The Project

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Hey everyone,

I assure you, I’m hard at work on a project I can’t wait to show to all of you. We’re very close to leaving the pre-production phase. Hopefully, within the next few weeks I will have something more tangible to show you. The last thing I want to do is constantly be posting vague coded messages about a “project.” I just can’t really say much about it right now except that I’ve put a lot of effort into this and I hope it finds an audience. Thank you for your patience.

Bryan DeMarco

2017 Begins!

Hey,

Just wanted to give a friendly update on the status of Sonic Mercury. With the help of some very talented people, I’ve been hard at work at the helm of an exciting new project. I can’t say exactly what it is just yet, but know it’s way beyond the scope of anything I’ve posted here in the past. This new and exciting project is also probably a little bit different than anything I’ve posted here before. As things develop further in the next few months I will be posting more information on the project at hand. It sucks to have to be so cryptic about the project right now but it’s just not the right time to reveal anything. Hopefully, when I can finally post something more substantial, you get just as excited about this new endeavor as my crew and myself have been for the past few months.

In the meantime, I wish you all a Happy New Year. Go create something of your own. To paraphrase a bit from Kevin Smith, “only you have your specific voice.” Your expression might have a meaningful impact on another person’s life. You’ll never know unless you try. Here’s to a new year with new adventures!

@Bryan_DeMarco

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Weirdworld Comic Series Review

Sonic Mercury a review of Weirdworld

Weirdworld, volume 2, is a Marvel comic book series written by Sam Humphries and features artwork by Mike Del Mundo. Weirdworld takes place in a less frequented corner of the Marvel Universe. This is a place ripe with magic, barbarians and adventure. Volume 2 of Weirdworld follows the journey of a teenager named Becca who hails from Marvel’s version of Earth. Becca was flying from the United States to Mexico when her plane somehow crash lands in Weirdworld.

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“Becca’s introduction to Weirdworld.”

 

Weirdworld SonicMercury.com
“Becca’s introduction to Weirdworld

At first glance it might appear as a typical fish out of water story, and it is to an extent, but there is so much more than that here. For a story that takes place in such a fantastical setting, Becca’s personal journey is surprisingly deep. It’s not long before you find out the reason for Becca’s plane trip was to deliver her mother’s ashes to her mother’s favorite place in Mexico. Now she must carry out a daring quest, with unlikely travel companions, to escape Weirdworld and deliver her mother’s ashes to their final resting place.

Weirdworld comic review, Sonicmercury.com
“Becca checks on her mother’s ashes as ghosts in Weirdworld stalk her.”

My initial impression of Weirdworld was that of an 80’s epic fantasy adventure in the vein of Heavy Metal, and the lesser known Rock and Rule. It was pretty easy for me to imagine the person who narrated the trailers to those films narrating the opening to Weirdworld. Becca’s first companion in Weirdworld is Goleta, who takes on Becca as her squire.

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“Becca suits up for Weirdworld.”

For Goleta is a brave Viking woman who enjoys good drink…

Weirdworld comic review, Sonicmercury.com
“Goleta drinks her mighty Viking drink.”

…and good battle. She particularly hates wizards.

Weirdworld comic review, Sonicmercury.com
“Goleta slaughters a sand shark.”

Oh, Goleta also drives a badass hot-rod. Weirdworld is pretty awesome. Becca and Goleta’s trio is completed by the wise Catbeast.

Weirdworld comic review, Sonicmercury.com
“The Catbeast rises.”

Catbeast offers his knowledge of the lesser known parts of Weirdworld to help the trio complete their quest. I don’t want to spoil anything else because I want you to enjoy this adventure as much as I did. The bad news is, it looks like Weirdworld has been cancelled by Marvel. Several forums suggest the writer Sam Humphries has left Marvel to write exclusively for DC Comics. The good news is, this adventure exists. Individual issues might be hard to collect, but the trade just came out covering the entire six issue arc.

It’s been too long since I’ve picked up a story and felt totally immersed by completely new characters in a completely new world. Becca, Goleta, and Catbeast carve out quite the epic quest in their short run. It’s a story that quite honestly would make an incredible film. This adventure is just as exciting as it is heartfelt. They say Weirdworld is “a place where the lost can be found.” Don’t let this story become lost. It’s too good to go unnoticed. Del Mundo’s artwork is fantastic, and Humphries’ writing is just as good. I will definitely be looking forward to their future endeavors.

Who knows, if enough people pick up the back issues or trade, maybe Marvel will continue the series. What I do know is that Becca is too good of a character, and her adventure too much fun, to just fall off the face of the Marvel universe. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy Weirdworld as much as I did.

-Bryan DeMarco

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*All images scanned from the paperback trade of  Marvel’s Weirdworld. I do not own the rights to any of the images used and they are displayed for review purposes only.

 

 

I’m Back Baby!

Hello!

I know I have been gone for quite a while, and for that I am sorry. The truth is I am currently working on an MFA in Creative Writing for Entertainment, and that takes up quite a bit of my time right now. Maybe you’ll notice an improvement in my writing. Maybe not. Anyway, hopefully in the near future I will be writing lots of fun stuff for all of us to enjoy in many different forms of media.

It’s October again, and Pat is once again treating all of us to his 13 Days of Halloween Spectacular. So, while I will be making no promises like last year to update every single post he does this year; I will be making this post to remind all of you to watch Pat’s show. Click the giant link to check out episode #1 of this year’s special. The episode is about one of my all time favorite franchises The Evil Dead.

By the way I am still fairly active on Twitter, and if you want to get a glimpse of what I have been up to this last year check out my Tumblr page.

13 Days of Halloween 2015 – #1 “THE EVIL DEAD TRILOGY”

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For more from Pat check out his YouTube Channel The GessNation or his Facebook page The Shred Shack

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Gamer News

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(IMAGE APPEARS COURTESY OF IGN)

The Order 1886 is a game in hot contention right now. It seems to be under fire from all directions with some of gaming’s biggest outlets panning the Order as nothing more than a graphical showcase. This is sorely misinformed. I am forced to wonder if I played the same game that they did.

Having just completed the games campaign as I am writing this. My first thought is I cannot wait for a sequel. My impressions of the game start with how fresh I found the setting. It was just really nice to escape into a world that felt new and different. From the very outset of The Order 1886, a very robust and intriguing mythology is developed.

First off. Yes the graphics are gorgeous, but their was so much more to the game than just a visual feast. The other criticism made about The Order 1886 is that it is too short. Admittedly it took me about 9 hours to complete on normal difficulty but for perspective the first Uncharted game was shorter than that by almost 2 hrs and that game started one of the biggest franchises in gaming right now.

You play as Sir Galahad a veteran of The Order although very noble he tends to follow his own moral compass. His team including himself is made of four unique characters with distinctive personalities and interesting backgrounds. Sir Perceval serves as the squad leader, delving out wisdom he and Sir Galahad are old friends and Galahad does not take Perceval’s advice lightly. Lady Igraine or Izzy as she is referred to in the game has a big ego and is often the first to kick in a door. Rounding out the team is the passionate Marquis de Lafayette a freedom fighter who fought in both the American and French Revolutions. Together this team serves as a sort of special forces where encounters with the occult and supernatural seem like a normal occurrence.

The story is fascinating, ripe with the possibilities historical fiction allows for in the Whitechapel district of the 1880’s. For instance Jack the Ripper’s infamous murder spree is in full swing, Nikola Tesla not only makes all of your tools and weapons he is also one of your best friends and confidant’s, and you occasionally fight werewolves. The combat is really satisfying. Every single weapon fires differently and has a different feel to it. Specifically the weapons that Tesla has created are fun and imaginative. For instance one weapon is basically a giant electric arc generator and another shoots clouds of flammable gas that you can engulf multiple enemies in before launching the weapons secondary incendiary function taking down multiple enemies in a giant fireball. The cover system works very well too. Using the circle button to cover and the X button to break cover makes it harder for you to stick to cover by accident.

The Order 1886 is truly an immersive experience. It is obvious a ridiculous amount of effort went into crafting this game. Every level down to the tiniest detail looks incredible. The characters are likable and engaging. Combined with the story The Order 1886 is successful in creating a fresh experience for the gaming community. Most importantly the game is just fun to play. I found it hard to put down.

As for all the bad reviews and negative press this game has garnered over the last few days I just find it bewildering. I have noticed this mindset more and more in reviews over the last few years. Some outlets have made a conscious effort to stay away from it and fight hard to be unbiased. However if you read between the lines of a bad review sometimes you will notice it. People will sometimes give a game a bad review, not because the game is actually that bad but because its not the game they wanted. I think that this is exactly what has happened with The Order 1886. The game has been highly publicized since it was announced and their was a lot of hype for this game being one of the first big next-gen console exclusives and it just simply wasn’t the kind of game the critics wanted. By no means however does that make this a bad game.

Obviously this is just my speculation. The only other reasoning I can validate as to why The Order 1886 got such a bad review is because of some background politics between the publisher and the big name outlets because quite honestly I thought the game was brilliant. I thought the story was really interesting and I found the conclusion really satisfying. My hope is that word of mouth will triumph over these superficial reviews because this game is worth playing and I really hope they make a sequel or at least some big DLC content because I don’t want to stop exploring this world.

The Order 1886 is a PS4 exclusive and is rated M for mature.

-Z3R0TH3RT33N

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Day 1

SonicMercury.com,TheGessNation 13 Days of Halloween The Re-Animator

The 13 days of Halloween has begun!

 

Pat kicks off the month of Halloween with an 80’s classic. H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Re-Animator” is the story of a medical student named Herbert West with a special serum that brings the dead back to life. As you can imagine things quickly go awry. For some reason bringing back the dead never seems to lead to things like medical breakthroughs or a higher level of general safety. “The Re-Animator” has an engaging plot that treads that fine line between horror and comedy exceptionally. A very entertaining film that also has some impressive special effects that still hold up pretty well.

Truly a must see for any horror fan and also a good choice for any Halloween movie marathon. Like most horror films from the 80’s “The Re-Animator” does contain gore, nudity and adult language so you might want to put the kids to sleep before pushing play. Without giving anything away the ending of this film is one of my all time favorites for its sheer level of twisted creativity. Surely a film you won’t ever forget here is the link to Pat’s official YouTube page TheGessNation home of Pat’s Metal reviews where you can checkout entry number #1 in his 13 Days of Halloween special.

 13 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN #1: RE-ANIMATOR (1985)

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For more from Pat check out his YouTube Channel The GessNation or his Facebook page The Shred Shack

Follow Sonic Mercury on Twitter @SonicMercury and like our Facebook page Sonic Mercury

“Friday the 13th” Returns in 2015

London 1888, Christopher Ott, SonicMercury.com

(Image appears courtesy of Christopher Ott and London 1888) 

New Info Surfaces on next

“Friday the 13th” Film

According to an article posted on fashionnstyle.com recently, the 13th installment featuring the hockey masked horror icon Jason Voorhees is slated for a November 2015 release date. Titled “Friday the 13th 3D” the newest chapter in this storied franchise will be the series second film to be in 3D as Friday the 13th Part 3 was also in 3D. Part 3 is also significant because it is the first entry in the series where Jason dons the now legendary hockey mask that defines his image.

In 2013 Warner Bros. relinquished its rights to the Friday the 13th Franchise and also a potential new South Park film to partner with Paramount Pictures on Christopher Nolan’s film “Interstellar.” Nolan’s Batman trilogy was very successful for Warner Bros. and it seems they’re not ready to split ways with the esteemed director. This move gave Paramount the sole rights to the “Friday” franchise and it looks like they aren’t going to waste the opportunity to take advantage of the deal.

Little is known about the film at this time as it is still listed in development. According to fashionnstyle.com the producer Brad Fuller has stated that the script isn’t quite finished and it is unlikely that any of the previous actors, including Derek Mears who played Jason in the last installment of the “Friday the 13th” series will be returning. It seems plausible that “Friday the 13th 3D” will ignore the events of “Friday the 13th (2009).” That’s probably a good thing given that the 2009 version had a lukewarm response at best from longtime fans of the series despite performing respectively at the box office. Like it’s hockey masked antagonist the “Friday the 13th” franchise just won’t stay dead.

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Game Review

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Wolfenstein: The New Order

Reviewed

Wolfenstein: The New Order is a FPS developed by Machine Games and published by Bethesda Softworks. The version I reviewed is the PS4 version. Wolfenstein has a storied franchise. Wolfenstein 3D is considered to be the game that birthed the modern first-person shooter. It was the game that defined what an FPS is. A year later DOOM would come out and cement the FPS genre as a staple in the gaming community. To this day FPS games hold the largest market share in video gaming. Both Wolfenstein 3D and DOOM were developed by id Software. Although Wolfenstein: The New Order was developed by Machine Games it was only after their owner ZeniMax Media acquired id Software and Machine Games earned id Software’s approval that development started. Wolfenstein: The New Order was also built on id Software’s proprietary id Tech 5 game engine which was also used to create the game RAGE. When RAGE came out in 2011 it blew my mind for how gorgeous it looked and for its dynamic game play physics. The things it pulled off I had previously thought were impossible for console gaming at the time. While RAGE has its flaws it is still a great game and I strongly recommend at least a rental.

STORY

From the very first moment of Wolfenstein: The New Order you are dropped head first into an engaging tale that soon reveals itself to be a powerful narrative. Its sort of strange in a game that features such an impressive arsenal, the violence never feels glorified. Rather a necessary means against unimaginable horror. The characters you meet in the game feel like fully fleshed out individuals with realistic humanities. The protagonist is no exception. Captain William Joseph “B.J.” Blazkowicz feels like a real person. Machine Games deserves credit, B.J.’s actions may at times be superhuman but his personality makes him feel genuinely human. Throughout the game periodically you will hear B.J.’s inner thoughts as you progress and perform different actions. It is a subtle layer of storytelling that does wonders to deepen B.J.’s personality. The inner thoughts also serve the player well as to better understand the character of B.J. and his motivations. The premise of Wolfenstein in its purest form, to kill all Nazis, could easily have distilled B.J. Blazkowicz into nothing more than a mindless killing machine. Instead Machine Games has carefully crafted an endearing protagonist you can’t help but root for.

Captain B.J. Blazkowicz is a U.S. soldier fighting in Europe during WWII. After an incident resulting in a severe head injury he wakes up from a vegetative state 14 years later. The Nazis have won the war. The world he knew is gone. He himself is now a relic of a bygone era. No longer a freedom fighter he is now labeled a terrorist. Captain Blazkowicz must uncover the fate of his former comrades and along the way find/create a resistance. A cell to once again fight for the freedom of the people of the world. It is a very personalized story that does an excellent job of hooking you in right from the beginning.

Make no mistake this is a mature game, not just because it contains mature content and deals with adult themes, but also because it handles the them in an adult way. Wolfenstein does not blink when delving into the horrors of war, particularly war against the Nazis. On that note, never have I felt so motivated to defeat an enemy. The events experienced in the game become personal very quickly. You are not just fighting for yourself, but everyone who can’t.

Most of Wolfenstein: The New Order takes place in an alternate timeline after World War 2. Specifically the game takes place in a version of the 1960’s where the Nazis have won the war. The re-imagining of history allows for some pretty interesting science fiction. Machine Games took the opportunity to explore the what ifs? of a history defined by a Nazi victory of WWII and they came up with some creative answers to those questions. It should be noted that early on in the game the player is offered a decision that will effect Wolfenstein’s timeline. The overall story does not change significantly based on how you make this decision but it will have an impact on your in-game abilities, upgrades and the characters you will meet. It is clear that Wolfenstein was created with multiple playthroughs in mind.

GAME PLAY

The combat is extremely satisfying. The weapons are balanced with great precision and all of them are viable options of attack in some capacity on every level. Controls are spot on and feel very responsive. Enemies visibly respond to attacks in appropriate fashion to the weapons you are using. Even larger enemies respond satisfyingly to your attacks. While you do have a large arsenal of weapons and attacks at your disposal you can only quick cycle 2 different weapon sets. The sets are chosen from a selection wheel displaying all of your weapons at once. Choosing your quick select weapons from the wheel really doesn’t take long once you get used to it but still in the heat of battle those few moments can mean life and death. The system does work well enough and I really don’t know of a better way to execute weapon selection on a console game. Thrown items like knives and grenades have designated buttons and are always available for attack no matter what weapons you have selected.

Captain Blazkowicz plays like a total badass. He can run, jump and then rock star slide into combat with duel-wield weapons blazing. On the flip side the stealth was unexpectedly well realized. Using silenced handguns, throwing knives and hands-on takedowns you can dispatch large portions of enemies without them ever knowing you were there. One of the most refreshing parts of the stealth was that I never felt unfairly punished for being detected. Being detected can definitely make portions of the game more difficult but you never feel like you automatically lost because you were detected as is the case in other games. The feeling of getting caught is sort of like “OK, so much for being sneaky, time for plan B!” You obviously don’t want to get caught when trying to be stealthy but if you do get caught being sneaky the game is still fun and you can still win.

Something I really appreciated about the combat was the level of skill that was involved. For instance performing a stealth take down by throwing a knife takes careful consideration for distance and the number of enemies present. Although it is a one hit kill no matter where you hit your target, hitting them is not a guarantee. You could easily miss for a number of reasons which can result in alerting enemies to your position. Even performing stealth takedowns means making sure you are aiming directly at your target within the proper distance. This was something I really appreciated in Wolfenstein because in a lot of other FPS titles similar gameplay often feels less involved and of little skill.

Another thing about the combat is that it really does take strategy. You will need to use a large variety of skills and strategies to progress. Going in duel guns blazing is definitely a lot of fun but in some areas it may be much more beneficial to only wield one rifle, firing from cover. Certain weapons are better suited for different situations and enemies. This is especially true when you are first starting out and don’t have many perks or upgrades unlocked. It is wise to pay attention to your perks. Performing detailed tasks will unlock useful upgrades that will make you more formidable in later levels.

EXPLORE! I swear every nook and cranny of this game has something hidden in it. I’m starting my 4th play through and I am still discovering hidden items and passage ways. It is impossible to talk about Wolfenstein’s gameplay without mentioning it’s level design. Although it is far from a sandbox game and progression is fairly linear, there is still a huge amount of content in every level of this game. The levels are also varied enough that missions and treasure hunting stay fresh. I am suspicious of every environment I enter now because Wolfenstein is full of secrets. Too many times have I walked through a seemingly unassuming area only to look a little closer and discover something hidden. Utilize the resources you are given and pay close attention to your surroundings.

GRAPHICS/PERFORMANCE

Wolfenstein: The New Order is the second game to be built using the id Tech 5 game engine and for the most part it looks pretty good on the PS4. Lighting and shadowing effects are very nice. Certain textures occasionally look flat, pens and papers sometimes look painted on to surfaces. The only time I think the graphics really suffered is in one scene late in the game where they show a city from overhead. Some of the buildings and cars look fine but the surface on the ground looks stretched out and undefined. Wolfenstein is over 50 gigabytes and on last-gen hardware that size is especially large. The 360 version actually comes on 4 discs. I imagine playing Wolfenstein on the PS3 and XBOX 360 would give me a similar feeling of awe to when I played RAGE back in 2011. On current-gen hardware like the PS4 and XBOX One the graphical expectations are greater so when minor blemishes appear on an otherwise great looking game they stick out a lot more.

Wolfenstein boasts a large variety of enemies and even when many of them would appear on screen together I never experienced any noticeable drops in frame rate or slow down. I played with the highest difficulty setting turned on and I will say the enemy A.I. may not be the best ever but they can be quite crafty and they are ruthless. There was only one instance when sniping a long distance that I noticed an enemy had gotten stuck on an object. Overall Wolfenstein looks and plays great, weapons and explosions are especially good looking, there were just a few moments when a few textures seemed lacking.

FINAL VERDICT

The story is surprisingly well told. The voice acting is superb. It is obvious a lot of hard work went into meticulous level design. For a game based on a 30 year old franchise Wolfenstein: The New Order does a great job of honoring the past while leaping forward into the 21st century. I was afraid this title would get caught in the same pitfalls as Duke Nukem Forever. Duke Nukem is another storied franchise from the same era as Wolfenstein. Duke’s biggest game was Duke Nukem 3D, an obvious descendant of Wolfenstein 3D as it featured all of the same core gameplay mechanics. Both franchises experienced their peak in popularity during the 90’s and as evidenced by Duke Nukem Forever, striking that right balance between past and present is tricky. You don’t want to alienate what originally made the franchise so popular in its heyday but you also can’t ignore current trends. Swing too hard one way or the other and you risk the chance of getting stuck in the past or losing the identity of the franchise. It is a delicate balance.

Machine Games did a great job tip-toeing that tight wire. The identity of Wolfenstein is still intact. The core gameplay elements are all present. Staples of the franchise are still present like hidden passage ways and increasingly bizarre enemies. The large arsenal of weapons is well realized and accounted for. The protagonist is still a badass and the Nazis are still the enemy. What Machine Games did was utilize the tools afforded to them by current gaming capabilities to take those core elements, flesh them out, and bring them into the modern world of first-person shooters. Most of all Wolfenstein: The New Order is incredibly fun to play. It is such a refreshing title in a sea of FPS clones. In a world where Call of Duty is a yearly title it is really nice to see a game that embraces its imagination and runs with it.

One thing I will say about this game is that I think it might have been held back a little bit by the restrictions of also being developed for the XBOX 360 and PS3. Had development not been restricted by the constraints of the aging hardware I think this game could have been even more amazing and not had the few issues I mentioned earlier.

Wolfenstein: The New Order

ESRB Rated M for Mature 17+

A highly recommended must play title.

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Gamer News

Sonic Mercury Mortal Kombat X,Mortal Kombat X

Mortal Kombat X Revealed

 

Hey, so uh, yeah its official. Mortal Kombat X is real! An announcement trailer has surfaced today featuring staples of the franchise Sub-Zero and Scorpion battling it out in a winter forest setting. The two donned costumes that were reminiscent of their original ninja designs yet they appeared updated and far more detailed than ever before. The end of the trailer teases a 2015 release. With that info in mind I think it is safe to say that this trailer is not in game footage but likely a CG rendering of what we can expect in the new game.

Based on the “kombat” shown it looks like the x-ray attacks from the last game will be present. It looks like the game will again be 2.5D in presentation meaning a 2 dimensional presentation in a 3D environment. This means no side stepping but the character models and levels will still be rendered in 3D. (More confused? or less?) Think Street Fighter’s presentation versus Tekken’s. The environment seems to play a bigger role this time as both Scorpion and Sub-Zero were shown interacting with trees during their battle, bouncing off of their trunks and using their branches as weapons. Individual character weapons appear to be making a comeback as well.

The setting of a snowy forest at night is noticeably less fantastical than in previous games. It looks like Scorpion and Sub-Zero are fighting in an actual forest. The overall atmosphere is darker than in previous games and the tone is serious. Despite Scorpion and Sub-Zero’s magical powers it is the most realistic MK rendition I have seen. I won’t spoil it for you but the fatality shown at the end of the trailer is just brutal.

IGN reports that every match played in MKX will have an impact on the online portion of the game. Most interesting is that it is being reported players will be able to select different versions of the same characters, effecting both strategy and fighting style. Mortal Kombat X is said to feature an original story encompassing both classic and completely new characters in the fight of good versus evil. Luckily MKX will be on show next week at E3 so we will not have to wait long to learn more about this title. Mortal Kombat X will be available on PS4, PS3, XBOX One, XBOX 360 and the PC.

Here is the link to the announcement trailer for Mortal Kombat X as posted on the Mortal Kombat Community YouTube page.

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Gamer News

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Nintendo Making Head Scratching Decisions

Nintendo has announced a new “Affiliate Program” for YouTube “Let’s Play” videos featuring any Nintendo content. Though Nintendo has yet to release all of the details on the new program what has been released is not good news for many YouTubers whose channels feature game related content. The affiliate program states that any ad revenue generated by a Let’s Play video will be divided up between Google and Nintendo. The creator of the content will have to ask for official permission from Nintendo to receive their share of the revenue.

Last year Nintendo started flagging all videos on YouTube featuring their content. This flagging was met with such disdain by the gaming community that Nintendo recanted and returned to letting YouTube users feature Nintendo content without consequence. It looks like Nintendo has modified their original idea. It may seem fair for Nintendo to get a share of the revenues earned from Let’s Play videos featuring their content but the thing is no other gaming entity engages in any practices similar to the “Affiliate Program.” Not even Sony nor Microsoft enforce any sort of revenue sharing for Let’s Play videos featuring proprietary content.

In fact every other gaming entity encourages Let’s Play videos. On top of being free advertising Let’s Play videos help create communities around the games by giving a deeper look into content that can not be easily displayed in a trailer or commercial. Gamespot just did a Let’s Play for the new Watch Dogs title and I am really glad they did because it shed a lot of light on just what kind of game Watch Dogs really was and it helped me decide if it was something I really wanted to play. To get right down to it Let’s Play videos have become a staple of the gamer community. YouTube host boogie2988 made an excellent point in a recent video about how most of the developers in gaming, big and small, are so excited for people to play their games they often ship them early to people who do Let’s Play videos so as many people as possible can enjoy their games.

It just seems counterintuitive for Nintendo to put this kind of restriction on its content. The “Affiliate Program” is going to discourage the creators of Let’s Play videos in favor of content with less restrictions. Nintendo will also go after reviews of their games and anyone displaying anything Nintendo related on YouTube. For a company that has lost almost half a billion dollars in the last year and has watched its newest console struggle to gain any kind of foothold in the gaming market alienating your fans makes no sense. Why would you tax people for giving you free advertising? Obviously this is a way for Nintendo to make some money. The question is will it be worth it in the long run? It is fairly likely people will stop wanting to do coverage of their games and products.

YouTubers with gaming channels reach huge audiences. Why would you do anything that could potentially diminish your presence within that audience? Especially when you are struggling. All I can say is it feels like every time I think Nintendo is starting to turn it around they do something like this. Nintendo has deep pockets so they aren’t going anywhere in the near future but actions like this “Affiliate Program” make them seem so out of touch with what is going on within the gaming community, a community they helped to create.

-Z3R0TH3RT33N

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Horror News

Sonic Mercury, SonicMercury.com/theevilwithin

The Evil Within Release Delayed

Highly anticipated horror title The Evil Within has seen its release date pushed back. Director of the title Shinji Mikami and his development team requested more time to polish the game. Publisher Bethesda Softworks included this quote with the delay announcement.

“Shinji Mikami and his team at Tango Gameworks have asked for additional time to further balance and refine the game in order to deliver the polished, terrifying pure survival horror experience they set out to create.”

Thankfully the new release date is only a few months so instead of a late August release we will see The Evil Within release in late October, just in time for Halloween. Also included in this announcement were details about in game perks rewarded to people who pre-order The Evil Within. Dubbed The Fighting Chance Pack here is what it comes with as listed on Bethesda Softworks home page.

  • Medical Kit – A vital health enhancement to enable Sebastian to fight on.
  • Green Gel – Used to upgrade Sebastian’s attributes.
  • Double Barrel Shotgun and Three Shells – A larger and more formidable shotgun than the regular shotgun, it’s useful for tight situations with multiple encroaching enemies.
  • An Incendiary Agony Bolt – Capable of showering nearby enemies with damaging fire sparks.
  • A Poison Agony Bolt – Will draw enemies towards it and poison them, allowing Sebastian time for a quick escape.

The Evil Within has been on everyone’s radar because the director of the game Shinji Mikami is the creator of the Resident Evil series and this new title is said to be his desire to return survival horror to its roots. From the different sources I have seen who have had the opportunity to go hands on with The Evil Within it sounds promising that Shinji and his team at Tango Gameworks will make good on their promise. If the game does live up to expectations it will be well worth the wait. The Evil Within is slated for release on PS3, PS4, XBOX 360, XBOX One and PC.

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Gamer News

Gamer News, Sonic Mercury Gamer News,Sonic Mercury,

Microsoft to Make Kinect Optional for XBOX One

Starting June 9th of this year you will be able to pick up an XBOX One sans the Kinect motion sensor. This is good news for many people who were turned off by the peripheral. For starters the Kinect-less XBOX One will be available for $399, dropping the cost by $100 and matching the price of its biggest competitor the PS4. More good news for XBOX One consumers is that the console supposedly will have its performance boosted by freeing up memory designated to running the Kinect.

This was a much desired concession made by Microsoft that critics of the Kinect have wanted since day one. However the decision seems to have been abrupt as multiple developers who were working on XBOX One and Kinect titles have expressed disdain. Everyone developing anything for the XBOX One less than a few weeks ago were under the impression that Kinect was a mandatory part of the system. Some developers are currently creating games that exclusively use Kinect controls and they will definitely see an impact on sales now that the Kinect install base will shrink. Even the XBOX One interface has been retooled as it was designed to function with the Kinect.

While removing the Kinect is a popular decision within the hardcore gaming community it still seems a shame that Microsoft has made it optional. I know that I was someone who in the beginning was fiercely opposed to the Kinect but now I feel like the last part of Microsoft’s identity has been lost. Games that specifically only use Kinect controls don’t necessarily appeal to me but I can’t help wondering now how a future XBOX One exclusive may have took advantage of the Kinect’s unique features to create an experience only available on the XBOX One.

There are a few reasons as to why Microsoft may have chosen to remove the Kinect so swiftly. The PS4 is still outselling the XBOX One and Titanfall didn’t turn out to be the system seller Microsoft hoped it would be. Forbes estimates that if current trends keep up the XBOX One will have close to half the install base of the PS4 by the holiday 2014 season. This information combined with the fact that XBOX One cost $100 more than the PS4 fueled the decision makers at Microsoft to make a drastic decision. Once the decision was made to make Kinect optional Microsoft felt it better to make the news public as quickly as possible as to dissipate some of the negativity that might have been associated with this move before E3.

I’m sure that the XBOX One will still have some amazing exclusive content without the Kinect and the price drop is definitely favorable. My concern now is that in removing the Kinect has the XBOX One become too similar to the PS4? With less to differentiate itself from the PS4 will the price cut be enough to persuade consumers away from the highly popular PS4? Finally does the removal of mandatory Kinect herald the end of motion gaming?

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Gamer News

Grand Theft Auto Online

Tuesday May 13th the High Life Update is finally set to arrive for GTA Online. The addition of new high-end properties and the ability to own more than one property including garages is something online players have been wanting since day one. Five new locations with new interiors have been added to the real estate of Los Santos. Three new cars will be available, the Zentorno, Massacro, and Huntley S. A new motorcycle the Dinka Thrust. There is a new weapon the Bullpup rifle. Fifteen new missions will be added as well as new high-life themed attire. A feature many fans of GTA’s races will take note of the new “non-contact” mode where racers will no longer be able to bump each other off the road. Traffic and other obstacles will still remain. New vehicle horns as well as new player salutes will be included in the High Life Update. Lastly a new Mental State stat will appear for all players. The is designed to show how passive or insane your fellow players are. 

Still glaringly missing are the heists promised for GTA Online from day 1. This update does add some much asked for additions, namely the new property and garage features. As someone who personally has really enjoyed GTA 5 and its online mode for what its worth, I can’t help but feel that the overall online experience including the updates has been far shallower than expected. GTA Online is far less populated by players now than when it was launched last September. Much of the mayhem and unprovoked hostility in GTA Online stems from this shallowness. There is little to no incentive for players to work together outside of certain missions and even then as soon as a mission is over it is fairly common for one player to murder another for the money they earned together on that same mission. These factors combined with a dwindling online community, mostly out of sheer boredom of repetition and a caustic peer to peer environment, make me think that Rockstar has dropped the ball on this one.

The next update after high life is supposed to be the one featuring heists. It just feels like too little too late. The large community that first participated in GTA Online has for the most part moved on. The updates have been mostly superficial and I’m curious to see that whenever the heists update finally does come out if that many people are really going to care. How many players are going to want to come back to GTA Online after playing every other aspect of it to death. I theorize that Rockstar might have an announcement regarding all of this at E3, probably regarding GTA on PS4 and XBOX One. Are you still excited to play the heists missions in GTA Online? Leave a comment below.

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Gamer News

Sonic Mercury,sonic mercury gaming news, Mortal Kombat 10?

Ed Boon co-creator of Mortal Kombat has been tweeting cryptic messages that decipher into a countdown which ends on June 2nd. Needless to say their is a LOT of speculation going on. Is it a sequel to the well received Injustice: Gods Among Us title featuring DC Comics all stars? or is it the much rumored Mortal Kombat 10? Ed Boon is certainly having fun with fans with tweets like this.

It is possible that we may get an announcement for both Mortal Kombat 10 and Injustice 2. The good news is hopefully we will only have to wait 26 days to get to the bottom of this mystery. E3 starts June 7th so if Ed Boon does indeed have a new game announcement up his sleeve it might be only a few days before we get to see it in action. Recently production on a Classic Mortal Kombat HD remake was cancelled in favor of just porting the original titles with online support. Perhaps this announcement will shed some light on why the remake was cancelled.

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