Blizzard just patched Diablo II… after nearly 5 years

Blizzard has patched one of its most popular games of all time. Diablo III? No. World of Warcraft? No. Starcraft II? You have to think older, my friend. Stay awhile and listen.

Blizzard just patched Diablo II. The last time they did this was in October of 2011, and now they have version 1.14a out in the wild.

Why? System glitches “introduced by modern operating systems.” Thanks a lot, OSX and Windows 10. Blizzard announced the news on their forums. Here’s exactly what’s going on with Diablo II‘s latest patch.

It’s been a long time coming, but today we’re releasing 1.14a for Diablo II.

This update focuses on system glitches introduced by modern operating systems. In related news, you can finally retire those old Mac PowerPCs. Included with the update is a shiny new installer for OSX.

We’ve also begun working to improve our cheat-detection and hack-prevention capabilities. There’s still work to be done, but we’re making improvements every day.

There is still a large Diablo II community around the world, and we thank you for continuing to play and slay with us. This journey starts by making Diablo II run on modern platforms, but it does not end there. See you in Sanctuary, adventurers.

Awesome. That OSX installer will be handy for Diablo II on the go. Time for another Baal Run? I think so.

SOURCE BLIZZARD

AMD’s incredible XConnect tech brings desktop graphics to notebooks

This has been a problem since I was reviewing laptops at LAPTOP Magazine almost a decade ago: laptop computers are awesome for gaming if you’re willing to throw down the cost for a beefy gaming system. But, for most of us, our laptops just can’t game as well as a desktop. AMD is going to try to fix that with new XConnect technology, which is being worked on in collaboration with Intel and Razer.

AMD XConnect uses a Thunderbolt 3 connection to connect to an external GPU enclosure that’s outfitted with a Radeon R9 300 series graphics card. That card is then able to power games on the laptop computer, and it’s what powers the Razer Core system that we first saw at CES. The Razer Core is an accessory that enables the Razer Blade Stealth, and otherwise thin and light notebook, to run the latest games. That’s just one laptop that will work with the XConnect tech, but we should expect many more, in addition to other enclosures and graphics cards.

Sadly, the pricing wasn’t announced yet, but we shouldn’t expect it to cost much more than a Radeon R9 300-series graphics card since the rest of the tech is under the surface. Cool stuff.

SOURCE AMD

New King of Fighters 14 Trailer Shows Small But Deadly Characters

SNK Playmore has released a new trailer and screenshots for King of Fighters XIV, its upcoming PS4-exclusive fighting game. The new gameplay video and images focus on three returning characters.

The first is Tung Fu Rue, who made his debut in SNK's Fatal Fury and is a master of the Hakkyokuseiken style. Although he may look like a frail old man, Tung has trained some of the series' strongest fighters, and looks to be in sprightly shape for the newest entry in the series.

The next character is Choi Bounge, the South Korean menace that fights with Freddie Krueger like claws on both hands. As always, Choi looks like he's going to have a very quick fighting style and be an absolute pain to deal with.

Finally, is Chin Gentsai, the Drunken Fist Master. As drunk and as deadly looking as always. Take a look at the video above to see them all in action. Alternatively, check out the screenshot gallery below for more images.

As announced previously, although the new KOF is still presented from a side-on perspective, the game is being built with 3D assets. Traditionally, the series has used detailed, 2D animated sprites, with a few exceptions over the years.

KOF 14 was announced during the PlayStation press conference at Tokyo Game Show: "This brand new KOF numbered series title features high-quality 3D visuals, however staying true to the gameplay roots of the series," SNK Playmore said at the time.

As of yet, the game has only been announced for PS4, it is unclear whether the title will be exclusive to Sony's console. The last game in the series, King of Fighters 13, was released on Xbox 360 and PC.

The game is scheduled to launch in 2016, but no specific date beyond this has been provided.

source: gamespot

PlayStation 4 capable of booting Linux due to the latest hack

This hack can boot Linux on PlayStation 4

This is not the first time that fail0verflow announced it had successfully hacked Sony’s PlayStation 4 to run Linux, and even showcased to the public that the team was running Pokémon. After months of testing, the team has said that the console is successfully able to run Linux, but what does this mean for the future gaming titles. Does this mean that Sony’s PlayStation 4 will be open to run pirated copies of future games? The hacking group has not stated this, but has shown us on how we too can run Linux on our consoles.

Here’s a guideline on how to run Linux on your PlayStation 4

The last time fail0verflow showed that it could run Linux was back when it showed to the world its 32c3 demo.

“It’s worth noting that with the released kexec loader and kernel (and an exploit) you should be able to replicate our 32c3 demo.”

The 32c3 demo that they are referring to here is the demo that was shown at the 32nd Chaos Communication Congress event. The event became the epicenter for the team because the gaming console was running Gentoo with Linux kernel 4.4, systemd 228, using the Xfce desktop environment.

If you want to run Linux on your PlayStation 4, then you will have to keep in mind that you need to have adequate knowledge regarding kernels. If you do not have even a sliver of information concerning kernels, then we recommend that you do not proceed to booting your PS4 to run Linux. For those who do have experience in compiling kernels, you need to make sure that you have the firmware version 1.76 and the ps4-kexec loader, along with the ps4-linux kernel.

Additionally, you will need the leaked PS4 BadIRET kernel exploit. You also have to keep in mind that just because Sony has not said anything regarding warranty does not mean that you should attempt this and still expect to be covered under warranty, because trust us, this will void your warranty.

With this latest advancement, we believe that it will open up a lot of doors for not only running Linux based gaming titles, but pirated copies of future titles as well, but we are dead sure that Sony will come with a reply as soon as possible.

source: techworm

Amazon.jp drops international barriers, now ships video games overseas

                            

In a striking move from Amazon, the online retailer’s branch in Japan has dropped the pretense of international barriers and will now ship video games overseas.

Import gamers who like to play niche Japanese titles that don’t make it to North America now have a mainstream and simplified option to get the games they want in a timely, affordable manner. Before Amazon, they would often have to turn to smaller sites like PlayAsia, so who knows what kind of impact this will have on the import market.

The main issue nowadays is that most video games are already brought to the States. With the exception of some incredibly niche PS Vita dungeon crawlers, we’ve experienced a sort of revolution in how games are sold worldwide. Smaller companies are picking up the slack that the big publishers won’t touch, and even Dragon Quest has a market in North America now.

You know signs are good when that old chestnut fixes itself.

However, no matter how small the import scene becomes, gaining the backing of one of the planet’s largest retailers has made the video game world that much smaller. Go ahead, buy that import copy of Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3. Nobody is going to stop you, not even Amazon. Check out Amazon.jp, and be sure to read it in English, just because you can.

SOURCE AMAZON.JP

Way of the Samurai 3 coming to PC in the near future

The Way of the Samurai franchise never gets enough love. Perhaps because its experimental wackiness was first released way ahead its time, but its core concepts of morality, branching paths, brief and replayable length, and roguelike “from the beginning” approach would be much more successful in today’s market.

Back when the franchise was getting started on the PlayStation 2, even Knights of the Old Republic hadn’t introduced these ideas to console gamers yet, and many missed out.

Thankfully, fans have not forgotten, and others are stepping in to bring the older games to Steam for reevaluation. Ghostlight Interactive, the same company which ported Way of the Samurai 4, has announced plans to bring Way of the Samurai 3 to the PC in the near future.

Overview

Honor, sacrifice, betrayal… Your choices make you who you are. How will history remember you?

You must wield the sword of a mysterious lone samurai during Japan’s turbulent Sengoku era, in one of the most atmospheric action RPGs ever created.

Explore the villages, body-strewn battlefields, bandit fortresses, immense castles and local town of Amana, in an open world bustling with a rich cast of colorful characters that you can help, ignore or victimise.

Choose your friends and enemies carefully in a game where every decision has far-reaching consequences, and where finishing the game is just the beginning of your journey…

Features

• The Butterfly Effect – More than 20 different endings. Your every action, no matter how subtle or ludicrous, could set in motion a huge variety of events, allowing for huge replayability. Explore new narrative paths, reveal new allies… and enemies!
• Huge Customization – Craft your own unique weapons from over 200 different parts. Create the ultimate unbreakable weapon to suit your preferred fighting style. Forge lethal swords, spears, pole axes and more outlandish weaponry and discover hundreds of new abilities as you become a true master of each weapon!
• Reward System and Samurai Rating – Your actions and conduct will reward you with Samurai Points and Titles, all of which unlock new game features, customization options, outfits and accessories. Live as an honourable samurai, wallow in the low life of a bandit or strike your own path! Your choices lead to new endings, strange followers and other unexpected outcomes.
• The Pen Can Be Mightier Than the Sword – Fight your enemies by force or take the diplomatic route, using subtle gestures like the unsheathing of your sword or kowtowing. Featuring an extensive dialogue tree, combo system and much, much more!

Ghostlight Interactive has a long history of bringing Japanese games to Europe, and if this is a success, hopefully it will dive back into the excellent first game. Keep an eye out for this one.

source:  GEMATSU

Assassin’s Creed sale this week on PlayStation Store, Black Flag cheaper than ever

Whenever an Assassin’s Creed sale rolls around, I’m always sure to double check the price of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Why? Because that’s the one everybody swears by as being the best and the one I want to play the most.

The PlayStation Store is currently hosting a sale for the franchise, and at $9.89, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag drop so low. You’d think that without an entry in the series this year, Ubisoft would want to keep that price high for those looking to fill the void, but no. The best Assassin’s Creed is dirt cheap, and it’s available now for those who are curious.

Check out the full list of discounts below.

Platform	Title	Sale Price	Original Price
PS4	Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag Gold Edition	$16.49	$49.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Trilogy	$17.99	$24.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China	$6.99	$9.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India	$6.99	$9.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia	$6.99	$9.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry	$5.99	$14.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag	$9.89	$29.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed Syndicate	$29.99	$59.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Gold Edition	$35.99	$89.99
PS4	Assassin’s Creed Unity	$19.99	$39.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Gold Edition	$15.99	$39.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed	$4.99	$19.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Ultimate Edition	$6.99	$27.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry	$5.99	$14.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed II Ultimate Edition	$4.99	$19.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed III	$9.99	$19.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed III Ultimate Edition	$19.99	$49.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation HD	$4.99	$19.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag	$9.99	$19.99
PS3	Assassins Creed Revelations Ultimate Edition	$7.49	$29.99
PS3	Assassin’s Creed Rogue	$11.39	$29.99
PS Vita	Assassin’s Creed III Liberation	$6.74	$26.99
PSP	Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines	$4.99	$19.99

And as for the rest of the bunch, I’m sure the first one still has its “simplistic” charms, relatively speaking of course. Both Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhoodhold a place in fans’ hearts as the best received of the lot.

What will you be picking up?

SOURCE: PLAYSTATION BLOG

Metal Gear Solid fan remake has ceased development

                     

The Shadow Moses Project, which was to be a remake of the Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid, has been canceled. The team took to social media to announce this, though their announcement was vague:

The team says they have some “other news coming though,” and they have asked fans to stay tuned.

Fan remakes like this are always a risky venture when it comes to the time put in by those developing the game and the hopes and excitement of fans following it. While a few companies seem happy to let these things percolate, most notably Valve and Bethesda with the Half-Life remake Black Mesa, and the Morrowind remake called Skywind, most companies seem more focused on protecting their properties and these projects are often shut down hard and fast. While we don’t know why it was shut down quite yet, a cease and desist seems likely, as Konami’s been pretty protective of their properties as of late.

If it was indeed Konami, though, that’s a bit disappointing. While PC games like Half-Lifeand Morrowind are still available and can be installed on modern PCs, something like Metal Gear Solid, originally released on PlayStation in 1998, is lost to time until the company decides to remake or re-release it on a more modern platform, meaning there’s no money flowing to the company for them to miss out on. Konami had cheekily acknowledged the existence of the remake a few months back:

Shadow Moses’ team had been teasing a big announcement set for just a week from now, and we may never find out what they had in store. Hopefully that news is that the game is getting an official remake, or that the team is making their own stealth game, or something like that.

source: technobuffalo

Etrian Odyssey V debut trailer – It’s not easy being green

Atlus confirmed the long-rumored latest entry in the Etrian Odyssey series last week, and it has followed up with the debut trailer. For what it’s worth, if you love Etrian Odyssey and are not yet sick of the formula, you’re going to love Etrian Odyssey V.

Unlike Etrian Odyssey IV, which received a much needed graphical overhaul when Atlus brought the series to the Nintendo 3DS, Etrian Odyssey V doesn’t do anything new on the graphical or artistic front. The celebrated team behind the franchise is still cranking out adorable character art and crude monster models in the same graphic engine, and, of course, everything is still green.

Now, I’m not one to dismiss a game in a series because it looks just like the ones before it. I’ve always tried to look at each game in a series by its own merits, beyond the continuing aesthetic. However, after three games of trouncing through the forest in this same engine, the Etrian Odyssey team is really going to have to do something special with the series if it wants me to slug through another one.

This goes double after seeing what it can do with unique aesthetics, like in the marvelous Persona Q.

I’m sure it will be a solid game, but we might need to wait for the Nintendo 3DS’ successor to get something that at least looks different. Etrian Odyssey V launches for the Nintendo 3DS on Aug. 4 in Japan. No word on the localization just yet.

source: SILICONERA

Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 confirmed for release this summer

After it was leaked by the developers recently, Nintendo stepped in to confirm that Inti Create’s hot sequel Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 would indeed be coming to the Nintendo 3DS this summer. You can pick it up on June 1 at a special launch discount.

This confirmation makes me wonder if Mighty No. 9 will be released by then.

Gunvolt returns to the run ‘n gun platforming genre with his electricity field and fully customizable blaster. This time, though, Copen, one of the challenging rivals from the first game, will be returning as a playable character, and he will be armed with each of the villains’ special attacks.

Inti Creates’ Azure Striker Gunvolt is a pleasant run ‘n gunner available on the Nintendo 3DS and Steam. It’s held back by rudimentary platforming design, but, otherwise, is an excellent, if slightly uninspired, blast from beginning to end. If Inti Creates properly addressed the first game’s criticisms, this should be a much more solid game.

Again, Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 launches for the Nintendo 3DS on June 1.

SOURCE technobuffalo

A Statue Mario costume is now in Super Mario Maker, and it looks very silly

Tanooki Mario is one of my favorite power-ups in the Mario series. Originally appearing in Super Mario Bros. 3 on the NES, Mario basically donned the full racoon suit instead of just the tail. What’s more, a sort of hidden ability was packed into the suit.

Pressing down and B turned Mario into a statue. Mario was invulnerable in this form, and it was a great way to put together strings of platforming while avoiding enemy hits late in the game.

Now, that Statue Mario is available as a costume in Super Mario Maker.  Except, well, it’s only sort of the same. An 8-bit version of Mario is peering behind the statue and carrying it when in full sprint. So ridiculous, friends.

To get the costume, all you have to do is clear the special level. It looks easy enough, too.

source: technobuffalo