Can Next Gen Consoles Help Tell Better Stories?

By
Brett
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How Can Next-Gen Help to Tell Better Stories?

Video games as a medium for storytelling is among the youngest of it’s contemporaries. What started as basic premises such as aliens invading, an Italian plumber rescuing a princess, or a booger-flicking janitor turned super-hero, quickly turned into deeper stories with something to say. Was this due to improvements in hardware? Can next gen consoles help tell better stories?

With heavy hitters like The Last of US Pt. II rumored for February it looks as if the last of the big games for current gen consoles have shown their hand as they wind down.  Both the next-gen PlayStation (we’ll call it PS5) and Xbox Scarlett are roughly a year away, and both companies have the same challenge that comes with every new generation: How to get people to upgrade?

What Makes Good Stories?

In a recent episode of our podcast, Triangle Squared: A PlayStation Podcast, we discussed these upcoming consoles and how developers felt in regard to them. It appeared that there is a bit of a divide with 2 notably contrasting statements coming from different parts of the industry. Ubisoft praised the consoles power and the revolutionary nature of having a solid-state drive (SSD) as standard, while Platinum Games’ head called them “more of the same”. We decided to take the question to our listeners. The responses were as expected: Some were more than ready for PS5; others were happy with PS4. One response in particular though posed a great question. How can next-gen help developers tell better stories?

With each new generation of consoles, developers are given more power and resources. The first thing we tend to see these improvements put to use on is the visuals of the game. Better resolution; more dense flora; particle effects; higher frame-rate: you name it. Can these improvements be connected into helping story-tellers express the story they wanted to craft? Are great stories inherently separate from the tech that helps build the delivery device? Simply put, can next gen consoles help tell better stories?

We share our thoughts this week on that and more on Triangle Squared: A PlayStation Podcast!

Find us on YouTube in video, or on podcast services such as iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify and more.

Forager is breaking its way onto Switch and PS4

By
Shawn Robinson
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The hit indie adventure game Forager is heading to the Nintendo Switch and PS4. The game will be available in many retail stores. Along with that, physical copies of either version will come with a special package offering a poster and some stickers.

Forager is a 2D adventure game developed by indie developer HopFrog. In it, you create your own unique world and can make it in any way you could imagine. If you want to focus on one particular aspect of the game, you can. If you want to balance multiple or all of them, you can do that too. Forager really is a game where you have a lot of freedom to do what you please.

Image result for foragerIn terms of reception, the game is sitting at a 95% approval rating on Steam. Players say that the game’s current content is enjoyable. The only downfall of the game is its length, being 10 hours with 6 more to 100% the achievements. For Metacritic, the game is currently sitting at a 78 average review score.

Forager will be available on Nintendo Switch and PS4 on July 30th, with the retail versions available on September 10th for North America, and September 13th for Europe. You’ll be able to pick up the game from Amazon, Best Buy, Target, or Gamestop. If you want the PC version, that’s available right now!

Should you buy both Pokémon Sword and Shield?

By
StormYorha
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Ever thought the differences between the usual two Pokémon editions for each main entries were too minor for the prices they ask? Well, it seems like Game Freak is bringing more than just exclusive Pokémon.

You are probably already aware but version-exclusive gyms are back, a first since Pokémon Black and White.

It brings the question, are they going to stop here? Have we even seen half of the version-exclusive Pokémon? Are there going to be story changes depending on the versions? New secret areas? New items? Despite the backlash regarding the animations, textures and overall questionable choices, there is no denying that Sword & Shield is a massive step forward for the Pokémon franchise so Game Freak making more changes for both versions to justify selling both in a bundle is not out of the equation, this very well might be the start of a new era for Pokémon games, whether we are on board or not but that is a debate for another day.

The question here is, SHOULD YOU BUY BOTH?

With our current knowledge as of today, you will be just fine with one version, well, that is a choice only you can make comparing what both have to offer, so here’s a global recap for both Sword and Shield:

Pokémon exclusive to Sword

Hakamo-o

Hydreigon

Deino

Zweilous

Jangmo-o

Kommo-o

Pokémon exclusive to Shield

Goomy

Sliggoo

Goodra

Larvitar

Pupitar

Tyranitar

Note that as of right now there are no words on the version exclusivity of newly revealed Pokémon:

Duraludon – Steel/Dragon
Alcremie – Fairy
Rolycoly – Rock

They seem to be included in both Sword and Shield.

But that’s not all, some Pokémon, including the exclusives ones, will benefit from the newly announced mechanic, Gigantamax.

Unlike Dynamax that makes your Pokémon bigger, with boosted stats, Gigantamax alters their appearance as they grow EVEN BIGGER and gain access to special G-Max Moves. So some Pokémon on Sword and Shield have more hidden designs yet to be revealed.

And to close it off on the Pokémon part, we obviously can’t talk about Sword and Shield without mentioning the legendaries. Zacian and Zamazenta, two wolves that are currently the Sword & Shield cover stars. One is an adorable doggo carrying a sword in his mouth and the other is a… ferocious shield-shaped head wolf…?

And finally, the Gyms, it’s no secret if you’ve been on the internet today, Bea and Allister are a thing, to quote the official Pokémon twitter:

Bea is a prodigy in Galar karate, (Fighting-type Gym Leader) carrying on its century-old traditions and techniques. She’s known for her stoicism and very rarely shows her emotions.

Allister is a talented Trainer of Ghost-type Pokémon who became a Gym Leader at a young age. He rarely makes public appearances and seems to spend most of his time near ruins or cemeteries.

Both gyms will offer different fights, dialogues, quests, and probably story elements so there is that.

With all this knowledge now at your disposal, we hope to have made your choice a little be easier. Note that more could be announced but as of right now, which version you think offers the best content? Or are you a Pokémon superfan and buying both? Let us know!

Last chance to get that Borderlands 2 DLC for free

By
Jason Dill
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Announced at E3, Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary is a new adventure for Gearbox’s looter shooter that sets the scene for the highly anticipated Borderlands 3 coming out on September 13th.  Right now, and today only, you can still download it for free on Xbox One, PS4, and PC to find out how things went go between the end of Borderlands 2 and the beginning of Borderlands 3. What does Lilith do and what happens to Sanctuary?

In order to access this free DLC, you need to have the Borderlands 2 disc or digital copy installed and ready to go.  Don’t have the a copy, but have Xbox Game Pass?  You can download the Handsome Collection right now with a valid Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Here’s a little more info about Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary:

Return to the award-winning shooter-looter for an all-new adventure that sets the stage for the upcoming Borderlands 3. Sanctuary is under siege, the Vault Map has been stolen, and a toxic gas is poisoning Pandora. Battle new bosses, explore new areas, collect new loot (including an entirely new tier beyond Legendary), and join up with Lilith and the Crimson Raiders to take on a deranged villain hell-bent on ruling the planet.

Borderlands 3 to be receiving new ping system and accessibility options

By
Hunter Shepardson
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Gearbox has announced new details about their heavily hyped upcoming looter shooter Borderlands 3 – a new ping system and extensive accessibility features will be featured.

Further accessibility features were also announced. Chief among these, Borderlands 3 will feature fully re-mappable button layouts both on console and PC. Whichever platform you play the game on, you’ll be able to fit your button layout to your play style. This will be a perfect feature for those who use the Xbox Adaptive Controller to the game.

Other announced, yet expected, features include colorblind options and enhanced extensive subtitling.

Also announced, and a first for the series was a 1v1v1v1 competitive multiplayer mode. More details about that to come in the future.

Borderlands 3 releases September 13 later this year for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Google Stadia will also be getting a release at a later date.

Opinion: Why The Borderlands Series Is The Best Looter Shooter Series

By
BunboyYT
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The Borderlands Series, consisting of Borderlands, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! is one of the best looter shooter franchise for a multitude of reasons.

  1. The Amount Of Guns
  2. Characters and Story
  3. Humor
  4. Sidequests

Starting with reason 1, the number of guns. Each game in the series boasts an unprecedented amount of guns from common to legendary. The series boasts 17.75 million guns, all totally different from the last. There are a variety of companies that make guns and a variety of elements to choose from, making the number of guns grow to unprecedented amounts.

Reason 2: Each Game has an original story that takes up to 25 hours to complete with four playable characters to choose from. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you want a Sniper character or you want a character that is more of a heavy gunner. Whatever character you pick, you still have three skill trees to choose from. Each game has four characters to choose from than three skill trees to choose from for each character. The NPCs are hilarious and provide sidequests that help you get weapons that are exclusive to those missions, making each sidequest as important as the main story.

Reason 3: The Humor. When you think of shooters, you think of dark and grim, but Borderlands is the total opposite of the normal shooter. When the main villain has some of the funniest lines in the game, you know that this is not a normal shooter. Also, the variety of characters makes the humor even better. The DLCs make the dialogue even funnier as you hear conversations between characters as you finish a mission or do an optional objective.

And Finally, Reason 4: Sidequests. Modern Looter Shooters have sidequests that basically provide you with information on modes outside of the main story. There are 127 missions in Borderlands 2, not including DLC. With DLC, there are 287 missions. Each one has its own dialogue and provides context as to why you are doing these things for them.The amount of detail that goes into each quest is insane as some quests have you defeat a powerful enemy to shooting a guy in the face because he asked you to.

The series has so many high points that it is hard to imagine the Looter Shooter Genre without Borderlands. With Borderlands 3 coming out in September, newcomers and fans alike have a lot to look forward to. If you have not tried out the series, The Handsome Collection, which has Borderlands 2 and Pre-Sequel (Including all DLC) is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. You can try these games and see how much you like them. I hope my opinion helps you look at this series differently. It has been one of my favorite series of games because it has a dry sense of humor and is not afraid to be totally different from the other games in the Genre. Please try out these games and I promise you will enjoy them as much as I have.

Uncharted Movie Director and Star State That Movie Will Not Be An Adaptation Of The Games

By
BunboyYT
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Dan Trachtenberg, Director of the upcoming film “Uncharted” based off of the popular video game series has stated that the movie will “focus more on Nathan Drake’s past before the first game” as he feels that a direct adaptation of the first game would not stack up to the original.

Trachtenberg said in an interview, “[I] have been approached with different versions of this tale and have always been not that interested in it because I didn’t really want to trace the game.” He also said that if Naughty Dog were to make another Uncharted Game starring Nate and Sully, “this movie’s story is probably the story that they would want to tell.”

Of course, it’s good to hear the 10 Cloverfield Lane director is confident in what he’s making with Sony. And the direction he and co. are taking is probably the right one. We don’t need the movie to re-tell the story of the games. Even if it — somehow — nailed it, it wouldn’t be anything we don’t have already.

The Uncharted movie is poised to release next year on December 18. At the moment of publishing, there’s been no word of the movie’s cast beyond Tom Holland.

Opinion: Why I love Fire Emblem

By
jmac857
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Hello guys, this is the first in a series of Fire Emblem articles! These articles will all be oriented to welcome newcomers to the series and for old fans to get hyped for Fire Emblem: the Three Houses. I thought I’d start off with my own history of the series and why I love it so much.

Image result for fire emblem awakening

The 3DS was a game changing console for me. It’s when I first starting playing more franchises than before. Discovered the Legend of Zelda (now my favorite franchise of all time), Mario, Smash Bros, Kid Icarus and more! As I was experimenting with new franchises, I saw a demo for a game called Fire Emblem Awakening. My previous experiences with strategy games had been Drones Tactics on the DS. I saw the fantasy setting and decided to try it out. The demo would end up blowing me away. I was sucked into this fantasy world that was filled with magic. The gameplay also ended up appealing to me a lot. I just loved how in dept the combat system was and how satisfying it was. I remember buying the full game immediately after playing the demo. What happened after was insane. I spent a full week playing the game from dusk till dawn. That had never happened before.

Let me explain why Awakening appealed to me in a way few games have (BOTW is another important game too, another story for another day). I hadn’t played many games with such an investing and complex story. Nintendo games aren’t known for their stories and deep characters. Awakening had an amazing story. Very classic story yes, but that’s why it hit me. Good vs Evil. Plotwists, shocking deaths, battles that mattered,…. These elements were unknown to me in video games before. That’s why I got so invested in this game. Each battle mattered and I wanted to win not because the game told me so, but because it was like I was apart of the story. That I, as a tactian had to help save the world from evil and all of the characters I love. Talking about characters, they were brilliant. I fell immediatly in love with the support system which rewarded players with interactions between characters that made them feel real. These small interactions truly made the characters and world of Awakening, wonderful. I have to mention Chrom, a shining light in the game. I admire and love Chrom so much for his traits of loyalty and justice that truly inspire me. He appealed to me like no video game character had before. The combat system is amazing as well. Offering unique battle situations and deep gameplay, I was in heaven just making and trying out new strategies. I had my favorite characters, had fun playing cupid with pairings, had fun with my inventory and getting the best weapons for my characters,…. The list goes on. It was a complete game that drew me in. And it still does. I’ve replayed it more times than I can count and that speaks volumes to the appeal it still has.

Image result for fire emblem awakening

After that, I played all three Fates games and Echoes, all great games. They solidified my love for Fire Emblem and my excitement about being into a new franchise. To new fans experiencing the franchise for the first time with Three Houses, I hope you’ll find the same joy as I did when I first experienced Fire Emblem too. For returning fans, why not comment how you got into Fire Emblem to spead some Fire Emblem love. If you liked this article, then stay tuned, I’ll be back with even more Fire Emblems articles!

 

Pokémon Snap 2 will have to have a unique twist to happen, according to Junichi Masuda

By
AUGMC
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Pokémon Snap first released on March 21st. 1999. Twenty years later, there is still no word of a sequel of this spinoff Pokémon game. Many fans think that Nintendo Labo VR would be a perfect way to bring the series back. Taking pictures of Pokémon in virtual reality is something I don’t think anyone would complain about. In a recent interview by GameCentral, Junichi Masuda from Game Freak responded to a question about a potential revival of Pokémon Snap. He said a Pokémon Snap 2 would have to deliver a “very unique twist” to be made.

GameCentral: You had the Wii U GamePad and now you’ve got Nintendo Labo VR, which has an actual physical camera, why is there not a Pokémon Snap 2?! I’ll pre-order it right now if you agree to make it!

Junichi Masuda: All I can say is that I don’t think we can just make the same thing again. So we’d have to come up with a very unique twist on this if we do make another one.

Source

 

Rumor: Nintendo Switch Mini will have a 1080p display, more powerful than the Nintendo Switch

By
AUGMC
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The Nintendo Switch Mini and Nintendo Switch Pro have been rumored and reported on in the industry since last year. To add to the rumor mill, a Forbes contributor recently posted an article talking about how Google Stadia would benefit from being on Nintendo Switch. In this article this Forbes contributor mentioned never before seen Nintendo Switch Mini information. According to him, the rumored Nintendo Switch Mini will deliver a 1080p mobile gaming experience. It is apparently built as a portable first Nintendo Switch. The Joycons will be locked to the main body of the Nintendo Switch Mini. This device will feature a better battery life, a 1080p display, and a meaningful upgrade to the graphics in mobile mode. He also mentioned the rumored Nintendo Switch Pro in this article, describing it as an upgraded standard Nintendo Switch. No further details were shared on the rumored Nintendo Switch Pro.

The new “mini” Nintendo Switch will take advantage of a two generations of die shrinks to its Nvidia Tegra processor to deliver 1080p mobile gaming to a broader audience. By joining the joycons to the main body of the Switch, Nintendo will squeeze out the expensive and sophisticated wireless joycons and create a mobile-first Switch platform. The die shrink of the Nvidia Tegra processor will provide better battery life and a meaningful upgrade to a 1080p display and graphics in mobile mode. The new mini Switch, and an upgraded standard Switch are poised to address a broader market and capitalize on their growing software and user base. But, there is another opportunity for Switch which has not yet come to light.

 

Source

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