rss:9d9437cc2bdadfdb0c2a6594385b5cf5548bd329 rss_modified:rss:9d9437cc2bdadfdb0c2a6594385b5cf5548bd329 http://www.gamespot.com/mashup/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 29 Jul 2014 08:52:49 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-with-assassins-creed-unity-design-from-wa/1100-6421366/ 
The "extremely limited" Assassin's Creed Unity-skinned Xbox One system you see above can't be found in stores, but it can be yours with a little luck.
The system features the Assassin's Creed logo on the front of the system, and artwork from comic book artist Tony Moore (known for early issues of The Walking Dead, among other things) on the top. "Very few" of these have been created, according to the official Assassin's Creed Facebook page, and there is only one way to get your hands on one: the Guillotine Prize Drop wheel.
Among the things you get for preordering Unity (see a full list here) is access to an online spin-to-win game. Every Friday, a variety of prizes (most of them Assassin's Creed-themed) are given away to winners of what amounts to a web-based slot machine. Other prizes include home entertainment systems, trips to Unity developer Ubisoft Montreal, and in-game items. To play--you can do so here--all you need is a Uplay account and an access code given away with preorders of Unity.
Assassin's Creed Unity launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 28. A new Assassin's Creed game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 has not yet been announced, but Ubisoft has indicated we'll be learning more about its plans for those platforms soon.
Microsoft recently revealed a number of one-of-a-kind Xbox One system designs as part of a San Diego Comic-Con giveaway. Most of these designs were based on games available on Xbox One, but Unity was not among them.
If you haven't already preordered Unity, is the prospect of winning this system enough of an incentive to convince you to do so? Let us know in the comments.
| Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @TheSmokingManX |
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| Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com |
Following last week's stability-only PlayStation 4 system update, another update--version 1.75--has arrived today. As promised, it introduces support for 3D Blu-ray movies, but it also has several other new features and changes.
The most significant of these is the new Featured Content option in the Automatic Downloads and Uploads area of the system's settings. With this option turned on, "featured content" will be downloaded to your system automatically when your PS4 is on or in standby mode. It's unclear just what kind of content will be included in this category or if there is any limit on how much will be automatically downloaded on a weekly basis.
One of the other two features will affect most every PS4 user, albeit in a minor way: System notifications that used to show up in the upper-right corner of the screen will now be displayed in the top left.
And finally, for those who like to watch their DVDs or Blu-rays more quickly than normal--a habit I, myself, have never understood--you'll now find the audio quality when watching DVDs and Blu-rays at 1.5x speed has been "improved."
Separate from this update, Sony has also announced the details of an update coming today for ShareFactory, PS4's video editor app. Once installed, screenshots can be imported into projects, new filters and stickers have been added, the UI has been improved, and a Last of Us theme (consisting of stickers, transitions, and more) is now available for use.
Are you happy to finally see a PS4 update with some new features in it? Let us know what you'd like to see in the next update in the comments below.
| Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @TheSmokingManX |
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| Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com |
The story is familiar. After a tough and stressful day at work or school, you come home and watch TV or play video games as a way to relax. But according to a new study, unwinding with such media could actually make you feel worse. New research publishing in the Journal of Communication found that some people who watch TV or play games when they are stressed out might experience feelings of guilt and failure.
As reported by GameSpot sister site CBS News, past research indicated that people were more likely to overcome their fatigue faster if they watched thought-provoking videos or played games. This "recovery experience" let media consumers detach from the struggles of their daily lives and instead enjoy feelings of control and fulfillment.
The new study, on the other hand, attempts to explain why this "recovery experience" is not actually beneficial to all people. In some cases, like the ones described in the study, exposure to media like TV and video games led people to feel guilty, depressed, or frustrated.
The authors of the study, called The Guilty Couch Potato: The Role of Ego Depletion in Reducing Recovery Through Media Use, argue that "ego depletion" can explain this phenomenon. This is a state in which a person's willpower is exhausted. A person experiencing ego-depletion is more likely to feel tired and listless, be more impulsive, and give in to temptations like fatty foods to help themselves feel better.
When such "ego-depleted" people partake in TV or video games instead of activities like sports, art, or other social events, they often felt guilty instead of enjoying themselves, the study found. Researchers went on to conclude that those who were fatigued after a day of work oftentimes labeled their media consumption as procrastination instead of relaxation or entertainment.
Lastly, the researchers say that the widespread availability of smartphones today is not helping people relax, either. "In times of smartphones and mobile Internet, the ubiquitous availability of content and communication often seems to be a burden and a stressor rather than a recovery resource," one of the study's co-authors said.
You can read the full study right here. What do you make of the findings? Let us know in the comments below!
]]> 1100-6421365Tue, 29 Jul 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/check-out-hitman-movies-first-images-what-do-you-t/1100-6421363/
20th Century Fox has released the first images from the upcoming Hitman movie, a reboot called Hitman: Agent 47. The images show off Homeland star Rupert Friend as Agent 47. Friend replaced actor Paul Walker for the lead role after the Fast and Furious movie star died in a car crash last year.
In addition to the images, 20th Century Fox showed off a trailer for the movie during a panel at Comic-Con over the weekend, Slash Film reports. This video, which has not yet been released publicly, shows Agent 47 escaping an interrogation room using his advanced skills.
Agent 47 also stars Zachary Quinto (Star Trek) as John Smith and Hannah Ware (Shame) as Katia van Dees. (Friend could not attend the panel due to a scheduling conflict). During the panel, Quinto said (via Latino Review) that he wanted to take on the role because he didn't want to get locked into one particular genre or character-type.
"I want to do as much different stuff as possible," Quinto said. "I want to always move beyond and keep a career interesting. I can't wait to show this film to you all."
As for Ware, she gave a brief tease about how her character will interact with Agent 47. She said, "47 seeks Katia out and she presents him with his biggest challenges." Agent 47 opens in theaters on February 27, 2015. It is directed by Aleksander Bach, a well-established commercials director now making the jump to motion pictures.
The most recent Hitman movie was 2007's Hitman, which starred Timothy Olyphant in the lead role.
The next major Hitman game is currently in development at IO Interactive, and is making "great progress," the developer said in May. IO Interactive chose not to bring the game to E3 this year because it did not want to "divert valuable resources." On the mobile front, another new Hitman game--focused on sniping--is in development and will launch this year.
Image Credit: Polygon
]]> 1100-6421363Tue, 29 Jul 2014 06:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidia-shield-tablet-and-controller-review/1100-6421358/ Despite some advances to the contrary, PC gaming is still the domain of the big boxy tower. But while there's no doubt that having a wall socket nearby has made for some impressively powerful graphics cards, Nvidia's having a bash at bringing over some of that PC power to the tablet domain with the Shield Tablet and the Shield Controller, the sequel to the quirky mash-up of gaming controller and LCD screen that was the Shield Portable (which remains on sale in the US). Powered by Nvidia's Tegra K1 chip--which features desktop-class graphics in the form of a Kepler-based GPU--the Shield Tablet may well be an early glimpse at the future of gaming; the idea of having just one device to idea surf, and email, and work, and game whether at home or on the go is certainly an enticing one. But, as neat as that concept is, and despite some successes, the tech isn't quite there to pull it off just yet.Specs
On paper at least, the tech is impressive. Shield Tablet is based on Nvidia's 32-bit Tegra K1 chip, which features a Kepler-based GPU with 192 CUDA cores that supports OpenGL 4.4 and the DX12 API. In theory, this means PC developers should find it easier to port their games over to Android, with Epic having already unveiled a version of Unreal Engine 4 running on the chip. On the CPU side, a quad core Arm Cortex A15 processor clocked at 2.2GHz powers the Shield Tablet. That's actually the same quad core processor as used in the original Shield Portable, albeit at a higher clock speed. While the A15 is a powerful chip, it's slightly disappointing not to see something more modern here. Nvidia has already talked about the flagship 64-bit version of Tegra K1, which features the company's Project Denver CPU, a powerful chip first based on 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture.
The K1 is backed up by 2GB of RAM, which makes for zippy performance across the board; the Shield Tablet churns through pretty much any task you throw at it, which makes navigating through the largely stock version of Android 4.4.3 it ships with a pleasure. There's 16GB of internal storage, the much-appreciated inclusion of a Micro SD slot for up to 128GB of storage expansion, a 5MP front-facing camera as well as a 5MP autofocus rear camera, a non-active stylus based on Nvidia's DirectStylus 2 technology, front-facing stereo speakers, a 19.75 Watt hour battery, mini HDMI out, and an 8-inch, 1920x1200 pixel display.
Some might be disappointed not to see a higher DPI display here--such as the one featured on the iPad Mini--but the Shield Tablet's IPS display is lovely and clear, and has great viewing angles. You might run into some visibility issues if you're using the tablet outdoors in blazing sunlight, but otherwise the display is plenty bright. The lower DPI count is also better for running games, the more taxing of which stress the GPU at 1920x1200, never mind anything higher.
The display also makes a lot more sense when you see the price: at just $299/£229 for a 16GB Wifi version, or $399/£299 for a 32GB version with 4G, the Shield Tablet is definitely at the cheaper end of performance tablets, and it compares favourably with the likes of the Nexus 7, particularly because it's running a mostly stock version of Android. I'd happily pay the extra few bucks for the Shield Tablet; it's simply a better, more well-specced device.
I wouldn't say the same about the Shield Controller, though. While you can use any Bluetooth controller you like with the Shield Tablet, a lot of its features are built with the Shield Controller in mind. Unfortunately, it's an $59/£49 on top of the tablet asking price, and when you add in the cost of the kickstand case at $39--which is basically a necessity if you plan on gaming with the controller on the go--you're looking at almost an extra $100 on top of the tablet price to get the full Shield Tablet experience. Sadly, Nvidia isn't offering any bundles, which is a missed opportunity to get people into the tablet-gaming fold.
The Shield Controller features the usual array of analogue sticks and buttons that you'd find on an Xbox or PlayStation controller, as well as some Android-specific buttons, including home, back, and volume, as well as a small touch pad at the bottom of the pad for controlling a mouse cursor. There's a headphone jack up top for streaming game audio, or adding a headset for voice chat, and up to four controllers can be paired with the Shield Tablet. On the whole, the controller works well, with its proprietary WiFi connection remaining stable throughout. Nvidia claims the WiFi connection results in 2X less latency than Bluetooth, and while I can't definitively say that's the case, I certainly didn't notice any lag while playing games.
Design
The problem with the Shield Controller is that it looks cheap, like one of those flimsy third-party Datel controllers you used to get laden with at birthdays from a well-meaning Aunt. There's nothing about it that screams premium gaming controller in the same way that a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller does, and considering it's the same price as those controllers, that's disappointing. The plastic feels cheap, the D pad and shoulder buttons are mushy under the fingers and thumbs, and the controller is on the large side, so those with smaller hands might find it a little uncomfortable to hold. I also found the touch-sensitive Android buttons to be a bit too sensitive, and I often found myself accidentally activating the back button while playing a game. As you can image, that got irritating rather quickly.
I'm a much bigger fan of the design of the Shield Tablet itself. It might be a little bit thicker than some tablets at 9.2mm, but it feels solidly built, with a reassuring plastic construction and 390g weight that's not too heavy for one-handed use. It's an understated design, with a plain, matte black finish and a sole bit of branding coming from the embossed Shield logo on the back. The only bit of bling comes from the plastic chamfered edges around the display, which look great alongside the otherwise less ostentatious touches. The headphone jack, micro USB, and mini HDMI ports are neatly positioned at the top of the device, while the power, volume, micro SD slot, and stylus slot are easily accessible along the left side. My only real gripe with the design of the Shield Tablet is the thickness of the bezels around the screen, which are a tad wide by today's standards.
That's a small trade-off for what is a great tablet for the price. Indeed, even if you ignore any of the Shield Tablet's gaming-specific features like Twitch.tv streaming, or Gamestream for streaming PC games to your tablet, I'd throughly recommend the Shield Tablet as a great, everyday device. The gaming features are simply a nice bonus, which is good, because they don't always work exactly as advertised.
Performance
But let's start with the good stuff. With the Tegra K1 chip on board, the Shield Tablet flies through Android. Apps load quickly, scrolling is buttery smooth, and video streaming with the likes of Netflix is stutter-free. 3D games like Modern Combat 5 and Real Racing 3 run smoothly too, whether plugged in to a TV or displayed on the tablet's screen. Plugging in via HDMI gives you the option of launching console mode, which shuts off the tablet screen, closes all running apps, and brings up a simple, to-the-point interface that lets you load up apps and games or purchase them. Nvidia's storefront sorts out apps via controller compatibility, which is extremely handy, but you can purchase stuff straight through the Google Play store if you prefer.
There aren't a whole lot of K1-optimised games available for the Shield Tablet at launch. So far, there are just 11, including The Talos Principle, Half Life 2, and free-to-play shooter War Thunder, which comes complete with cross-platform online play. To get you started, the tablet comes with a free copy of Trine 2, which is a nice touch. I tried both Half Life 2 and Trine 2, and found both games looked great, but didn't run without problems. Half Life 2 in particular had lots of noticeable frame rate issues during busier scenes, and while it didn't ever get to the point where the game was unplayable, it was slightly disheartening to see a Tegra K1 device struggle with a 10-year-old game.
That said, I happily sat on my couch and wiled away the hours playing through Valve's masterpiece, quickly forgetting that I was doing it from a tablet. Despite the issues, the fact that a game of Half Life 2's scope plays natively on a device that you can carry around with you is impressive; it's just not quite at the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 levels of performance that Nvidia boasted earlier this year.
Like the Shield Portable, the Shield Tablet supports Nvidia Gamestream, which lets you stream a selection of PC games from your PC straight to your tablet via WiFi, or even LTE. The only proviso is that your PC needs to be running an Nvidia GPU, and it has to be at least a GTX 650 in order for it to work. Laptops require something from the GTX 800M, 700M, or Kepler-based GTX 600M-series of GPUs. Nvidia says it hasn't made any large improvements to the existing Gamestream tech, so if you've tried Gamestream before with a Shield Portable, the experience is largely the same with the Shield Tablet: that's to say, if you've got a good wireless connection, it works well.
Over WiFi you get 720p streaming, and with a good, clear wireless signal, games look great. Obviously, the more powerful your PC, the better your games will look, but with the resolution capped at 720p over WiFi, you can afford to crank a few more settings than you would at 1080p. While there's no mistaking streamed games for native games thanks to a few light video compression artefacts, I happily played through the likes of Bioshock Infinite without issue. However, if you've got poor WiFi reception, or you're playing over the internet, then the quality and responsiveness of streamed games takes a hit. It's particularly noticeable in driving games, where the lag can make games like Grid 2 almost unplayable. Shooters like Bioshock Infinite fare much better, though. Basically, if you've got a poor connection, stay away from any twitch-based games.
Over ethernet, the Shield Tablet supports 1080p streaming, although, good luck trying to find a compatible ethernet adaptor. Nvidia doesn't sell one itself, and its knowledgebase for the original Shield simply states that "it may be possible to use a third party micro-USB to Ethernet adaptor," rather than actually suggesting which one to buy. So, you're left hunting through forums, and while some users have reported good compatibility with certain adaptors, it doesn't seem like there's a definitive choice. Clearly, if a feature is going to be advertised, it should be easy for customers to use it, and not have to go through a process of trial and error and Google searches to get there.
Twitch streaming is also a bit hit or miss. Activating the feature is as simple as holding down the back button on the controller and selecting broadcast. You can stream the Android interface or any game or app you like, bar those with protected content like Netflix. You can also add in audio from the built-in microphone, or from a headset plugged into the controller, as well as activate picture-in-picture with the front facing camera. Twitch streaming worked without a hitch with smaller Android games and Gamestream. However, when running more intensive Android-native games like Half Life 2 and Trine 2, I encountered a few issues.
Twitch streaming worked without a hitch with smaller Android games and Gamestream. However, when running more intensive Android-native games like Half Life 2 and Trine 2, I encountered a few issues.
Most notable was the performance hit, which caused the frame rate to drop dramatically in both games. Things got worse in Half Life 2, where the game actually crashed consistently at a certain point while streaming, and only by reloading the game, playing past that point, and then reactivating Twitch could we get past it. Perhaps an update or two will fix this in the future, but for now, graphics intensive games and Twitch streaming on the Shield Tablet aren't the best of friends.
Neither, it must be said, are graphics intensive games friendly with the battery. Nvidia claims around 10 hours of battery life when playing back videos, and certainly, with everyday use I could get through a few days without needing to give the tablet a charge. That changed significantly when playing games, though. The more intensive the game, the more the battery life dropped. Certainly, with the likes of Half Life 2, I only managed to squeeze less than four hours out of the battery before it gave up the ghost.
That's not uncommon for tablets, though, and generally, the battery life is in the same ballpark as other tablets in this price range. One other thing to note about playing graphically intensive games is the heat generated by the tablet. Again, it's not uncommon for tablets to get hot while running 3D games, but the Shield Tablet got very toasty after an hour or so of gameplay. It's fine if you've got the thing propped up on a table, or next to your TV, but I certainly wouldn't want to be holding it for too long for those types of games.
Verdict
Given that Twitch streaming is one of the key selling points of the Shield Tablet, it's disappointing that it doesn't work consistently across the device. Its small line up of games doesn't help matters either, particularly as there are frame rate issues with the more graphically intensive titles. Certainly, you're not going to be swapping your Vita or 3DS for a Shield Tablet anytime soon.
However, I like to think of the Shield Tablet this way: if you buy one, you're getting a great looking, powerful Android tablet with a near stock version of the OS for an enticing price; its gaming features are simply a nice bonus. PC players with a large library of games will also get a lot out of the tablet's Gamestream functionality, which--despite its issues over slower connections--is a great way to access your games away from your main machine.
Despite Nvidia's claims, I wouldn't get a Shield Tablet for its gaming features alone. Indeed, if you're buying it solely for the gaming features, then you might be a little disappointed. But, if you're interested in what the future of gaming might look like, Shield Tablet is perhaps the best glimpse we've had of it so far. If Nvidia can push the power of its mobile chips every year as much as it does its desktop ones, and if broadband keeps up, within a few years, something like the Shield Tablet may very well be the best way to game.
]]> 1100-6421358Tue, 29 Jul 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/secret-the-last-of-us-ending-revealed-during-last-/1100-6421360/During a special live stage performance of The Last of Us last night, developer Naughty Dog revealed a secret epilogue scene from the acclaimed action game. The scene, which takes place sometime after the events of the main game, was performed live by main actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie).
Attendees of the event documented the scene in a thread on NeoGAF. According to those in attendance, The Last of Us creative director Neil Druckmann requested that no one film the scene, adding that Naughty Dog has no plans to release the scene at any point in the future.
SPOILERS AHEAD
According to those in attendance, the Last of Us epilogue scene was written as a "goodbye" to Joel and Ellie, and takes place at the Tommy dam after the events of the main game (maybe four years). Joel meets Ellie there and she acts somewhat "distant" and unattached until Joel pulls out a guitar and sings a song for her (Baker reportedly performed this live in Joel's voice). Joel then shares a joke with Ellie and the two enjoy a laugh together, alleviating the tension.
Interestingly, this scene reminds us of the "fan art" that The Last of Us artist Mark Okon released in May that showed Ellie playing a guitar by herself. Is it a tease for The Last of Us 2? There is no way to know for sure, but it's an interesting development all the same.
Naughty Dog said earlier this year that there is a 50/50 shot that the studio will make a sequel to the game. A movie based on The Last of Us is also in the works. Druckmann is writing the script, and it's possible that Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams (Arya Stark on the show) could play Ellie.
The Last of Us Remastered, the PlayStation 4 version of the 2013 PS3 game, is available today. For more, check out GameSpot's review and what other critics are saying.
]]> 1100-6421360Tue, 29 Jul 2014 05:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/major-advances-to-metal-gear-solid-5-to-be-shown-a/1100-6421359/Konami today announced its Gamescom 2014 lineup, saying it will showcase "major advances" to open-world action game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and professional soccer title PES 2015 during the massive public show in August.
According to Konami, both games "perfectly demonstrate the versatility and power of Kojima Productions' FOX Engine, while delivering a new experience in visual quality and the power of the new wave of console systems."
For Metal Gear Solid V specifically, Konami says Gamescom attendees will have a chance to see the "sheer scale and ambition" of the game. The game's open world--powered by the FOX Engine--has allowed series creator Hideo Kojima to "realize the scale and story he has always envisaged," Konami says.
The publisher will reveal "new details" about Metal Gear Solid V during Gamescom, which Konami believes will convince you that the game is the "most extensive and ambitious Metal Gear Solid ever." The game is coming to Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4, though no release date whatsoever for the game has been announced.
As for PES 2015, Konami will bring a playable version of the game to show, marking the title's first appearance at a major public event.
If you're attending Gamescom 2014, you can visit Konami's booth in hall 7.1 A030/A031. GameSpot will be on the ground at Gamescom this year, bringing you all the news as it happens.
Gamescom 2014 takes place in Cologne, Germany August 14-17. You can buy tickets to the show at the event's website today.
]]> 1100-6421359Tue, 29 Jul 2014 04:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/get-the-mass-effect-trilogy-for-10-on-pc-at-gamest/1100-6421357/
Video game retailer GameStop is currently is holding a summer sale with some decent discounts which looks set to end around 8/17.
After digging around, the best deal on an individual game is the Mass Effect Trilogy as a PC download for $10. Note that this version of the game requires Origin to download and play.
If you're looking to build a console bundle starting with a use system, you can get some pretty decent deals. The best bundles include:
You can also put together your own used console bundle and choose your own games through the GameSpot deal site, but then you're limited to two free video game add-ons.
Any great deals you've found in the sale? Let us know in the comments below!
]]> 1100-6421357Mon, 28 Jul 2014 18:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-mp3-support-coming-this-holiday-no-discounts-f/1100-6421356/
Back in April, we reported on a rumor that the PlayStation 4 was getting MP3 support. Nothing official came from Sony, but many people thought it likely that the console would get some sort of external music compatibility at some point. Recently, we got more evidence that such an update is in the works.
According to reddit user IWorkForSony, who has been verified by r/PS4 subreddit moderators as a Sony employee, Sony is currently developing an update for the PS4 that will bring MP3 and video player support by the holiday season. The user also said that DLNA media server support will come some time in 2015.
The user went on to address the upcoming public beta test for PlayStation Now, Sony's game streaming service that's been in private beta for a few months. When someone asked about rumors circulating that owners of PlayStation 3 games may get free access to those same titles via PS Now, IWorkForSony negated the possibility. "Those rumors are wrong," he wrote. "Entitlements for PS3 games won't carry over to PS Now." As for the reason why Sony will not provide discounts, he explained, "Unfortunately, it just doesn't make business sense for Sony to transfer entitlements to PS Now. Streaming games costs them money."
Finally, he revealed that a subscription model for PS Now is still in the works, and that the beta is to test different pricing models.
This week, the user also revealed that the PlayStation Mobile app is getting a substantial overhaul. "There's a redesign in the works," he stated. "It should be more functional and modern (read: less cheesy blue boxes)."
As for the legitimacy of IWorkForSony, I reached out to the moderators and they confirmed that he has provided evidence as to his employment at Sony. Mod IceBreak wrote, "We saw things that pretty much guarantee [he] works for Sony. Besides that there were debug unit OS pictures. I can't elaborate more than that or share the pictures due to the anonymity of the user but I also want to let you know what we used to verify [him]."
We've asked Sony for comment and will update this story if we receive word. Will you take advantage of MP3 support on the PS4? Let us know in the comments.
| Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @alexbnewhouse |
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| Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com |
The second time Only If induced rage was when the player character called the apparent mafioso taunting him a "pedophilic faggot," a homophobic outburst that may have worked had the character using the phrase been a full-fledged human being rather than a randy adolescent with no empathetic characteristics. Only If had already toyed with homophobia with a bit of throwaway dialogue about "giving the kid the D," but that conversation lingered because of how it informed the plot, not because of its blatant offensiveness. The sputtered "faggot" accusation came later, after I had come to suspect that the game was not in fact a clever mystery but instead a perverted display of bro-dude self-expression. My suspicion was confirmed when Only If concluded with a story "twist" that M. Night Shyamalan might have concocted if he were a drug-addled, sexually frustrated high school senior.
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Only If's ending marked the third time the game induced rage, and it was a rage that dogged me as I played the game a second and then a third time, hoping to find signs of a message with greater meaning than the disgusting finale let on, but if such a message exists, it is either too subtle to notice or too unnecessary to care about. Perhaps Only If means to parody games like Proteus or Gone Home, experiences that use simple forms of player interaction to reveal greater truths and subvert expectations, but I don't believe this game has such noble ambitions.
If my thought process is all over the place, it's because Only If itself brings with it no apparent logic, jumping between gameplay styles faster than Mario leaps between platforms. Games have successfully played with player perception of genre and game logic, of course--Thirty Flights of Loving is one great example of this kind of thematic skewing--but Only If's gameplay is frequently busted and typically uncomfortable. It all begins after you've awakened after an apparent night of intoxicated debauchery and sexual romping, with an angry voice taunting you via old-fashioned radio.
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Soon after, the voice leads you to an opulent room in which a chessboard rests on a table and landscapes adorn the walls. Only If then presents a choice that's meant to be uncomfortable, but most discomfort comes from the game's own screen tearing and jittery behavior in these early minutes. At this stage, you might suppose Only If is a puzzle game, but if it is, it's a terrible one, providing the exact steps to the task at hand both here and elsewhere, and never allowing your imagination to blossom. In any case, the choice leads to one of the game's two branches, one of which leads back to this same parlor and forces you to make the other decision anyway. So much for facing the consequences of your own selfishness, which the foul-mouthed narrator intimates is the purpose of the 45 minutes of gameplay that follow.
Those 45 minutes are indeed a punishment, but for you the player, as opposed to the manchild you control from a first-person view. A few vignettes are sewn together, each providing an arbitrary rule for you to follow, such as running toward an orb before the walls of the surrounding limbo close on you, determining whether the button prompts wish you to press the assigned key or quickly mash it, or navigating a marsh without colliding with a patch of floating darkness or inadvertently wandering out of the level. This is trial and error gone wrong, with Only If chastising you not for failing to overcome an obvious challenge, but rather for not being able to read the creator's mind. After these random scenes of weirdness, you must escape a house where more capricious rules govern your direction, and where puzzles are so tedious that even the main character himself complains about them.
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In spite of the clumsy gameplay and abysmal storytelling, a few ideas glimmer just brightly enough to grab your attention. On specific occasions you hear the voices of armed pursuers and see the beams of their flashlights, and while these unseen stalkers can catch you, you never see their bodies or faces. Such moments provide a twinge of intensity, forcing you to run away or find the prescribed hiding place so that you can catch your breath. The other story branch brings with it a new set of environments and metaphysical exploration, and there, too, you notice beacons of hope: puzzles in which you type out commands on your keyboard, attractive pastoral music that matches the beauty of the vibrant flowers and blooming trees that surround you, and enough enigmatic visual and audio cues to make you wonder about the nature of this world and your place within it.
Any goodwill Only If earns only fuels further disappointment, however, dwindling away during a tragic platforming sequence that highlights the game's unresponsive controls and incessant glitches. Eventually, the bite-size levels lose any sense of continuity, with every new pseudo-clever mechanic seemingly pulled from an ever-rotating bingo ball cage, and each sequence glitched or bugged in some manner or another. The insulting finale may be devoid of creative worth, but it at least signals the end of an experiment that was best left unperformed.
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Given the appropriation of elements associated with narrative-driven exploration games like The Stanley Parable, you'd suppose that Only If were trying to communicate something meaningful. After all, buggy behavior and clunky locomotion make it a mechanical failure, leaving the story and themes to make good where gameplay could not. Alas, irredeemable characters and loathsome dialogue aren't appropriate pillars upon which to erect a substantial tale. The collapse was inevitable; Only If's wretched ending only ensures that the construct's remnants are reduced to unrecognizable rubble.
]]> 1900-6415830Mon, 28 Jul 2014 17:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/gods-will-be-watching-review/1900-6415829/ Gods Will Be Watching makes you question your role as a spacefaring hero. You are goaded into thinking that you can accomplish each of the game's challenges with grace. But things are never quite that easy. The choices defined as good or bad are not so easy to make; hard decisions can come with a great cost, and sometimes sacrificing a few is not only inevitable, but necessary for the sake of many. Though the game provides excellent challenge and unforgettable emotional moments, highly randomized levels and irritating glitches ultimately diminish the emotional impact Gods Will Be Watching so desperately tries to impart.The game leans heavily on sci-fi cliches to tell its story. The plot involves government corruption, slavery, and an interstellar terrorist group that can be stopped only by a legendary military hero, worn down by years of service. Though it felt familiar, I found myself taken in by the story, especially with the scenes that emphasize the inner turmoil of the game's enigmatic protagonist, who questions his purpose in the universe. The rare yet wonderful moments of human emotion that occasionally popped up were not expected, and won't soon be forgotten. But despite the interesting story, the game's primary focus is not on its narrative. At its core, Gods Will Be Watching is a resource manager, where the fates of many lives are in your hands.
Across most of its six chapters, the point-and-click puzzler places you in a room with a group of people and a set of tasks to complete in order to reach a certain goal before the end of a timer. The timer varies, ranging from a typical countdown to the setting of the sun in a passing day. You are given a set number of actions before the timer moves ahead. The available actions are separated into color-coded tasks of green and red, and it's important to note the difference between the two. Green tasks allow you to assess a situation by asking characters questions on how to approach a puzzle, or by checking in on everyone's mental status. Such queries can be made without passing any time.
Red tasks are the actions you perform to advance in the completion of the puzzle. They can range from rotating members of a dig team clearing a blocked exit in one scene, to writing a motivational speech to boost team morale in another. Performing a red task, however, comes with a caveat: with every move, you burn away precious time from the meter. If you fail to reach your goal before the clock hits zero, you must restart the mission.
The game has strict rules for how many actions you can perform at a given time, and if you're not observant, it's easy to make a mistake that could cost you dearly. In the early stages, I found myself perplexed that the game prevented me from accomplishing more tasks in a given time. In one mission, I was charged with keeping my team alive in a harsh, frozen environment. It seemed straightforward; however, I once forgot to put wood on the fire because I was busy crafting sharpened spears for hunting food, as well as focusing on repairing a busted radio necessary for calling in a rescue. I only noticed the innocent mistake just as the sun set on the distant, mountain-peaked horizon, and by then it was too late. The game informed me that my team had frozen to death, and I had to try again.
Success in Gods Will Be Watching requires a lot of trial and error, as well as many restarts. But though the missions are challenging, they rarely feel unfair. Most failures come from negligence, such as in the aforementioned example, or by pushing things beyond a breaking point. To elaborate, your first mission has you keeping four hostages in line while impeding a group of officers as you download data from a computer. Threatening or hurting the hostages keeps them from getting any clever ideas, but too much pressure causes a revolt, and you lose your leverage. On the other hand, too much leniency encourages them to fight back, and once more you end up with a major problem on your hands. Gods Will Be Watching is a game that challenges you with an abundance of difficult problems, many of which prey on your morals.
It's fitting that the lead character is named Burden, because he faces moral dilemmas that would weigh on the shoulders of even the most stalwart individuals. The line separating right and wrong is often blurred in Gods Will Be Watching. Eschewing traditional choice systems where you can pursue a clearly defined good or evil path, the game often presents situations where the right choice doesn't always produce a good outcome, and sometimes survival means making sacrifices.
One chapter has you trapped in a cave sealed by debris, where you must produce an antidote to a deadly virus--which has infected the whole team--within a time limit. You must use a small team of scientists to concoct an antidote out of a mix of different compounds. But with no one else around, you have to use your team as test subjects for this possible cure. You can inject a weak dosage into a character, which allows you to move toward finding a cure at a leisurely pace. But as the clock counts down, you face the reality that you will progress at a faster pace if you use more lethal dosages. So, what should you do? Should you endanger the lives of your teammates with a possibly deadly antidote, or risk losing everything if you don't? The situations are stark and brutal, and rarely offer easy choices.
Gods Will Be Watching is defined by sentimental moments cleverly designed to foster emotional attachments to some characters, which in turn informs how you approach missions. One particular moment that stuck in my mind occurred during a chapter that consisted entirely of a torture scene--yes, the whole chapter. Between moments where I witnessed knees being hammered and teeth being ripped from jaws as I uncomfortably squirmed in my seat, there existed moments where the two characters, Burden and his friend and fellow soldier Jack, sat alone tied to their chairs.
Tortured during the day, the men used the time at night to raise their spirits; Burden recited encouraging speeches, while Jack reminisced about the simple pleasures of life outside of war, going so far as to jokingly talk about leaving it all behind to become a farmer. It was the kind of dark humor that only two people who have known each other for a long time, through many desperate situations, can share. The following day, I found myself less willing to make Jack take the brunt of the torturer's anger. I wanted to try to see Jack and Burden through the ordeal, because while the dream of a peaceful life was laughed about, it was still a dream worth holding onto.
The game is designed with minimalistic but colorful aesthetics, and developer Deconstructeam created some rather brilliant ways for the visuals to convey emotion. Not long after that dreaded torture scene, you are presented with a gorgeous purple sunset that washes away the gruesome memories of pliers and steel grates caked with blood. The many detailed animations are just as fantastic. In one moment, the crack of a rifle causes a room of hostages to flinch in shock, perhaps causing the prisoners to grab their knees and hold them close to their chests. Emotional nuances can also be incredibly subtle. The movement of one pixel, representing the tapping foot of a torturer as he seeks out a "negotiation" tool on a wall of deadly instruments, somehow creates far more anxiety than the devices themselves.
At its core, Gods Will Be Watching is a resource manager, where the fates of many lives are in your hands.
Gods Will Be Watching is not without its problems, some of which are serious. One of the more unfortunate issues lies with story continuity. In many chapters, not all characters make it out alive, depending on your actions. However, the narrative doesn't mark that against you because you quickly discover that the dead characters continue along with the story, despite their previously deceased nature. Naturally, I was confused at first. I half expected the game to explain how they were clones. But no, they just came back to life with no immediate explanation. It does make some sense, since subsequent levels would be impossible without a full team. Still, their resurrection removes the impact of their deaths, and by the fourth chapter, I found myself no longer caring for their safety as I once had. The game does go so far as to offer a possible explanation behind their inferred immortality, but by then, it no longer mattered.
During its second half, Gods Will Be Watching begins to fall apart. Glitches crop up in swarms, causing the game to crash to desktop or characters to get stuck in various objects, forcing you to restart the level. Even worse than the glitches are the two chapters late in the story that replace the challenging puzzle mechanics with completely randomized situations.
The most damning example is the fifth chapter, where you must guide a small platoon of soldiers to their base camp while attempting to survive a scorching, nightless desert. You are given only vague directions to the camp, and getting there is a nightmare. You don't know what lies ahead of the group. It could be a stretch of desert, or an enemy camp that you have to either circumvent or attack with your limited stock of ammunition. You can send scouts ahead, but it takes time, and there's a chance they could disappear. More than once I had almost reached the base, but either a wall would appear ahead of me or I'd end up surrounded by enemy bases and my ammo had run dry a while back. The mission was infuriating, and it soured my experience with the game; I impatiently flew through the final missions, driven by the desire to leave the fury behind me.
At its best, Gods Will Be Watching is brimming with challenging puzzles and an emotionally charged story starring memorable characters. The game is hard, but that immense difficulty makes surviving to the next chapter all the more satisfying. It's unfortunate that many of those enjoyable moments are overshadowed by glitches and frustrating randomized levels late in the game. Gods Will Be Watching was close to being a must-have puzzler, but it's doubtful that even the gods would have the patience to see it through to the bitter end.
]]> 1900-6415829Mon, 28 Jul 2014 17:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-last-of-us-remastered-ps4-vs-ps3-graphics-comp/2300-6420442/ 2300-6420442Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/destiny-beta-rare-moon-mission-and-final-beta-reac/2300-6420529/ 2300-6420529Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-rainbow-gaystation-unveiled-are-pcs-decima/2300-6420528/ 2300-6420528Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:00:00 -0700rss:9d9437cc2bdadfdb0c2a6594385b5cf5548bd329 rss_modified:rss:9d9437cc2bdadfdb0c2a6594385b5cf5548bd329 http://www.gamespot.com/mashup/ Gamespot's Everything Feed! News, Reviews, Videos. Exploding with content? You bet. en-us Tue, 29 Jul 2014 08:52:49 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-with-assassins-creed-unity-design-from-wa/1100-6421366/
The "extremely limited" Assassin's Creed Unity-skinned Xbox One system you see above can't be found in stores, but it can be yours with a little luck.
The system features the Assassin's Creed logo on the front of the system, and artwork from comic book artist Tony Moore (known for early issues of The Walking Dead, among other things) on the top. "Very few" of these have been created, according to the official Assassin's Creed Facebook page, and there is only one way to get your hands on one: the Guillotine Prize Drop wheel.
Among the things you get for preordering Unity (see a full list here) is access to an online spin-to-win game. Every Friday, a variety of prizes (most of them Assassin's Creed-themed) are given away to winners of what amounts to a web-based slot machine. Other prizes include home entertainment systems, trips to Unity developer Ubisoft Montreal, and in-game items. To play--you can do so here--all you need is a Uplay account and an access code given away with preorders of Unity.
Assassin's Creed Unity launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 28. A new Assassin's Creed game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 has not yet been announced, but Ubisoft has indicated we'll be learning more about its plans for those platforms soon.
Microsoft recently revealed a number of one-of-a-kind Xbox One system designs as part of a San Diego Comic-Con giveaway. Most of these designs were based on games available on Xbox One, but Unity was not among them.
If you haven't already preordered Unity, is the prospect of winning this system enough of an incentive to convince you to do so? Let us know in the comments.
| Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @TheSmokingManX |
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| Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com |
Following last week's stability-only PlayStation 4 system update, another update--version 1.75--has arrived today. As promised, it introduces support for 3D Blu-ray movies, but it also has several other new features and changes.
The most significant of these is the new Featured Content option in the Automatic Downloads and Uploads area of the system's settings. With this option turned on, "featured content" will be downloaded to your system automatically when your PS4 is on or in standby mode. It's unclear just what kind of content will be included in this category or if there is any limit on how much will be automatically downloaded on a weekly basis.
One of the other two features will affect most every PS4 user, albeit in a minor way: System notifications that used to show up in the upper-right corner of the screen will now be displayed in the top left.
And finally, for those who like to watch their DVDs or Blu-rays more quickly than normal--a habit I, myself, have never understood--you'll now find the audio quality when watching DVDs and Blu-rays at 1.5x speed has been "improved."
Separate from this update, Sony has also announced the details of an update coming today for ShareFactory, PS4's video editor app. Once installed, screenshots can be imported into projects, new filters and stickers have been added, the UI has been improved, and a Last of Us theme (consisting of stickers, transitions, and more) is now available for use.
Are you happy to finally see a PS4 update with some new features in it? Let us know what you'd like to see in the next update in the comments below.
| Chris Pereira is a freelance writer for GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @TheSmokingManX |
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| Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com |
The story is familiar. After a tough and stressful day at work or school, you come home and watch TV or play video games as a way to relax. But according to a new study, unwinding with such media could actually make you feel worse. New research publishing in the Journal of Communication found that some people who watch TV or play games when they are stressed out might experience feelings of guilt and failure.
As reported by GameSpot sister site CBS News, past research indicated that people were more likely to overcome their fatigue faster if they watched thought-provoking videos or played games. This "recovery experience" let media consumers detach from the struggles of their daily lives and instead enjoy feelings of control and fulfillment.
The new study, on the other hand, attempts to explain why this "recovery experience" is not actually beneficial to all people. In some cases, like the ones described in the study, exposure to media like TV and video games led people to feel guilty, depressed, or frustrated.
The authors of the study, called The Guilty Couch Potato: The Role of Ego Depletion in Reducing Recovery Through Media Use, argue that "ego depletion" can explain this phenomenon. This is a state in which a person's willpower is exhausted. A person experiencing ego-depletion is more likely to feel tired and listless, be more impulsive, and give in to temptations like fatty foods to help themselves feel better.
When such "ego-depleted" people partake in TV or video games instead of activities like sports, art, or other social events, they often felt guilty instead of enjoying themselves, the study found. Researchers went on to conclude that those who were fatigued after a day of work oftentimes labeled their media consumption as procrastination instead of relaxation or entertainment.
Lastly, the researchers say that the widespread availability of smartphones today is not helping people relax, either. "In times of smartphones and mobile Internet, the ubiquitous availability of content and communication often seems to be a burden and a stressor rather than a recovery resource," one of the study's co-authors said.
You can read the full study right here. What do you make of the findings? Let us know in the comments below!
]]> 1100-6421365Tue, 29 Jul 2014 07:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/check-out-hitman-movies-first-images-what-do-you-t/1100-6421363/20th Century Fox has released the first images from the upcoming Hitman movie, a reboot called Hitman: Agent 47. The images show off Homeland star Rupert Friend as Agent 47. Friend replaced actor Paul Walker for the lead role after the Fast and Furious movie star died in a car crash last year.
In addition to the images, 20th Century Fox showed off a trailer for the movie during a panel at Comic-Con over the weekend, Slash Film reports. This video, which has not yet been released publicly, shows Agent 47 escaping an interrogation room using his advanced skills.
Agent 47 also stars Zachary Quinto (Star Trek) as John Smith and Hannah Ware (Shame) as Katia van Dees. (Friend could not attend the panel due to a scheduling conflict). During the panel, Quinto said (via Latino Review) that he wanted to take on the role because he didn't want to get locked into one particular genre or character-type.
"I want to do as much different stuff as possible," Quinto said. "I want to always move beyond and keep a career interesting. I can't wait to show this film to you all."
As for Ware, she gave a brief tease about how her character will interact with Agent 47. She said, "47 seeks Katia out and she presents him with his biggest challenges." Agent 47 opens in theaters on February 27, 2015. It is directed by Aleksander Bach, a well-established commercials director now making the jump to motion pictures.
The most recent Hitman movie was 2007's Hitman, which starred Timothy Olyphant in the lead role.
The next major Hitman game is currently in development at IO Interactive, and is making "great progress," the developer said in May. IO Interactive chose not to bring the game to E3 this year because it did not want to "divert valuable resources." On the mobile front, another new Hitman game--focused on sniping--is in development and will launch this year.
Image Credit: Polygon
]]> 1100-6421363Tue, 29 Jul 2014 06:09:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidia-shield-tablet-and-controller-review/1100-6421358/ Despite some advances to the contrary, PC gaming is still the domain of the big boxy tower. But while there's no doubt that having a wall socket nearby has made for some impressively powerful graphics cards, Nvidia's having a bash at bringing over some of that PC power to the tablet domain with the Shield Tablet and the Shield Controller, the sequel to the quirky mash-up of gaming controller and LCD screen that was the Shield Portable (which remains on sale in the US). Powered by Nvidia's Tegra K1 chip--which features desktop-class graphics in the form of a Kepler-based GPU--the Shield Tablet may well be an early glimpse at the future of gaming; the idea of having just one device to idea surf, and email, and work, and game whether at home or on the go is certainly an enticing one. But, as neat as that concept is, and despite some successes, the tech isn't quite there to pull it off just yet.Specs
On paper at least, the tech is impressive. Shield Tablet is based on Nvidia's 32-bit Tegra K1 chip, which features a Kepler-based GPU with 192 CUDA cores that supports OpenGL 4.4 and the DX12 API. In theory, this means PC developers should find it easier to port their games over to Android, with Epic having already unveiled a version of Unreal Engine 4 running on the chip. On the CPU side, a quad core Arm Cortex A15 processor clocked at 2.2GHz powers the Shield Tablet. That's actually the same quad core processor as used in the original Shield Portable, albeit at a higher clock speed. While the A15 is a powerful chip, it's slightly disappointing not to see something more modern here. Nvidia has already talked about the flagship 64-bit version of Tegra K1, which features the company's Project Denver CPU, a powerful chip first based on 64-bit ARMv8-A architecture.
The K1 is backed up by 2GB of RAM, which makes for zippy performance across the board; the Shield Tablet churns through pretty much any task you throw at it, which makes navigating through the largely stock version of Android 4.4.3 it ships with a pleasure. There's 16GB of internal storage, the much-appreciated inclusion of a Micro SD slot for up to 128GB of storage expansion, a 5MP front-facing camera as well as a 5MP autofocus rear camera, a non-active stylus based on Nvidia's DirectStylus 2 technology, front-facing stereo speakers, a 19.75 Watt hour battery, mini HDMI out, and an 8-inch, 1920x1200 pixel display.
Some might be disappointed not to see a higher DPI display here--such as the one featured on the iPad Mini--but the Shield Tablet's IPS display is lovely and clear, and has great viewing angles. You might run into some visibility issues if you're using the tablet outdoors in blazing sunlight, but otherwise the display is plenty bright. The lower DPI count is also better for running games, the more taxing of which stress the GPU at 1920x1200, never mind anything higher.
The display also makes a lot more sense when you see the price: at just $299/£229 for a 16GB Wifi version, or $399/£299 for a 32GB version with 4G, the Shield Tablet is definitely at the cheaper end of performance tablets, and it compares favourably with the likes of the Nexus 7, particularly because it's running a mostly stock version of Android. I'd happily pay the extra few bucks for the Shield Tablet; it's simply a better, more well-specced device.
I wouldn't say the same about the Shield Controller, though. While you can use any Bluetooth controller you like with the Shield Tablet, a lot of its features are built with the Shield Controller in mind. Unfortunately, it's an $59/£49 on top of the tablet asking price, and when you add in the cost of the kickstand case at $39--which is basically a necessity if you plan on gaming with the controller on the go--you're looking at almost an extra $100 on top of the tablet price to get the full Shield Tablet experience. Sadly, Nvidia isn't offering any bundles, which is a missed opportunity to get people into the tablet-gaming fold.
The Shield Controller features the usual array of analogue sticks and buttons that you'd find on an Xbox or PlayStation controller, as well as some Android-specific buttons, including home, back, and volume, as well as a small touch pad at the bottom of the pad for controlling a mouse cursor. There's a headphone jack up top for streaming game audio, or adding a headset for voice chat, and up to four controllers can be paired with the Shield Tablet. On the whole, the controller works well, with its proprietary WiFi connection remaining stable throughout. Nvidia claims the WiFi connection results in 2X less latency than Bluetooth, and while I can't definitively say that's the case, I certainly didn't notice any lag while playing games.
Design
The problem with the Shield Controller is that it looks cheap, like one of those flimsy third-party Datel controllers you used to get laden with at birthdays from a well-meaning Aunt. There's nothing about it that screams premium gaming controller in the same way that a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller does, and considering it's the same price as those controllers, that's disappointing. The plastic feels cheap, the D pad and shoulder buttons are mushy under the fingers and thumbs, and the controller is on the large side, so those with smaller hands might find it a little uncomfortable to hold. I also found the touch-sensitive Android buttons to be a bit too sensitive, and I often found myself accidentally activating the back button while playing a game. As you can image, that got irritating rather quickly.
I'm a much bigger fan of the design of the Shield Tablet itself. It might be a little bit thicker than some tablets at 9.2mm, but it feels solidly built, with a reassuring plastic construction and 390g weight that's not too heavy for one-handed use. It's an understated design, with a plain, matte black finish and a sole bit of branding coming from the embossed Shield logo on the back. The only bit of bling comes from the plastic chamfered edges around the display, which look great alongside the otherwise less ostentatious touches. The headphone jack, micro USB, and mini HDMI ports are neatly positioned at the top of the device, while the power, volume, micro SD slot, and stylus slot are easily accessible along the left side. My only real gripe with the design of the Shield Tablet is the thickness of the bezels around the screen, which are a tad wide by today's standards.
That's a small trade-off for what is a great tablet for the price. Indeed, even if you ignore any of the Shield Tablet's gaming-specific features like Twitch.tv streaming, or Gamestream for streaming PC games to your tablet, I'd throughly recommend the Shield Tablet as a great, everyday device. The gaming features are simply a nice bonus, which is good, because they don't always work exactly as advertised.
Performance
But let's start with the good stuff. With the Tegra K1 chip on board, the Shield Tablet flies through Android. Apps load quickly, scrolling is buttery smooth, and video streaming with the likes of Netflix is stutter-free. 3D games like Modern Combat 5 and Real Racing 3 run smoothly too, whether plugged in to a TV or displayed on the tablet's screen. Plugging in via HDMI gives you the option of launching console mode, which shuts off the tablet screen, closes all running apps, and brings up a simple, to-the-point interface that lets you load up apps and games or purchase them. Nvidia's storefront sorts out apps via controller compatibility, which is extremely handy, but you can purchase stuff straight through the Google Play store if you prefer.
There aren't a whole lot of K1-optimised games available for the Shield Tablet at launch. So far, there are just 11, including The Talos Principle, Half Life 2, and free-to-play shooter War Thunder, which comes complete with cross-platform online play. To get you started, the tablet comes with a free copy of Trine 2, which is a nice touch. I tried both Half Life 2 and Trine 2, and found both games looked great, but didn't run without problems. Half Life 2 in particular had lots of noticeable frame rate issues during busier scenes, and while it didn't ever get to the point where the game was unplayable, it was slightly disheartening to see a Tegra K1 device struggle with a 10-year-old game.
That said, I happily sat on my couch and wiled away the hours playing through Valve's masterpiece, quickly forgetting that I was doing it from a tablet. Despite the issues, the fact that a game of Half Life 2's scope plays natively on a device that you can carry around with you is impressive; it's just not quite at the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 levels of performance that Nvidia boasted earlier this year.
Like the Shield Portable, the Shield Tablet supports Nvidia Gamestream, which lets you stream a selection of PC games from your PC straight to your tablet via WiFi, or even LTE. The only proviso is that your PC needs to be running an Nvidia GPU, and it has to be at least a GTX 650 in order for it to work. Laptops require something from the GTX 800M, 700M, or Kepler-based GTX 600M-series of GPUs. Nvidia says it hasn't made any large improvements to the existing Gamestream tech, so if you've tried Gamestream before with a Shield Portable, the experience is largely the same with the Shield Tablet: that's to say, if you've got a good wireless connection, it works well.
Over WiFi you get 720p streaming, and with a good, clear wireless signal, games look great. Obviously, the more powerful your PC, the better your games will look, but with the resolution capped at 720p over WiFi, you can afford to crank a few more settings than you would at 1080p. While there's no mistaking streamed games for native games thanks to a few light video compression artefacts, I happily played through the likes of Bioshock Infinite without issue. However, if you've got poor WiFi reception, or you're playing over the internet, then the quality and responsiveness of streamed games takes a hit. It's particularly noticeable in driving games, where the lag can make games like Grid 2 almost unplayable. Shooters like Bioshock Infinite fare much better, though. Basically, if you've got a poor connection, stay away from any twitch-based games.
Over ethernet, the Shield Tablet supports 1080p streaming, although, good luck trying to find a compatible ethernet adaptor. Nvidia doesn't sell one itself, and its knowledgebase for the original Shield simply states that "it may be possible to use a third party micro-USB to Ethernet adaptor," rather than actually suggesting which one to buy. So, you're left hunting through forums, and while some users have reported good compatibility with certain adaptors, it doesn't seem like there's a definitive choice. Clearly, if a feature is going to be advertised, it should be easy for customers to use it, and not have to go through a process of trial and error and Google searches to get there.
Twitch streaming is also a bit hit or miss. Activating the feature is as simple as holding down the back button on the controller and selecting broadcast. You can stream the Android interface or any game or app you like, bar those with protected content like Netflix. You can also add in audio from the built-in microphone, or from a headset plugged into the controller, as well as activate picture-in-picture with the front facing camera. Twitch streaming worked without a hitch with smaller Android games and Gamestream. However, when running more intensive Android-native games like Half Life 2 and Trine 2, I encountered a few issues.
Twitch streaming worked without a hitch with smaller Android games and Gamestream. However, when running more intensive Android-native games like Half Life 2 and Trine 2, I encountered a few issues.
Most notable was the performance hit, which caused the frame rate to drop dramatically in both games. Things got worse in Half Life 2, where the game actually crashed consistently at a certain point while streaming, and only by reloading the game, playing past that point, and then reactivating Twitch could we get past it. Perhaps an update or two will fix this in the future, but for now, graphics intensive games and Twitch streaming on the Shield Tablet aren't the best of friends.
Neither, it must be said, are graphics intensive games friendly with the battery. Nvidia claims around 10 hours of battery life when playing back videos, and certainly, with everyday use I could get through a few days without needing to give the tablet a charge. That changed significantly when playing games, though. The more intensive the game, the more the battery life dropped. Certainly, with the likes of Half Life 2, I only managed to squeeze less than four hours out of the battery before it gave up the ghost.
That's not uncommon for tablets, though, and generally, the battery life is in the same ballpark as other tablets in this price range. One other thing to note about playing graphically intensive games is the heat generated by the tablet. Again, it's not uncommon for tablets to get hot while running 3D games, but the Shield Tablet got very toasty after an hour or so of gameplay. It's fine if you've got the thing propped up on a table, or next to your TV, but I certainly wouldn't want to be holding it for too long for those types of games.
Verdict
Given that Twitch streaming is one of the key selling points of the Shield Tablet, it's disappointing that it doesn't work consistently across the device. Its small line up of games doesn't help matters either, particularly as there are frame rate issues with the more graphically intensive titles. Certainly, you're not going to be swapping your Vita or 3DS for a Shield Tablet anytime soon.
However, I like to think of the Shield Tablet this way: if you buy one, you're getting a great looking, powerful Android tablet with a near stock version of the OS for an enticing price; its gaming features are simply a nice bonus. PC players with a large library of games will also get a lot out of the tablet's Gamestream functionality, which--despite its issues over slower connections--is a great way to access your games away from your main machine.
Despite Nvidia's claims, I wouldn't get a Shield Tablet for its gaming features alone. Indeed, if you're buying it solely for the gaming features, then you might be a little disappointed. But, if you're interested in what the future of gaming might look like, Shield Tablet is perhaps the best glimpse we've had of it so far. If Nvidia can push the power of its mobile chips every year as much as it does its desktop ones, and if broadband keeps up, within a few years, something like the Shield Tablet may very well be the best way to game.
]]> 1100-6421358Tue, 29 Jul 2014 06:00:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/secret-the-last-of-us-ending-revealed-during-last-/1100-6421360/During a special live stage performance of The Last of Us last night, developer Naughty Dog revealed a secret epilogue scene from the acclaimed action game. The scene, which takes place sometime after the events of the main game, was performed live by main actors Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie).
Attendees of the event documented the scene in a thread on NeoGAF. According to those in attendance, The Last of Us creative director Neil Druckmann requested that no one film the scene, adding that Naughty Dog has no plans to release the scene at any point in the future.
SPOILERS AHEAD
According to those in attendance, the Last of Us epilogue scene was written as a "goodbye" to Joel and Ellie, and takes place at the Tommy dam after the events of the main game (maybe four years). Joel meets Ellie there and she acts somewhat "distant" and unattached until Joel pulls out a guitar and sings a song for her (Baker reportedly performed this live in Joel's voice). Joel then shares a joke with Ellie and the two enjoy a laugh together, alleviating the tension.
Interestingly, this scene reminds us of the "fan art" that The Last of Us artist Mark Okon released in May that showed Ellie playing a guitar by herself. Is it a tease for The Last of Us 2? There is no way to know for sure, but it's an interesting development all the same.
Naughty Dog said earlier this year that there is a 50/50 shot that the studio will make a sequel to the game. A movie based on The Last of Us is also in the works. Druckmann is writing the script, and it's possible that Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams (Arya Stark on the show) could play Ellie.
The Last of Us Remastered, the PlayStation 4 version of the 2013 PS3 game, is available today. For more, check out GameSpot's review and what other critics are saying.
]]> 1100-6421360Tue, 29 Jul 2014 05:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/major-advances-to-metal-gear-solid-5-to-be-shown-a/1100-6421359/Konami today announced its Gamescom 2014 lineup, saying it will showcase "major advances" to open-world action game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and professional soccer title PES 2015 during the massive public show in August.
According to Konami, both games "perfectly demonstrate the versatility and power of Kojima Productions' FOX Engine, while delivering a new experience in visual quality and the power of the new wave of console systems."
For Metal Gear Solid V specifically, Konami says Gamescom attendees will have a chance to see the "sheer scale and ambition" of the game. The game's open world--powered by the FOX Engine--has allowed series creator Hideo Kojima to "realize the scale and story he has always envisaged," Konami says.
The publisher will reveal "new details" about Metal Gear Solid V during Gamescom, which Konami believes will convince you that the game is the "most extensive and ambitious Metal Gear Solid ever." The game is coming to Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4, though no release date whatsoever for the game has been announced.
As for PES 2015, Konami will bring a playable version of the game to show, marking the title's first appearance at a major public event.
If you're attending Gamescom 2014, you can visit Konami's booth in hall 7.1 A030/A031. GameSpot will be on the ground at Gamescom this year, bringing you all the news as it happens.
Gamescom 2014 takes place in Cologne, Germany August 14-17. You can buy tickets to the show at the event's website today.
]]> 1100-6421359Tue, 29 Jul 2014 04:48:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/get-the-mass-effect-trilogy-for-10-on-pc-at-gamest/1100-6421357/Video game retailer GameStop is currently is holding a summer sale with some decent discounts which looks set to end around 8/17.
After digging around, the best deal on an individual game is the Mass Effect Trilogy as a PC download for $10. Note that this version of the game requires Origin to download and play.
If you're looking to build a console bundle starting with a use system, you can get some pretty decent deals. The best bundles include:
You can also put together your own used console bundle and choose your own games through the GameSpot deal site, but then you're limited to two free video game add-ons.
Any great deals you've found in the sale? Let us know in the comments below!
]]> 1100-6421357Mon, 28 Jul 2014 18:30:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-mp3-support-coming-this-holiday-no-discounts-f/1100-6421356/Back in April, we reported on a rumor that the PlayStation 4 was getting MP3 support. Nothing official came from Sony, but many people thought it likely that the console would get some sort of external music compatibility at some point. Recently, we got more evidence that such an update is in the works.
According to reddit user IWorkForSony, who has been verified by r/PS4 subreddit moderators as a Sony employee, Sony is currently developing an update for the PS4 that will bring MP3 and video player support by the holiday season. The user also said that DLNA media server support will come some time in 2015.
The user went on to address the upcoming public beta test for PlayStation Now, Sony's game streaming service that's been in private beta for a few months. When someone asked about rumors circulating that owners of PlayStation 3 games may get free access to those same titles via PS Now, IWorkForSony negated the possibility. "Those rumors are wrong," he wrote. "Entitlements for PS3 games won't carry over to PS Now." As for the reason why Sony will not provide discounts, he explained, "Unfortunately, it just doesn't make business sense for Sony to transfer entitlements to PS Now. Streaming games costs them money."
Finally, he revealed that a subscription model for PS Now is still in the works, and that the beta is to test different pricing models.
This week, the user also revealed that the PlayStation Mobile app is getting a substantial overhaul. "There's a redesign in the works," he stated. "It should be more functional and modern (read: less cheesy blue boxes)."
As for the legitimacy of IWorkForSony, I reached out to the moderators and they confirmed that he has provided evidence as to his employment at Sony. Mod IceBreak wrote, "We saw things that pretty much guarantee [he] works for Sony. Besides that there were debug unit OS pictures. I can't elaborate more than that or share the pictures due to the anonymity of the user but I also want to let you know what we used to verify [him]."
We've asked Sony for comment and will update this story if we receive word. Will you take advantage of MP3 support on the PS4? Let us know in the comments.
| Alex Newhouse is an editorial intern at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @alexbnewhouse |
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| Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com |
The second time Only If induced rage was when the player character called the apparent mafioso taunting him a "pedophilic faggot," a homophobic outburst that may have worked had the character using the phrase been a full-fledged human being rather than a randy adolescent with no empathetic characteristics. Only If had already toyed with homophobia with a bit of throwaway dialogue about "giving the kid the D," but that conversation lingered because of how it informed the plot, not because of its blatant offensiveness. The sputtered "faggot" accusation came later, after I had come to suspect that the game was not in fact a clever mystery but instead a perverted display of bro-dude self-expression. My suspicion was confirmed when Only If concluded with a story "twist" that M. Night Shyamalan might have concocted if he were a drug-addled, sexually frustrated high school senior.
Only If's ending marked the third time the game induced rage, and it was a rage that dogged me as I played the game a second and then a third time, hoping to find signs of a message with greater meaning than the disgusting finale let on, but if such a message exists, it is either too subtle to notice or too unnecessary to care about. Perhaps Only If means to parody games like Proteus or Gone Home, experiences that use simple forms of player interaction to reveal greater truths and subvert expectations, but I don't believe this game has such noble ambitions.
If my thought process is all over the place, it's because Only If itself brings with it no apparent logic, jumping between gameplay styles faster than Mario leaps between platforms. Games have successfully played with player perception of genre and game logic, of course--Thirty Flights of Loving is one great example of this kind of thematic skewing--but Only If's gameplay is frequently busted and typically uncomfortable. It all begins after you've awakened after an apparent night of intoxicated debauchery and sexual romping, with an angry voice taunting you via old-fashioned radio.
Soon after, the voice leads you to an opulent room in which a chessboard rests on a table and landscapes adorn the walls. Only If then presents a choice that's meant to be uncomfortable, but most discomfort comes from the game's own screen tearing and jittery behavior in these early minutes. At this stage, you might suppose Only If is a puzzle game, but if it is, it's a terrible one, providing the exact steps to the task at hand both here and elsewhere, and never allowing your imagination to blossom. In any case, the choice leads to one of the game's two branches, one of which leads back to this same parlor and forces you to make the other decision anyway. So much for facing the consequences of your own selfishness, which the foul-mouthed narrator intimates is the purpose of the 45 minutes of gameplay that follow.
Those 45 minutes are indeed a punishment, but for you the player, as opposed to the manchild you control from a first-person view. A few vignettes are sewn together, each providing an arbitrary rule for you to follow, such as running toward an orb before the walls of the surrounding limbo close on you, determining whether the button prompts wish you to press the assigned key or quickly mash it, or navigating a marsh without colliding with a patch of floating darkness or inadvertently wandering out of the level. This is trial and error gone wrong, with Only If chastising you not for failing to overcome an obvious challenge, but rather for not being able to read the creator's mind. After these random scenes of weirdness, you must escape a house where more capricious rules govern your direction, and where puzzles are so tedious that even the main character himself complains about them.
In spite of the clumsy gameplay and abysmal storytelling, a few ideas glimmer just brightly enough to grab your attention. On specific occasions you hear the voices of armed pursuers and see the beams of their flashlights, and while these unseen stalkers can catch you, you never see their bodies or faces. Such moments provide a twinge of intensity, forcing you to run away or find the prescribed hiding place so that you can catch your breath. The other story branch brings with it a new set of environments and metaphysical exploration, and there, too, you notice beacons of hope: puzzles in which you type out commands on your keyboard, attractive pastoral music that matches the beauty of the vibrant flowers and blooming trees that surround you, and enough enigmatic visual and audio cues to make you wonder about the nature of this world and your place within it.
Any goodwill Only If earns only fuels further disappointment, however, dwindling away during a tragic platforming sequence that highlights the game's unresponsive controls and incessant glitches. Eventually, the bite-size levels lose any sense of continuity, with every new pseudo-clever mechanic seemingly pulled from an ever-rotating bingo ball cage, and each sequence glitched or bugged in some manner or another. The insulting finale may be devoid of creative worth, but it at least signals the end of an experiment that was best left unperformed.
Given the appropriation of elements associated with narrative-driven exploration games like The Stanley Parable, you'd suppose that Only If were trying to communicate something meaningful. After all, buggy behavior and clunky locomotion make it a mechanical failure, leaving the story and themes to make good where gameplay could not. Alas, irredeemable characters and loathsome dialogue aren't appropriate pillars upon which to erect a substantial tale. The collapse was inevitable; Only If's wretched ending only ensures that the construct's remnants are reduced to unrecognizable rubble.
]]> 1900-6415830Mon, 28 Jul 2014 17:15:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/gods-will-be-watching-review/1900-6415829/ Gods Will Be Watching makes you question your role as a spacefaring hero. You are goaded into thinking that you can accomplish each of the game's challenges with grace. But things are never quite that easy. The choices defined as good or bad are not so easy to make; hard decisions can come with a great cost, and sometimes sacrificing a few is not only inevitable, but necessary for the sake of many. Though the game provides excellent challenge and unforgettable emotional moments, highly randomized levels and irritating glitches ultimately diminish the emotional impact Gods Will Be Watching so desperately tries to impart.The game leans heavily on sci-fi cliches to tell its story. The plot involves government corruption, slavery, and an interstellar terrorist group that can be stopped only by a legendary military hero, worn down by years of service. Though it felt familiar, I found myself taken in by the story, especially with the scenes that emphasize the inner turmoil of the game's enigmatic protagonist, who questions his purpose in the universe. The rare yet wonderful moments of human emotion that occasionally popped up were not expected, and won't soon be forgotten. But despite the interesting story, the game's primary focus is not on its narrative. At its core, Gods Will Be Watching is a resource manager, where the fates of many lives are in your hands.
Across most of its six chapters, the point-and-click puzzler places you in a room with a group of people and a set of tasks to complete in order to reach a certain goal before the end of a timer. The timer varies, ranging from a typical countdown to the setting of the sun in a passing day. You are given a set number of actions before the timer moves ahead. The available actions are separated into color-coded tasks of green and red, and it's important to note the difference between the two. Green tasks allow you to assess a situation by asking characters questions on how to approach a puzzle, or by checking in on everyone's mental status. Such queries can be made without passing any time.
Red tasks are the actions you perform to advance in the completion of the puzzle. They can range from rotating members of a dig team clearing a blocked exit in one scene, to writing a motivational speech to boost team morale in another. Performing a red task, however, comes with a caveat: with every move, you burn away precious time from the meter. If you fail to reach your goal before the clock hits zero, you must restart the mission.
The game has strict rules for how many actions you can perform at a given time, and if you're not observant, it's easy to make a mistake that could cost you dearly. In the early stages, I found myself perplexed that the game prevented me from accomplishing more tasks in a given time. In one mission, I was charged with keeping my team alive in a harsh, frozen environment. It seemed straightforward; however, I once forgot to put wood on the fire because I was busy crafting sharpened spears for hunting food, as well as focusing on repairing a busted radio necessary for calling in a rescue. I only noticed the innocent mistake just as the sun set on the distant, mountain-peaked horizon, and by then it was too late. The game informed me that my team had frozen to death, and I had to try again.
Success in Gods Will Be Watching requires a lot of trial and error, as well as many restarts. But though the missions are challenging, they rarely feel unfair. Most failures come from negligence, such as in the aforementioned example, or by pushing things beyond a breaking point. To elaborate, your first mission has you keeping four hostages in line while impeding a group of officers as you download data from a computer. Threatening or hurting the hostages keeps them from getting any clever ideas, but too much pressure causes a revolt, and you lose your leverage. On the other hand, too much leniency encourages them to fight back, and once more you end up with a major problem on your hands. Gods Will Be Watching is a game that challenges you with an abundance of difficult problems, many of which prey on your morals.
It's fitting that the lead character is named Burden, because he faces moral dilemmas that would weigh on the shoulders of even the most stalwart individuals. The line separating right and wrong is often blurred in Gods Will Be Watching. Eschewing traditional choice systems where you can pursue a clearly defined good or evil path, the game often presents situations where the right choice doesn't always produce a good outcome, and sometimes survival means making sacrifices.
One chapter has you trapped in a cave sealed by debris, where you must produce an antidote to a deadly virus--which has infected the whole team--within a time limit. You must use a small team of scientists to concoct an antidote out of a mix of different compounds. But with no one else around, you have to use your team as test subjects for this possible cure. You can inject a weak dosage into a character, which allows you to move toward finding a cure at a leisurely pace. But as the clock counts down, you face the reality that you will progress at a faster pace if you use more lethal dosages. So, what should you do? Should you endanger the lives of your teammates with a possibly deadly antidote, or risk losing everything if you don't? The situations are stark and brutal, and rarely offer easy choices.
Gods Will Be Watching is defined by sentimental moments cleverly designed to foster emotional attachments to some characters, which in turn informs how you approach missions. One particular moment that stuck in my mind occurred during a chapter that consisted entirely of a torture scene--yes, the whole chapter. Between moments where I witnessed knees being hammered and teeth being ripped from jaws as I uncomfortably squirmed in my seat, there existed moments where the two characters, Burden and his friend and fellow soldier Jack, sat alone tied to their chairs.
Tortured during the day, the men used the time at night to raise their spirits; Burden recited encouraging speeches, while Jack reminisced about the simple pleasures of life outside of war, going so far as to jokingly talk about leaving it all behind to become a farmer. It was the kind of dark humor that only two people who have known each other for a long time, through many desperate situations, can share. The following day, I found myself less willing to make Jack take the brunt of the torturer's anger. I wanted to try to see Jack and Burden through the ordeal, because while the dream of a peaceful life was laughed about, it was still a dream worth holding onto.
The game is designed with minimalistic but colorful aesthetics, and developer Deconstructeam created some rather brilliant ways for the visuals to convey emotion. Not long after that dreaded torture scene, you are presented with a gorgeous purple sunset that washes away the gruesome memories of pliers and steel grates caked with blood. The many detailed animations are just as fantastic. In one moment, the crack of a rifle causes a room of hostages to flinch in shock, perhaps causing the prisoners to grab their knees and hold them close to their chests. Emotional nuances can also be incredibly subtle. The movement of one pixel, representing the tapping foot of a torturer as he seeks out a "negotiation" tool on a wall of deadly instruments, somehow creates far more anxiety than the devices themselves.
At its core, Gods Will Be Watching is a resource manager, where the fates of many lives are in your hands.
Gods Will Be Watching is not without its problems, some of which are serious. One of the more unfortunate issues lies with story continuity. In many chapters, not all characters make it out alive, depending on your actions. However, the narrative doesn't mark that against you because you quickly discover that the dead characters continue along with the story, despite their previously deceased nature. Naturally, I was confused at first. I half expected the game to explain how they were clones. But no, they just came back to life with no immediate explanation. It does make some sense, since subsequent levels would be impossible without a full team. Still, their resurrection removes the impact of their deaths, and by the fourth chapter, I found myself no longer caring for their safety as I once had. The game does go so far as to offer a possible explanation behind their inferred immortality, but by then, it no longer mattered.
During its second half, Gods Will Be Watching begins to fall apart. Glitches crop up in swarms, causing the game to crash to desktop or characters to get stuck in various objects, forcing you to restart the level. Even worse than the glitches are the two chapters late in the story that replace the challenging puzzle mechanics with completely randomized situations.
The most damning example is the fifth chapter, where you must guide a small platoon of soldiers to their base camp while attempting to survive a scorching, nightless desert. You are given only vague directions to the camp, and getting there is a nightmare. You don't know what lies ahead of the group. It could be a stretch of desert, or an enemy camp that you have to either circumvent or attack with your limited stock of ammunition. You can send scouts ahead, but it takes time, and there's a chance they could disappear. More than once I had almost reached the base, but either a wall would appear ahead of me or I'd end up surrounded by enemy bases and my ammo had run dry a while back. The mission was infuriating, and it soured my experience with the game; I impatiently flew through the final missions, driven by the desire to leave the fury behind me.
At its best, Gods Will Be Watching is brimming with challenging puzzles and an emotionally charged story starring memorable characters. The game is hard, but that immense difficulty makes surviving to the next chapter all the more satisfying. It's unfortunate that many of those enjoyable moments are overshadowed by glitches and frustrating randomized levels late in the game. Gods Will Be Watching was close to being a must-have puzzler, but it's doubtful that even the gods would have the patience to see it through to the bitter end.
]]> 1900-6415829Mon, 28 Jul 2014 17:05:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/the-last-of-us-remastered-ps4-vs-ps3-graphics-comp/2300-6420442/ 2300-6420442Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:43:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/destiny-beta-rare-moon-mission-and-final-beta-reac/2300-6420529/ 2300-6420529Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:23:00 -0700 http://www.gamespot.com/videos/gs-news-rainbow-gaystation-unveiled-are-pcs-decima/2300-6420528/ 2300-6420528Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:00:00 -0700
