The latest game to take the industry by storm is Manor Lords, racing to the top of the charts the second it became available. It's truly captured the minds and hearts of players, and?? no small part of that is the Early Access discount and Game Pass availability.

In a post on the Manor Lords Steam page, ??Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender took the time to not only express his gratitude but to assure players suffering from FOMO that the game and its discounted price point weren't going anywhere.

"You have all been incredibly supportive of Manor Lords, this city builder started by a solo-developer, and taken it to 3.2 million player wishlists," Bender said. "Your support of developer Greg and his game has already been huge, and so I want to say: please, don't feel any pressure to buy the game if waiting is better for you. If money is tight right now or you'r?e still uncertain, we'll run those 25% discounts often and give you plenty of opportunities to get the game later as well, no one should feel any fear of missing out or any kind of pressure."

First announced in 2020, Manor Lords is a medieval RTS/city-builder game in which players grow their kingdom. Prior to its release, the?? game was the most wishlisted on Steam.

The game has blown up since release. At the time of this writing, Manor Lords has a comfortable 170,000 concurrent players on Steam, meaning more people are playing it than even the revitalized Fallout franchise. And that's just on Steam; ?considering the game is also on Game Pass, there are likely thousands more playing it right now.

The post Manor Lords dev promises fu?ture discounts for players missing Early Access appeared first on Destructoid.

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping

Back in August, I wrote up a preview of Vanillaware's 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim that focused on the prologue to the full adventure. In my post, I said I'd written down several notes to keep track of everyone in the game and the respective years they traveled from to reach Japa??n circa 1985.

Turns out, most of those notes were useless. They were a waste of paper really, because no matter how close I paid attention in that prologue, how much I studied the review guide I was sent by Atlus, nothing could prepare me for what thi??s game had in store.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (PlayStation 4)
Developer: Vanillaware
Publisher: Atlus
Released: September 22, 2020
MSRP: $59.99

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a game that loves t??o keep the player guessing. It wants people to keep asking questions as it slowly peels away its layers and blindsides you with pressing new mysteries. This is a dense piece of soft science fiction, with multiple character motivations and relations?hips to explore throughout a range of eras that include World War II, the 1980s, and the future's future.

The bulk of the game takes place in 1985 and follows a group of high-school-age teenagers, most of whom attend Sakura High School. In the prologue, you actually start the campaign near its end. Giant kaiju are attacking the city and it's up to these 13 heroes to band together in their sentinels to destroy the monsters and save the city. You meet all of the central characters in these opening hours and discover their initial ??motivations. Before any of that though, each story section begins with a quick fight in the game's battle mode that introduces you to the ins-and-outs of its unique system.

Once you get past the prologue, 13 Sentinels splits into two distinct experiences. There is Remembrance, which is the narrative-focused adventure mode where you'll spend the bulk of your time. Then ??there is Destruction, which? contains the various battles you fight against the kaiju invasion. Both of these split sections feed into one another as the further you advance in one, the more you'll unlock in the other.

Wanting to get the most of that sweet Vanillaware art direction, I dove headfirst into Remembrance, bo?uncing around from character to character, slowing unra??veling the plot. Do not be surprised if you find yourself lost in the opening hours of the narrative. Not only are there several characters to play as -- you don't unlock all 13 until later in the game -- but their storylines don't necessarily run even with one another. You might witness a scene with one character early in the game, only to see it again from another character's point of view hours later. Not only that, but some characters have multiple names, and there are dream sequences that might prophesize events in the future or even the past.

If it were told linearly, the story for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim would easily be one of the best science-fiction stories gaming has given us. But by breaking it up in a non-linear fashion, there is a greater reward for those players who pay close attention to the dialogue and actions of these characters. Mixing its pieces around adds an ele??ment of surprise and allows the writers to offer up twists that might not have otherwise been possible if this story were a straight line. This is a seriously gripping narrative, a stay-up-until-2:00 am-reading-subtitles-because-you're-so-damn-hooked caliber of storytelling. It may be intentionally complex, but it's that complexity that enriches the overall experience in ways few other games can manage.

It also has a beauty few other games can match. That signature Vanillaware art direction has reached new levels of detail in its elegant recreation '80s Japan. The settings are magnificent, and its use of light and color enriches what would otherwise be drab, gray buildings. Certain areas are soaked in the pinks of sunset or glowing in neon greens, and so many points found aroun?d this city simply take my breath away. This is the best art Vanillaware has ever done, though if you're really into the fan service of the developer's past titles, know that there's very little of that in the game.

Some of that art direction carries over to Destruction, though it's very minimal. The kaiju each have a more detailed illustration you'll see when they're introduced for the first time, and each attack you can equip to your sentinels has a tasty little animation that illustrates what it looks like. Unfortunately, you don't get any of that in the heat of battle. The sentinels and kaiju are both represented by simple block graphi?cs that, while not visually stunning, are very representative of the types of arcade games that would not be uncommon when this game is set.

Destruction is divided up into different areas of the city, each requiring the completion of multiple battles. You'll have access to all 13 characters when you get through the prologue, but you can only take up to six into battle at once. The remaining sentinels guard the aegis, which is the ultimate goal for each battle: protect the aegis or it's game over. Before each fight, you'll pick the characters you want to take into combat, and there are four different generations of sentinels to consider. First-generation sentinels are ground-based, heavily armored, and deal out massive damage. Second- and third-generation sentinels are also limited to the ground, but have attacks and support skills th?at are useful against a wide variety of enemies. Fourth-generation sentinels can fly and are ideal for taking down massive swarms of flying kaiju, but have far less HP than your other options.

At the end of each battle, you'll earn a ranking based on how you did in protecting the city, the aegis, and your sentinels. You'll also see how exhausted each character is from battle, which forces you to routinely rotate your line-up. Each successful battle ?will net you Meta Chips, as does completing story sections in Remembrance. These chips are used to enhance your sentinels with new and stronger attacks, and your terminal, which gives you access to effects that can change the course of a battle. Your characters also level up separately of the Meta Chips, unlocking new abilities that can encourage you to experiment with your team builds. Each battle also has a set of unique challenges associated with it that, if completed, earns you extra rewards.

Whereas the narrative isn't afraid to throw players for a loop, the battles of Destruction are extremely straightforward. Kaiju attack and you kill them. While there are different types of kaiju to contend with, each with their own weaknesses, strengths, and functions, it's not too difficult to have a team that's perf?ect for eve??ry situation.

These battles play out similar to a real-time strategy game, but combat pauses each time one of your sentinels can perform an action. This gives you a chance to properly ana?lyze the battlefield, check where the next group of kaiju is going to drop, and make any shifts in your strategy that are warranted. Honestly, I didn't need much time for strategizing until I reached the last section of battles. On normal, these fights are fast-paced, intense, and pretty enjoyable, but they don't offer much of a challenge or a steady difficulty curve. There is a harder difficulty available for those who really want it, but you can also make it easier if you just want to focus on the story.

And honestly, I don't blame anyone who sets these battles to easy so they can cruise through them and get back to Remembrance. It's easily the strongest half of this package, and if I have any complaint about 13 Sentinels, it's that the structure Vanillaware chose for this game, separating the story from the action, lacks cohesion. Pre- and post-battle dialogues do reference some of the revel?ations made in the narrative -- as well as occasionally spoil future plot points -- but because these battles are not sewn directly into the storyline, they often feel like an unwanted diversion from the far superior and simply enthralling Remembrance.

Had Vanillaware crafted a title where the story and the action wove into one another flawlessly, we'd be looking at the greatest game the developer has ever made, without question. Unfortunately, that's not what this game is, and while what is here is great, it's crushing to see just how close 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim came to perfection.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim appeared first on Destructoid.

So many multi-syllable names to remember

It's been five years since Atlus and Vanillaware first revealed 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim to ??the world. After a couple of delays and a dropped platform, it launched last year in Japan to critical success. As a fan of the developer's previous work, I've kept my eye on the title, but I've noticed enthusiasm t?oward it in the west has been relatively muted.

The images that sprang to mind when we heard "Vanillaware is making a giant mecha vs. kaiju game" became dust in the wind when we actually got a look at what 13 Sentinels would be. Gone was the side-scrolling action gameplay Vanillaware relied upon in titles like Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade. In its place is an experience divided into two very distinct genres: a side-scrolling, text-heavy adventure game that maintains the gorgeous art di??rection Vanillaware is best known for and an isometric real-time strategy game that looks and plays nothing like the developer has made befor??e.

Marketing for 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim may rely heavily on the stunning visuals of the narrative portion to sell it, but the actual game doesn't shy away from getting you into the cockpit of a sentinel right at the top of the prologue. The story begins in media?? res with high school student Iori Fuyusaka calling upon her metal marvel to battle a kaiju that's appeared in the city. Renya Gouto, the second of the 13 protagonists introduced in this three-hour tutorial, guides her and me through this first mission and first victory against the invading hordes.

This fight and the next few that follow do a thorough job of introducing the various intricacies of the battle system. The ultimate goal of each skirmish is to protect the Aegis, a massive dev??ice that'll protect a portion of the city from kaiju once it's powered up. If it's destroyed, or if any member of my squad falls in battle, it's game over.

The big takeaway from these early fights is the difference in sentinel types. There are different generations of sentinels to pilot, each with their strengths and weaknesses. Flying sentinels are tailor-made for drone kaiju, while ground-based sentinels are ideal for close-quarters combat with the more massive kaiju. None of the sentinels and kaiju are that detailed in battle as they mostly look like they fell out of a Space Invaders cabinet??, though the lack of that signature Vanillaware art style in these massive battles keeps everything moving?? briskly.

By the time the final fight of the prologue rolls around, I'm well-versed in how to handle myself in combat. But when I'm not fighting, well, it's been a struggle to keep track of everything and everyone important to the story. With 13 protagonists to work with, as well as a large handful of supporting characters, there's a chance the narrative could become bloated. For these few ope??ning hours, however, it's quite lean and very fractured as the story jumps from the present to the past to the future to the distant ?future as the heroes of this tale are slowly brought together.

So far, most of the action takes place in a beautifully drawn Japanese city in 1985. As each character joins the story, you learn small snippet?s of information about them as their role in the narrative slowly becomes clear. Juro Kurabe, the second protagonist you take control ?of, is a lover of classic monster movies with a best friend who quickly turns out to be more than just another student at his school. Natsuno Minami is obsessed with UFOs, so when she meets one in the girl's locker room at her school, it's a match made in heaven.

Character motivation is strong in these early hours. Though some of the protagonists are not as thoroughly explored as others, each one is distinct in personality and motivation. These characters are well-written enough that I've had no issues identifying them when they pop into a scene ?despite their similar uniforms and near-identical faces.

What has been a struggle is figuring out when each character originates from. The boys from the 1940s are easy enough to keep track of -- and their quest to use the sentinels in World War II presents an interesting hypothesis on what would have happened had Japan been the military superpower of the war -- but with multiple future eras in play here, I took written notes to remind myself of how far into the future each character is coming from and the different points in time they've visited to reach their current location. I also needed my notepad to keep track of the food they're eating. That's not important to the story. I just haven't been able to get the though??t of a yakisoba pan out of my mind all week.

It's too early to make a judgment about 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, but with the prologue completed, I can say the? narrative has done enough to convince me this story is worth seeing through to the end. As for the combat, well, I'm going to need to get a taste of what it's like when the training wheels come off.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim launch??es September 22 exc?lusively for PlayStation 4.

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Patch 5.0 includes new map editor features, campaign achievements, and co-op Commander prestige talents

In a moment of self-reflection where we all just turn to dust, Blizzard has reminded everyone that today is the 10th anniversary of StarCraft II. There's a beefy 5.0 patch to cel??ebrate the occasion.

Most of the anniversary update has to do with expanding the Galaxy Map Editor – expect lots of nitty-gritty features an??d better support for custom campaigns – but there are a few other things to bring up. There's a countdown timer in Versus matches once players have loaded in, a Prestige progression system for co-op Commanders to unlock talents, and new Campaign achievements for "all 83 missions."

I'm most excited about the latter – if nothing else, as a predominantly?? solo-focused RTS player, I adore Blizzard's mission designs. I always had to fight the urge to replay levels as? soon as I finished them.

If you manage to earn every 10th anniversary achievement, you'll unlock the Stone announcer in StarCraft II. "These achievements can be earned on any difficulty above Normal. However, th?ey are designed to be scalable and are possible, though extremely challenging, on even Brutal."

If you're not up to that commitment, you'll still get something new for showing up. You can unlock the White-Ra announcer just by logging into the game betw?een July 27 and August 10, 2020.

The team is also planning to run down the "10 greatest games in StarCraft II esports" starting this week.

For many of us, this a chance to think back on the series at large and how amped we were for a StarCraft sequel. Things didn't work out exactly as expected for the story, and the esports scene – to say nothing of Blizzard as a company – has changed so much over the l??ast decade. It's been a wild ride.

StarCraft II 5.0 Patch Notes, StarCraft II is Turning 10 [Blizzard]

The post StarCraft II got a 10th anniversary patch today appeared first on Destructoid.

It's warhammer time

In today's contest you can win Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus for Switch, PS4, or Xbox One!

If you've been reading my work for a while (sorry about that), you know I'm woefully inept at strategy titles. Hell, I'm bad at strategizing pretty much all around. My planning ahead usually consists of forget?ting abo??ut the event until the last minute, winging it, and hoping for the best.

So, I'm out of my element here! If you're not, you can win Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus to live out your turn-based strategic fantasies. Just don't rely on me for a??ny help.

Read words.

Taking control of Adeptus Mechanicus forces, players must lead their Tech-Pr??iests and troops on a tactical quest to salvage ancient technologies from the mysterious Necron tombs of the planet Silva Tenebris.

The console release of Mechanicus builds on the critically acclai??med PC version with the addition of the Heretek DLC which exposes the dark underbelly of the Adeptus Mechanicus faction like never before. Players will face frighteningly familiar foes in a cohort of heretek Tech-Priests over five new missions using new disciplines, troops and unlockable firepower.

The console package is completed with the special Omnissiah Edition content which adds the atmospheric soundtrack, short story ‘Deus Ex Mechanicus&r??squo; by Andy Chambers, the stunning digital artbook, as well as the hard-hitting melee weapon, the Arc Scourge.

I think jus?t by reading the title of the post you pretty much know if you want this or not.

To enter to win your copy, comment below telling us your platform and region, and a time you made a plan or strategized. I'd give a?n example, but considering my plan to be a millio??naire hasn't yet panned out I don't think I'm cut out for it.

We have three Switch keys (NA and EU), five PS4 (NA and EU), and five Xbox One (region-free) keys to give out. Winners will be drawn Monday, July 28. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on fil?e. If yo?u're new, sign up here to talk about your life's plans with us!

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is available now for Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

The post Contest: Win Warhammer 4?0,000: Mechanicus for Switch, P??S4, or Xbox One appeared first on Destructoid.

Fight for Your Rites (To Warhammer)

Anyone looking for the latest and greatest in the vast Warhammer 40K collection won't be interested i?n this giveaway. However, anyone looking to not spend a single cent might want to pay attention.

GOG's giving away 1999's Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War this weekend. I'd be lying to you if I said I know much of anything about this game. I just learned of its existence today, and I know that it's an RTS. If you want to roll the dice on a freebie, here's the link.

That's not the extent of Warhammer's weekend presence on GOG. There's also a sale with cheap older games and discounted newer games. Go sift through that if you've got the itch for even more Warhammer. 

The post There are?? 40,000 Warhammer games and one of them is free on GOG appeared first on Destructoid.

Expect plenty of fatalities

In today's contest, you'll get a second chance to win medieval RTS Taste of Power!

Huzzah for second chances! About a month and a half ago, we gave out copies of medieval RTS Taste of Power so you guys could pass the quarantine time without going crazy. Now that some places are starting to o??pen back up, why not double dip ?for when the inevitable second wave hits?

Taste of Power is rocking out on Steam right now, so ya might as well win a copy for yo??ursel??f!

In case you missed it the first time around, here's a little ditty about Taste of Power.

Taste of Power is a real-time strategy game set in alternate m?edieval times, where you fight for one of 3 factions – Europe, China, or the Middle East. In our version of history, nations clash for global dominance. The continent is an epic battlefield, so you'll have to build cities, recruit troops, study new technologies and wipe out your opponents. Your nation needs a proper commander!

Tactics are essential in Taste of Power. The numbers of your enemies' troops don't mean much if you meet them with a proper artillery battery. Engineerin??g power has no limits here, as you can build mobile defenses to protect strategic positions. Build underground t??unnels to move your forces across the battle lines faster and surprise your opponent!

I'm still bad at strategizing things. Hell, I can't even pay my rent on t?ime. I'm make an awful co?mmander.

?To enter to win your copy, comment below telling us what's in my left front pocket. I usually carry my keys there, but as I'm not going anywhere, that space is all freed up! The power is yours.

We have five Steam keys to give a??way; winners will be drawn Tuesday, May 26. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. New 'round here? Sign up here to join the greatest community on the internet.

Taste of Power is available now on Steam. Make sure to visit PC Invasion for more chances to win!

The post Contest: En?gage in medieval mortal combat with a Steam copy o?f RTS title Taste of Power appeared first on Destructoid.

What does it taste like?

In today's contest we're giving away Medieval RTS Taste of Power!

I'm t?he least strategic person on the planet. If some people consider themselves a step ahead of the rest, I'm at least five steps behind. It's why I prefer check?ers to chess -- far fewer chances to screw up. That's me, alright.

For those of you who do tend to lean towards planning ahead, we've got a nice RTS available for you! Taste of Power sees an alternate Medieval timelines where Europe, China, and the Middle East are all at war for basically that whole giant mass of land over there. Do you?? have what it takes to conquer the world?

I'm?? terrible at this genre so I'll let the devs tell you about it.

Taste of Power is a real-time strategy game set in ??alternate medieval times, where you fight for one of 3 factions – Europe, China, or the Middle East. In our version of history, nations clash for global dominance. The continent is an epic battlefield, so you'll have to build cities, recruit troops, study new technologies and wipe out your opponents. Your nation needs a proper commander!

Tactics are essential in Taste of Power. The numbers of your enemies' troops don't mean much if you meet them with a proper artillery battery. Engineering power has no limits here, as you can build mobile defenses to protect?? strateg??ic positions. Build underground tunnels to move your forces across the battle lines faster and surprise your opponent!

The whole th??ing is giving me anxiety having to plan ahead, execute said plans, and actually succeed at the whole affair. Y'all can take this one without me.

To enter to win, comment below telling me what, exactly, power tastes like. Does it taste like a protein shake? A vitamin-packed veggie wrap? Maybe the shopping cart handle at the groc??ery store? Before this virus, I used to love tasting them to see what flavors were there. Can't do that, these days. It's a real shame.

We have five Steam keys to give away; winners will be drawn Wednesday, April 8. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. If you don't have an account, sign up here to describe powerful flavors to me.

Taste of Power is available now on Steam, complete with Mostly Positive reviews! Head over to PC Invasion for more chances to win a key.

The post Contest: We’re all stuck inside, so the least we could do is give away a free RTS in Taste of Power appeared first on Destructoid.

'We're going to continue to update the depth of the game'

Warcraft III: Reforged should have been a feel-good story for fans, but Blizzard dropped the ball – hard. It's going to take a lot of time and energy to redeem this remaster and attempt to change the narrative.

A recent patch (Version 1.32.1) brings some much-needed fixes, including one for hitc??hing?. It's a start.

Changes and Bug Fixes

• Campaign
  • Players should no longer be met with a “defeat” screen after loading into a mission.
  • Audio levels for some dialogue have been adjusted.
  • The animations, triggers, and cameras for some cutscenes have been tweaked.
  • Disconnecting or logging out will no longer change the save file folder.
  • Fixed a number of issues that would block progression or not give credit for completing missions.
    • Developer’s note: Updating a map for these types of fixes invalidates prior saves. This is similar to how replays from prior game client versions no longer work. Campaign progress will not be lost.
• Custom Games
  • Multiboards should no longer crash custom games.
  • Joining lobbies for the same map no longer creates duplicate versions of the map.
    • Developer’s note: This also resolves disconnects from improper map names.
• Gameplay
  • The rendering of Classic mode has been updated.
  • Resolved an issue with hitching when constructing buildings or training units for the first time.
  • Fixed Ziggurat upgrade animation in Reforged mode.
  • Adjusted animations and portraits for multiple units and buildings.
  • Units completing training while off-screen again have voices.
  • Starting locations are again obscured by the fog of war.
• Interface
  • Whispers now include the name of the sender.
  • Locale settings for audio and subtitles can now be adjusted independently in Battle .net prior to launching the game.
  • Non-Latin glyphs no longer overlap.
  • A tooltip now displays when hovering over truncated text.
  • Chat keeps up with the latest messages.
  • Heroes on the match results screen are now contained by boundaries.
  • All menus are now distinct between Classic and Reforged graphic settings.
    • Developer’s note: We’ve implemented a temporary solution to better inform whether you are playing in Reforged or Classic mode, by applying a sepia tone to the background images for Classic.

The update isn't nothing – it's progress! – but if you were expecting a comprehensive patch, this isn't it. For the time being, Warcraft III players will just have to hang tight while they wait for further fixes (if they haven't requested a refund and moved on??). That said, Blizzard has heard everyone's complaints.

"Our community has come to expect really amazing things from us, and we've heard from them that we did not achieve that bar," Blizzard president J. Allen Brack told investors yesterday after an analyst raised a question about "negative press" during Activision Blizzar??d's Q4 2019 earnings call.

"We stand behind our games and have consistently shown that not only do we support them, but we continue to build on them even after launch. And we're committed to doing that here as well."

"We're going to continue to update the depth of the game," he added.

I hope they turn things around, for Warcraft III's sake. The game deserves better. ??It's an a??ll-time great.

The post Warcraft III: Reforged missed the mark, but Blizzard says it’s ‘committed’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't forget to actually complete the main quest

Sega and Team Yakuza have released a new, near-five-minute gameplay trailer for their upcoming action RPG Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The Japanese video ?features a cross-section of gameplay, demonstrating what is looking to be a very varied adventure title.

In the trailer, we see new pro??tagonist Ichiban Kasuga - accompanied by his party of strange and unlikely allies - explore the city, go gambling, do a spot of shopping, take an exam, hang out at hostess bars, play some darts, get booed at a press conference, indulge in some go-karting, play piano... Oh, and smash the heads of numerous thugs and troublemakers.

While the Yakuza series has long been known for its quirky sense of humor and myriad of distractions and side-quests, Like a Dragon is seemingly looking to raise the bar on both the fun and?? weirdness factors. Throw in an all-new tactical combat system, fresh cityscapes, and lots of new characters to befriend or beat-up, and it seems the series is set to maintain its charisma and magnetism, even?? without the snakeskin shoes of Kazuma Kiryu.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon launches on? PS4 in Japan Januar??y 16, and will head west sometime in 2020.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon latest gameplay trailer [Gematsu]

The post Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s new gameplay trailer is crammed with distractions appeared first on Destructoid.

3:00pm Pacific, to be exact

We don't have to wait much longer for Warcraft III: Reforged – it's launching for PC on January 28, 2020. It'll be playable through the Battle.net app, ?and the standard edition of the game costs $29.99.

In a blog post, Blizzard said it needed "a little extra development time for finishi??n??g touches."

This remaster of Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne has updated "characters, structures, environments, animations, and graphical effects," but here's the crazy thing: "Players will be able to do battle with anyone who plays Warcraft III, regardless of whether they're playing the original or Reforged."

There's also a new World Editor, which means tower defense, MOBAs, and other custom games. As much as I'm itching?? to play through the whole saga again (there are seven campaigns!), I'm reminded of how much time I spent outside of the story,?? messing around with other players in bizarre user games.

Warcraft III holds such a special place in my hea?rt. It was my summer jam ??for several years in a row.

The post Warcraft III: Reforged releasing January 28 appeared first on Destructoid.

EARLY and FREE

Today's giveaway features beta access to upcoming turn-based skirmish game Dreadlands.

What's bet?ter than playing a game for free? Playing a game for free, but early! That's why I like to give out beta keys -- you get to check out a game before launch and help shape its future, and devs get important feedback on how to make their game better. It's a win-w??in.

In that vein, we're giving away beta keys for upcoming turn-based action title Dreadlands. Get in ear??ly, and maybe even find your new favorite gam?e.

Here's som??e info on the game and the beta, running now ??through December 31, 2019.

Dreadlands is a turn-based skirmish game set in a living post-apocalyptic shared world. Explore Dreadlands by travelling across its many regions with your misfit gang of miscreants and mercenaries. The game is set in a Shared World where players frequently encounter and intera?ct with each other. Sometimes they cooperate, other?? times they pick fights in bloody PvP battles.

"We are extremely excited to roll out the ?Beta and we can't wait?? to see people take their first fledgling steps in the weird and wondrous world of Dreadlands." says Peter Nilsson, Founder, and Creative Director Blackfox Studios.

Win and be a part of Dreadlands
The bet?a will give the players a chance to choose between two gang factions in the Dreadlands, and explore 15 different chapters. It will also give the player the chance to participate in the first-ever PvP Season of Dreadlands, where the winner will get immortalized in the Dreadlands as their Gang will be featured as NPC's in the Main Campaign.

Beta Features

• Two Gang Factions
• 15 Campaign Chapters
• 11 Different World Zones
• 19 Unique Settlements to Discover
• First ever PvP Season!

Claim your Steam key from the widget below. You'll gain instant access to the beta period for the entire ?rest of the month of December. Once the keys ar?e gone, they're gone!

Check out Dreadlands for yourself on Steam, and leave ?some feedback?? once you've gotten some time in!

The post Giveaway: Play Dreadlands early and free with?? one of?? our beta keys appeared first on Destructoid.

We're gonna need a bigger can of Raid

It's a little bit Earth Defense Force, a little bit Command & Conquer, and a little bit schlocky 90s cinema. There are a billi??on bugs, and you're going to exterminate them all.

Starship Troopers is being adapted into a real-time strategy game. Starship Troopers: Terran Command puts you in charge of t?he human effort in the mismatched war against the Arachnids. We have firepower; they have a lot of bugs.

Terran Command's Steam page mentions a lot of features including: Dozen??s of unit types that all have their own abilitie??s; a dynamically-generated campaign for "virtually limitless replayability;" a moral choice system in the campaign where you can obey or rebel against the wishes of your commanding officers (these decisions open up unique units and abilities); a true line of sight system, meaning you can only see what's visible to your units; and the use of elevation and chokepoints to take the strategic high ground against those dumb bug-brained bugs.

Starship Troopers: Terran Command is being developed by The Aristocrats, the studio responsible for RTS Order of Battle. It's funded by strategy publisher Slitherine. There's no exact release date yet, but Starship Troopers: Terran Command is slated to launch sometime next year. Unless those bugs send another asteroid to Earth and demolish another major city. Then Johnny Rico starts kic?king ass immediately.

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Set in the Medieval era

Age of Empires II: Definite Edition has taken up the spotlight lately, but during today's X019 presentation in London, we got a look – a real, non-concept-arty look – at the future of the series, Age of Empires IV.

Along with Age of Empires IV gameplay footage, we also learned that Microsoft's dedicated Age of Empires studio is now going by World's Edge. As a reminder, Age of Empires IV is a partnership between Microsoft and developer Relic Entertainment (Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War and Company of Heroes), and ??they'?re looking to "bring this franchise back to the forefront of gaming."

The timing here couldn't be better, what with AoE II: Definitive Edition hitting Steam today.

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Would you like the shirt off my back, too?

Sega's next entry in the face-mashing Yakuza franchise, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, has received a new trailer to celebrate the launch of its first demo, now available on the Japanese PlayStat?ion Store. The new video, featuring a whopping ten minutes of cinematics, is a little heavy on the spoilers, so fans who wish to stay in the dark might want to skip it (along with the rest of this article) entirely.

Alongside the usual high drama and tense confrontation one expects from the Yakuza series - as new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga fights his way through another slew of gangster-related worries - the video ends with the reveal that longtime Yakuza hero Kazuma Kiryu wi??ll make an appearance in the new game, a??nd is depicted doing what he does best: looking stoic while smoothly ripping off his upper clothing.

Personally, I was hoping the franchise would make a completely fresh break from even remotely featuring Kazuma himself, even if we would see the return of other characters from the huge Yakuza universe. I guess the producers couldn't hel??p themselves, after all, you can never keep a good?? man down.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon launches on PS4 in Japan J?anuary 16, and will head west later in 2020.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon demo now available in Japan [Gematsu]

The post Yakuza: Like a Dragon trailer sees a series veteran?? return appeared first on Destructoid.

Time to start swinging bicycles again

Speaking in an interview with Famitsu, Masayoshi Yokoyama revealed that a demo will be released for Sega's upcoming strategy RPG Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which is currently in development for PS4.

The demo will let players try out first-hand the wild new real-time-strategy battle mechanics, making their debut in the now legendary adventure series. Yokoyama noted that the demo build would be an upgrade from any version of Like a Dragon ??currently used in previous gameplay trailers, but no actual date for its arrival was announced.

As an aside, a new "job" was revealed for one of Like a Dragon's protagonists. "Office Worker" is a job attainable by female lead Saeko Mukouda, (portrayed by contest winner Eri Kamataki). Upon securing the role, this job will allow her to battle with her enemies using office supplies, which sounds like a riot. The Like a Dragon job system opens up ski??lls and abilities to characters once they have acquired the job in question, via stat-building and entrance exams.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon launches on PS4 in Japan January 16, and wi??ll head west later in 2020.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon demo announced [Famitsu / Gematsu]

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Orcs and Humans

[Update: Blizzard shared during the opening ceremony at BlizzCon today that all BlizzCon pass holders wil??l get bet??a access "by Tuesday."]

At last: Blizzard is starting the Warcraft III: Reforged beta. This remake is such a long time coming.

Invites for the Reforged beta will pop up "over the coming weeks," with priority going to folks who ponied up for the Spoils of War Edition. The initial beta test only includes orcs and humans with 1v1 and 2v2 matchmaking, but further in, Blizzard will add the undead, night elves, and "more game modes." 

For ten extra bucks over the $30 standard edition of Warcraft III: Reforged, the Spoils of War Edition leans into cosmetic bonuses. You'll get skins for Thrall, Cenarius, Arthas, and Jaina, along with extras for other Blizzard games like a Mal’ganis pet in Diablo III and Warcraft icons and sprays in Overwatch.

I put hundreds of hours into Warcraft III back in the day, and even though competitive multiplayer was never really my thing – I was all about crazy custom games – I'm very ready for Reforged.

Warcraft ??III: Reforged's Multiplayer Beta Begins This Week! [Blizzard]

The post (Update) It’s finally time for the Warcraft III: Reforged beta appeared first on Destructoid.

It's 2D in order to maintain the 'original feel'

Did you forget that a Command & Conquer remaster is on the way? Honestly, I kind of did!

Today, around a year ??into development, Petroglyph Games and Lemon Sky Studios shared footage of the game, which is striving for a "classic 2D visual style" and the same gameplay from back in the day.

Beyond these comparison shots, you can also see the before-and-after with a slider tool.

_{The original Command & Conquer}

_{The C&C remaster}

Some of the assets, like the Tiberium S?ilo, are "still in progress?."

In the remaster, you'll be able to toggle between the original 320x200 assets and the remastered 3840x2160 assets in real time. You can zoom in, too, with "an effective zoom distance between the DOS and C&C Gold camera heights," according to Command & Conquer producer Jim Vessella.

"As you may remember from one of the first posts, our plan is to remaster (not remake) the classic games," he said. "Creatively, this means our guiding light has always been to remain authentic to the original feel, and we're constantly on the lookout for ways to achieve that goal. When we recovered the source code to C&C Tiberian Dawn and C&C Red Alert, this gave us a viable avenue to accurately match the core gameplay, feel, and signature look of the legacy titles. We felt the 2D style was th??e best way to bring all these elements together, and ultimately achieve the authenticity we were looking for."

This probably isn't as modern-look?ing as some fans were expecting, but I understand why they took the approach that they did. If literally anything?? feels off, that'd defeat the whole purpose of the project.

Remaster Update and First Gameplay Teaser [EA]

The post Here’s how the Command & Conquer remaster is shaping up appeared first on Destructoid.

Let your work define you

In the latest issue of Japanese publication Weekly Famitsu, Sega's action-RPG Yakuza: Like a Dragon has reve?aled three of its character classes, which take the form of vocations for Ichiban Kasuga and his?? merry band of reprobates.

In order to apply for a job/class in Like a Dragon, a character must meet a set standard of entry-level "Life Experience" points, which differ from job to job. These include building stats such as Charm, Mentality, and Enthusiasm, which can be done via story quests or Yakuza's fa??mous side-attractions. Once you pass an entrance exa??m, the job - along with its unique skills and abilities - is yours.

The first "job" on offer, Riot Police, affords its uses heavy-duty defence abilities, blessed with high-health and shielded?? with body armour. This role is noted as being equivalent to a "Knight" in a typical RPG.

The second job is Fortuneteller, a low-defense character able to call upon strange and mystical forces vi??a a crystal ball, this is Like a Dragon's take on the classic "Mage" character from traditional class-based games.

The third and final role is Idol, a female-exclusive class that is used to enchant and distract enemies w??ith songs while providing healing and other buffs to team-mates, not dissimilar to the "Dancer" type in other RPG titles.

Many eyebrows were raised and spit-takes were performed at the reveal of Like a Dragon's turn-based combat and tactical gameplay. While I'm in agreement that it was very much a left-field turn, I'm personally really intrigued by this new take on the series, and I'm looking forward to seeing how elements such as this job mechanic fit into the wild - and often weird - world of Yakuza.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon launches in Japan on PS4 January 16, befo??re heading west later in 2020.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduces jobs [Gematsu / Games Talk / Ryokutya2089]

The post Yakuza: Like a Dragon reveals three job-based?? character classes appeared first on Destructoid.

Longtime RPG/brawler series takes a bold new road

Sega has officially revealed ??story and gameplay details for the next entry in its popular and long-running Yakuza franchise, following on from various teases over the past year. Yakuza 7: Whereabouts of Light and Darkness (or Yakuza: Like A Dragon in the west) will be launching in Japan on PS4 January 16 - before heading west sometime in 2020 - and looks to take the series in an all-new direction.

As you can see from the screenshot below, Yakuza 7 is eschewing the traditional brawler elements of the series for a real time strategy-like system, where players will decide the actions of new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga and his pals in turn-based battles. Options for attack, defence, support and recovery will be available to our heroes as they fight it out within the mean streets of Isezaki Ijinch, Yokohama. This new locale is stated by Sega to be more than three times the size of traditional Yakuza setting Kamurocho.

Yakuza 7's narrative will tell the tale of Kasuga's return from a lengthy stint in prison, where he will take strides to make a name for himself from the ground up in Yokohama, rebuild his former clan and learn the truth behind an attempt on his life from those he once trusted. No doubt the tale will see Kasuga meet a huge cast of characters, thrown down with street toughs and mob bosses and, at some point, rip both his shirt and suit jacket off in a single motion.

Yakuza 7 launches on PS4 in Japan on January 16 and will arrive in the west later in 2020.

Yakuza 7 announced for PS4 first det??ails an?d screenshots [Gematsu / Official]

The post Yakuza? 7 reveals new ??sequel will feature real-time strategic combat appeared first on Destructoid.

I don't think you'll be doing much petting

Today's contest features some Steam copies of tactical action game Dog Duty!

I've always love it when you took normal words and added an abstract prefix to specify that it's somehow more special. Like having space-sex or taking an aqua-dump. Dog Duty goes HAM on the octo-prefix, and I love it. I want everything to be an octo-. Incl?uding my dad!

Take on the octo-army and win a Steam key for Dog Duty! You'll be octo-glad you octo-did.

Octo-read this octo-summary from Soedesco!

Control a squad of misfits as they ?go up against some evil bigwig Octopus Commander and his army who are threatening world-peace. In this fun, fast-paced Real Time Tactics game, you go into combat and use guerrilla warfare to eliminate all octo-scum. Fight on top of your moving vehicle as you go from island to island to liberate outposts and defeat wicked bosses in their crazy octo-machines. Wreck those squids up, but beware, they're well-armed.

Features

• Assemble a 3-person squad and fight in Real Time Squid combat
• Liberate outposts to cut-off weapon, armor and other octo-supplies
• Defeat epic bosses and kill your way to the Evil Octopus Commander
• Fight on top of your armored octo-frying vehicle while driving

Apparently the devs drew inspiration from Commandos and G.I. Joe, ??and it shows! Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

To enter to wi??n a copy, comment below telling us the most devious octo-item the octo-army could employ to take over humanity. If they had their way, they'd make everyone waste time on a Saturday afternoon going to their octo-gender reveal party. This is probably the most fiendish plan ever devised.

We have 10 Steam Early Access keys to g??ive away; winners will be drawn on Monday, September 2. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. New to Destructoid? Sign up here to make your own octo-account.

Dog Duty is available now on Steam Early Access. We've got more keys over at PC Invasion, so check them out, too!

The post Contest??: Get through the dog days of summer with a Steam copy o?f Dog Duty appeared first on Destructoid.

Do you wololo?

Last year, Microsoft rel??eased a remaster of ??the original Age of Empires from seemingly nowhere. Titled the "Definitive Edition," the port scaled the graphics up to 4K resolution, included every campa??ign ever created for the title, and cleaned up some rough edges to make for a smoother?? experience in the modern era. I don't think anyone expected the same treatment for Age of Empires II, if only because an HD version has been on Steam for cl?ose to six years now. While rumored?? for months and seemingly confirmed through press releases, Age of Empires II Definitive Edition got formally unveiled during?? Microsoft's E3 2019? conference, to the delight of fans the world over.

 While a cause for celebration, the existence of this new version brought up a few questions. How would this improve over the HD version? Would all of the new content created for HD be brought into Definitive Edition? Would you still be able to wololo on command? In a behind-closed-doors demo, I met with Adam Isgreen (creative director at Microsoft Game Studios) and Bert Beeckman (project lead for Age of Empires) and got answers to all ??of those questio??ns and more.

Without hesitation, I ??asked if all the various cheat codes from Age of Empires II would be retained in Definitive Edition. They were pr??esent in last year's re-release, so it only stands to reason that you can whip out the Shelby AC Cobra and lay waste to ancient civilizations again. Sure enough, cheats do mak??e a return and none of them have changed from their classic incarnations. Beeckman typed in "How do you turn this on" and proceeded to steamroll the opposition to appease me.

In manners relating to actual game content, all of the currently release??d DLC for Age of Empires II HD will be present in Definitive Edition. A few new campaigns will?? also be included, bringing the total count to over 25. Three new civilizations are being added, as well, which bumps that count up to 35. This is a seriously content-dense game, which makes the $20 price point seem like a steal. I can't believe how much is actually included despite seeing it grow over the past few years on Steam.

Bringing up Steam, both Beeckman and Isgreen s?tressed that this and last year's Definitive Editions will be present on Valve's storefront (you can actually wishlist both the first and second games right now). With Microsoft dropping the UWA requirement for applications on the Microsoft store and embracing different ave?nues for selling titles, you won't be limited in where you can purchase this new port. Multiplayer will even function between the two versions, so you won't have to mock your friend for sticking with one storefront while everyone else jumped on another.

If you're new to RTS games, you'll be happy to hear that some brand new tutorials and?? challenges have been incorporated into AoE II DE to bring you up to speed. The biggest struggle that new players have is learning how to properly micromanage, which can make or break a match in the blink of an eye. With specially curated challenges, you'll be tasked with completing small chunks of gameplay that familiarize you with top level tactics, even grading you on your performance so you can improve. Mi?crosoft got feedback from pro Age of Empries II players an??d used their results as the benchmarks for Platinum level challenges, which should make for some tricky achievements this time out.

The most dramatic change, though, has to be the overhauled AI. I?n classic RTS ti??tles and especially Age of Empires, the enemy AI is known for being a cheating bastard on higher difficulty settings. Your villagers are also dumb as bricks, which could lead to i?nstances where they'll die while trying to hunt a boar. In Definitive Edition, you can put those fears t??o bed, as Microsoft has fine tuned everything to feel more like you're facing human opponents instead of an omnis??cient overlord.

Isgreen explained that you will be able to ??watch replays from AI matches and learn new tactics since they'll be acting exactly like ??humans do. The AI isn't given access to any information that a human doesn't have from the start. They will need to send out scouts, manage farms, and potentially get their villagers killed by boars just like us. It should make for far more enjoyable campaigns, which could often become unwinnable thanks to the AI working at super human speeds.

A? lot of new quality-of-life changes are present for amassing giant armies and upgrading buildings. The HUD, while inspired by the designs of the original, is getting additional information to make use of all the extra screen real-estate afforded by HD monitors. Queues for units will be listed in the top middle and will allow you to shift through them with keyboard shortcuts. Individual buildings will have progress meters hovering over them to show you how far along upgrades are. Buildings will also have new effects around them to indicate if they are in use or not (the demo sho??wed the main castle sparkling, though that was a placeholder graphic). The idea is to keep the player informed at all times without having to do too much clicking, a problem that older RTS games suffered from immensely.

If you don't want any of these changes, you can? choose to completely ignore them. Want the AI to continue being a pain in the ass? Revert back to the classic style! Want to micromanage anything and everything? Play with the original rules. As the title implies, this really is the "Definitive Edition" of Age of Empires II. Isgreen even said, "I want the E3 demo campaign to be ??present in the final release." They are serious about getting everything right with this one.

They're certainly doing their best and it shows. The textures and sprites look magnificent in 4K, but ultra-wide monitor users won’t be left in the cold. Unlocked framerates aren't an option due to the nature of 2D artwork, but the general fluidity of everythi?ng has ??been kicked up a notch. Online matchmaking is being handled through Xbox Live, so you can count on getting a solid connection to opponents. Mixer is getting integration with the game, allowing you to jump into streams straight from the main menu. This is one jam packed release.

Just writing about all of this, I'm getting anxious thinking about how much time I might lose to Definitive Edition. I played quite a bit of Age of Empires II as a teen and have managed to drop another 20 or so hours into the HD version. It may not be the most modern RTS game around, but something about the simple char??m of what Ensemble Studios created nearly two decades ago is just as addicting today as it was back then. Maybe it's because of how quaint the experience feels stacked against bombastic newer games, but I love returning to Age of Empires at random points to get my strategy and history fix at the same?? time.

Ther??e's still no firm release date f??or the remaster, but Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will be available on Xbox Gam?e Pass when it launches this Fall. I'd expect the Steam version to also land at the same time.

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Keeping Up with the Khandashians

Real-time strategy players will find themselves going back in ??time this fall -- back to the Middle Ages and back to 1999.

Xbox has revealed that it's remastering the ever-popular Age of Empires II. It's getting the 4K treatment, an audio ove??rhaul, and a new campaign. The campaign is called "The Last Khans."

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition launches sometime this fall. It'll be ?apart of Xbox Game Pass when it releases.

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Campaign mode coming soon to PC

They Are Billions, a?? colony-building steampunk strategy game about turtling to survive swarming zombies, is coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in July courtesy of the popular port house BlitWorks.

If you're wondering how an RTS like this might handle on a gamepad, keep in mind there's a pause-and-ponder featur?e, and going a step further, mouse and keyboard controls will be supported on consoles.

Meanwhile, PC developer Numantian Games is putting the final touches on the incoming story-driven campaign mode for They Are Billions, an oft-requested addition among Steam Earl??y Access players??.

That campaign – The New Empire – will join the PC version as a free content update on June 18 alongside a pair of Survival maps: The Caustic Lands and The Deep Forest. The former is said to be "the hardest of all the maps" in They Are Billions, whi??le the latter is intended as a warmup for newcomers.

I appreciate that more and more traditionally PC-focused titles are finding their way to consoles this generation. If you've been waiting for They Are Billions to finish up Early Access, you're nearly there.

The post Base-defense RTS game They Are Billions hea?ding to PS4 and Xbox One appeared first on Destructoid.

Win it for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, or PC!

Strategize against prehistoric foes and enter our contest to win Warparty!

Dinosaurs are mighty cool to look at, but I've got a feeling that having to fight against them would be something else, entirely. Like, it'd be cool to take one down and everything, but let's be honest -- most of us reading got our asses kicked by our little sisters, so we're not taking down any dinos any tim?e, soon.

But at least we can pretend! Enter our contest for your chance to win a copy of RTS Warparty for your platform of choice!

Get in on Warparty, a real time strategy title set in p?rehistoric times. Take your tribe of old-timey folk and fight against other factions, planning attacks, gathering resources, and executing strategies all along the way. There are cave people, elephants, spears, giant lizards, dinosaurs, and all sorts of other crazy things to deal with. Because that's how things were before we invented Taco Bell.

Rea??d this comprehensive ??list of game features while I try to ward off some dinosaurs.

• Three Unique Factions! Play as the proud Wildlanders, the menacing Necromas, or the vengeful Vithara each with unique units, buildings, talents and playstyle.
• Story Campaign! Play objective based missions as each of the three factions and discover the purpose of the ancient Go'n Power!
• Survival Mode. Pick your favorite faction and face off against ever increasing waves of enemies. Survive as long as you can and earn a spot on the Leaderboards!
• Skirmish against AI. Battle on a variety of themed maps against the AI. Solo or with friends, you choose the difficulty!
• Custom Online Multiplayer. Have a Skirmish with your friends in different game modes with custom settings!
• Observer Mode. Spectate matches and analyze gameplay to improve your gameplay or learn new strategies.
• Ranked Multiplayer and leaderboards. Battle it out against other players, earn points for victories and reach new heights on the Leaderboards!
• Dedicated Servers. Ranked matches are played on our own dedicated servers to ensure fairness in every match.
• In-Game Wiki. Learn the ropes interactively or study up on all the units at your own leisure with the in-game wiki.
• Full Hotkey customization. Every action can be bound to a desired key to control and play the game the way you want!

Ho??w do you get a dinosaur out of the laundry room? Asking for a fri??end.

There's a? lot going on w??ith this one, so you're going to have to deal with a widget. Enter your name and email address below, and specify your platform, to enter to win! You can repeat daily for additional chances to win. For bonus entries, follow developer Warcave Games and Dtoid on Twitter, and share our contest post with your friends.

In the meantime, comment below giving me advice on how to rid my house of dinosaurs. I invited one in for tea, and now there are like seventeen in here and they won't leave. I don't know what to do, ??and I have to go pick up my niece from her dance recital. I don't know these dinosaurs, and I'm not leaving them? in my house alone. Help!

Take a deep breath for this one: We have 8 Steam, 8 Switch NA, 5 PS4 NA, and 5 Xbox One keys to give aw??ay. Whew. Winners will be drawn o??n Monday, May 20.

Warparty is available now across all four platforms. Head over to our sister sites for more chances to win a Switch, PC, PS4, or Xbox One copy!

Dtoid Contest: Win Warparty for PC, Sw??itch, PS4, or Xbox One

The post Contest: Fight dinosaurs, ?cave?men, and giant lizards in RTS Warparty appeared first on Destructoid.

I wasn't sure we'd ever see the day

Diablo appearing on GOG was one thing, but I'm unreasonably excited to revisit Warcraft's humble beginnings. As of today, Warcraft: Orcs & Humans and Warcraft II Battle.net Edition are available digitally on the site. You can grab t?hem for $5.99 and $9.99, respectively, or go?? for a $14.99 bundle with both.

The first Warcraft "plays and feels just like the original from 1994," albeit updated to run on our current systems, whereas GOG's release of Warcraft II has two versions accessible from the launcher. "The classic one allows for the authentic experience and a fully functional multiplayer wit??h Blizzard's Battle.net online gaming service. The updated version comes with a number of fixes to provide full compatibility with modern machines as well as hi-resolution support and upscaling."

This is such a long time coming, and I can't wait. I have so many fond memories of struggling to play the original Warcraft on my uncle's laughably huge '90s laptop but still loving the game anyway. I can't see me fiddling with firewall ports for multiplayer, but I do think a full campaig??n run is in order.

Love me some troll axethrowers.

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Single player campaigns will cost ya

The criminally underrated economic real-time strategy game Offworld Trading Company (which was developed by the lead designer of Civilization IV) has officially transitioned into a free-to-play model for its multip??layer mode. As of yesterday, players on Steam can play both casual and ranked matches for the low low price of free.

I reached out to a representative of Stardock who confirmed my suspicions that this move is purely to try and get more hands on the game and beef up the user base and hopefully get some word of mouth going. The representative also stated that as of now there are no plans for implementing microtransactions into the free multiplayer mode, and frankly, I don't see how they could. The free-to-play launch does coincide with the launch of the Market Corrections DLC which expands on why humans left Earth to colonize Mars though,? so there's that as well.

Long-time readers will know I've cried at the well over this game not getting as many eyes as I felt it deserved and I feel like this is going to be a great move for the little RTS that could. I know in the past a lot of users have been turned off by the real-time strategy genre but take it from me the person who has a terrible actions-per-minute rate, Offworld Trading Company is not your usual RTS. Now that it's free, you all have run out of excus?es (again).

Offworld Trading Company is currently ?available on Steam for PC and Mac OS X.

The post Offw?orld Trading Company gets free-to-play?? multiplayer mode appeared first on Destructoid.

Rush on in

Backward compatibility just rushed in, commanding and conquering one of the most well-known real-time strategy franchises. Every Command & Conquer release on the Xbox 360 is now pla??yable on the Xbox One.

EA has bolstered its Xbox backward compatibility offerings by adding three Command & Conquer titles and an expansion pack. They are: Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, and Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge. The last one, Commander's Challenge, is a version of Red Alert 3: Uprising that doesn't contain the four mini-cam??paigns; it was adapted specifically for release on PS3 and Xbox 360.

Of course, backward compatibility is not the most ambitious Command & Conquer project taking place right now. EA and Petroglyph are working on 4K PC remasters of the original Command & Conquer and the first Red Alert. Think of backward compatibility like the appetizers and the remasters as the entree. It's a good time for people who are into playing old Command & Conquer games.

@majornelson [Twitter]

The post A bunch of Command & Conquer games are backward compatible on Xbox One now appeared first on Destructoid.

Build an unbeatable base

Real-time strategy developer Petroglyph is taking a page from They Are Billions for its next project, a defense-oriented Conan the Barbarian game called Conan Unconquered. It's coming to PC next year.

Players will need to balance resources like food, wood, and iron while assembling a fortress capable of withstanding th??e hordes of Hyboria. They'll also need to watch out for spreadable diseases.

To have a fighting chance against the endless invading forces, commanders will be able to? lean on hero units (like Conan) that can "greatly influence the outcome of battles." Or you could build a temple and hope that the gods heed your call. A towering ava?tar sure could make a mess of the battlefield.

Conan Unconquered is a real-time gam?e, but you can pause the action to "issue commands and start construction of new bui??ldings." The best part, though? Two-player co-op. You and a trusted friend can share a base. For folks like me who aren't particularly competitive in RTSes, that's much appreciated.

I'm expecting a fun little Conan the Barbarian spin-off. No more, no less.

The post Conan Unconquered is an unrelenting strategy game from?? Petroglyph appeared first on Destructoid.

Made by people who know C&C best

Last month, an EA producer took to reddit to publicly state the publisher's intent to return to the roots of Command & Conquer -- not the mobile stuff that has longtime fans disillusioned with the direction of the series. Now, EA has told us exactly what it has i??n sto?re.

EA is remastering the original Command & Conquer (Tiberium Dawn) and Red Alert in 4K on PC. They'll be bundled together as a single collection, along with their expansion packs Covert Ops, Counterstrike, and Aftermath. No release date or price has?? been announced yet.

Maybe the most compelling part of this remaster is who's making it. EA has teamed up with Petroglyph Games who will lead the charge. Petroglyph is a studio that's known for its real-time strategy games like Grey Goo and Star Wars: Empire at War. That's because several of its key employees helped create Command & Conquer before EA shut down Westwood Studios in the early 2000s. The remaster has Command & Conquer's co-creator, lead programm??er, and audio d??irector all working on it.

As for an ETA on this project, we might have to wait a bit. EA says it hasn't actually started development yet. That's why it's stressing that fan feedback is so important -- because it can actually help shape how this turns out. Save the most obvious request though, because EA has already addressed it. The Command & Conquer remaster collection won't ha??ve microtransactions of any kind.

C&C Remaster Announcement from EA [reddit]

The post EA’s Command & Conquer remaster is a collection of the original and Red Alert appeared first on Destructoid.