Veteran team already at work on brand new IP

Today brings news of a new studio entering the world of video game development �Wildlight Entertainment has been founded by a party of developers, almost all of whom have previously worked with Respawn Entertainment on major league titles such as Call of Duty, Titanfall, and Apex Legends.

In fact, the key founder of Wildlight Entertainment is Apex Legends' original game director, Chad Grenier, who announced the launching of the new studio on Twitter yesterday evening. Grenier heads up a team of over 10 individuals, all of whom have taken their leave of Respawn within the past two years. ??These include CEO Dusty Welch, project lead Mohammad Alvali, engineer Justin Cook, lead designer Carlos Pineda, project manager Amelia Duarte, and art director Rober??t Taube.

//twitter.com?/ChadGrenier/status/1626271511748435974?s=20

Currently working in a remote capacity, Wildlight Entertainment has physical offices established in both Los Angeles and Seattle, and is already hard at work on its first title: a brand new, yet-to-be-revealed IP. While the pertinent details are on the hush-hush, one can only assume that the team behind Apex Legends, Call of Duty, and Titanfall will be looking to deliver a highly polished action title, perhaps with a similarly sci-fi/fu??turistic slant.

You can read more on the company and its team over on the new Wildlight Entertainment website, or follow the studio on Twitter for updates, job vacancies, and more news an??d info. For action/shooter fans, this will definitely be one of the developers to watch in 2024 and b??eyond.

The post Wildlight ??Entertainment is a n??ew studio founded by ex-Titanfall, Apex Legends devs appeared first on Destructoid.

Do not prepare for Titanfall

Amid several other shifts in Electronic Arts' schedule, the publisher is apparently also calling off an unannounced single-player venture into the shared Apex and Titanfall universe.

According to a new report from Bloomberg, EA has canceled a single-player game based on Apex Legends and Titanfall, which share the same universe. The game was code-named Titanfall Legends and was directed by designer Mohammad Alavi until he left EA early last year.

EA will reportedly try to find positions for the team of a?bout 50 employees within the company. Anyone who can't be placed will receive severance and be laid off.

The project had not been publicly announced, though Respawn has been toying with the idea of returning to Titanfall for some time. The last entry was 2016's Titanfall 2, but battle royale Apex Legends is set in the same universe and carries over its lore in some interesting ways.\

Protect the pilot

Electronic Arts announced several updates on its future schedule yesterday, as it looked ahead to the calendar year 2023. Both Apex Legends Mobile and the unreleased Battlefield Mobile are shutting down development, as EA shifts its strategy. EA CE??O Andrew Wilson did leave the possibility open for more mobile attempts in the future, thou?gh.

Meanwhile, over at Respawn, the team continues working on Apex Legends and the upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The second single-player Star Wars from the team at Respawn got its launch pushed back yesterday, slotting it for April 28.

For TItanfall fans, I suppose we're still left waiting. I've enjoyed what Respawn's been making, but I still boot up Titanfall 2 now and then, just to re-experience that campaign. It's still one of the best single-player FPS campaigns I've ever played, and I hope we can see the developer return to that format one day. And if you're still in need of a newer movement-driven, high-octane FPS game, there's always Neon White.

The post EA has reportedly c?anceled a single-player Apex / Titanfall game appeared first on Destructoid.

(Otherwise known as the Titanfall universe)

Job listings at Respawn Entertainment point to a "new single-player adventure" in development at the studio, and if you're a Titanfall fan who is also big into Apex Legends, you might be in luck. The posts describe an "Ap??ex Universe FPS Incubation"? project.

"This new single-player title is a developer’s dream playground with a freedom to innovate made possible by the unique universe it inhabits," according to a job listing for a senior environment artist spotted by Dexerto.

"Our critically acclaimed, multi-platform games hav?e traditionally established a 'fun comes first' sensibility created with the notion that great ideas can come from anyone, which ?allows creativity to shine and individuals to shape the game in meaningful ways."

"Titanfall 3" will probably always be one of those what-if scenarios, so I'm curious if this game will try to scratch that itch at all or take a different direction in this universe. Apex Legends may have the masses, but the Titanfall name still means a lot to fans.

It's easy to let wishful thinking get the better of us, but it is exciting to think about a single-player FPS from Respawn, with or without major ties to Titanfall. This studio knows how to build a compelling campaign, and with so much energy i?nvested in multiplayer shooters these days, some of us could really go for another solo joint. The key word here, "incubation," means we're in for a wait �assuming this game comes to fruition.

Respawn is also hiring an art director to work on a "new IP," which is also in the incubation phase. Between Apex Legends, new games, and Star Wars, busy times.

The post Respawn is hiring for a single-player FPS i??n the Apex Legends universe appeared first on Destructoid.

Servers will stay online for those who already own it, though

The mech-shooter that started it all for Respawn will start disappearing from digital shelves soon. Respawn Entertainment has confirmed that starting today, the first Titanfall game will be delisted from stores, though servers will remain live ?for th??ose who own it.

In a message shared to social media, the studio said that Titanfall is part of the studio's DNA. "It's a game that showcas??ed the ambitions of the studio when it was first released more than 7 years ago and it continues to be a beacon of inn?ovation that we strive for in all of our games."

//twitter.com/Respawn/status/1466097260836519938

Respawn will be discontinuing new sales of the first Titanfall game, and it will be removed from subscription services on March 1, 2022. For the longtime? faithful though, the game won't be forgotten. The studio says it will keep servers live for those who still own the game and want to drop into a match.

"Rest assured, Titanfall is core to Respawn's DNA and this incredible universe will continue," the company said. "Today in Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends, and in the future. This franchise is a north star for the caliber of e?xperiences we will? continue to create here at Respawn."

We've gone through the question of whether a Titanfall 3 will happen a few times over now, so whatever that future looks like is still up in the air. Right now, Titanfall 2 is still available, and Apex Legends continues to incorporate more of the Titanfall side of their shared world into its own batt??le royale games. So for now, that seems to be the answer??.

So for the few who have stuck it out, they will at least still have servers. What state that's in is still a bit hot-and-cold given the Steam reviews and critical consensus. But at least those players will ?still have something, even if this delisting chips away at hopes for a big fix.

The post The original Titanfa?ll is being removed from sale ??starting today appeared first on Destructoid.

Protocol one: Link to Pilot.

Seriously, if you haven't checked out Titanfall 2 yet, here's your opportunity to do so. Respawn Entertainment is making its 2016?? sci-fi FPS temporaril??y free-to-play from now until May 3 at 10 a.m. PT on Steam.

We?? heard people want to play Titanfall 2 this weekend? So do we!

Join ?us on Steam when we ma??ke TF2 temporarily free-to-play starting RIGHT NOW through May 3rd @ 10am PT.

Get it here: //t.co/rn4rUSF0RG

Your journey begins here, Pilots. pic.twitter.com/SQ9eAIAWka

— Respawn (@Respawn) April 30, 2021

Titanfall 2 has been having a bit of a moment, thanks to Apex Legends' new season dredging up a lot of Titanfall 2 lore with its new Legend, Valkyrie. And while the new Arenas mode for Apex Legends doesn't hit until next week, a free weekend to play Titanfall 2 seems like a nice way to gear up for it.

Also, if you haven't played Titanfall 2 yet, go do it! You can?? prob?ably knock the campaign out in an afternoon, and then there's plenty of multiplayer action to hop into. I know I'll probably set aside some time to squad up again this weekend. See y'all during Happy Hour!

The post Titanfall 2 is having a free weekend on Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

Steam concurrent players record annihilated

Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall 2 is one of the finest first-person-shooters ever made, with an exciting, adrenaline-fueled, top-tier single-player campaign that only improves as it progresses. Five years on from the sequel's initial launch, new players are finally finding this out, thanks to Respawn's own battle royale release, Apex Legends.

On May 9, Apex Legends will launch its ninth season, "Legacy", which features multiple callbacks to Respawn's Titanfall days. Spearheaded by the arrival of new Legend Kairi "Valkyrie" Imahara, Legacy has already tipped its hat to Titanfall with its emotional, teasing cinematics. And, as spotted by VGC, it seems that the hype for the new season has encouraged players both old and new to jump back into the explosive world of Titanfall.

Following a hefty discount on April 15, Titanfall 2's concurrent player count skyrocketed by 650% in just 48 hours, before going on to shatter its previous best with a staggering 17,000 players — an amazing activity increase of 750%. It seems that the shrewdly timed store discount — coupled with the Apex Legends crossover — has shaken the rust off of Titanfall 2, giving the underrated ??sequel a brand new opportunity to sh??ine.

If you're a fan of action games but never got around to checking out the Titanfall 2 campaign, be? sur??e to jump on this bombastic bandwagon fast. As many new fans are finding out, you won't regret it.

Titanf??all 2 sees Ste?am resurgence, active players up 750% [VGC]

The post Titanfall 2 sees huge player r?esurgence ahead of Apex Le?gends crossover appeared first on Destructoid.

Enter the Arenas.

It looks like a new way of duking it out is coming to Apex Legends. Today, Respawn Entertainment premiered the launch trailer for its upcoming Legacy update, narrated by a familiar voice for Titanfall fans.

Following the reveal of Valkyrie earlier in the week, today's trailer is narrated by none other than Ash—a former antagonist of Titanfall 2—who seems to be getting in on the battles. Alongside her is a tease of the Arenas, which seems like it could be a new game mode coming to Apex Legends.

Ash has been taking part in the broader Apex Legends lore for some time now—there's even an easter egg with her that recently got added—but it looks like she'll have a pretty direct role in what's to come. "Welcome to the Legacy of th?e Apex Predators," she says in the trailer as she's standing over a bank of controls. "Welcome to the Arenas."

The full gameplay reveal of Arenas is coming on April 26, and it's tagged with the line "go beyond battle royale," which raises some interesting questions about what type of game mode Respawn? might be going for.

Whatever it is, seeing more ties to the Titanfall universe in Apex Legends has been pretty exciting so far. Between Valkyrie taking to the skies in her father's stead and Ash getting involved in the Games as well, plus all the potential backstory and lore possibilities, it's nice to see Titanfall's legacy continue on in myriad ways through Apex. I, uh, guess I'm reinstalling it now?

The post Lat?est Apex Legends trailer teas??es Ash and the Arenas appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh no, I feel terrible about that boss fight now

Apex Legends has always been set in the Titanfall universe, utilizing many of the series' weaponry and linking characters into the broader narrative. The latest story cinematic for the free-to-play battle royale is a serious gut-punch for Titanfall 2 fans, though.

The newest Stories from the Outlands, titled "Northstar," premiered earlier today. Right away, we see some Titanfall imagery: specifically, a Pilot's helmet. After a deal goes south, our main character Kairi Imahara even meets up with Titanfall 2 antagonist Kuben Blisk. But then she pulls out a card—an Apex card, similar to one held by the members of Blisk's pack in Titanfall 2—an?d it becomes cl??ear this isn't just a quick cameo spot.

It's revealed that Kairi is the daughter of Viper, one of the Titan Pilots that Titanfall 2 protagonist Jack takes down over the course of the campaign. Viper piloted the high-fly?ing Northstar configuration, and you face off against him on top of a ship near the end of the campaign.

While Viper certainly makes an impression in Titanfall 2, "Northstar" is here to not only flesh both this character and Kairi—who's joining the Apex Legends lineup as Valkyrie—but to make me feel pretty bad about winning that boss fight. Viper was cool as heck and has one of my favorite Pilot intros in Titanfall 2. Dang.

It's nice to see the worlds collide, however. And the resolution it arrives at, with Kairi choosing to forego vengeance and forge her own path, even repurposing the Northstar wreckage to craft her own weapons (seemingly with the help of fellow Legend Rampart), is a solid one. Definitely makes me want to hop back into Apex Legends after a long time away.

Some Respawn devs had previously said that this upcoming season would have some Titanfall content in it, so we're already off to a good start. It's still not a new Titanfall, but since it seems iffy on when or if that will ever happen, these neat side stories that expand on the ???broader universe are pretty great, too.

The post Apex Legends’ ‘Northstar’ cinematic is a blast from Titanfall’s past appeared first on Destructoid.

Stand by for Titanfall

It sounds like Apex Legends will be doing some more digging into the broader Titanfall universe. Respawn Entertainment's battle royale is in the same setting as the Titanfall series, though not the same point in time; and with Season 9, it sounds like Apex will be leaning more into that side of things.

As reported by Dexerto, a recent panel hosted by Brown Girl Gamer Code brought on several Apex developers. During the discussion, game director Chad Grenier said there was more in store for Titanfall content crossing over into Apex Legends.

"Next season, Season 9, you're actually going to see a ton of Titanfall coming back into the game in one way or another," said Grenier. "I've told some people before, if you're a Titanfall fan,?? hang on for Season 9 because there's gonna be some really cool stuff there."

Senior writer Ashley Reed also discussed how Apex Legends' place in the timeline informs the relationship between the battle?? royale and the universe at large.

"What's going on in Titanfall is a war, so it's very much a war story" said Reed. "Apex is what happens after the war, like what is life like in this place, so we're trying to integrate Titanfall into that, because Titanfall's very much [...?] a part of the universe, but it's a piece of something very much bigger."

The two already share a lot of weaponry and broader lore, though what more Titanfall content means could stretch across a lot. Titans droppin??g from the skies or not, it'll be nice to see more references?? to the games that kicked all of this off.

The post Apex Legends Season 9 set to see a ‘ton of Titanfall content’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Six more for the catalog

Electronic Arts is really putt??ing the "EA" in "Steam."

Let's pretend I didn't write that.

EA has been aggressively adding some of its back catalog to Steam, breaking free from the Origins shackles by which they were once bound. It started with a baker's dozen two weeks ago, followed by nine more last week.

In advance of today's EA Play stream, another six-pack have been listed on Steam. Among them, Titanfall 2 -- one of the finest games EA has ever published. It's on sale too! You can pick it up for $9.89 (even though it has been on sale and even free many times over the ye?ars).

Here are t??oday's EA Steam additi??ons and their sale prices:

• A Way Out -- $14.99
• Dead Space 3 -- $9.99
• Need for Speed: Most Wanted -- $4.99
• Need for Speed: Payback -- $14.99
• The Sims 4 -- $19.99
• Titanfall 2 -- $9.89

This is just the start of the glut of EA news. We'll be back in a couple hours to break out everything that happens at EA Play??.

The post Titanfall 2 is on Steam, you know what to do appeared first on Destructoid.

'At some point, I would personally like to see some kind of resurrection there'

Unless Respawn Entertainment head Vince Zampella is being extremely coy, it looks like there are no Titanfall games on the horizon for a very long time.

Speaking to IGN, studio head Zampella notes that while the series is near and dear to their hearts, and "little bits of stuff come back" in games like Apex Legends, "there is nothing currently in development" relating to the series. No Titanfall 3, no mobile spinoff follow-up (remember that?): nothing. This statement echoes the sentiments made last year around the same time.

Titanfall has always been a very strange series to follow. While everyone and their mother was probably telling you that it was the next big thing in the shooter genre, it never really caught on the way Respawn and EA wanted it to. In some ways, like the original Destiny, the first game buckled under its gargantuan hype about how it was supposed to change shooters forever. In 2017, Zampella even said that the (frankly better) sequel so?ld below expectations. Either way, we got? two pretty fun games out of th??e series so far, and lessons were learned by many marketing teams alike.

In other Respawn news, this month is their 10th anniversary, which is wild to think about as they've only produced four console games so far. You can watch the short anniversar?y celebrati??on video below. 

So what can we expect next from Respawn? Well, Medal of Honor VR, a secret shooter that might get revealed during their EA Play showcase next month and more Jedi: Fallen Order sequels.

Respawn Boss Hints at New Shooter While Marking Studio's 10th A??nniversary [IGN]

The post Respawn head says that no Titanfall game is ‘currently in development,’ but ‘it’s always there’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Also, you should play Titanfall 2

The concentrated, caffeinated campaign continues. PlayStation has seen a lot of Monster Energy promotion lately, given that it's prominently placed all over Death Stranding. Now, it's infiltrat??ing December's PlayStation Plus offeri?ngs.

As a part of next month's PlayStation Plus freebies, Sony's giving away Monster Energy Supercross. All the information's kind of in the title -- it's a supercross racing game that's sponsored by Monster Energy. It's not even the most recent game, as a sequel released earlier this year. Also, it's no?t even domineering in its energy drink stranglehold; Rockstar and Red Bull both appear alongside Monster in the header screen?shot.

Despite the absence of energy drinks, the other PlayStation Plus game is the one that'll put pep in your step. Respawn's Titanfall 2 is also free in December. It's an excellent game that  was sent to die in 2016, positioned right in between the launches of Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. It was a cruel fate for?? ??a game that deserved better. 

Both Titanfall 2 and Monster Energy Supercross -- The Official Videogame are free starting December 3. Oh yeah -- don't forget to download November's games, Nioh and Outlast 2 before then.

December's Free PS Plus Games: Titanfall 2 and Monster Energy Supercross -- The Official?? Videogame [PlayStation Blog]

The post The Monster Energy advertising bleeds over into PlayStation Plus’ December freebies appeared first on Destructoid.

A necessary casualty of Apex Legends' success

A video games business fallacy that outside observers often buy into is that games get canceled for one another. For instance, "Scalebound got canned so Crackdown 3 could get made." That's not how it works.

However, within single studios, some games absolutely get prioritized over others. That's what's happening with any possible Titanfall sequels right now. Respawn has found such rousing success with Apex Legends, it has to put Titanfall on the backburner.

EA and Respawn have released a lengthy statement about the future of Apex Legends, and the developer notes that there are two distinct teams within the studio that each have their own projects. The Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order team only works on Star Wars, and Respaw??n won't move resources from one game to another.

However, that only applies to what's already in development. In order to properly pay attention to Apex Legends, it has to sacrifice something. That something is Titanfall. Respawn says "In order to fully support Apex Legends, we are pushing out plans for future Titanfall games." Strike while the?? iron's hot and all that.

As for the future of Apex Legends, all the minutiae is laid out in the post -- early match server performance, audio issues, cheating, communication, and a regular update cadence. The more exciting news is that EA will give the first details about Season 2 at EA Play in June. We can expect a new Legend, a new weapon, anot??her Battle Pass but "with more meaningful content," and some sort of transformation to the Kings Canyon map. 

An Update on Apex Legends [EA]

The post Don’t expect new Titanfall games anytime soon appeared first on Destructoid.

Tetris was supposed to be a joke, not a challenge

With Fortnite basically dominating the battle royale for so long and overshadowing most competition, I was convinced it'd only go down alongside the battle royale genre as a whole. But Apex Legends garnering 25 million players in the course of a couple days is no small feat when so many other games attempting the same became footnotes in history and YouTube videos studying failure. And the success Apex Legends is getting is even more surprising when the we got the one-two blow that Titanfall 3 was not in development due to Respawn focusing on Apex Legends. Despite all that, this game is moving thr??ough its success at a very hearty pace.

I still think Apex Legends' success if an amazing feat because Titanfall is such an esteemed game from Respawn Entertainment. And despite that love, it's easy to see why that a battle royale was created rather than a direct sequel. Battle royale titles are hot right now after all. Even with Respawn's polish on Apex Legends in a genre populated by games with awfully janky controls, there isn't a whole lot that makes sense to say this game takes place in the Titanfall universe. There's no wall-running, no Titans, and has the conflict even been ment?ioned in the lore?

So more then how are you liking Apex Legends, what are your thoughts not just on it but on the battle royale fad that's taken the world by storm? For my part, it's not as if it's the first fad we've ever experienced. Remember how Mortal Kombat and Tattoo Warriors sprouted out of Street Fighter II's shadow? Or how there was a deluge in grey, gritty shooters after Call of Duty 4?

When the time comes when a new fad arrives to catch everyone's attention, I suspect battle royale won't just stop being a thing. After all, League of Legends didn't shut down just because there hasn't been big news about the moba genre. Even Tetris 99 is a thing now, so it's better to stop thinking of battle royale as a huge embarrassm??ent and embrace that it is another reason why people like to play games so much.

Dango is a textbook answer as to why I ha??ven't gotten into battle royale:

I haven't played AL, but I'm not hot on battle royale games. For my limited time with Fortnite, I spent way less time playing the game itself compared to any other multiplayer game. The one life thing just means that matches are over super quick for me, before I even manage to get into them, and most of the time until then is spent running away from a wall. It got old, and I'm not sure what makes people stick around.

LimoMaker is good at it, so that's all that matters? in the long run:

Apex is just another Battle Royale game. It's the best one out there for sure, with the best combat, tightest gunplay and fastest movement... But it lacks a defining feature to make it even better.

But I'm good at it. So who cares. I've finally found a game I'm 75% decent at.

Flanx doesn't think it's ???"epic" so I have to remind him Epic makes Fortnite:

I never played a BR before and I had good fun holding back Limo and Malthy last night. I got 3 kills in the first game...then 1 kill for the next 8. I think that makes me a professional :^)

I don't get it though, it doesn't feel anywhere near as epic as what the ads or other people make it out to be. Maybe you have to be good to feel the thrill. It's fun but it's not hype imo

I had no idea it was Attrition Legends, CelicaCrazed:

I still wish it was Attrition Legends.

I've been enjoying it more than I've given it credit. It controls well, the ping system is great, I like sliding around and zip-lining. Also helps that the more I play it, the more it's feeling like it's own thing and not just "not-Titanfall 3". The only other battle royale I've played is Fortnite and I definitely like Apex Legends more, but the mode is still not my cup of tea.

People in the game need to fucking chill too.

Gamemaniac has a whole blog?? about what's happening, so che??ck that out:

Its announcement coincided with the announcement that Titanfall 3 isn't even being worked on, and Titanfall 3 was strangled in early development to make this. So I have a pretty negative opinion of its existence and I don't plan on playing it, which I'll probably expand on soon enough. Glad its doing well, glad people like it, and Im sure for what it is its fine but I'm not touching it.

As for BR generally, I don't find it overly appealing as of now.

Seymour has been left pretty smitten by the game:

This combination of a hero shooter and BR is what makes it a winner winner chicken dinner, I think.

That, and it is good.

I watched a friend play some of it last night and I was enthralled just watching. Watching a full match of a battle royale game!

The map looks kind of looks like someone went and took a Forge Mode to the second level of Halo: CE, but that's okay.

Also, I would like to thank Overwatch and its propaganda machine. So far, I'm just calling all the heroes "Ah! There's Not Bastion. Not Mei's pretty cute as well. But, Not Zarya even further complicates things. Hmmm...".

Boxman asks, "Yo Goober? Where's the parkour?":

Haven't played it. Battle Royale just doesn't click for me.

I will say that I'm offended they even say it takes place in the Titanfall universe. Without Titans or Parkour, it has absolutely nothing to do with Titanfall as far as I'm concerned.

I agree with TurboKill, maximizing communication while minim??izing human contact is an incredibl??e innovation:

I just won a BR game for the first time ever. 11/10, greatest Battle royale ever made.

But in all seriousness, I have a feeling that pinging will be a feature that will go on to be used in many shooters to come. Or at least, I really hope so. Pinging is probably going to be seen as this game's greatest contribution to shooters. Sure, Battlefield already had something similar, but this game takes it to the next lever. People who hate talking on mics, like myself, appreciate it.

While I'm disappointed it's not Titanfall 3, perhaps they'll be more inclined to work on that and finally get Titanfall the attention it deserves.

Rasori's position is easy to understand:

Like all things multiplayer, I like it when I'm doing good, and I don't like it when I'm doing bad.

MajinRotty sees the profit for what it is:

The lack of marketing for it was probably a wise decision, but for all the wrong reasons. I mean it's basically EA and Respawn admitting they felt too ashamed to expose that they're just trend-chasing the latest cash cow at the expense of an actual passion project like Titanfall 3. They knew it was indefensible. Maybe it did still turn out to be a good game at the end of the day, but I'm just tired of the major publishers being driven so brazenly by greed over art seemingly without any attempt at striking a proper balance. I understand that business is business, but can we please find a reasonable middle ground and draw the line somewhere? Not every game needs to be a live service. Not every game needs to be open world. Not every game needs to be Battle Royale.

DRUbio had a whole lot to say on the subject:

The amount of small subtle innovations done on this game by Respawn will carry on to other games in the future, at least I hope so. There's nothing HUGE that is particularly new with this game but its UI and features are on a high? level of polish. Tagging is a mechanic that should be seen in a lot of other games around, it helps people who are shy and people whose first language isn't English, therefor making it pretty accessible to everyone. American and mostly first world countries don't understand why squad based shooters that depend on communication aren't as popular everywhere else in the world, this is one of those reasons. Second subtle innovation in the BR genre... level design. I haven't seen a better designed map since Halo 1, the level is designed to fit all of the special abilities your characters have and it is designed in such a way that people end up being funneled into battles so they don't camp so much and actual combat skill is rewarded. Third subtle innovation... its release.

I hope more games follow this trend of shipping a complete and functional game out of the blue... "hey, we're with EA, its a BR F2P game with loot boxes and it is not what you expected from us... but hey, give it a shot, its available now". THEY DELIVER. There's also something to be said about their budget management. This game was clearly done with a VERY limited budget, almost the same as a AA game and not a AAA. No budget spent on marketing other than spending some money on paying some streamers (and then having a snowball effect on smaller streamers). Other than that I have to mention how they addressed most of the pain points of the genre, making it a fresh experience.

Zalno invokes the best Simpsons gif:

Same as I think of competitive shooters in general:

And that's about it from the community comments. So how are you enjoying Apex Legends? Do you agree that pinging is lowkey a big deal? Are getting the most out of sliding down hills? And if Tetris 99 now exists, then what's next for the genre? Rhythm-action battl?e royale?

The post How’re you liking Apex Legends and battle royale in general? appeared first on Destructoid.

Those who drop together, become champions together

Since the battle royale sub-genre broke into the mainstream with PUBG, many studios have attempted their own take on it, from borrowing elements such as crafting and building mechanics straight out of survival games to just simply copying PUBG and hoping for the best.

By this point, many of those games have come and gone, all while active and dedicated c??ommunities have grown around the best of what this sub-genre has to offer. However, in only a matter of days (and completely out of the blue), Respawn Entertainment rocked the landscape of battle royale with a new challenger ?that has the potential for something truly special.

Apex Legends (PC [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One)
Developer: Respawn
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: February 4, 2019
MSRP: Free-to-play

Mechanically, Apex Legends isn't necessarily all that original. Much like many other takes on the battle royale genre, it borrows from the best on offer while also refining things and adding intuitive mechanics. However, Apex spices things up further with a unique cast of heroes known as “legends” that include a variety of abilities. It's in this hero shooter approach to battle royale and its squad-foc?used gameplay tha??t it truly separates itself from its peers.

Apex matches consist of sixty players, divided into three-person squads. Once loaded into a match, each squad member is randomly ordered and chooses a legend. Squads, however, can't use multiple of the same legend. So, if you do favor a particular legend and ??it's already been picked, you'll have no choice but to select another one. There can be some obvious frustration in ??????????????????????????those moments, but at the same time, I do think it encourages experimentation.

In my time with Apex, I managed to squeeze in numerous matches with every legend on the roster, wh??ether I'm bamboozling enemies with holograms as Mirage or slipping in and out of reality itself with Wraith. Every legend has a notable use or function within a squad and experimenting with a variety of squad selections tende?d to always result in an interesting combination of abilities that could potentially change up strategies from match-to-match.

It's the little things, like throwing a shield over Lifeline as Gibraltar while she picks up another?? teammate, to more interesting combinations such as throwing down a smoke grenade with Bangalore while Bloodhound uses their tactical abilities to reveal enemies (while still concealed in the smoke). If I have any complaints so far, it's that they've locked out two of the characters behind an unnecessary grind and paywall.

Early in Apex's release, I couldn't help but feel like players who decided to spend money on either Mirage or Caustic had a distinct advantage over those playing for the first time with the other six legends. Mirage's hologram ability, in general, absolutely throws newer players for a loop. During that first release day of playing Apex, it was pretty rare to enc?ounter a Mirage player -- an??d every time I did -- I fell for those silly hologram tricks.

As nitpi??cky as it is to complain about paywall elements in a free-to-play game, I do have concerns about how this approach could potentially give those willing to pay for newly released legends a brief??, but a very distinct edge. If Mirage and Caustic are the templates for how new legends will be introduced, then I'm curious how things will shape up when the roster of legends has potentially more than doubled.

Will those hypothetical legends still be behind the same grind and paywall? If so, just imagine being a new player and only having access to those six original characters. Meanwhile, veterans or those simply willing to pay for them will have an edge in terms of legend selection ove??r newcomers. Of course, as I've said, this is all hypothetical. But it is something I hope Respawn can avoid by making once-premium legends freely available in later seasons (if they choose to introduce more with the same system).

Legends aside, Apex without a doubt has the best gunplay in any battle royale game I've played yet. The wide variety of weapons all have their own unique quirks and uses, all of which can also be upgraded with a number of attachments found throughout the map. These range from optics and sights to different barrels and stocks. But, most importantly, the weapons all feel and sound very s??atisfying to use. Shotguns have a solid range to them and the Prowler sub-machine gun in particular with a select-fire receiver and a good extended magazine became my go-to weapon of choice.

Considering Respawn is made up of many former Infinity Ward employees, this aspect of Apex should probably be the least surprising in this surprise of a release. But, unlike Respawn’s previous work with Titanfall 2, mobility has been scaled down a fair bit. In place of giant mechs and wall running is just your standard sprint and sliding (both of which do feel tight and responsive on either a gamepad or mouse and keyboard), but I still can’t help but wonder what could have been with the skill-based and thrilling movement of Titanfall.

Respawn has stated they originally intended to include wall running and Titans, but after plenty of experimentation, it just didn't fit with what they had in mind. On that note of experimentation, though, it's clear they put plenty of thought into the map of Apex, as it's easily one of the best maps I've played in a battle royale game. From the Swamps to the Thunderdome, all the locales within Apex are easily recognizable and diverse with a good amo??unt of elevation and inter??ior areas to explore as well.

Smart mechanics such as the pinging system only help strengthen all of this, making teamwork with random player??s or those without a microphone completely viable. Whether you're spotting enemies or simply trying to navigate, with one simple click of the middle mouse button (or R1 / right bumper on consoles), your squad will be immediately aware of what you're pointing out. I suspect the pinging system will become the new standard in any future battle royale games -- it's too smart of an idea to not incorporate in nearly anything with squad-based multiplayer.

As mentioned, it's also with this focus on squads that Apex separates itself from other battle?? royale games. From the moment you're dropping into a match, you're doing so together. Solo play is possible, but it certainly isn't a viable method of play. Legend abilities work best when performed in tandem with others and fresh concepts such as the brilliant risk-reward of the respawn system only further encourage you to play with your squad until the very end.

Any time someone in your squad is killed, you have a limited timeframe in which you can pick up their banner in the hopes of reviving them. Once you do have their banner, you can seek out specific respawn points around the map. Doing so, however, makes them respawn in a very noticeable and loud drop ship, potentially giving away your location. During those last few moments, though, with the circ??????????????????????????le collapsing around you, bringing back your squad could potentially be the winning factor.

I do still hope a solo mode is in the works?, but I can see why they wouldn't include it now given the limited selection of legends at the moment. Down the road, however, I think it'll be an important addition. As it stands now, Apex's biggest issues are ones that can be resolved with future patches. Connection issues and massive lag spikes during high-traffic periods (like weekends) are rampant. Outside of that, the game is remarkably stable. I ??didn't experience any? major bugs or hiccups of any kind, which is hugely commendable considering this was a surprise release with no public beta testing.

Ultimately, I'm excited to see Respawn's plans for the future. Although Apex Legends is fairly light on content at the moment, after having played it for over a week now, it's become my new favorite battle royale game. Matches are quick enough that I never feel burned by a sudden loss and jumping back in with a different legend makes it more addictive than any battle royale I've played so far.

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

The post Review: Apex Legends appeared first on Destructoid.

Can confirm: it's definitely not Titanfall 3

After Titanfall 2 was unceremoniously fed to the grinder and released between Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare in 2016, I was curious as to what we'd see next from Respawn Entertainment. But, with the po?pularity of battle royale games exploding into the mainstream shortly after, it's not surpri?sing that this was their next move.

But, what does surprise me is just how far removed Apex Legends is from Titanfall. Gone is the single-player campaign, wall running, and giant mechs. Instead, Apex features a colorful cast of characters, known as "Legends," with elements straight out of Overwatch, Fortnite, and Call of Duty's Blackout mode. When combined, it creates a solid foundation for potentially one of the best ba??ttle royale games to date.

Apex Legends (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Developer: Respawn
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: February 4, 2019
MSRP: Free-to-play

Despite the lack of Titans, Apex still takes place within the Titanfall universe and is set in the “Outlands," roughly 30 years after the events of Titanfall 2. It's here where folks compete in a revived blood sport known as the “Apex” (hence the name of the game). The Apex event is a somewhat unique take on battle royale, featuring a player count o??f 60 players divided into three-person squads.

Once each player has joined, you can choose between six different legends, with two more unlocked either with in-game currency or the premium currency known as “Apex Coins.” Of course, this being a free-to-play joint, the usual suspects of prem??ium currencies, cosmetics, and loot boxes (everyone's favorite) are all present and accounted for her??e.

On the note of the "legends," though, I haven't fully wrapped my head around all of them as of yet (hell, I haven't even unlocked Caustic and Mirage yet). During these past few days, I spent most of the time either as Lifeline or Wraith, the latter definitely being my favorite, despite me being absolutely terrible with her. Each legend has their unique set of abil?ities, ranging from the typical shields and healing abilities to some more interesting and complicated abilities, like creating portals.

Weapons are divided into six different categories that you've pretty much come to expect by now: Assault rifles, sub-machine guns, light machine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, and pistols. Honestly, I can't even name a weapon from memory outside of the Wingman revolver and that's only because I remember it from Titanfall 2. But, from what I've pla?yed so far, g??un sounds are satisfying, but I certainly don't have any favorites as of yet.

In terms of controls, though, Apex feels absolutely fantastic regardless if you're using a gamepad or mouse and keyboard. From sliding down hillsides and under do?orways, to navigating your inventory or selecting an ability, everything feels super quick and intuitive. If I have any complaints so far, it's that I'm somewhat miffed by the lack of a solo play mode.

The pure tension of being alone as the circle closes in, all while hearing distant gunshots is what made me fall in love with PUBG initially and playing in either duos or squads never quite felt the same to me. But, given the small ??cast of legends so far, with many of their abilities being focused on playing with others, I can understand why it hasn't been included yet. Hopefully, once more legends are added in the future they'll consider it.

That said, I think Apex does squad-based battle royale better than anything I've played to date, simply because how easy it makes communicating various actions with its tagging system. With one simple middle click or by pressing R1 (the right bumper), you can spot enemies, point out gear with an audible description, or even signal directions and locations. Combine this with a unique take on dropping in at the start of matches in formation and it genuinely makes playing with random people (even those without microphones) surprisingly more viable than most b?attle royal??e games.

From what I've briefly played, Apex has left a damn good first impression with me so far. Despite being a bit light on content, Apex is an extremely polished experience with little in the way of bugs or hiccups (just don't try and revive someone while on a moving ship). I'm looking forward to further wrapping my head around the meta of the map itself and the different legends. I think it's already safe to say Respawn Entertainment have a solid foundation here and with more seasons of content to come for Apex -- the sky's the limit.

_{[This is a review in progress bas?ed on a free-t?o-play build of the game released by the publisher.]}

The post Review in Progress: Apex Legends appeared first on Destructoid.

Never enter the action room without knocking

While Lyle continues to train vigorously in the action room for the inevi?table battle for the Nebraskan power grid, here's what's been happening?? in video games:

• Respawn Entertainment has a new battle royale game called Apex Legends!
• Microsoft is bringing Xbox Live to iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch!
• Meanwhile, the future is bleak for the Senran Kagura series on PlayStation and more!

Censorship is an odd stance to have out of the blue for PlayStation considering the number of games already released on the PS4 that are pretty damn explicit in terms of adult content.?? I've personally never understood the contempt for adult video games that are overly sexual or even do??wnright pornographic.

I thought for sure we left that shit behind in the early 2000s along with Jack Thompson and that eventually, an entire mainstream adult industry would take off in the realm of video games. Especially wh??en the average gamer is roughly in their 30s.&??nbsp;It could still happen one day, but currently, it just seems to be still lingering in the realm of?? taboo for whatever reason.

Thankfully, the PC side of things still offers up plenty for your deep dark fantasies.

Discharged question of the week: How do you feel about the possibilities of an a????dult industry within video games?

The post In this episode of Pregame?? Discharge, PlayStation now hates anime sized chests and Apex Legends is a thing! appeared first on Destructoid.

And 'related Titanfall experiences'

As of late, EA's short-term release schedule has been something of a mystery. We've known we're getting Anthem later this month, and, just yesterday, Apex Legends stealth-launched. Today, EA has added some fran??chises to the calendar year.

As part of its 2019 third quarter fiscal report to investors, EA has confirmed new entries in popular series that should launch later this year. Need for Speed and Plants vs. Zombies are both getting new games. Further, EA says the Respawn-developed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is ?expected to launch this fall alongside th??e regular glut of sports titles.

More ambiguously, EA also mentions it's "grow[ing] Apex Legends and related Titanfall experiences." It's anyone's guess as to what sort of Titanfall project is in the works, because it evidently isn't Titanfall 3. Maybe the entirety of Star Wars is canonically set in the Titanfall universe.

Electronic Arts Reports Q3 FY19 Financial Results [Electronic Arts]

The post EA is launching Need for Speed, Star Wars, and Plants vs??. Zombies games in 201?9 appeared first on Destructoid.

You'll play Apex Legends and you'll LIKE IT

It's a bittersweet day for fans of Titanfall and Respawn Entertainment.

Respawn has made a new first-person shooter housed within the Titanfall universe, and it's out today on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The game's even free! But Apex Legends is a squad-based battle royale -- a format that's left a lot of us feeling fatigued -- and the studio says it's not working on Titanfall 3.

That last bit comes as a surprise to everyone who caught wind of Apex Legends over the weekend and just figured Respawn also had an eventual sequel up its sleeve alongside Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Speaking to Eurogamer, lead producer Drew McCoy acknowledged that Apex Legends will attract skepticism. "There are some people who think there are too many battle royale games or it's a fad, the world thinks we're making Titanfall 3 and we're not -- this is what we're makin?g," he said.

In 2017, Kotaku rep??orted that a sequel was in production, but plans have clearly changed.

"To try and convince a skeptical audience for months with trailers and hands-on articles, we're just like 'let [Apex Legends] speak for itself,'" explained McCoy. "We're doing a free-to-play game, with essentially loot boxes, after we were bought by EA, and it's not Titanfall 3. It's the perfect recipe ??for a marketing plan to go awry, so why have that - let's just ship the game and let players play."

It's a shame about the lack of a Titanfall 3 given the near-universal fondness over Titanfall 2's creative campaign, but if this situation is how it's going to be, I can at least respec?t Respawn's candidness.

"The world thinks we're?? making Titanfall 3 and we're not - this is ??what we're making." [Eurogamer]

The post Nope, Respawn isn’t making Titanfall 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Jedi Fallen Order and what else?

During an Electronic Arts earnings call, company CEO Andrew Wilson noted that Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment has several titles in the pipeline for? release by the 2019 Holiday season.

Respawn has been beavering away at Star Wars adventure Jedi Fallen Order for some time now, and given its tentative release window of late 2019, this is likely one of the games in question. Respawn CEO Vince Zampella has frequently spoken of his continuing interest in the mech-warring world of Titanfall, and given that Titanfall 2 is a solid two years old now??, the franchise is ready for revisiting.

Then there's last year's announcement that Respawn had partnered with Oculus Rift for a (non-Titanfall) f?irst-person shooter. Things have been quiet on that front lately, so perhaps we have a third potential title there. I guess we'll find out when the acclai??med developer is good and ready to reveal its hand to us.

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order is cu??rrent??ly in development for PS4, PC and Xbox One.

The post Respawn Entertainment m??ay have multiple titles lined up for 2019 appeared first on Destructoid.

Plug pulled on spin-off's development

Last year, Electronic Arts announced it was teaming with Nexon to produce Titanfall Online, a spin-off game in Respawn Entertainment's popular mech shooter series. H??owever, it looks like the project has?? been shelved indefinitely.

Titanfall Online was supposed to be a free-to-play title - exclusive to the Asia territory - and has reportedly been in development for three years. However a rep for Nexon contacted website Game Focus to confirm ??that the decision was made to?? move on to other projects and direct the company's resources elsewhere.

Despite Titanfall's success, the brand's proposed spin-offs have not fared well. A tie-in card game was also cancelled at the end of 2017, leaving just mobile strategy title Titanfall Assault as the only side-project that made it to launch. Hopefully EA will pull things together for a new mainline game soon, as Titanfall 2 was pretty dang good, particularly its excellent single-play?er campaign.

Free-to-play Titanfall Online cancelled [Kotaku / Game Focus]

The post Free-to-play project Titanfall Online has be?en canned appeared first on Destructoid.

Homecoming

After the massive legal battle between Vince Zampella and Jason West of Infinity Ward and Activision, a bunch of former Call of Duty developers left the company to form Respawn Entertainment. Their first new IP, a joint operation with EA, was the critically acclaimed Titanfall, which failed to even make a dent in Call of Duty's massive success. The sequel, Titanfall 2, failed even worse and was basically sent out to?? die by EA.

Now, though, it seems that a bunch of former developers from Infinity Ward are returning to the company. This is mostly coming from Reddit users digging around on LinkedIn to check resumes, but more than a few ex-Infinity Ward and Call of Duty devs are now back with the company. This exodus of talent seems to have started happening in mid-2017, before EA acquired Respawn for $455 million in November.

What this means for the future of Titanfall is uncertain. With most of the talent leaving Respawn and a Titanfall sequel already being confirmed, who's to say that EA's sequel will retain the same quality standards as before? Along with that, does this mean that the next Call of Duty will be more of a return to form than WW2 was? A lot of this is just speculation, but it?? raises a lot more questions than answers.

Several Respawn devs (Former InfinityWard devs) are ba??ck at InfinityWard [Reddit]

The post Titanfall devs are respawning at Infinity Ward appeared first on Destructoid.

Promoted from our Community Blogs!

[Nothing like a fancy drink to go with the fanciest art form on earth, video games. Good thing SpielerDad has a few choice pairings and stories to share with everyone! I'm probably sticking to Pabst Dry (which is not a hipster beer no matter what mainstream media will tell you) but this was one entertaining read indeed. ~Bass]

My wife likes to read my blogs as well. It's not that she finds them incredibly interesting or witty... But rather she is checking my grammar and writing ability since she fancies herself an English teacher. (Fun Fact: she's an English teacher) 

So last week, after she told me that she read my latest blog and I asked her what she thought, she said that it was a bit more serious and somber than my usual posts and that it seemed like I wasn't trying to be funny and stupid. 

She was right. My last post was a bit of a serious entry and a departure from my normal writing style. Some may have been turned off by it. It's like going to a heavy metal concert and the band decides to play a power ballad, or some lame ass shit, and everyone decides it’s a good time to go take a piss and grab another beer. 

Speaking of beer... 

Back in college, I had this amazing history professor. I remember the first day of class when I met him. He looked like your stereotypical history professor, right down to the tweed jacket with suede elbow pads.  

As professors invariably do on the first day of class, all he covered was the semester ground rules and the syllabus. He ended the class by saying that we were going to have fun, and history was great, but not as great as Guinness, and that the dark stout was proof that there is a god and he loved us. 

Okay, so he was a horrible professor and probably an alcoholic, but it was the easiest 'A' in history I ever received. He was also a nice guy and I would bump into him every once in awhile at a bar by the school. HUGE SURPRISE! 

So, it was right at this time in my life that I learned that imbibing in a merry brew or other assorted potent potable could be more than just getting blackout drunk. An alcoholic beverage or two (or five) could be savored and paired with other things, enhancing the experience. 

For example, sipping a fine whiskey and smoking a cigar is pretty nice and not douchey at all! I can drink wine while eat cheese, olives, cured meats, and bread all day, every day. Want a little advice, drizzle some honey on the cheese and shove that right in your face—you will not be disappointed.  

I even started drinking beer for the taste and to enjoy the craftsmanship that went into the brewing process. Look at me! I have become so civilized. 

Given that life has become so busy now with two children in the house, I have found myself having to multitask the things I love. A cold beer or a stiff drink helps me to unwind after a long day, as does a gaming session. Combining the two should be a match made in heaven as far as I'm concerned.  

However, some games pair better with certain drinks. For example, one wouldn’t drink a Cabernet Sauvignon with Beluga caviar, unless he was some kind of CAVEMAN. We are civilized people here, after all. 

So, for my totally unscientific and completely arbitrary study, I looked at some of the games I've been playing for approximately the past 12 months and paired them with the drinks that I feel make the most sense. To top off each entry, I will then regale you with an anecdote from my past where I drank too much of said drink, making a complete fool out of myself or perhaps experienced something whimsy. 

So, in not any particular order... PROST! 

Titanfall 2 – Guinness 

Titanfall 2 is a fine title, with a surprisingly good single player campaign, with a deep, satisfying, and balanced multiplayer. Whenever I'm in the mood for multiplayer, this is the title I turn to. 

Guinness, as it turns out, is always the drink that I return to as well. Beer is my drink of choice and I drink a lot of it. I'm not shy when it comes to trying new brands because variety is the spice of life. With that said, there's something comforting about Guinness. It's a good standby that never disappoints, much like Titanfall 2. 

Back in my college days, I would visit a close friend who attended a different school upstate. He was friendly with the rugby team and every year I was invited up to a big fund-raising bash where they would serve $3 pints of Guinness. However, since my buddy was close with the team, we didn't pay a dime and got to drink as much as we wanted. What could possibly go wrong with that scenario? 

We started drinking promptly at noon and in a flash, we were having a good time. Eventually, a pretty girl caught my eye and we struck up a conversation. Maybe there was a smooch or two at some point and she invited me outside for a smoke. Things were starting to get... interesting. 

I followed her out and she handed me her pack of cigarettes and a lighter. I lit two cigarettes up at once and handed her one because I was cool and shit, and we continued the conversation. Then, mid-conversation, while we were standing in the middle of a parking lot, she reaches up under her skirt, drops down her panties, squats down and proceeds to take a piss, right in front of me. 

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" I asked, clearly appalled.  

"Uh, peeing." The girl nonchalantly slurred. 

I backed away and went back to the bar. Found my friend and told him we had to leave right, fucking, now. 

For the rest of the weekend, I was known as the guy who hooked up with the parking lot pisser. 

Madden NFL 18 - $3.00 40 oz. can of Bud Light from a NYC Pharmacy 

I used to play a lot of Madden football back in the day. It was almost like a signaling of the gaming season restarting after a summer off. The release of a new Madden meant that fun new games would be coming out soon and playing mindless video game FOOTBAAAAAW was a perfect primer to get back into playing regularly. Then I realized how mediocre these games were and took a 5-year pass on the series. 

I took a shot at the series again this year to play the Longshot story mode. While it was surprisingly fun and added a little something different, a part of me still feels like the title was not worth $60 I paid for it. 

The problem with NFL Madden 18, and all the previous titles before it, is that the franchise is hopelessly average, and this is coming from someone who is a football fan. The changes that come out year after year are so evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, that it is hard to get excited about it.  

With that said, people continue to buy this title year after year, so this franchise will never go away. There can be a thermonuclear war that wipes out civilization and EA will still find a way to release a new Madden. The only things that will be left are Twinkies, cockroaches, and new copies of Madden every year. MARK MY WORDS! 

In a way, Bud Light, which is the most blatantly mediocre of beers is the perfect match for the most blatantly mediocre of video games. 

Know what else will be left after a nuclear apocalypse? Stockpiles of cheap watered down, yet surprisingly nasty, Bud Light. 

I used to work in New York City and had to commute in from New Jersey. That meant early mornings and late evenings commuting back and forth. The company I was working for was horrible, so the highlight of my day was buying the cheapest 40 oz. can of beer from the Duane Reade Pharmacy located in the bowels of Penn Station, and drinking it from a brown bag (CLASSY) during my train ride home. More often than not, the cheapest beer would be Bud Light. On rough days I would buy two cans and get sufficiently buzzed. I did this every day after work and then found myself drinking regularly on weekends for no reason to boot. Finally, after a doctor's visit for some anxiety, I was told that I was essentially going down the path of becoming an alcoholic, so it was time to cut down on the drinking. 

I eventually found a better job closer to home, working with Lizard People pretending to be humans, but I really didn't cut down on the drinking, because my co-workers were so unnerving. 

YAY HAPPY ENDING! Kind-of.

Horizon Zero Dawn - Fine Irish Whiskey 

Horizon Zero Dawn is a gorgeous open world action game that is surprisingly deep and, at times, wonderfully complex. It can be overwhelming at first glance but give it some time, enjoy the beautiful graphics, and you'll get swept away by it. 

Horizon Zero Dawn actually reminds me of the first time I was introduced to fine whiskey. A friend "taught" me how to drink whiskey while enjoying a glass of Johnnie Walker Black. I was told to sip and savor it, instead of drinking it down, enjoying the smoky, oak-tinged essence of it. This is quite the departure from doing shots of Irish Mist and chasing it with Guinness, but things change. 

Over the years, I learned to try out different kinds of whiskeys and bourbons. Much like Horizon Zero Dawn, a good whiskey is deep and complex. 

Back during my college days, I was invited by a friend to attend an "authentic" Saint Patrick's Day party. I'm not sure what made it so authentic, other than we ate a lot of corn beef and cabbage and the drink of choice was primarily top-shelf whiskey, chased by cheap beer. 

Anyhow, there are only a couple of things worse than getting drunk on whiskey. I now know that whiskey makes you into an angry, belligerent, stupid drunk, and you will have the worst hangover the following day.  Case and point, the party went from fun to a borderline brawl in just a couple of hours.  

My friend, of pure Irish heritage, who already had too much to drink, decided that he would feel so much better if he just threw up. This is a perfectly fine idea when one has had too much drink and knows it. The problem is, he decided to purge from out of the opening of a second-story barn window. There is nothing more majestic than watching an Irishman vomit out beer, whiskey, and half-digested corned beef and cabbage out of a second-story barn window and onto a crowd of angry drunk men below.  

It is a sight that I will remember for the rest of my life, up there with seeing the Grand Canyon, Saint Peter's Basilica, and the birth of both my children. 

Sonic Mania – Bartles and Jaymes Wine Coolers 

After years of miss-steps, an honest to goodness Sonic was released that pays homage to the original while omitting human-girl-on-anthropomorphic-hedgehog action. 

Playing this game reminds me of my youth. I was 11-years-old when the first Sonic the Hedgehog came out on the Sega Genesis. Sonic Mania takes all of the good that I remembered from the original and none of the bad. It effortlessly infuses old with new creating a great modern take on the speedy side-scroller. 

1991 was also around the time that I was introduced to illicit alcohol in the form of Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers.  

I vividly remember a warm afternoon in the summer of '91 playing Sonic the Hedgehog with my friends when the troublemaker of the group (not me, I swear) asked if we wanted to sneak some booze from his father's garage fridge.  

We all thought this was a splendid idea and rode our bikes over to his garage and each of us helped ourselves to a refreshing bottle of Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers. We then rode over to a secluded section of a nearby playground and started sipping on our wine coolers, just like grown-ups do. 

Know what else grown-ups do? They smoke, and my friend had that covered too. He swiped a few cigarettes from his grandmother and we all lit up. Man, we were so cool drinking our wine coolers and smoking Virginia Slims in the playground.  

One of my friends, took a swig of wine cooler and had a loooong satisfying drag from his cigarette, he looked at me, and winked, almost to say that life doesn't get much better than this... and then he vomited his Bartles & Jaymes wine cooler all over himself. My other friend did the same. Another and I managed to compose ourselves, but just barely. I rode my bike home, went to my room and skipped dinner that night, complaining of a stomach ache. 

I wish I could say that I learned a valuable lesson that day and never had a drink or a cigarette again, but then I would be lying. 

Destiny 2 - Vodka & Red Bull 

Destiny 2 is my new infatuation. I enjoyed the first one, but it got old for me fast. Then one day I put down the original and never played it again. The new raids and DLC couldn't even draw me back in. I can see that this is not going to be the case for Destiny 2. 

I don't know if it is the inclusion of a semi-competent if unoriginal story, which the first game lacked entirely, or the more streamlined leveling system, but this game has its hooks in me. I think about all day, waiting for the moment to have some free time to play. On the weekends, I'll play late into the night, having to squeeze in just one more raid, one more patrol, one more public event, or just one more visit to the traveler.  If only there was a drink that could keep me sufficiently buzzed yet get me wired up at the same time so that I can continue playing into the wee hours. 

Do people still drink Vodka and Red Bull? The entire concept of mixing a depressant (vodka) with a stimulant (Red Bull) seems like a bad idea. Just the thought of drinking a Vodka and Red Bull now makes my heart palpitate. In the late 90's and early aughts, however, Vodka and Red Bull were just what the doctor ordered when hitting the clubs—that and Ecstasy.  

I wasn't a big club goer but there was a short time where I frequented them with friends. It seemed like that was what everyone did back in that period of time. Even if you weren't into dancing, or hated dance music, you still went to a club, at least that was the case for me and my friends. 

Back in the day, there were three solid choices in New York City to go clubbing. There was the Limelight, which was perfect if you were a moody goth. The club was a converted church and they played dark trance music mostly. There was a legend there that clubgoers who went to the Limelight were at risk of getting poked by someone a with a hypodermic needle. Once you realized what was going on, a mysterious person would then hand you a black rose and whisper in your ear, "welcome to my nightmare."  Legend has it, the needle was infected with HIV. Even if this is not true and just an urban legend, that is seriously fucked up. We didn't go to the Limelight that much. 

There was the aptly named Sound Factory, which was your typical mega club that catered to mostly the bridge and tunnel crowd. There was a very good chance of bumping into your stereotypical Bobby Bachagaloop, Tony Bagadonuts, and their whole entourage from Long Island there. Make inadvertent eye contact with one of them, just for a millisecond, a??nd they were ready to fight because you must be some kind of a "queerah". A glance at one of their girlfriends and they were ready to fight because you also must be some kind of? a "queerah," which makes no sense to me, but apparently makes perfect sense to a coked-up juicehead from Ronkonkoma.

Of course, there were a bunch of underground clubs that were super exclusive and normally required you to wait online for hours just to get turned away when you got to the door.  Fuck those places.  

Then there was the Culture Club, which was just kitschy stupid fun. This place was a theme club, essentially playing revamped 80's dance tunes that were kicked up a notch as well as your run of the mill dance and electronica. People went there just to have fun and there was very rarely any trouble. Seeing packs of girls on a bachelorette party was common, as were 21st birthday parties, and tourists. It was one of the few clubs where I felt relatively safe from juice heads from "Strong Island," deranged psychopaths with dirty hypodermic needles, and Paris Hilton look-a-likes asking me if I had any coke. 

One night, while partying at the culture club, I already had a bunch of Vodka and Red Bulls in me, as well as God knows what else. All I know was I feeling incredibly euphoric and felt a kinship with everyone around me.  

Around 3:00 AM, the fire alarm goes off, the house lights come on, and everyone is ushered out by security into the streets. We were told that the club won’t be reopening for the night. Feeling a bit hungry, my group and a lot of other club goers made our way to street vendors selling your typical dirty water dogs, pretzels, and knishes.  

Nothing hits the spot better after a night of clubbing than street food. According to my friend, I struck up a merry conversation with two gentlemen dressed up as Boy George and Billy Idol. Who knows, they could have actually been Boy George and Billy Idol, I was too drunk and high to know any better.   

I have no idea what we spoke about, but according to multiple accounts, I bought both of them hotdogs and we talked about politics and sports for almost an hour. 

So, what are your favorite drink and game pairings? Have any depraved drinking incidents? Share them in the comments. 

The post Game and ?drink pairings for the discerning to degenerate gamer appeared first on Destructoid.

Cheap victories

I am closing in on level 11 in Titanfall Assault. During the past month, I boot it up in my spare time, clashing with people as we fight for control of the three checkpoints long enough to secure victory. I see success snatched from my hands in the final seconds of a match and I overwhelm my opponent with the perfect combination of cards to crush their army. There’s an incredible opportunity for dynamic back-and-forth on the beautiful battlefields but unfortunately, I o?btain most of my wins by throwing strategy out the door and just being the bigger asshole.

Titanfall Assault (iOS, Android [reviewed on an iPad])
Developer: Particle City, Respawn Entertainment
Publisher: Nexon
Released: August 10, 2017
MSRP: Free-to-play w/ Microtransactions

For some games, there is no issue releasing a review prior to or shortly after launch. Titanfall Assault is not one of those games. While the core of the experience remains the same as it did when I first wrote about it, it’s now less frustrating. A community is starting to develop around the title. I no longer fail to find an opponent to play. At level 10, I find myself unable to play long enough to hit the daily XP limit that bothered me in the first few days of release. The pilots and Titans of my opponents are more diverse than before, and the variety in stage design gives a welcomed illusion of specia?lized strategies.

If you didn’t read my last post on the game, allow me to sum it up for you: Titanfall Assault is a more involved Clash Royale. Two players face off on a battlefield with three checkpoints, a home base??, and home turret. Wins come one of two ways: either I control the checkpoints for a certain amount of time or I destroy my opponent's home base, the latter of which is so rare I only recall two instances of it in my dozens of matches.

Each player has a deck of pilots, support cards, and Titans. Human characters are required to take over checkpoints but they needn’t stick around once one is claimed. Each card has a cost associated with it that is tied to a constantly refilling energy meter and pilots and Titans can only be in play one at a time. This keeps me from doubling up on overpowered Titans but allows me to play as many sentries as I can nearly anywhere on th??e map, whether I control the area or not. Matches can be four minutes long with Titans unlocked one minute in and a boost in the energ?y meter halfway through.

Right now I feel good about my main deck. Four weeks of playing Titanfall Assault off-and-on, reaping the benefits of loot boxes I win or earn through victory, early adopter perks, completing the daily quest, or simply logging in, allows me to build a team strong enough to win against those who obviously pay money to win. They are the people who come at me with pyro soldiers, using flame and ??fire to ignite the grunts and pilots too stupid to get out of the way. Or they have somehow been able to secure enough cards to make a level 7 rocket sentry, arguably the cheapest weapon I’ve come across so far.

If that sounds like you can pay to win here, that’s kind of the point I’m getting at. Know that good luck can help overcome many obstacles, including the?? pilot AI that is always trying to get itself killed, but sometimes there is no sound strategy that can compete with a barrage of high-level units. In my weeks of play, I fail to nab a single pyro Titan or pilot in any of the loot boxes I receive, though an ad lets me know I can buy some with real cash. There are also no shield units and no rocket sentries in my collection, but plenty of common pilots to act as fodder for the slow trudging flames of a combustible robot.

Sometimes I square off against team??s that are arguably the Crimson Tide of the game, armed to the teeth w??ith high level, nigh unstoppable cards. If the faceless person on the other side who holds such a deck is smart they’re able to wipe me out with no issue. Other times, through luck or their misfortune, I am able to find a way to squash them, literally.

For as much strategy as I want to believe is in this game, the same tactic keeps rearing its head: just crush the opponent. I can drop support cards, suc?h as grunts, just about anywhere on the map. I drop it on an opponent and it hurts them. So that’s what I do. I drop?? support cards and Titans directly onto my opponents. I squish them and they do the same to me.

Perhaps this is a strategy, the ultimate key strategy to winning, but I just see it as me being a dick when I add another notch to my win column. I don't feel smart or clever or tactical when I take control of a checkpoint because I just dropped some rocket grunts and a sentry on it. It’s too easy. No matter what map I play on -- and I do love the beautiful variety I am given here -- I never have to work ha??rd to win. When I lose, I can see it coming from a mile away. A quick depletion of the energy meter early in the match can be difficult to overcome. But when I win, I get no feeling of triumph. Come-from-behind victories provide sufficient satisfaction but when I destroy my opponent because I was able to put two turrets, machine gun grunts, and rocket grunts in? an area that prevents them from even challenging me, there is no thrill.

I never feel I actually earn my victories in Titanfall Assault, and that’s the reason I’m probably going to stop playing in a few short weeks. Strategies simply devolve into who can drop the most Titans and grunts on the other in the quickest succession, crushing them like a mighty Monty Python foot. I don’t think that is the intention of the developers, but it certainly is, from my experience, how most matches are won and los??t.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the game downloaded for free from the App Store.]}

The post Review: Titanfall Assault appeared first on Destructoid.

Stay frosty

The Titanfall franchise has had a bit of a rough go of it, innit? The first game was hyped into the stratosphere and came crashing down to Earth not long after launch when players seemed to just get bored of it all. Titanfall 2, inarguably a superior game from what everyone has told me, had the misfortune of launching near Gears of War 4 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare while also having to compete with Overwatch for the attention of online multiplayer gamers. It was still successful, we&rs?quo;ve been told, and the franchise will continue sometime in the future. But for now, players looking for their next hit of the series will have to turn to mobile.

I’ve written about my love of Clash Royale before, arguing it’s probably the best free-to-play game on mobile. I’ve even said I’d rather more developers rip off that formula than some of the others the permeate the various app stores, i.e. clicker games. So I seem to have got my wish here with Titanfall Assault. It wears its inspirations on its sleeves, proudly aping the worldwide phenomenon while mi??xing in a few or?iginal ingredients. 

Matches in Titanfall Assault can last up to four minutes long, though I have yet to get one near that mark. Before a match, players can edit their decks, swapping out cards for ones that work better with the rest of their arsenal. Decks are divided into three categories: Titans, Support, and Pilots. Decks can have three Pilots, three Titans, and four Support cards, however, those are available to players at random. Like Clash Royale, each card has a cost?? associated with it that subtracts from your energy meter. The meter slowly fills ??up during the match, getting a big boost at the two-minute mark.

One minute into each match is when Titans become available. Titans are extremely powerful and the right combination can be nigh unstoppable. They ?can easily destroy the enemy base securing victory, however that is not the way you’ll win most matches if my experience is as universal as I think it is. The map, and so far I’ve only played the first map of the game, is made up of roads and buildings. Titans cannot go over buildings but pilots can. This is important because Pilots, as well as human Support cards, are the only way to secure a checkpoint.

There are three checkpoints on the map, one near each base and one in the middle. Score 100 points by holding the checkpoints the longest and you win.In fact, in my 40 or so matches, it’s been the only way I’ve won or ?lost. And I’ve ??lost a lot.

Winning a match gains XP. The higher your XP, the greater level you can raise each card. You also get a loot box that, naturally, has a timer on it. There are different levels of loot boxes containing a diverse amount of cards. If you collect mul?tiples of the same card, you can use them to level that card up. What is much appreciated here is any cards I have over the required amount when I level up will apply to the next level. So if I have eight cards and I only need four to level up, the extra four will be applied to the next level for that card.

I’m still very much in the shallow end of what I hope is a deep pool of strategy. I cannot say for sure if people can buy their way to victory as skill always plays a factor in these types of games. What I can say is I’ve come across Pilots and Titans far more powerful than what I have access to and both forms of currency -- tokens and coins -- are available for purchase as well as loot boxes promising powerful Titans. The prime strategy of just overwhelming your opponent seems to be the only way to victory and in my experience, the type of epic comebacks I’ve experienced in that other game have yet to rear their head here. But it’s still early, and I’m still trying to figure out my very best strategy. Titanfall Assault is certainly a beautiful game and on my iPad it plays like a dream. That is when it wants? to work properly.

There have been a few issues in these first few days, the biggest of which being the game glitched out on me during the tutorial forcing me to delete and re-download the game. Word of advice, make sure you are working with a powerful wifi router. I’ve also failed multiple times to connect to the server and have had to sit and wait for five to six minutes to get an oppone?nt. I realize it’s still early in this game’s existence so that may be an issue until it becomes more popular, but I bring it up because I can’t be the only one exp??eriencing this.

These issues aside, first impressions for Titanfall Assault been pretty darn good. I’m not sure if it is yet ready to dethrone the RTS champion, but I know it’s certainly better than many mobile games I’ve played ??this year.

The post Tita??nfall Assault is like if Clash Royale shotgunned an energy drink appeared first on Destructoid.

The studio is 'heavily invested in the Titanfall universe'

It's no secret that Titanfall 2 faced tough competition when it released last October. Respawn Entertainment has been great about delivering free content updates ever since -- we just got a co-op horde mode! -- and that has left fans wondering ??where the studio goes from here. What's next?

"The game was successful, it sold well, but it didn't quite sell as well as it should have," Respawn CEO Vince Zampella told GameSpot. "Maybe because it was su??per crowded, the pricing was aggressive--it was a rough window to launch our game. But we've got a really great fanbase."

"It's important for us to keep the franchise going. 'We're doing more Titanfall,' which is the quote I'm supposed to say. We have our franchise creative director, who's in charge of safeguarding the franchise in multiple formats and making sure it continues to grow. There's some other things we're doing that haven't been announced just yet, but we're heavily invested in the Titanfall universe."

Hopefully EA sees the value in continuing the series with a sequel, not just smaller-scale spin-offs. The jump from Titanfall to Titanfall 2 makes me really want a Titanfall 3. Keep that momentum going.

As for the future of Titanfall 2, Zampella said "We don't know where and ?when to stop supporting it. Frontier Defense was obviously something big for us to get out and to push for, and our numbers during the launch of FD were like five times the numbers since the initial launch, in terms of player count--and it's now starting to stabilize a bit. There's two or three times as many people playing Frontier Defense right now than all other multiplayer modes combined. That's very encouraging for us; I love to see that."

Titanfall Boss Discusses New Spinoff, Movin??g On From Titanfall 2, And The Franch??ise's Future [GameSpot]

The post Respawn: ‘We’re doing more Titanfall’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Fresh meat incoming

Titanfall 2 is now a part of EA Access and Origin Access, as promised. It's freely playable for members.

Assuming you've held onto your subscription (or are thinking of trialing it one of these days), this game's cool. You should take the time to clear some space, download it, and get into mech-on-mech shootouts sooner than later. If nothing else, run through ??the campaign during this way-too-hot weekend.

The timing here is nice, especially if you're the sort of player to skip competitive multiplayer. Respawn just launched Frontier Defense, a four-p?layer cooperative horde mode. Maybe give that a try too.

And for the rest of you who never really stopped playing Titanfall 2: enjoy the fresh meat.

The post EA Access subscribers now have Titanfall 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Assemble your squad

Respawn has done a commendable job supporting Titanfall 2 with free content updates. I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll feel obligated to say it again. But for folks who aren't at least partially invested in the PvP, it can be tough to break away from your current game of choice in favor of picking this one back up just to play a new map. Today's a different story, though: the next update will bring more maps as usual, but it's also rolling out a four-player co-op horde mode. It'll be live on Tuesday, July 25.

In Frontier Defense, teams will fend off five separate waves of enemies, with the ability to e??arn and spend cash on things like batteries and sentries in between encounters. There will be multiple difficulties to bash your head against, of course, and there's also a wider progression incentive with Aegis Ranks, a system through which you can upgrade your Titan by completing matches.

Five maps -- Homestead, Forwardbase Kodai, War Games, Rise, and Blackwater Canal -- will be playable at launch, with more to come. As for PvP, there are two more maps coming up for Titanfall 2: the aforementioned Rise, a desert reservoir, and the Live Fire map Tow??nship, a snug residential area.

Even if it is familiar, Frontier Defense should serve as a nice respite from intense PvP matches (and as a bonus for folks who bought the game solely for its campaign). If you're still sleeping on Titanfall 2, there will be another free trial on PC and consoles from July 28 -? ??30 with multiplayer access.

FNN 07.18.2017 – Operation Frontier Shield [EA]

The post Titanfall 2’s next free update adds four-player co-op appeared first on Destructoid.

Ready your cape

In the coming months, EA Access and Origin Access subscribers will be able to play two of the publisher's high-profile (and generally well-liked) 2016 games -- Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 -- as part of the $5-per-month service. They're coming "soon," according to EA. I wasn't expecting?? them y?et.

Today's announcement didn't pinpoint an exact date,?? but by September 2017, subscribers will be able to play those full titles and trials for the upcoming sports lineup.

Pretty dang good gets for Access members, especially Titanfall 2, what with its free DLC.

Battlefield 1, Titanfall 2, the FI??FA 18 Play First Trial and more are coming to EA Access [EA]

The post Battlefield 1 and Tita?nfall 2 are joining EA?? Access appeared first on Destructoid.

So much goodwill

Respawn Entertainment continues to be good to Titanfall 2 players. No surprises there!

Today's free content update adds the multiplayer map Relic (a remaster from the original game) and introduces a new Titan, Monarch, "the IMC's attempt to reverse-engineer the Militia's Vanguard-class Titan with a decided focus on flexibil??ity through survival and support options." Monarch can steal power from other Titans to top up her own shields. Clever girl.

Other miscellaneous stuff in this update: Ronin and Tone Prime, the "Now You See Me [Cloak]" execution, more nose art, camos, and callsigns at the store, and a "clean-up" of Crashsite. You'll be less likely to get snagged as you roam the map, p??lus there are more wallrunning spots and ziplines.

Titanfall 2 Fr??ontier News Net?work 05.23.2017 – Monarch's Reign [EA]

The post Monarch’s Reign brings another Titan and map to Titanfall 2 today appeared first on Destructoid.