DARK SOULS

Dark Souls

Dark souls is the Dark souls of Dark Souls... Or so I'm told. Why not apply the same so-hard-it-hurts difficulty to Mario and see what happens? A bit of trial and error by bonfire -- or goal in this case. Mario games typically have frustratingly challenging bonus sections following the final main world; if this degree of difficulty was applied to all sections of the game, you would have a Dark Souls platformer built for a king.

I Motion That This Hulking Version Be Used
The Obvious Frontrunner Version, A Tough Mario For A Tough Game
Adding difficulty is one thing, but the potential to further restructure Mario with Dark Souls material is another interesting option at hand. Imagine a Dark Knight take on the Mario franchise, an RPG gritty reboot of the icon and his universe.

Large Goombas would be much bigger and wield some sort of weapon, and intimidating spikes would surround the shells of Huge Koopa Troopas. There are plenty of locations and castles that could be integrated into this anger-inducing plumber incarnation. Various weapons and powers that have made previous appearances in the series could form an inventory and upgrade system. Class selections would boil down to various Mario characters, who would excel in their own alternate skill set (like Luigi's high jump).

The Dark Souls lore can be intricate, ambiguous and somewhat confusing... Seems like a perfect fit for Mario!

ASSASSINS CREED

Assassins Creed

Stealth and Mario go about as well together as a balloon and an oven... it doesn't make much sense to pair them. A typical Mario platformer is free and limitless (see: balloon analogy); the polar opposite of the stealth genre. That being said, rules were made to be broken, and a Mario title that encourages several different forms of gameplay serves as an interesting idea.

The Assassins Creed franchise provides a good template for the Mario Party of characters, offering some diverse ways to play, and also including a plot that could easily be re-structured to fit the Mario cast -- the different generations in particular -- much the same as Bioshock could.

Maybe the Boswer-led mushroom kingdom finally wises up to Mario's antics. Bowser may decide to take a more strategic approach, declaring Mario a menace to mushroom society, and beefing up his security with more competent employees. Mario himself would mirror the strategy, squishing, using power-ups to manoeuvre, and dispatching foes through the shadows... Technically Mario has already been air assassinating Goombas for years.

Imagine This, But Substitute in Mario, Goombas, And Stomping
Imagine This ... But Substitute in Mario, Goombas, And Stomping
Comedy would be an unintentional consequence is this merger; there is something inherently funny about a Goomba guard discovering a pancaked body lying suspiciously on the ground.

THRONES' ARYA STARK

Comic-Con 2014: The Last of Us Movie Could Star Game of Thrones' Arya Stark
A possible actress for the role of Ellie was named today during a panel at Comic-Con.

http://static1.gamespot.com/uploads/original/123/1239113/2608309-arya.jpg

We already know a movie based on The Last of Us is in the works, and we now know a candidate to play the female lead: Maisie Williams, best known for her portrayal Arya Stark on Game of Thrones, could star as Ellie.

Williams' name was cited by Naughty Dog creative director Neil Druckmann--who is set to write the film's script--during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con today. Sam Raimi, the director of Spider-Man and The Evil Dead, was confirmed as a producer on the film; he was previously known to be involved, but his exact role was not.

The prospect of Williams playing Ellie was brought up on Twitter back in April. This resulted in Williams herself responding, "100% would not say no. Ever." Druckmann replied, "[T]hat makes two of us." Bruce Straley, co-lead on The Last of Us, joined in, adding, "Am I allowed to be a third wheel to YES this?!"


The 17-year-old Williams has not yet been signed to play Ellie, so you shouldn't take it as a given that she will star alongside whomever ends up playing Joel.

Druckmann described the film earlier this year as an "adaptation" of the game's story. "As far as where we go and how we make it fit into a film, how it takes into account the unique properties of film... We're not sure yet," he said. "We're only just scratching the surface."


Those who have played The Last of Us will know that, at age 17, Williams is several years older than Ellie in the games. The game version of Ellie is played by 30-year-old Ashley Johnson, though obviously age is less of a consideration when doing voiceover and motion-capture work.

FIREFLY

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/comic-con-2014-nathan-fillion-and-the-rest-of-fire/1100-6421321/


Comic-Con 2014: Nathan Fillion and the Rest of Firefly’s Cast Reprise Their Roles in Firefly Online
Check out the first Firefly Online gameplay footage in this new trailer.

Actor Nathan Fillion will reprise his role as Captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds from the sci-fi TV show Firefly in the upcoming online strategic role-playing game, Firefly Online.

Developers Quantum Mechanix Inc. (QMx) and Spark Plug Games announced that Fillion and the rest of the actors who made up the show’s renegade crew will lend their voice to the game at San Diego Comic-Con 2014.

In a post to the game’s official Facebook page, they explained that Fillion, Alan Tudyk (“Wash”), Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb), Sean Maher (Dr. Simon Tam), and Ron Glass (Shepherd Book) have already recorded their parts, and that Jewel Staite (Kaylee Frye), Gina Torres (Zoë Washburne), and Summer Glau (River Tam) will soon.

The game will cast players in the role of a captain of a customizable ship who must recruit a crew and complete jobs in a universe populated by characters from the show and other players.

You can catch a glimpse of Fillion both in and out of the game in the trailer above, which also reveals the first gameplay footage.

Originally announced for iOS and Android, Firefly Online is now also coming to PC and Mac via Steam, but had pushed its release date to Spring 2015.

“If there is a downside to all this shiny is we have A LOT more work to do,” the developers said. “There are many hours' worth of new material we're adding to the game, about 20 actors we need to turn into 3-D models and literally dozens of new scenes that must be blocked and animated.”

You can find more information about the game at www.keepflying.com, though the website is currently down due to the traffic that followed the announcement that the cast is reuniting.

MONSTER HUNTER 4

Comic-Con 2014: Play as Legend of Zelda’s Link in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Play around with the Hero of Time's equipment in this addition to the upcoming Nintendo 3DS title Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.

INFORMATION OF THE SKYLANDERS TRAP

Skylanders Trap Team Wii includes Digital Copy of Wii U Version

Buy Trap Team for Wii, get the Wii U version for free.

Skylanders Trap Team for the Wii will come with a free download code for the Wii U version of the game, Activision has announced via the official Skylanders Twitter account.

If you’re going to buy the game before you’re able to get a Wii U, buying the Wii version will allow you to upgrade to the Wii U version later for free. The Skylanders Trap Team Starter Pack for Wii, which costs $75, comes with a Traptanium Portal, two Skylanders figures, and two traps. These components that are essential to Skylanders’ Toys-to-Life experience will work with the Wii U as well, so all you’ll have to do is download the game.

For more on the game, check out GameSpot’s interview with Skylanders Character Director I-Wei Huang in the video above and our previous coverage.

Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on Twitter @emanuelmaiberg and Google+.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

BRUTAL LEGEND REVIEW

Brutal Legend Review

A headbanger's ball.

Developer Tim Schafer has been delivering funny games for the past two decades, but none of them have enjoyed the marketing push of Brutal Legend. Gaming's best kept secret has been given the limelight. Has Schafer and his studio Double Fine created something worthy of all this attention?

Oh, hell yeah. This is one of the best games I've played all year and it provides something we don't find often enough in this industry: a unique experience. I'm pretty sure you've never played a game quite like this before. True, a game needs to be more than "different" to work -- it has to be fun. And Brutal Legend is a lot of fun.

It all kicks off with a hilarious intro poking fun at the softer, more mainstream direction heavy metal has taken in the past couple decades. Brutal Legend is front heavy with the humor stuff, though. While the first half hour will have you shooting milk through your nose, the laughs eventually taper off leaving you with a story that is rich and bizarre but lacking in the bite of the opening scenes. Brutal Legend is a celebration of classic heavy metal and takes every cheap shot it can at hair metal, nu metal, and other diluted variations on the genre. While the ultimate evil and its minions are truly terrible monsters, the lesser bad guys are made up to resemble glam rockers or emo kids. It will appeal most to those that spent at least some of their formative years as angsty headbangers although it isn't exclusionary.


The story takes plenty of twists and turns along the way and deals with some interesting themes of quiet heroism and personal sacrifice. Our hero, Eddie Riggs, is a roadie and knows his place is out of the spotlight. He's not here for glory -- he's here to make someone else look good. Riggs keeps this same attitude even when he is warped back in time and has the chance to be a real hero and save the world. Brutal Legend doesn't take itself too seriously, but at the same time the story has some substance.

When it comes time to play the game instead of watching you'll find a mix of genres coming together to create a variety of gameplay opportunities. Most of the story missions are real-time strategy battles that find you commanding troops on a battlefield made up to look like an epic rock concert. But the ability to join the fight and deal out a little justice of your own adds some action to the strategy. Outside of story missions the game can be a beat 'em up or a shooter or a racer. The pieces all come together well without any of these mechanics feeling tacked on or inadequate.

The RTS-style battles turn out to be great fun in multiplayer, too. Here players can choose to lead any of the game's three factions, giving folks a chance to play the bad guys. Up to eight people can join the fight online with four on each side. There are seven maps, each with the simple goal of destroying your opponents' base. The mode is great fun and happily extends the life of Brutal Legend after a shorter single-player campaign.


Brutal Legend lives up to its name: there is plenty of delightful gore to be found here, although the cartoon art style softens the effect. Heads are chopped off, blood is splattered, and faces melted, but it's all in good fun. The game is rated M for Mature, so theoretically if you're playing you're old enough to appreciate that sort of thing, but regardless you can choose to turn the gore on or off at any time. That might be a handy feature if you have kids that wander into the room from time to time while you're playing. The same can be done with the game's harsh language -- you'll even get the classic Parental Advisory sticker over any middle fingers that are flipped

INTRODUCING 2 NEW PS4

SONY REVEALS LIMITED EDITION DESTINY AND THE LAST OF US PS4 CONSOLES


 Currently only coming to Japan.
Sony has revealed two new PlayStation 4 consoles themed around the upcoming Destiny and The Last of Us: Remastered.

The consoles, which you can see below, follow hot on the heels of the new Frozen-themed bundle the company revealed earlier this week.

The Destiny-themed console is white, as it is in the rest of the world, though the Japanese version features additional branding in the form of the game's logo. The Last of Us-themed edition, meanwhile, bears the familiar visages of our heroes Joel and Ellie.

BATMAN AND ROBIN # 33 REVIEW

Batman and Robin #33 Review
Batman and Robin and the Justice League and...

Batman and Robin (boy that’s nice to see again) #33 picks up right after the events of Robin Rises: Omega #1. It may as well be called Batman and the Justice League though, and you will not find any complaints about that fact here. It’s clear Peter J. Tomasi can handle the character of Batman, but since Robin’s demise he’s proven that he’s just as good and perhaps even better with the concept of “Batman and...” His latest issue is chock full of guest stars that all get their own little moments to shine while also servicing the ever-evolving quest to find Robin.

This issue is full of dramatic tension between Batman and the League, but this doesn’t stop Tomasi from having an absolute blast. Team books can often be difficult to write due to the large cast and guest stars can sometimes feel shoehorned into a story. Tomasi avoids these pitfalls with great aplomb, as he works everyone into the story organically in a way that makes sense for each individual character. No one feels out of place, no interaction is wasted, and it all leads to a conclusion that is fun and surprising, but that makes perfect sense all the same.

Patrick Gleason clearly has a great deal of fun with this issue, and with so many guest stars who could blame him? One of those guest stars is a certain character of New Gods fame who makes his New 52 debut. His new design by Gleason is incredibly fierce, frightening, and fun. Beyond that, Gleason continues to utilize fun angles and clear layouts. That said, some of his work here looked to be a bit rushed in certain places and a few of the guest stars looked a bit off-model in certain panels

G.I. JOE # 1 REVIEW

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #1 Review
Transformers + G.I. Joe = Insanity




As far as crossovers go, Transformers vs. G.I. Joe is far from the weirdest combination IDW has put together in recent years. After all, this is hardly the first time these two franchises have crossed paths. What makes this latest effort stand out is the distinctly retro and almost satirical approach. This is not an attempt to merge IDW's contemporary Transformers and Joe continuities. There's little concern paid to setting up the confrontation or why these two groups of characters suddenly exist in the same sphere. Tom Scioli and John Barber are only concerned with having fun with the idea and being as zany as possible.

The tone of this comic is somewhere between the classic Real American Hero comics and the animated series. Rather than relying on traditional narrative captions, characters are introduced in the style of the G.I. Joe File cards printed on the back of the action figure boxes. Even as someone who never developed an affinity for either franchise until adulthood, I appreciate the dedication to the more innocent roots of these properties. This comic is much like Community's recent G.I. Joe parody in that regard.

Scioli pulls quadruple duty on this comic, co-writing, illustrating, coloring, and even lettering himself. His looser style and dramatic use of perspective convey a hand-crafted quality to the art, as if this whole thing were a fan-zine put together by a group of hardcore teenage geeks in the '80s. The yellowed paper effect even makes this comic seem like it was pulled out of a random 25-cent comic bin. It's a style that mostly works, although some panels tend to become too cluttered for their own good as Scioli throws dozens of Joes and several Decepticons into the mix.

Battlefield Hardline Delayed Until "Early 2015"
In an effort to improve the game from top to bottom, EA's new cops-and-robbers shooter has been pushed back.
The release of Battlefield Hardline, Electronic Arts' new cops-and-robbers-themed shooter from Dead Space developer Visceral Games, has been pushed back until "early 2015," it was announced today. The game was previously scheduled to be released on October 21.
Both single-player and multiplayer will benefit from the delay, according to Troedsson. In the case of the latter, the developers plan to add "some new feature ideas direct from the community that will evolve the cops and criminals fantasy into a truly unique Battlefield Multiplayer experience."

RELEASE OF DRAGON AGE

Dragon Age: Inquisition Delayed a Month, Will Release in November
Electronic Arts and BioWare have announced that the new Dragon Age will now launch in November.

Mario Kart 8 Was Best-Selling SKU in US for June, Watch Dogs Best-Selling Overall

While the PS4 topped US hardware sales charts again, the software winner in June was Nintendo. In a statement to GameSpot, Nintendo wrote, "[Mario Kart 8] was the top-selling physical software SKU in the U.S. in June, and sold more than 470,000 physical and digital units. This brings its lifetime total to more than 885,000 units in the U.S. alone."

June was light on new releases, and the NPD sales report notes that, "In terms of software titles, many of the top games in June 2014 mirrored those of May 2014, with six of the same games ranking in the top ten."

In terms of combined sales across all platforms, Watch Dogs came out on top. From the order of platforms provided by the NPD, Watch Dogs sold best on PS4, followed by Xbox 360, then Xbox One and PS3. Ubisoft noted earlier this month that the PS4 accounted for up the largest part of its game sales. Sony wrote in a statement, "The biggest next generation software titles, including Watch Dogs, UFC and FIFA 14, were #1 on PlayStation 4, further demonstrating that PS4 is the platform of choice for blockbuster games."