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Monday, 2 July 2018

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Rend Interview: Capturing the 'Magical Experience' Of Survival Games

Survival games make up one of the more popular genres in the modern industry, and plenty of developers are keen on putting their own distinct spin on the formula. One such game is Rend, the upcoming team-based online action title from Frostkeep Studios. Shacknews was once again able to meet with Jeremy Wood, co-founder and CEO of Frostkeep Studios, to learn more about Rend's signature blend of team-based survival action and distinct Norse myths-inspired backgrounds.

One of the standout features of Rend is the game's emphasis on vibrant visuals, particularly the strong use of color throughout environments and through the light effects from players' weapons. We know from previous interviews with Wood that Rend will have an in-depth character progression system, and players will be able to join in to different factions and make use of a number of other social gameplay elements.

The time for the Rend alpha test has already ended, but players looking to learn more about the game can head over to the official Rend website or visit the game's Steam page for more information. To stay on top of the latest games industry video coverage, be sure to check out both Shacknews and GamerHub.tv over on YouTube, where we feature a number of special gameplay demonstrations, in-depth developer interviews, and more.



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Death's Gambit Interview: 'We Wanted To Make Death Part of the Story'

The independent games development scene is booming, and players of all tastes are being treated to an ever-increasing amount of fantastic releases. One of the more interesting games we saw at E3 2018 was a gorgeous 2D action title from the team at White Rabbit named Death's Gambit, an experience where Death operates as both a motivating force and as a game mechanic. Shacknews had a chance to sit down with Alex Kubodera and Jean Canellas, co-creators of Death's Gambit, to discuss more about the game's goals and direction, including its distinct visual style and new approaches to ultra-challenging combat.

The team's pitch for Death's Gambit involves acting in service to Death, with players being tasked with seeking out and killing immortal beings. The combat makes use of a unique stamina system that favors careful gameplay over button mashing, and the protagonist can make use of bows, swords, guns, bows, and even magic to take out enemies. Fans of tough combat will be happy to hear that fighting in Death's Gambit is directly inspired by Dark Souls, with a particular emphasis on stamina management and precious strikes.

There are a number of different classes that players can assume, each with different starting weapons and bonuses that will grow as the story unfolds, and a talent tree will allow the chosen hero's abilities to be customized further.

Death's Gambit is slated to release for PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam on August 14. Players can keep up with this and other releases by heading over to our extensive guide to video game releases scheduled for 2018. To stay on top of the latest games industry videos, including exclusively gameplay footage and interviews with developers, be sure to check out Shacknews and GamerHub.tv over on Shacknews.



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Microdose VR Interview: An Explosion of Music, Color, and Sound

Have you ever thought about using virtual reality for unique, one-of-a-kind creative expressions? Andrew Zucosky met up at Shacknews' Indie Heaven with Andrew "Android" Jones, director of Orpheus Technodelics, to discuss Microdose VR and all its potential applications for doing just that.  

"It's a medium and extension for microdosing," Jones said of the program. We focus on your kinetic, athletic intelligence, your spatial intelligence with forms, shapes, and colors, and audio intelligence. Our experiment is if we can create an experience with all three in conjunction with each other."

"We have some levels that are stems of audio in 360 degrees around you with the audio emitted from the geometry. We're seeing people getting immersed in their creative potential."

As you can see in the game footage during the interview, there's an abundance of interesting visuals and ways to interact with each and every one of them in the program. You'll certainly need to make sure you have touch controllers handy to get the most out of it, however.

"When we saw the medium of VR that lets you create any type of experience, we really wanted to simulate a creative one. We've reverse-engineered a flow state to take out all the things that might be a barrier to feeling expressive, and exaggerating all the positive benefits that you get out of the medium."



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Where to Buy the NES and SNES Classic Edition Mini Consoles

A lot of players missed out on their chance to own a miniaturized piece of gaming history after Nintendo's blazing-hot NES Classic Edition consoles flew off store shelves and immediately became sold out. Turns out that people were ordering the devices en masse only to later list them on eBay with ridiculous markup, leaving those who wanted to actually play the console ponying up outrageous amounts of money for the privilege. And, though legitimate units have since popped up in limited supply at places like ThinkGeek, NES Classic Editions are still hard to find.

Luckily, that's about to change. Nintendo has spread the word that NES Classic Editions will be reappearing in the wild following the device's previous discontinuation, and that gaming fans will be able to scoop them up in stores starting later this June. For convenience, and in the hopes that players who actually want to enjoy those 8-bit classics can do so, we've put together this brief guide detailing how and where to buy an NES Classic Edition.

Edit: this article was updated on July 2 to reflect new product listings for the NES Classic at Gamestop and Target.

Where To Buy a New NES and SNES Classic Edition Mini Consoles

Retro gaming enthusiasts will be happy to learn that they shouldn't have any trouble tracking down a brand new NES Classic Edition. Nintendo has resumed manufacturing efforts, and will be sending more of their mini consoles to major retailers across the world. And yes, for those paying attention, this announcement also includes the SNES Classic Edition.

Despite having loads of information about the NES Mini over on the Nintendo website, there isn't any clear indication of where interested buyers might find one. Fortunately, we know a few places that should have them in stock. Though the links below may not indicate any current supply (assuming product page links are even available), they should reflect available stock starting sometime around June 29.

Amazon: NES Classic Edition • Super NES Classic Edition
Best Buy: NES Classic Edition • Super NES Classic Edition
GameStop: NES Classic Edition • Super NES Classic Edition
Target: NES Classic Edition • Super NES Classic Edition
Walmart: NES Classic Edition • Super NES Classic Edition

NES and SNES Classic Edition Included Games and Prices

There are 30 different games included with the NES Classic Edition, including the full run of Super Mario Bros. titles as well as a number of other solo hits like the original Final Fantasy, Metroid, and Gradius. The full list of games can be found below, and all can be had for the manufacturer's suggested retail price of $59.99.

• Super Mario Bros.
• Super Mario Bros. 2
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• The Legend of Zelda
• Donkey Kong
• Mega Man 2
• Pac-Man
• Final Fantasy
• Metroid
• Kirby's Adventure
• Castlevania
• Ninja Gaiden
• Dr. Mario
• Punch-Out!!
• Balloon Fight
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
• Excitebike
• Ice Climber
• Kid Icarus
• Double Dragon 2: The Revenge
• Bubble Bobble
• Tecmo Bowl
• Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest
• Mario Bros.
• Super C
• Galaga
• StarTropics
• Ghosts 'n' Goblins
• Gradius

The Super NES Classic Edition has fewer games than the NES Classic, but the included titles make for a very strong grouping, including games like Super Mario World, Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Final Fantasy 6, titles that are often heralded as the best of the era. The SNES Classic also includes Star Fox 2, which was never released previously and is thus a console exclusive. All of the following games can be had for the console's suggested price of $79.99:

• Super Mario World
• Super Mario Kart
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• F-Zero
• Super Metroid
• Street Fighter 2 Turbo
• Super Punch-Out!!
• Castlevania 3
• Donkey Kong Country
• Mega Man X
• Kirby Super Star
• Final Fantasy 3 (6)
• Kirby's Dream Course
• Star Fox
• Star Fox 2
• Yoshi's Island
• Super Mario RPG
• Contra 3: The Alien Wars
• Secret of Mana
• Earthbound
• Super Ghouls 'n' Ghosts

Nintendo has stated that both the NES Classic and SNES Classic mini consoles should be available through the end of the year, meaning there ought to be enough supply in stock to satisfy consumer demands. With that said, they've always disappeared quickly before, and gamers will no doubt be placign their orders as early as possible.



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Sound Self VR Interview: A 'Genuinely Psychedelic' Experience

We know virtual reality is awesome for gaming experiences, but what about exploring the self? Andrew Zucosky met up at Shacknews' Indie Heaven with Robin Arnott, the CEO of Orpheus Technodelics, to discuss Sound Self VR.

Sound Self VR isn't a game so much as it's a journey through the self. Using your voice, you're tasked with exploring a strange, hypnotic world of sounds and visuals as you work to reach an intense trance-like state. It's an intriguing, dreamlike state that players seem to reach during the "trip," and it looks like an extremely

"People regularly come out of it speechless, crying, etc. They're experiencing something they only ever really experience in video games," said Arnott.

Orpheus Technodelics is a VR publisher of "psychoactive digital experiences," and this new product certainly seems like an intriguing one to test out if you're ever in the neighborhood or able to do so.

"It's genuinely psychedelic. It's not like, 'oh, it's trippy.' It is a genuine suspension of egoic narrative," said Arnott.



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10 Cheap VR Headsets Ranked from Best to Worst

We bought and tested Amazon's top-selling VR headsets under $45. Here are the virtual reality headsets to buy, consider or avoid.

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Todd Howard Believes VR Will Finally Blossom During Its 'Third Generation'

Bethesda's Todd Howard recently took to the Gamelab event in Barcelona, Spain to chat with Game Awards founder Geoff Keighley, as well as an interview with GamesBeat about a variety of different topics. During the chats, he had some interesting things to share, namely about Fallout 76, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and various other tidbits. But perhaps one of the most important kernels of information he shared were his thoughts on VR and how it's still going to come into its own.

It turns out that Howard is still very excited by the prospect of virtual reality, which makes sense given Bethesda's releases of its titles in VR in the past. “I’m a little more VR than AR,” he told GamesBeat. “We did Fallout and Skyrim in VR. We’re just about to enter the second generation of VR. Historically, the third generation is where it starts to become popular.”

Howard didn't specify what he meant by "third generation," of course, but it's clear the enthusiasm is there, and he's looking forward to seeing it come into its own. Hopefully he's right, as VR still has yet to properly "become popular" the way that it should, especially given how dudes can swing around double-sided lightsaber controllers in games like Beat Saber and look totally sick. Hope you're right, Howard. 



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