Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Xbox 360
Telltale will release The Complete Adventure for Minecraft: Story Mode at retailers on October 25
Telltale Games has announced that they’re bundling together all eight episodes for Minecraft: Story Mode in The Complete Adventure, which will be available on retail store shelves for the PC, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on October 25. The collection is also in the works for the PS3, and will be released at a later date.
In Minecraft: Story Mode, playing as either a male or female hero named “Jesse,” you’ll embark on a perilous adventure across the Overworld, through the Nether, to the End, and beyond. You and your friends revere the legendary Order of the Stone: Warrior, Redstone Engineer, Griefer, and Architect; slayers of the Ender Dragon. While at EnderCon in hopes of meeting Gabriel the Warrior, Jesse’s friends discover that something is wrong… something dreadful. Terror is unleashed, and you must set out on a quest to find The Order of the Stone if you are to save your world from oblivion.
The story continues beyond the original season with three “Adventure Pass” episodes, chronicling the further journeys of Jesse and friends lost in a hall of portals leading from one world to the next. Will you be able to find your way home?
Minecraft: Story Mode – The Complete Adventure will be priced at $29.99 on all platforms.
Xbox Store Today: Forza Horizon 3, FIFA 17, XCOM 2, more
The Xbox Games Store is heading down under this week as Forza Horizon 3 is now available to download. Developed by Playground Games, Forza Horizon 3 brings the series to Australia for some coastal racing in more than 350 of the world’s snazziest cars. And players who purchase it through the Xbox Games Store will receive a digital copy of the game for the Xbox One and the PC.
Also available this week is FIFA 17, the latest soccer sim from EA Sports, for the Xbox One and Xbox 360. EA Sports has upgraded the game engine for FIFA 17, while also adding a story-focused career mode known as “The Journey.” Do you have what it takes to make it in the Premier League? Now’s your chance to find out.
Professional soccer players might seem like a completely separate species, but Xbox One owners will also be able to battle it out with actual extraterrestrials this week in XCOM 2, a tactical alien invasion simulation from 2K and Firaxis. XCOM 2 was previously released for the PC earlier this year, and this time around, players will fight to take back the Earth, which is under alien rule.
Elsewhere on the Xbox Games Store this week, Sierra Games will continue their rebooted King’s Quest adventure on the Xbox One and Xbox 360 with a brand new chapter, Snow Place Like Home. King Graham is still telling stories, and this time he spins a yarn about the time he rescued Prince Alexander from Queen Icebella’s Frozen Castle.
Finally this week, the Xbox Game Preview program grows by one with the release of Everspace, a space shooter with roguelike elements, from Rocketfish.
As usual, more information on all of these games can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged FIFA 17, Forza Horizon 3, King's Quest, XCOM 2
Max Brooks is writing an “Official” Minecraft novel for Mojang
There are lots of novels based on Minecraft on the shelves at your local bookstore, but Mojang has announced they’ve partnered with Max Brooks to produce a series of official novels based on the blockbuster game.
Brooks is best known as the author of World War Z, an “Oral History of the Zombie War” that was recently adapted into a movie starring Brad Pitt. But Brooks is also the author of The Harlem Hellfighters (which features many of the same events and people as this Fall’s Battlefield 1) and The Zombie Survival Guide. He’s also the son of legendary parodist Mel Brooks and Oscar-winning actress Anne Bancroft.
The first novel will be titled Minecraft: The Island, and according to Mojang Blog, readers should expect “cuboid Robinson Crusoe, but madder: a hero stranded in an unfamiliar land, with unfamiliar rules, learning to survive against tremendous odds.”
“I’m very excited to be part of this new venture,” Brooks said. “Finally I can justify all those hours I’ve spent playing Minecraft.”
“From our first meeting with Max, we knew he would be a perfect fit for our first foray into novels based on Minecraft,” said Lydia Winters, the Brand Director at Mojang. “His enthusiasm and understanding of all things related to the game bring out the sense of wonder and possibility that so many players love about Minecraft… ourselves included.”
We don’t know when Minecraft: The Island will be released, but we do know it’ll be published by Del Rey Books.
New Retail Releases: Forza Horizon 3, FIFA 17, Yo-Kai Watch 2, More
Soccer players (excuse me, footballers), racecar drivers, invisible Japanese spirits, a sneaker-wearing hedgehog, bloodthirsty aliens, and even bloodthirstier zombies highlight this week’s new release roundup…
FIFA 17 will be available in stores this week for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. In addition to a series of graphical upgrades and gameplay tweaks, the latest soccer simulation from EA Sports adds “The Journey,” a story-based single-player mode where players take control a teenager trying to make it in the Premier League.
Also new this week is Microsoft’s latest racing sim, Forza Horizon 3. The PC and Xbox One game recreates Australia as a playground for open-world racing, which players can dive into with more than 350 cars.
Away from the fast cars and furious footballers, Nintendo and Level-5 will release Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls. The creature-collecting games will include hundreds of new Yo-Kai, invisible spirits believed to exist out in the world. But with the game’s Yo-Kai Watch, players can see these supernatural creatures, and capture them.
Keeping with the otherworldly theme, 2K Games will bring XCOM 2 to the PS4 and Xbox One this week. After debuting on the PC earlier this year, the publisher is expanding the strategy game’s reach to new-generation consoles… and not a moment too soon. The alien invaders have enslaved humanity in the sequel and it’s up to players to guide the XCOM to victory against a foe that’s taken control of the Earth.
While the enemies of Dead Rising 2 are a bit dumber than a race of hyper-advanced aliens, they’re no less dangerous. Available this week for the PS4 and Xbox One, Dead Rising 2 was originally released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2010, but the re-release will still put a ravenous horde of undead between motocross racer Chuck Greene and the anti-zombie cure he needs for his daughter.
Hopefully, Chuck can avoid those zombies using Sonic-like speed, but a Blue Blur will be busy with Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, which will be released this week for the 3DS.
Finally this week, Microsoft is cramming a free copy of Minecraft in with their newest Xbox One S 500GB Console Bundle. So if you’re interested in picking up an Xbox One S, and you love Minecraft, it’s a fairly good deal.
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Dead Rising 2, FIFA 17, Forza Horizon 3, Minecraft, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, XCOM 2, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits/Fleshy Souls
WWE 2K17 downloadable content and Season Pass revealed
We’re a little less than three weeks out from WWE 2K17‘s launch, but 2K Games wants everyone to start thinking about the content that comes after, including an extensive collection of downloadable content and a Season Pass.
All of WWE 2K17’s DLC will be released later this year or during the early weeks of 2017, and most of it will be included in the Season Pass, which will be priced at $29.99. The full contents of each pack, which players also have the option to purchase individually, can be found right here:
Accelerator ($4.99)
- Players will gain access to all unlockable content available at launch in the game’s VC Purchasable section (excluding downloadable content)
- Players can also decide the overall rankings and attribute levels for all playable characters throughout the life of the product
Future Stars Pack ($8.99)
Playable WWE and NXT Superstars: Austin Aries, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Mojo Rawley, and Tye DillingerHall of Fame Showcase ($9.99)
- Cactus Jack and Diamond Dallas Page vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin and Michael “PS” Hayes) (WCW Saturday Night 1992)
- The Fabulous Freebirds (Buddy Roberts and Michael “PS” Hayes) vs. Kerry and Kevin Von Erich (WCCW 1986)
- Ivory vs. Jacqueline (SmackDown 2000)
- Sting (Gold and Black Tights) vs. Ric Flair (Clash of Champions 1988)
- Sting (n.W.o. Wolfpac ring gear) vs. Bret Hart (WCW Halloween Havoc 1998)
- Papa Shango vs. The Godfather (Dream Match)
- Big Boss Man (with Albert) vs. The Big Show (Armageddon 1999)
Legends Pack ($8.99)
Playable WWE Legends: Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, Eddie Guerrero, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Sycho Sid, and TatankaNew Moves Pack ($3.99)
Explore a wide variety of new in-game moves, including the Swingout Neckbreaker (made popular by current WWE Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte), the Elbro Drop (made popular by WWE Superstar Zack Ryder), the Face Wash Combo (made popular by NXT Superstar Samoa Joe), and the TJP Clutch (made popular by current WWE Cruiserweight Champion T.J. Perkins)
In addition to the Season Pass content, 2K also plans to offer several other downloadable packs that include even more characters boosts:
MyPlayer Kick Start ($9.99)
- PS4 and Xbox One Exclusive
- Players will gain access to unlock and boost created Superstar ratings and attributes made available at launch as part of the game’s MyCareer mode
- Players can also unlock all clothing made available at launch that provides attribute boosts in MyCareer
NXT Enhancement Pack ($9.99)
- PS4 and Xbox One Exclusive
- Playable NXT Superstars: Apollo Crews, Nia Jax, and Shinsuke Nakamura
- Players will earn a 50 percent boost in points while competing at NXT during MyCareer
NXT Legacy Pack ($4.99)
- PS3 and Xbox 360 Exclusive
- Playable NXT Superstars: Apollo Crews, Nia Jax, and Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE 2K17 will be released for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on October 11.
Xbox Store Today: NBA 2K17, Just Sing, Mount & Blade Warband, more
The 2016-2017 NBA season won’t tip off until next month, but 2K Games wants to get hoops fans ready with today’s release of NBA 2K17, which is now available to download for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 through the Xbox Games Store. In addition to updated rosters and improved graphics, the publisher focused their effort this year on a brand new MyCareer mode, and even recruited Michael B. Jordan (Creed) to lend authenticity to the “immersive new narrative.”
Also available to download today is Ubisoft’s Just Sing, a karaoke-styled spinoff from their popular Just Dance franchise. Players can choose to sing along or lip sync to their favorite songs on the Xbox One with a microphone or the free Just Dance Companion App for their smartphone.
Finally this week, Mount & Blade: Warband brings medieval battlefields and “realistic mounted combat” to the Xbox One. Players can tell their own knight’s tale by becoming anything from a “lonesome adventurer” to the “ruler of a faction.”
More information on all of these games can be found after the break. (more…)
Madden NFL 17 rumbles its way to the end zone as the best-selling game of August 2016
A trio of new releases stood atop the NPD Group’s recounting of the best-selling games of August 2016, but Madden NFL 17 unsurprisingly took the top spot.
EA’s juggernaut is almost always unstoppable during the calendar’s eighth month, but it was equally unsurprising to see No Man’s Sky and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided take up residence at #2 and #3, respectively.
NPD analyst Sam Naji told GamesIndustry.biz: “The release of strong new titles such as Madden NFL 17, No Man’s Sky and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided bolstered console software dollar sales by 8%.”
The remainder of this month’s best-sellers included the usual mix of big titles from 2015 and 2016, with some Grand Theft Auto V (#4) and Minecraft (#9) tossed in for flavor.
A full look at August 2016’s best-selling games can be found after the break. (more…)
Get your first look at Telltale’s Batman: Episode 2 – Children of Arkham right here
Telltale’s five-part Batman tale will continue next week in Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 2: Children of Arkham. Today, the developer unveiled a brand new trailer that seems to be pushing Gotham City even further towards insanity:
With Gotham City’s first family mired in corruption, and an old friend now a dangerous adversary, the life of the Dark Knight is turned upside down. What was Thomas Wayne entangled in, and why was he killed? Determined to learn the truth about his father, Bruce sets out to question those involved in Gotham’s criminal past. But which mask will he wear – The billionaire, or the bat? Huge decisions will forever change the Batman and the lives of those around him, as he meets the Children of Arkham.
Who are the Children of Gotham? Is that really The Penguin behind that bird mask? And could that pale, lanky fellow be The Joker? We’ll all get to find out together on September 20, when Children of Arkham launches for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The second episode in Batman: The Telltale Series will also be available at a later date for the PS3, Xbox 360, and mobile devices.