fobwashed)
Perpetual friend of the site, Fobwashed, thoroughly enjoyed Giant Bomb East's "This Is The Run" video series so much he felt inspired to create this artwork.
Best Of Blogs
Is Overwatch "casual?" meteora3255 thinks so!
Overwatch Is Casual And That's OK & Trade Season Fun With NBA 2K17 (By: @meteora3255)
Despite being a competitive online multiplayer shooter, meteora3255 articulates why he envisages Overwatch as a "casual" game. meteora3255 also tinkered around with NBA 2K17's trading system. Read how he had a romp exploiting the game's A.I. incompetent use of the system.
Why I Only Play Sly Cooper Anymore (By: @sonatar)
Giant Bomb user sonatar surfaces his absolute love for the Sly Cooper franchise, and what continues to draw him to it to this day.
What The Hell Has Nintendo Been Up To? (Lack Of Software For Switch) (By: @bigsocrates)
After mulling over the launch window for the Switch BigSocrates highlights his major concern of software support for Nintendo's next console.
sonatar shares his absolute love for everything Sly Cooper.
Old Trouble in New Bordeaux: Thoughts on Mafia III (By: @darth_navster)
Darth_Navster shares his extensive thoughts on Mafia III, its many cathartic showdowns, and the game's personal convictions throughout its story.
Some Thoughts After Playing Dragon Quest 7 3DS Remake (By: @kogx)
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past on the 3DS is the first Dragon Quest __game KogX has ever played. Check out his formative opinions regarding the game and franchise.
GB-1-15-2017: Stars Are Never Sleeping (By: @ohagan)
From Unravel to LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, OHagan shares his impressions of every game he played in the last two weeks. Check it out and feel free to discus any of the games he played.
Many of you continue to be flummoxed by the Nintendo Switch.
I'm Boarding The Nintendo Switch Train & Gaming Sequels Never To Come (By: @d-man123)
D-Man123 is entirely on-board with Nintendo's Switch after deliberating over the consoles' presentation this past week. Additionally, D-Man123 started an extensive community discussion about highly desired video game sequels on a blog highlighting sequels which will never happen.
The Backlogbook - Week Two (By: @danielkempster)
danielkempster shares week two of his attempt to knock off games from his backlog. This week was all about knocking Grandia and LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga from his dubious list.
We had two users in complete isolation of one another write backlog blogs about LEGO Star Wars... that is a weird thing.
The Longest Grind 09 - Myself and Fighting Games, An Introspective (By: @infinitespark)
InfiniteSpark shares a highly introspective look at his relationship with fighting games, as well as the culture surrounding the fighting game community in general
Fighting Final Fantasy IX Part 102-114: If A Game Gives Me An Aneurysm, Can I Sue The Developers? (By: @zombiepie)
ZombiePie wrote a 20-page blog on how the third disc of Final Fantasy IX almost killed him. Feel free to read the ramblings of a madman if you dare.
Join The Discussion
Once and for all, where do you stand?
The Mass Effect Franchise Poll And Pre-Andromeda Discussion Thread (By: @spaceinsomniac)
Before the next chapter in Mass Effect comes out, Mass Effect: Andromeda, feel free to participate in this community poll about your final thoughts on the original trilogy.
New Nioh Demo Impressions Sharing Thread (By: @memonk)
Nioh unleashed a new visceral demo/trial full of samurai and yokai action. Talk about your impressions of it, especially regarding its difficulty, over here.
The Verdict in 2017 - Mario Sunshine (By: @liquiddragon)
It has been a divisive point of contention between the staff, but where do you rank and rate Super Mario Sunshine? Participate in this poll to throw in your lot.
XCOM 2 Long War 2 Mod Discussion Thread (By: @zevvion)
The Long War 2 mod for XCOM 2 is out now! How have the extra mission types and a new world map been treating you?
The Backlog Game You're Definitely Going To Finally Get To, For Real This Time (By: @joe_mccallister)
Is this the best or worst thing to happen to Mario? You tell me!
During the doldrums of January to March, which game in your backlog do you especially wish to play and complete? Feel free to share the targets on your backlog you really want to get rid of.
Lovable Lists
GOTY 2014 (Adjusted) (By: @mento)
The master of lists, Mento, "re-ranked" his 2014 GOTY list. Trust me, it makes more sense after you check it out.
Useful User Reviews
@jeffrud's Crayon Physics Deluxe (PC) review explains why he thinks the game barely avoids being a runaway disaster.
On Tuesday, we released a brand-new Menaphos website, as well as an awesome teaser trailer to whet your appetites for the gates of the Golden City opening on June 5th. Are you ready for some more Menaphite good stuff?
'What Desert Character are you?' Quiz
Menaphos will see the return of some familiar Desert faces, and some all-new characters you'll be getting to know rather well over the coming months. But which one matches your personality?
Will you be the honourable Ozan, or the devious Jabari? Try out the new quiz on our Facebook page to find out.
Menaphos Player Gallery � win a life-sized Menaphos weapon!
Flex your artistic skills with an all-new Player Gallery � you could win a life-sized Menaphos-themed weapon! We'd reveal what it is, but we don't want to ruin the surprise.
Menaphos Player Gallery - Find Out More and Enter
Become a Menaphos Insider - Find out the secrets of Menaphos first
How'd you like to get a first look at some incredible Menaphos teasers? Concept art, Lore, and loads more � before everyone else!
We're setting up a secret Discord server of Menaphos Insiders � and we'd love you to be there. We'll be selecting a small group of hardened 'Scapers to join us for special sneak-peeks and Menaphos good-stuff � before anyone else.
Sign up to be a Menaphos Insider. We'll be letting you know from next Thursday (4th May) if you're in!
Name the Menaphos Pub!
How'd you like to name the Menaphos pub?
If you are up for the challenge - send us your suggestions to competitions@jagex.com or share your names on this forum, on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #TheNamelessPub before 23:59 UTC on Thursday, 27th April.
The Titans will then choose their favourite and add it to the city ready for you to explore! Good luck!
Menaphos Pub Competition - Further Details
We can't wait to see you all when the gates open - 5th June.
It's that time of year again! Well, one of those times of year, at any rate: another Giant Bomb Premium membership sale is upon us. For the next two weeks, you can extend your current membership for the low, low cost of $35, or if you're a first-time subscriber, you can also nab an introductory rate of $29.99. You can find out more information here, or just head over here to sign up or click here to extend an existing membership.
Thrill as Alex and Vinny play Guitar Hero and talk about coins! Wonder as Jeff and Jason try to fix an old arcade machine! Will the Yakuza be defeated? Will the Contra...contras(?) be destroyed? All of this content is available to all Premium members, as well as thousands of hours of Premium videos in our extensive archives.
Note: sale memberships do not come with the normal store discount code. That's what enables us to reduce the price! We do have Paypal available for new memberships! Unfortunately it cannot be used to extend memberships if you're already signed up with a credit card, though, due to the way our payment processor works. (If you want to shift your membership from a credit card to Paypal; email me at support at giantbomb.com and we'll work something out.)
Unfortunately gift codes are in a state of flux at the moment but we are hoping to get them implemented sometime soon.
Also: most renewals during a sale week will go through at the full price with the store code. If you'd prefer to get the sale price, just go ahead and extend your membership during the sale and that'll be that! If you do renew at full price, just email me at support and don't use the store code; I can cancel it and refund you the difference. It might take me a day or two to get back to you, though!
If you have any questions about this sale, or have any issues taking advantage of it, please get in touch with me at support@giantbomb.com; that'll get you a much quicker response than any other method of reaching out. We get a high volume of support emails during sales, so please have a little patience as I work my way through them.
Last weekend I finally got a bookshelf. I recently moved into a new apartment with my wife and for months we had a bare wall in desperate need of covering. With our new bookshelf came a heated battle: would it hold books or games? After a lot of back and forth and some sneaky stacking on my part, we compromised. My games would take up three narrow shelves, and other media would occupy the rest. As I stacked my games, I couldn’t help but notice all of the moments of my life that were neatly sorted on those shelves. Every matching group of plastic clamshells captured an epoch in my growth as a __game player and as a person. And yet for all of that cherished history, I couldn’t help but feel as though my relationship with games was irreversibly changing; but I couldn’t quite pin down why.
And so I stared at the shelves. In those hard, black PS1 cases, I saw a lonely kid sitting in his attic for hours.
When one of my two childhood friends, Mike, first told me he had a PlayStation, I didn’t know what he was talking about. He led me to a room with toys everywhere, and I figured this was what he meant by a “PlayStation”. I thought it might be a bit much to name your toy room something that grand, but who was I to judge? Then he turned on some gray box attached to his TV, and with that he effectively changed my life.
I can’t remember if Mike ended up playing Bubble Bobble, Final Fantasy VII, or Gex, but when I went home that night I knew that needed a PlayStation too. It took a couple of months of begging to convince my parents to get me my own system. Once I did, it took over my life, for better and for worse. I no longer felt quite as lonely or bored at home despite having few friends. I always had an incredible adventure a load screen away.
Yet, that comfortable cocoon also insulated me from actually reaching out to other kids. Going home and playing a __game was always easier than meeting new people; and when I did meet new people I’d almost certainly only talk about video games. I was a one-topic kid without a lot of social tact and few incentives to grow thanks to my predictable, digital buddies. One console generation later I tried to rectify this problem the only way I knew how: by gaming more.
My other childhood friend, Aaron, moved away when I was still in elementary school, but we managed to reconnect several years later. When I was over at his house one day, he broke out an Xbox and hopped online to play Halo 2 with some friends. This was the first I’d heard of an internet connected console; and I thought I’d finally found the bridge between my gaming obsession and burgeoning social interests.
From that point forward, I’d spend hours most afternoons either playing with Aaron and his friends or practicing Halo 2. In my head, it made sense that my skill at the game and knowledge of the mechanics would translate into social status. Of course, that wasn’t true. For all of my stealth kills and snipes, I had a hard time bridging the gap between Xbox Live chats and actual hangout sessions. While gaming was a hobby for Aaron and his friends, it was bordering on an unhealthy obsession for me. So long as the conversations centered around games, I was fine. Whenever it veered into something else, I tended to feel a little uneasy. Gaming factoids were my second language and without them I didn’t quite have my footing yet. While Xbox Live got me in the door with some friends, it did not fully bring me out of my shell.
It took some time, but I eventually found some people who spoke my gaming language. Once I did, it helped plug another gap in my development. I needed to get to know people in my bubble in order to be pulled out of it. Thanks to my new-found gaming buddies, I was able to bridge off of our shared hobby into other topics. Games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero made easy segues into musical discussions and band superiority arguments. Gears of War LAN parties were great excuses to gossip about the social drama of the day in-person, without the impersonality of the internet. Gaming morphed from my one area of expertise to a jumping off point to a host of other interests.
Yet looking at my shelves, I couldn’t help but feel that I was entering a new phase of my life. The console that I’m playing now is the PS Vita, and it feels emblematic of a shift in my relationship with games. I’m a married man now. I’ve already learned a lot of the social lessons that games alternately taught me and sheltered me from. I work a full time job and simply do not have the time to obsess the way I once did. My answer so far has been to jam gaming into otherwise empty time. The Vita’s universal save states allow me to play long JRPGs in hundreds of bite-sized chunks while I’m on the bus to work or sitting on the couch watching TV with my wife. I’ve even snuck in some gaming during elevator rides. I’ve recently found myself retreating to the games from my past to delve into nostalgia. Games like Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, FFV, FFVIII, and Threads of Fate are all delightfully knowable microcosms. While they all have winding stories, complex gameplay systems, and daunting hour counts, they are finite and masterable. Every day I’m able to bring my nursery rhymes with me to stay grounded, and maybe discover some new, helpful interpretations. Instead of hoping that gaming will unlock some greater life experience, I now see them the way so many others have: as nice ways to pass the time.
For so long I used games as a tool to fill some gaping need in my life; and now that there isn’t one, I don’t quite know where gaming fits anymore. And, for the first time in my life, I’m learning how to compartmentalize my gaming around my life instead of the other way around. When I look at my bookshelf now, I’m excited. Gaming used to be the whole life-plan; and now that it’s not, the future is wide open.
On June 5th, RuneScape will enter a new chapter as the gates of Menaphos � the Golden City - open.
Between now and then, we'll be releasing tantalising tidbits of info about the year's most epic update, and today, we're starting with a bang.
Speaking of which...meet the Pharaoh.
Rumour has it that the lord of Menaphos is... changed of late. Is this simply the heavy burden of his rule, or something more? Watch the teaser trailer and draw your own conclusions.
Stay up to Date
But this is just the beginning. Behold � the Menaphos website!
This is your one-stop shop for Menaphos info leading up to launch. We'll be releasing details of what you'll be doing once the gates open, what you need to get in, and who's who in the Golden City.
Head there now for full details of the Menaphos entry requirements, recommended levels to attain leading up to launch, and much, much more.
Check back in regularly for updates on Shifting Tombs, the new Slayer Dungeon, and the factions whose favour you'll be seeking once the gates open.
To celebrate, we'll be running events up to release - including an extra Double XP Weekend, starting 19th May. Start prepping now!
Be There!
On June 5th, join us in __game as history is made. Be there when the long-isolated city is laid open for the whole community to discover and explore.
It'll be an amazing time to be a RuneScape player, and we can't wait to see you there.
Mod Jack and Mod Osborne dive deep into Smithing in the latest Dev Diaries video.
Watch on for details of how the design is shaping up: what�s changing, what�s staying the same, how it�ll feel to train the skill, and how your input has been instrumental in getting to this point.
This is the last of our planned videos on the Mining and Smithing rework, but there�s still a way to go, and challenges left to overcome. More so than ever, we need your feedback.
Enjoy, and be sure to head to the forums or Reddit to tell us your thoughts.
After five years of solo development, surreal indie adventure Pinstripe is finally available on Steam, Twitch, GOG, and Humble. Play the demo online!
If you’re a fan of atmospheric adventure games, chances are you know the name of Thomas Brush. He created Coma and Skinny, both playable right here in your browser, and both distinctive for their otherworldly feel and surreal stories. You may say to yourself, “Self, what has Thomas Brush been doing? When can I play a new __game by him?” And the answers to that would be, in order, “Handcrafting a brand new indie adventure about Hell entirely by his lonesome,” and “Right now!”
Pinstripe, available today on Steam, GOG, Humble, and (soon) Twitch, is a narrative-based action-adventure __game that follows Teddy, a disgraced ex-minister. When his daughter, Bo, is abducted by the sinister Mr. Pinstripe, he ventures into a bizarre but dangerous frozen afterlife to journey through Hell to save her, and confront his past along the way. The game is available in seven languages, and for PC, Mac, and Linux. Check out Pinstripe on Steam, or play the demo online free!
Play Pinstripe demo online free
Get Pinstripe on Steam
Get Pinstripe on GOG.com
Get Pinstripe on the Humble Store
Pinstripe on Armor Games Studios
Pinstripe press kit
Pinstripe blends humour and horror with more fantastical elements to tell itself story, and, as Teddy, players will need to use their wits and skills to avoid enemies and solve puzzles… with a little help from their intrepid pooch. Everything from the art and music to the programming and writing was created solely by Thomas Brush over five years, and we feel incredibly privileged to have been a part of that journey in publishing it. We hope you’ll check out Pinstripe and help us spread the news. Thank you for your support of indie developers!
For more about Pinstripe, visit the official website and visit Pinstripe press kit. Follow Armor Games on Facebook and Twitter.
The Helter Skelter has finished its community construction in Lumbridge Crater and the rest of the Spring Fayre has arrived, bringing with it your fortunes, activities and rewards. Check it out for XP, prizes and one awesome ride!
Every day you�ll receive 100 tokens to spend how you like in the Fayre. Taking part in any attraction will award XP and give you a chance at a prize ticket, which can be spent on the Fayre rewards.
Zoltan Machine: Receive a gloomy misfortune, and collect all 17 to complete your misery!
Hook a Duck: The Beach favourite is back! With three levels of difficulty, how many ducks can you get?
Helter Skelter: Ride the Helter Skelter from top to bottom for a guaranteed prize ticket and one hell of a good time!
Bucking Baroo: The adventurer Prezleek will help you on-board this fearsome ride. Hang on tight when you�re up there!
Pickaxe Wanging: Toss the pickaxe at the runite rocks and see how accurate you are!
Fortune Teller: Kristlin the fortune teller has many secrets, and some she will share with you. Do the skill related to the fortune that you get and receive an XP reward.
Test of Strength: How strong do you think you are? Hit the bell to prove it!
Agility Funhouse: Find Karri to jump into the funhouse and find obstacles to cross, wriggle through and jump over.
Easter Egg Shy: Knock over the eggs with your choice of weapon � ball, cabbage or chinchompa!
Candy Floss: Cook up some candy floss for the Fayre.
Dancing: Make sure you do the right dance to maximise your experience!
All of the above activities will reward either xp or bonus xp, and you can keep training for as long as you have tokens to spend! Further tokens and prize tickets can be purchased from the tickets and tokens stall with RuneCoins. Additionally, the below activities will give different benefits:
Scavenger Hunt: Trixie�s in need of some items, and wants to enlist your help! Support her in her endeavours for a medium thieving lamp.
Claw-dia Stall: Win fabulous prizes from this hook.
Portals: The Beach portals are back, giving you easy access to popular places.
Chinchompa Hunt: Speak to Menowin when you arrive to get your chinchompa map. Once per day you can search it for chinchompas for free (with a charge for extra goes) to find rare outfits pieces, but beware, the map will refresh every week! One outfit set will be available per week, but once it�s changed old outfits will then be available for sale by right-clicking the map item.
Please Note: The festive/easter eggs at the fayre are just for fun. They are not for anything specific - they're just something nice to collect. You will need to have found them all (along with many other things) to unlock a special title, but you don't need to keep them.
Rewards
When you�ve got enough tickets, you can spend them on any prize you like. Prizes can be purchased from many of the Fayre vendors in a tradeable token form. Speak to Nixie, Rixie, or Prezleek to see what prizes are on offer! You also have a rare chance of winning prize tokens while taking part in the Fayre activities.
Good luck!
Keep up with the Spring Fayre Happy hour schedule to get in at the best times, and have fun!
The RuneScape Team
In Other News
See the patch notes for further details of today's updates.
Live Streams this Week
Each week we live stream Q&As, in-game events and more. Watch our streams and find a full streaming schedule over on our Twitch channel.
Check our YouTube channel, too, for all of our previous streams, including all our Patch Notes videos, and Dev Diaries.
Tomorrow�s stream kicks off all you need to know about Menaphos, our summer blockbuster. Are you hyped?
Menaphos: the Story so far | Tuesday April 25th | 16:00 __game Time
Menaphos is coming this summer on June 5th. Are you ready?
We�ll have the Titans on the sofas discussing Menaphos � the Desert storyline so far, what players can expect from Menaphosian Lore, and loads more. Do NOT miss it.
Watch from 16:00 Game Time to check it out!
PvM with Mod Lee | Sunday April 30th | 18:00 Game Time
Get your weekly dose of PvM goodness with Mod Lee � don't miss it!
Congratulations to the Beastcast for reaching its 100th episode!
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and as always I, ZombiePie, am honored to be your host. We have a lot to talk about this week. Whether it be ill-fated charity drives, or podcast milestones, a lot happened in what should have been a "quiet" Springtime week. Nonetheless, feel free to read all about what the community has been up to over the past few days. For example, let's talk about recent additions to the Giant Bomb Moderation Team!
Giant Bomb has two new Moderators! Congratulate @riostarwind and @sgtsphynx in joining the Giant Bomb Moderation team.
Remember to follow the two newest members of the Giant Bomb Moderation Team on Twitter! They are: @vanstarwind and @SgtSphynx.
clintlandon animated the Beastcast pretending to be a children's show on its 99th episode in honor of the podcast reaching its 100th episode recently. Give it a watch, and thank him for animating the clip!
Best of Film & 40s for Tokyo Drift (By: @mendelson9)
Mendelson9 synched the funniest quips from Giant Bomb's Film & 40s for Tokyo Drift to the movie! Enjoy the racing-based hilarity.
DuckTales DMV (Dan Music Video) (By: Ucantalas)
Ucantalas synched Dan's rendition of the DuckTales theme with the actual T.V. opening on this DMV (i.e. Dan Music Video).
Over on Twitter, blakestevenson created this AMAZING T-shirt design as a tribute for The Giant Beastcast's 100th episode!
Community Activities
Help raise money for Pencils of Promis NOW!
Giant Bomb Community Endurance Run VII (By: @thatpinguino)
The Giant Bomb Community Endurance Run is back, and this year is trying to raise money for Pencils of Promise's WASH Program! Speaking of which....
My GBCER7 Plans Are Varied And Dumb (By: @thatpinguino)
ThatPinguino has a plan on how he's going to raise money for charity for the GBCER VII! Read about it, and learn how you can help him!
Fighting Final Fantasy: Charity Edition (OH GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE!) (By: @zombiepie)
Meanwhile, Giant Bomb moderator ZombiePie has an idea for his GBCER VII charity stream. It's a bad idea that could "BREAK" HIM.
Best Of Blogs
It seems everyone can't stop thinking about Persona 5
Persona 5: Friendship, Freedom, and Fresh Music (After __game Thoughts) [SPOILERS!] (By: @revolve)
revolve finished Persona 5, and drafted this blog on why he enjoyed its depiction of friendship amidst despair, and why he is going to miss the game.
Persona 5 Pulls its Punches (By: @ghosthouse)
GhostHouse has been playing Persona 5 and talks about why he thinks its story "pulls its punches" as the __game reaches its final act.
My Attempt To Conceptually Improve The Souls Games (By: @ezekiel)
Ezekiel believes there is a way to objectively improve the Souls games conceptually while preserving the spirit of the franchise. Give it a read and comment if you think his plan could work.
Say it aint Souls!
More Overwatch Co-op Can And Will Be Good (By: @dinoracha)
Dinoracha's latest blog is on how Overwatch would benefit from expanding its lore by developing more Player versus Environment events.
BOXBOY! Is A Miniature Gem And Yet More Proof Of Nintendo's Mastery Of The "Small" Downloadable Game. (By: @bigsocrates)
BigSocrates found BOXBOY! to be a "perfect puzzle platformer." Whether it be its bite-sized levels or undeniable charm, BigSocrates was thoroughly impressed with his time playing BOXBOY!
Boxboy is the most charming polyiginal box in video games!
Mento rounds up another week of content including his musings on Super Famicom games fit for the SNES Mini, his time with Severed, and another dectet of PS2 games for his "The Top Shelf" feature to evaluate.
April Vita Lineup And Upcoming Titles (By: @blacklagoon)
BlackLagoon is a bit late, but his helpful blog post annotating every game set to release for the PlayStation Vita can be found here.
Fighting Final Fantasy X Parts 26-37: Let's Talk About Blitzball and THAT SCENE... Yes "THAT SCENE!" (By: @zombiepie)
Giant Bomb Moderator ZombiePie continues his playthrough of Final Fantasy X despite a myriad of bumps and bruises. This week he talks about Blitzball and THAT SCENE... you know what I mean by "THAT SCENE!"
Join The Discussion
This game has "STYYYYYYYLE!"
Persona 5 Spoiler Discussion Thread (By: @rodin)
Are you itching to talk about Persona 5 spoilers? Don't let "The Man" (i.e. Atlus Co., Ltd.) hold you down! Join our ending discussion thread right now.
When Will The Eighth Generation (2012–present) Of Console End? (By: @monkeyking1969)
When will the Eighth generation (2012–present) of consoles end? Vote and discuss how much longer you think the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have to go.
For A New Buyer: Slim Or Pro? (By: @relenus)
For a new buyer would you advise someone to buy the PlayStation 4 Slim or Pro? Join our community discussion on the issue.
FMV goodness for all to enjoy!
Late Shift Discussion Thread (By: @glots)
Have you checked out Late Shift? With cinematic choice-driven FMV games becoming a new popular "thing" on Giant Bomb, feel free to share if you think Late Shift justifies its format.
Full Throttle Remastered Discussion Thread (By: @glots)
What are your impressions of Full Throttle Remastered? Share with the community whether the game's new artstyle impressed or disappointed you.
Games You Love In Large Part Due To The Soundtrack? (By: @beachthunder)
Has an original soundtrack ever elevated a game to greatness? Discuss the games you love in large part due to their soundtracks.
Anime terrorists?
Cosmic Star Heroine Discussion Thread (By: @fredchuckdave)
Have you given Cosmic Star Heroine a try recently? Join the rest of the Giant Bomb community in mulling about the game's ins and outs.
Lovable Lists
Where does Double Dash rank on MormonWarrior's list? FIND OUT NOW!
A Perfect World's SNES Classic Game List (By: @devoureroftime)
DevourerOfTime lists the games he most wants to see in the SNES Classic, and assesses the odds of them being included in the package.
Mario Kart: Best to Worst (By: @mormonwarrior)
MormonWarrior ranks each entry in the Mario Kart franchise from best to worst on this exhaustive list worth checking out.
Underappreciated Games (By: @undeadpool)
Undeadpool looks at notable games with central ideas he thinks simply didn't get highlighted as much as they should've.
Favorite Genesis Games (By: @elyk247)
Elyk247 took the time to list his nine favorite Genesis games, on this wonderfully enlightening and historical list.
Useful User Reviews
@riostarwind's Blaster Master Zero review articulates why he thinks it is a masterful remake worth playing if you own a Switch.
@themist997 details his mostly unimpressed views on FAST RMX for the Nintendo Switch on this review.
@moonlightmoth's Hollow Knight review details why she was enamored by the game's depiction of death and decay.
Well, it's a banner day in New York when the Giant Beastcast manages to hit its 100th episode. To celebrate this monumental milestone, we've commissioned a very special shirt: the Giant Beastcast 100th Anniversary Shirt. The name is a bit of a stretch, sure, but we like to take risks around here. Available in white and white, this luxury piece of merchandise is available for sale now over here for men and over here for ladies. You can get a larger look at the design (from Blake Stevenson) over here.
Also note that while our Old Games shirt sold out fairly quickly in its initial run, it should be back in stock over here and here! We have been selling through these fairly quickly, and have another print run coming in, so if it looks out of stock when you click through, please check back in a week or so and it should be back in. Sorry for the trouble; it's selling better than most shirts of ours do!
In other merchandising notes, it looks like some people may have had their yearly Premium memberships renewed earlier this year without getting a store discount code. (As a reminder, if you sign up during a sale or are on a monthly sub, you wouldn't receive a code! They are for yearly full-price subs exclusively; sorry!) If you suspect this has happened to you, please email me at support at giantbomb.com and I'll poke around for you.
Also, in a weird technical note, there have been issues lately with support emailsthat are sent to both support at giantbomb.com and orders at socialimprints.com. It's a weird situation, honestly: we use desk.com for our support ticket tracking, and they apparently use zendesk.com. When someone emails both email addresses at the same time with one of the addresses in the CC field, the ticketing systems barf all over each other and sometimes the email addresses of the original sender will get chucked out into the ether. (Both systems have a weird way of handling headers, on top of all this.)
So, while we get this worked out, please only email orders at socialimprints.com if you have questions about returns, shipping, exchanges, and so on. If you CC in our support address over here at giantbomb, it may make it more difficult for us to get you a timely reply. If you've emailed support and haven't gotten a response, this problem is probably what happened to it, so you may want to try again, making sure that you've only got the socialimprints email address in your outgoing email fields. If you are still not getting a response from them, email me at the support email address and I can follow up with them directly!
Sorry for the technical hoo-haa; I'm still trying to figure out how to resolve this issue without having either of us change our entire ticketing system. Apologies for the trouble.
We're still waiting on hockey jersey samples, but should have some news on those soon and some other stuff! If you have any other questions feel free to leave them below, but be sure to @rorie reply me so I'll get a notification about it!
Naughty Dog has released a new update for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End that addresses what sounds like a pretty significant issue with the game's multiplayer Seasons.
As explained on the Uncharted website, Ranked Season 5 started on April 3, and this should have reset players' progress. However, Naughty Dog discovered an issue that kept this from happening. To fix the issue, the studio is resetting the reset for a "clean start for all players."
"Any progress made in Ranked Season 5 will be reset, but don't worry--any Ranked rewards you earned along the way will be retained," Naughty Dog said.
Additionally, the studio said it's making some adjustments to ensure that everyone can earn the Cowboy Hat item (a Season 5 reward) and the Cabbage Patch taunt. Here's how Naughty Dog explains the situation:
"As you advance through ranks in Season 6, you'll earn our new Ranked Sniper Masks like normal, but at the end of the season, you'll also receive each Ranked Season 5 Cowboy Hat corresponding to your final rank," Naughty Dog said. "Those that reach Gold III or higher will receive the Season 5 Ranked Cabbage Patch taunt AND the Season 6 Ranked Walk It taunt. Lastly, at the end of Ranked Season 6, players will be awarded addittional Relics."
Additionally, Naughty Dog clarified that there will be no changes to the Uncharted 4 multiplayer ranked rules for Season 5, though it is considering tweaks for Season 6.
Finally, some balance changes and a fix have been implemented in the new patch.
BALANCE AND FIXES
Added death region to Village to prevent exploit
Increase LP cost of Drake’s Aegis to 3 LP
In other Uncharted news, the standalone game Uncharted: The Lost Legacy arrives in August, priced at $40. You can read GameSpot's previous coverage to learn more.
Capcom has announced the next DLC for fighting game Street Fighter V. Coming to the game next week is the well-known Thailand stage from past games, remastered for the PS4 and PC game.
"The stage's intricate bell and statues have been carefully recreated in SFV with great detail, as well as the stage's memorable theme," Capcom said in a blog post.
The publisher went on to say that it experimented with a night-time version of the Thailand stage, with the lighting coming from candles. However, Capcom decided against this, instead opting to "stay true to the original stage as much as possible."
The new Thailand stage launches on April 25 for $4/¥400 /€4. Alternatively, you can buy it for 70,000 Fight Money, which is Street Fighter V's in-game currency system.
Also coming to Street Fighter V on April 25 are new school costumes for Ryu, Chun-Li, and Juri. As you can see in the images above, Juri now has a "gothic" look, while Chun-Li's costume aims to make her look like an honor roll student. Finally, Ryu's outfit is meant to look like a Bancho, which is a "student gang leader."
These costumes costs $4/¥400 /€4, though Capcom did not say if they will be available for Fight Money.
Update [April 19]: The NES Classic Edition has also been discontinued in Europe, a Nintendo spokesperson told Eurogamer. The console, which was called the NES Classic Mini in the territory, is no longer being manufactured in Europe. Combined with the discontinuation in Japan, that now means the miniature console is now out of print worldwide.
Original story follows [April 13].
After just six months on the market, Nintendo says it is discontinuing the NES Classic Edition in North America. Nintendo did not provide a specific reason for why the console is being discontinued, but the plug-and-play system has been plagued with supply issues; months after its launch it was still selling out almost as quickly as new shipments were released.
"Throughout April, NOA territories will receive the last shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition systems for this year," Nintendo said in a statement.
"We encourage anyone interested in obtaining this system to check with retail outlets regarding availability. We understand that it has been difficult for many consumers to find a system, and for that we apologize. We have paid close attention to consumer feedback, and we greatly appreciate the incredible level of consumer interest and support for this product."
Nintendo has only said, so far, that the NES Classic Edition is being discontinued in North America. When asked whether the discontinuation would be applied globally, a representative from Nintendo said, “Please see the statements made by Nintendo in other territories.”
The NES Classic Edition launched last November, coming preloaded with 30 classic NES games. When asked if these classic games will be made available on the Switch or another system, Nintendo only said “We have nothing to announce at this time.”
The Nintendo Switch remains difficult to track down six weeks after its release, but you can order one from GameStop right now. The catch: you may have to wait a few weeks, and it'll cost you $500.
As it has previously, the retailer has bundled its new allotment of Switch consoles into a large bundle that consists of the system (with gray or neon Joy-Cons); physical copies of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; Breath of the Wild's expansion pass; and a 128 GB microSD card.
Add it all up using GameStop's $60 price on the microSD card, and it comes out to $500, so it's not as if you're being overcharged for this. You'll simply need to want everything that's included for the bundle to be a worthwhile deal.
Switch has been routinely sold out since its launch in early March, and GameStop previously said on a call with investors that supply issues could last all year.
If you're interested, you can order the bundles here (gray) or here (neon). GameStop says they'll ship by no later than May 5. With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe releasing on April 28, you probably shouldn't expect to see your delivery any sooner than that.
With an open beta kicking off in just a few days, Dawn of War III developer Relic has released a lengthy new video of it in action.
Rather than merely show off gameplay, the video features commentary from director Philippe Boulle and designer Carolina Mastretta talking through a full 3v3 multiplayer match. The two provide some analysis of how things __play out.
The tips they share should come in handy soon, as an open beta for the game takes place this weekend. All three factions will be available, and you'll be able to customize both their look and __play style with a limited selection of Doctrines. Not all Elite units or maps are included, and you'll be limited to playing against other humans--AI matches and the campaign will have to wait for the official release. Any progress made in the beta won't carry over to the full game.
Dawn of War III's open beta begins at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET/6 PM GMT on Friday, April 21, and concludes at the same time on April 24. The full game follows not long after, launching on April 27, with three different versions available.
Dead Cells, an intriguing new game that combines elements of Castlevania, roguelikes, and Dark Souls, arrives on Steam in Early Access in just a few weeks.
Developer Motion Twin today announced that Dead Cells arrives for PC in Early Access on May 10, with Mac and Linux versions to follow at a later time. A price has not yet been announced, but you can expect to see 30-40% of the full game's content available in the Early Access version.
Dead Cells is, as Motion Twin puts it, a "RogueVania" game, combining elements of Metroidvania-style games with those of roguelikes. Permadeath is a key element, but various progression systems mean you don't start from scratch just because you die.
Motion Twin also highlights its "punishing" difficulty and Souls-inspired combat. There's also an emphasis on exploration, with procedural generation used to mix up the exact layout of the otherwise "handcrafted" levels.
We got to check out Dead Cells at PAX East earlier this year and walked away impressed with how it blended its various inspirations together. You can read more about it here and check out a new trailer above.
NetherRealm will announce the next character for the fighting game sequel Injustice 2 on April 28, the developer announced on its website. This is all we know for now, as the page doesn't contain any sort of teaser for who the character might be.
Before the character is revealed, NetherRealm will conduct the next Watchtower event tomorrow, April 20, starting at 1 PM PT / 3 PM CT / 4 PM ET. This broadcast will focus on Poison Ivy, Deadshot, and Catwoman. You'll be able to watch through NetherRealm's Twitch account. GameSpot will report back with any news or videos as they're made available.
The #Watchtower is back! Join us on THURSDAY. For a look at Poison Ivy, Deadshot and Catwoman! pic.twitter.com/XC84zCgsA9
— Injustice2 (@InjusticeGame) April 18, 2017
In other Injustice 2 news, NetherRealm recently released a trailer for the fighting game that showed off Poison Ivy gameplay--watch it here.
Injustice 2 launches on May 16 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. You can see a roundup of all the confirmed characters here.
Which character are you hoping to see be revealed for Injustice 2 next week? Let us know in the comments below!
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