Witcher 2 gets patched; fixes some annoyances.

post from Gaming Nexus on 27 May 2011 11:59:00 PM. © Gaming Nexus

by: Sean Cahill
NEWS - The Witcher 2, which has received plenty of attention and critical acclaim since launching on May 17th, has already undergone a vital patch to help fix some problems that gamers have been experiencing. DRM Protection is something that has been debated since it was introduced many years ago, starting with VHS and Betamax in the 1980s. In gaming, especially PC gaming, the installation of serial codes has been considered vital by many developers to help protect their creations. However, DRM protection can also cause some installation problems for honest gamers just wanting to enjoy the game. Knowing this, the DRM protection has been removed from the game. On top of this, you can expect a step-up in frame rate and maybe some graphical touch-ups. While it isn't rare for a company to remove DRM protection from its games, it is a bit odd to see it so soon. Usually, a company decides in Beta Testing whether or not to do so. It was obvious that, in this case, the decision should have been made before launch.

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Assassins Creed: Revelations Second Teaser
Trailer

post from Video Games Loop on 27 May 2011 11:06:16 PM. © Video Games Loop

Ubisoft has released the second teaser trailer for the upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Officially revealed earlier this month on Facebook with the first teaser trailer, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations has quickly...

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Nyanicorn is exactly what you think it is

post from Destructoid on 27 May 2011 11:05:46 PM. © Destructoid

Nyanicorn is exactly what you think it is screenshot

Not tired of Nyan cat yet? Here is a Nyan cat game for you! It's not exactly "new" but it's the first I've seen of it, and that's what counts.

It's a dodgy version of Robot Unicorn Attack with Nyan cat -- hence Nyanicorn -- who does things like nyan nyan nya-nyan nya-nya-nya-nya nyan nyan, nyan nyan nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya, nyan nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya nyan, nyan, nyan nyan nya-nyan nya-nya-nya-nya nyan nyan, nyan nyan nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya, nyan nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya nyan nyan.

Nyan, nya-nya-nyan, nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya, nyan nyan, nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya, nyan, nya-nya-nyan nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya, nyan nya-nya-nyan nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya nya nya nyan, nya-nya-nyan, nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya nyan, nya-nya-nyan, nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya, nyan.

Repeat chorus. There is one intentional mistake in the lyrics.

[Thanks de5gravity!]

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GOG weekend sale has adventures and Raptor for
50% off

post from Destructoid on 27 May 2011 11:05:46 PM. © Destructoid

GOG weekend sale has adventures and Raptor for 50% off screenshot

GOG.com is having another weekend sale, and they appear to have dropped the "it's only 50% off if you buy all of them" bit from older deals in recent weeks. Hooray!

This time the theme is DotEmu games, with the Gobliiins Pack (all three games), the Ishar compilation (all three games), the Robinson's Requiem collection (Robinson's Requiem and Deus) and Raptor: Call of the Shadows 2010 Edition all discounted to a measily $2.99.

The Ishar and Robinson's Requiem games may not have aged that well, but the Gobliiins series is a timeless classic. As for Apogee's classic Raptor, it ranks among Tyrian and Xenon 2 Megablast as my favorite PC shmups of all time, so I can't recommend it enough if you are a younger -- but devoted -- shmup fan who missed it.

The 2010 Edition of Raptor features some improved graphics and support for 640x400, 960x600 and 1280x800 resolutions, while the oldschool graphics are still available should you want them.

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I don't like football, but I like Backbreaker
Vengeance

post from Destructoid on 27 May 2011 10:06:51 PM. © Destructoid

I don't like football, but I like Backbreaker Vengeance screenshot

Can't see the video? Click here

Frankly, the word "football" -- and we're talking the rough and tumble American-style here, helmets and all -- puts me to sleep. I understand the appeal, but wasn't raised playing or spectating, so it's never been able to hold my attention.

As a kid, I turned to videogames instead. So maybe you'd think the combination of "football" and "videogames" might arouse my interest. Not the case -- I find the wildly popular digital versions of the game to be just as unappealing. To be clear, I know fans love them, and I admire that year after year developers churn out impressive productions and quality products. It's just not my "thing."

So why is it that I spent over an hour with NaturalMotion's Backbreaker Vengeance for Xbox Live Arcade and didn't want to stop?

For starters, Backbreaker Vengeance isn't your typical football game. It's based in part on NaturalMotion's Backbreaker title released last year for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Difference here is that while that game was traditional in the sense that you've got your plays, your first downs and such, Vengeance approaches it from a different angle -- pure action, no fat.

I got some exclusive hand-on with the game's "Tackle Alley" mode (demoed in the above video) which has a single runner fighting to carry the pigskin across the end zone, a small army of defenders blocking his path. It's not simply about survival, but about doing it style. You'll get points for juking or dodging with the right analog stick, barging through those in your path, hopping over hurdles or defenders, and even sliding under players diving to take off your head. Stringing moves together builds up a combo multiplier, the more varied you are, the more points you'll rack up when you hit that end zone.

Making it to the goal isn't enough to rack up huge scores. Many of the challenges I faced (which come packaged as "waves," not unlike Gears of War 2's "Horde" mode) had score patches scattered on the field. Hitting them would award me with upwards of 500 points, depending on the placement. Later waves had clearly marked boundaries, and stepping into them would result in immediate disqualification.

Between defenders, obstacles, score patches, and the delineated out of bounds markers, things started to feel more like an American Gladiators event than traditional football. Sizing up the best route prior to pushing through became key to getting higher and better scores. I even found myself going back to certain challenges in an attempt to eke out more points by finding new paths and varying my moves.

Showboating as you speed towards the end zone can also earn you additional points, but be careful: Vengeance is as much about getting brutally sacked as it is about getting from point A to point B. NaturalMotion's euphoria animation engine calculates 3D animation and collision on the fly, resulting in some of the most impressively bone-crushing tackles I've seen in a videogame. These aren't canned animations or some sloppy rag-doll collision; every sack had weight and a brutal intensity that had me wincing every time two players plowed into one another. Because of this, successful runs were all the more sweet, knowing that the alternative was some seriously vicious virtual pain.

With the scoring mechanics tied in so well with the fast-paced gameplay, Vengeance feels less like a conventional sports game, and something closer to Tony Hawk Pro Skater meets Gears of War's "Horde" mode. I went into the game with little knowledge of football gaming, and quickly found that it didn't require it. While it has its origins in an established genre, Vengeance seems to be offering a pick-up-and-play experience that even non-sports gamers should be able to easily appreciate.

Backbreaker Vengeance is slated for release on Xbox Live Arcade this summer.

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Peter Jackson Writes Legolas Into The Hobbit

post from The Escapist : Latest News on 27 May 2011 09:53:00 PM. © The Escapist : Latest News

Orlando Bloom's Legolas from Lord of the Rings has been confirmed for Peter Jackson's upcoming Hobbit film.

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Chinese prisoners forced to mine gold in World of
Warcraft

post from Count Gameula on 27 May 2011 09:07:00 PM. © Count Gameula

China accounts for 80% of online gold farming, the collecting and selling of virtual currency in games like World of Warcraft in exchange for real word cash, but not everyone toiling away in those pixelated mines are willing workers. Some... Read More »

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Your first arty glimpse of The Dark Eye -
Demonicon

post from Destructoid on 27 May 2011 09:06:41 PM. © Destructoid

Your first arty glimpse of The Dark Eye - Demonicon screenshot

Kalypso is mostly known for its bright and sunny Tropico series, but the studio has turned to something a little more grisly with upcoming RPG The Dark Eye - Demonicon. With a name like that, it's not going to be blue skies and friendly toucans.

The first bit of artwork has been released, revealing Heshthot, known more colloquially as The Grim Reaper. He servers Blakharaz, the Arch Demon of Revenge. He sports two blades and a whip. He's probably not friendly.

The game's out in 2012 and I'll keep an eye on it. Kalypso's games aren't world-beaters, generally, but they're nearly always playable. That's more than could be said for some.

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Razer Fight Pad contest winner announced!

Razer Fight Pad contest winner announced! screenshot

As you may have seen, here at Destructoid we've launched a streamlined way to challenge other players online to friendly wagered competitions of various Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 games, as well as Starcraft II. By challenging your friends to competitive games such as Marvel vs Capcom 3 or Fight Night Round 4, you can wager points to the winner of head to head or tournament style competitions. You will then be able to trade these points in for prizes as they become available!

Simply by logging in and completing a match, Destructoid readers were entered to win this Razer Onza Tournament Edition Controller for the Xbox 360, a $50 value. The winner of this contest is Football_Religion! We will be sending you an email soon asking for your shipping information. Congrats!

As time goes on we will support more games and also give away more prizes, so if you don't have any of the games just yet, don't fret! In fact, a little birdie told me there will be another contest sometime this weekend. I've learned to trust little birdies.

What sort of contests would you like to see on fight.destructoid.com? Also, what games would you like to see coming to our system? Let us know in the comments!

New to Fight? Read our getting started guide

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