PS2J 315 News – No Oddjob, Slappers Only

Free games

  • Twitch

    • Tempest

      • 2016
      • Pirate-themed open world action RPG with hundreds of quests and countless ships to plunder. Customize your ship, trade, challenge fellow pirates and face terrible mythical monsters such as Kraken and Leviathan.

  • Epic Games

    • Hitman

      • 2016
      • Third person stealth assassination game in episodic form, taking Agent 47 all around the world to prove he is the ultimate silent assassin

    • Shadowrun Collection

      • Shadowrun Returns

        • 2013
        • Science fantasy cyberpunk turn based tactical RPG based on the tabletop RPG of the same name, with extra custom campaigns available from Steam or third-party websites

      • Shadowrun Dragonfall

        • Originally an expansion pack for Shadowrun Returns, it was released as its own game in 2015 with new missions and other content improvements

      • Shadowrun Hong Kong

        • Another expansion pack for Shadowrun, built on an improved engine and released for free for everyone that owned the original

Updates

  • In new court documents shown in the case between Epic Games and Apple, it looks like Epic has been angling for a special deal with Apple for months now
    • Emails from CEO Tim Sweeney show him asking for special considerations when it comes to the App Store’s 30%, and even going so far as to ask for the ability to make their own app store for iPhones completely separate from Apple’s
    • Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is so far upholding Apple’s right to remove Fortnite from the App Store, leading Epic to incite their players by announcing how they’ll be missing out on new updates and events because of Apple, even though this entire crisis is all because of Epic Games and could be fixed by them just removing the direct payment option they’re trying to use to get around Apple’s payment system
      • And they are really working to incite their players. Their FAQ about the topic is full of rhetoric like accusing Apple of forcing Epic to collude to maintain their monopoly (read: making them follow the terms of their contract) and saying Apple “intentionally sabotages consumer iOS devices” to prevent them from installing apps directly from developers. Which is not sabotage so much as it is how iOS has been designed.
    • Judge Rogers has said that Apple can’t take actions that would affect the Unreal Engine though, so at the moment Epic’s developer accounts are safe since that is somewhat separate from the Fortnite app
    • A full hearing is set for September 28th, and the lawsuit is expected to run for months if not years

An ad agency decided to bypass proper sponsorships and go straight to Twitch stream text-to-speech donations to talk about Burger King

  • The agency Ogilvy tweeted a video showing the results of their campaign that had them donating the price of various Burger King menu items, never more than $5, and using the text-to-speech donation message to talk about the products
    • The streamers’ faces were blurred, and presumably for legal reasons their gameplay footage was replaced by fake games
  • One streamer hit the nail on the head when pointing out a problem with that- they asked “listen, are you gonna sponsor me or not?”, to which Ogilvy replied in the video “We gave you $5!”
    • Considering the advertising budgets that can go in to even something as small and simple as this, that’s complete bull
  • The video wraps up with streamers thanking the Twitch user for their donation, but mainly just because they’re being polite even though their platform was just taken advantage of
  • As stated by RubberNinja, it should probably be investigated by the FTC, because this was a blatant misuse of the stream footage and trying to sneak brand deals in for a pittance is just tacky and borderline illegal
    • Some of the streamers recognized themselves in the video, and have said that they were not approached for consent
    • And many have pointed out that not only does this seem to violate Twitch’s terms of service, it could also interfere with actual legitimate deals that streamers may have had with competing brands

DC and Warner Bros have announced a new Batman game coming in 2021, sans Batman

  • Gotham Knights will star Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Red Hood, all taking on the Court of Owls and stepping up to take care of Gotham with Batman out of the picture
  • The title will hit the PS4, PS5, PC, XBone, and Series X, and is being made by the team behind Arkham: Origins
  • Rocksteady, the developers that made the original Arkham titles, have apparently been working on a Suicide Squad adaptation

Bungie is making interesting choices with Destiny 2, vaulting content that people have paid for as part of the Beyond Light expansion

  • About two years worth of content, including campaigns, areas and story, totalling $95, will simply no longer exist
  • They will be offering new content, but to take away stuff that you’ve paid for and treat a video game like it’s Netflix is a disturbing precedent
    • When you’re playing an MMO you can expect some content will be event or season based, but in this case they’re taking away base Destiny 2 content, two DLC’s, three seasons of content, and two expansions. None of which was advertised as transient or limited-access
  • And on top of questions of ownership, it could also leave a pretty big gap for people looking for a narrative thread. It destroys any kind of cohesive experience in exchange for Fortnite-style seasons

Facebook is warning investors that Apple’s iOS 14 could shave more than half of its Audience Network revenue (and a chorus of angels sang out: “Good.”)

  • The Facebook Audience Network lets advertisers track mobile users with a unique device ID to target ads and measure their effectiveness, but where it’s currently a manual opt-out process if you wanted to keep a semblance of privacy, on iOS 14 users will now see a prompt when they first open an app that wants to track them
    • And of course if given a popup that says “Hey, can we sell your information for advertising?”, most people will click no. And that makes Mark Zuckerberg sad. And it makes me very happy.

This Week In Gaming History

August 22 – 1987 – The Legend Of Zelda – NES

  • The start of one of the most prolific adventure series
  • The game was the first to have an open world where the player had to explore the world and learn the best route to complete the game.
  • The theme, composed by Koji Kondo, is synonyms with adventure to gamers everywhere.

August 23 – 2011 – Deus Ex: Human Revolution – PS3, Xbox 360, Windows

  • Set in the year 2027, Human Revolution focuses on ex-SWAT officer Adam Jensen, who is employed as a security officer for Sarif Industries, a company on the leading edge of advanced and controversial artificial organs dubbed “augmentations”.
    • An attack on Sarif Industries that apparently kills researcher and Adam’s ex-girlfriend Megan Reed also leaves Adam critically injured. To save him, company CEO David Sarif subjects him to an extensive augmentation procedure: six months later, now recovered and possessing advanced augmentations, Adam sets out to pursue his attackers and the shadowy organization behind them.
    • The story explores themes of transhumanism, the growing power of megacorporations, and their impact on social class.
    • It also uses the series’ recurring cyberpunk setting and conspiracy theory motif.
  • Development of Human Revolution began in 2007 with a small team within the fledgling Eidos Montréal studio, after multiple aborted attempts to create a sequel at original developer Ion Storm following the 2003 release of Deus Ex: Invisible War.
    • The two key influences were the myth of Icarus, a thematic element carried over from Deus Ex; and the artwork and ideas of the Renaissance, which influenced the story, graphics, and music, while combining with the series’ typical cyberpunk elements.
    • The open-ended nature of the gameplay was tricky for the team to achieve; as a result, the boss battles were outsourced to another developer due to time constraints.
    • The music, composed by Michael McCann, focused on ambiance and three-layered compositions over character themes and overt melodies.

August 24 – 2020 – No Straight Roads – Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Windows

  • Start a rock band & end the EDM empire in NO STRAIGHT ROADS, a rockin’ action-adventure from the minds of Wan Hazmer (Final Fantasy XV) and Daim Dziauddin (Street Fighter V).
  • Explore Vinyl City & fight musical megastars on your journey to defeat oppressive EDM empire ‘NSR’, in an action-packed adventure that mashes together rhythm-infused third-person combat with a kick-ass soundtrack!
  • Key Features:
    • Discover the world of Vinyl City, meet larger-than-life characters and lead a musical revolution to end the EDM empire.
    • Rock out solo in an action-packed single-player campaign or band up with a friend in couch co-op.
    • Master rhythm-infused third-person combat as Mayday & Zuke, members of indie rock band Bunk Bed Junction, each with their own music-based weapons and attacks.
    • Defeat musical megastars from a range of genres, including a pop-tastic boy band, a globe-spinning DJ, a child prodigy pianist and more on your journey to bring back rock.
    • Fight for your right to rock! Learn awesome new moves, upgrade your abilities and use the power of music to transform props into weapons.
    • Experience an awesome dynamic soundtrack from a line-up of musical talent, including Falk Au Yeong, Andy Tunstall, Funk Fiction, James Landino, Masahiro “Godspeed” Aoki, Az Samad, Clyde Rabatel and the Video Game Orchestra.
    • Partner up with an additional local player to take control of the Elliegator, a secret alligator assistant who can help players in battle by picking up items, transforming props and calling in useful bonuses.
    • Assist Mode lets up to three local players experience No Straight Roads’ music-based action together, only on Nintendo Switch™.
    • Touchscreen Support – Use the Nintendo Switch™ system’s touch screen to transform props and pick up items.

August 25 – 1997 – GoldenEye 007 – N64

  • This game introduced the first person shooter genre to many people
  • It was thought that FPS would never work off of PC, and this was a huge step forward for console gaming.
  • I’ve seen the game many times, and never the movie.

August 26 – 1989 – Game & Watch Multi Screen: Zelda – Dedicated Handheld

  • Game & Watch Multi Screen: Zelda is the fifteenth and last game in the fourth (and biggest) series of Game & Watch games published by Nintendo, also known as the Multi Screen Series, consisting of 15 titles.
    • Unreleased in Japan.
  • The G&W Zelda game mixes the exploration part of the first Zelda game with the combat gameplay of Zelda II.
    • The goal of your quest is to save Princess Zelda by gathering pieces of the Triforce, each hidden in one of the eight dungeons of the Hyrule Kingdom.
    • Each dungeon is crowded with monsters and ghosts.
    • To go from one room to the next you’ll have to choose between two paths, but only after defeating an armed Goblin.
    • When defeated you’ll get an randomized item: the dungeon map, extra hearts, an axe or magic potions.
    • After defeating the dragon in the last room the piece of Triforce is awarded to Link.
  • The upper screen shows all the useful information: the items you own, the dungeon map, pieces of Triforce gathered and the boss location. The lower screen shows all the action that is happening.

August 27 – 2015 – Pixel Slime U – Wii U

  • PIXEL SLIME U is a unique auto-platformer that challenges you to get the LOWEST score possible.
  • Jump, twist, and glide your way through 40 challenging levels while trying to avoid death.
  • This game will keep you coming back while you compete with others on Miiverse™ to have the LOWEST score.m

August 28 – 2000 – Mario Tennis – N64

  • My favorite Mario sports spinoff
  • Choose your favourite Nintendo character and take to the world of tennis.
    • Game types include ring shot (where you must shoot the ball through golden hoops that are suspended above the play area, gaining bonus points as you play), bomb tennis (simply put Tennis with Bombs) and Piranha Challenge (much like the tennis machines which chuck balls at you, but in this case they are replaced with Piranha plants).
    • Of course, there is your normal tournament mode, with up to 4 players in on the action, and some crazy arenas, especially Bowser’s Castle, which is suspended above a lava pit!
  • I was hoping for something more like this game with Aces, but I was sorely disappointed with how Aces felt to me.

Tidbits

  • The debut trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has been blocked in China and subsequently edited everywhere else, because it used about a second’s worth of footage from the famous Tiananmen Square protest
    • But I’m sure this has nothing to do with Chinese company Tencent’s stake in Call of Duty owner Activision
  • Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is now officially the most downloaded PS Plus game of all time world-wide
    • The game is a fair bit of fun, too, taking the Takeshi’s Castle and Wipeout formulas and turning them into quick little 60 person battle-royales
  • TikTok parent company ByteDance is suing the US government over Trump’s executive order demanding the sale of TikTok to an American company under threat of being banned from the US
    • It seems kind of ironic that they’re suing a national government because of accusations of not being able to stand up to another national government, but it is what it is
  • The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is apparently next-gen Prince of Persia-like stealth game coming in 2021
    • The game will feature a branching narrative, which could get interesting considering we all know how the story ends for Gollum, but it aims to expand on hints given by J.R.R. Tolkien about Sméagol to make a story that fits along with the books and works in aspects of his warring personalities

 

For more content, Patreon supports get access to upcoming ideas and more!

Thank you Renée, and check out her podcast that Josh works on, Ravage Love.

And thanks to the rest of our ‘fanily’ that support us.
And if you want to support us too, its as easy as clicking this link!
And talk to us in the comments!

PS2J 314 News – Facebook Ruins Everything

Free Games

  • Twitch

    • The Inner World

      • 2013
      • 2D point and click adventure that has you exploring the inside-out land of Asposia to discover why the wind is gone and how you can get it back

  • Epic Games

    • Enter the Gungeon

      • 2016
      • Roguelike bullet hell with procedurally generated levels, following four adventurers with different special abilities as they descend into the Gungeon to find a gun to kill their past

    • God’s Trigger

      • 2019
      • Top-down twinstick roguelike that has an angel and a demon teaming up to kill their way into Heaven and stop the apocalypse

Updates

  • Things are continuing to escalate on the Epic Games vs mobile gaming front, with Epic saying that Apple will be terminating its iOS and macOS developer accounts on August 28
    • Epic says that this could directly affect other game developers that use Epic’s Unreal Engine, though that argument seems like a bit of a stretch unless Epic themselves continue the tit-for-tat slapfight. This all came about because of publicity stunt, and the only reason it would affect other developers is if Epic makes that happen
    • For a refresher, Epic updated Fortnite to provide a direct payment option for in-game currency, bypassing the App Store payment system and breaking Apple’s rules. Apple then removed the app. Then Epic sued Apple. Now Apple has made it clear that developers who break App Store guidelines like this get banned from the platform. Which doesn’t seem like the “retaliation” that Epic is crying about but more like enforcing a very clear set of rules.
      • And something I’ve learned in researching this story- 30% is the standard cut for all console makers too, like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. So the fact that Fortnite is still running without weird direct-payment shenanigans on the Xbone, PS4, and Switch shows just how targeted this action is
        • Epic is still offering their 20% discount for VBucks on those platforms, too
    • When asked for comment Apple said that they “very much want” Epic to remain an Apple developer, but that they won’t make an exception for the company. They went on to say that Epic can fix the problem and get everything back to normal by just rolling back the change that broke App Store guidelines by providing a direct payment option
    • In the meantime the eBay scalpers are out in full force, listing iPhones with Fortnite installed for up to $20,000

The United States have come up with yet another assault on digital privacy, this time with the “Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act”

  • Senators are calling it a bill to bolster national security interests and end the use of “warrant-proof” encrypted tech by terrorists or other bad actors, and go on to outright fearmongering by saying that criminals from child predators to terrorists are taking full advantage
    • They’re calling our current state the “Wild West of crime on the internet”
  • The problem is, they’re just sad that their Wild West of law enforcement and surveillance is coming to an end
    • As we’ve reported previously, as technology has move forward faster than our ability to keep our communications private, law enforcement and other organizations have had unprecedented access to everything we do or say online
    • Now that encryption is catching up and that access is ending they’re trying to call foul on the fact that basic tools to keep our private information private are so readily accessible
    • Imagine if lawmakers were trying to enact legislation so that your local police had a copy of every key to every building in the city. Now take that a step further and imagine the law said that every house needs a dedicated police-door that they have keys to, but that key is the same for every house in your area and there’s no way for you to block it
      • Even if we ignore possible police corruption and officers not necessarily having our best interests in mind, as soon as you introduce any kind of back door or workaround there will always be people trying to open and use it without authorization
  • The backbone of the internet relies on unbreakable encryption, for everything from banking to private communication, and if this law is allowed to exist it will put the tools to decrypt your personal information in the hands of the same kind of people that sold access to dozens of Twitter accounts in the BitCoin scam we reported a few episodes ago. And that’s not even taking in to account breaches like BlueLeaks, that had files from hundreds of US police departments exposed including many people’s personal information

Facebook, in classic fashion is directly going against what they promised when they bought Oculus and forcing new users to have Facebook accounts

  • When Palmer Luckey, Oculus’s founder, first sold the company everyone was solid on the fact that you wouldn’t need a Facebook account. Then things slowly changed with Oculus moving from being an owned company to being just a division of Facebook. And then you needed a Facebook account for social features.
  • Well now starting in October everyone using an Oculus device for the first time will need to log in with a Facebook account
  • Existing users have the option to merge their Oculus account with Facebook, or continue using just an Oculus account for the next two years
    • January 1, 2023, they’re pulling the plug on Oculus accounts and though you can keep using your device you’ll be missing some features like the ability to buy new software or even play some games
  • They’re trying to push this as a convenience for users, but at the end of the day they’re forcing more and more of the Facebook platform and philosophy into what should be one of the best VR headsets on the market
  • And of course, Facebook has confirmed that they’ll track how users use their headsets and use that information with no opt-out capability
  • So while I love the idea behind Oculus, especially the Quest, I really can’t recommend it any more. Facebook is running the business into the ground with its invasive changes, and when my Quest inevitably gets locked down by my lack of a Facebook account it’ll be time to look elsewhere

More pandemic misinformation is making the rounds, with people now claiming that phones have been updated with a COVID-19 sensor

  • In reality what they’re referring to is the exposure notification framework we’ve talked about previously
  • For anyone’s who’s missed it, when you have a contact tracing app like Canada’s COVID Alert installed and set up on your phone the exposure notification features will share completely anonymous and randomized identifiers with other devices that are near you for about 15 minutes or more.
  • That information is stored securely on your device and doesn’t include any location info for you or anyone else
  • Then if someone tests positive for COVID-19, instead of trying to wrack their brains for everywhere they’ve gone for the last two weeks they get a code they punch in to the contact tracing app and it uploads the list of identifiers, notifying anyone that had been in contact to self-isolate and potentially get tested
  • It’s not a perfect system, but I think it’s a great solution balancing safety and privacy
  • Along with social distancing, masks, and hand hygiene, it’s another useful tool that we can use to keep ourselves and our loved ones safer. But it’s not a COVID-19 sensor

Pie Episode!

Discord

  • Darren – Tourtierre
    • Tourtière is a Canadian meat pie dish originating from the province of Quebec, usually made with minced pork, veal or beef and potatoes. Wild game is sometimes used.
  • Dalton – Pecan
    • In Canada, we have a treat called a Butter Tart. Which is basically a mini pecan pie with just the filling without pecans to fill it out.
    • Sometimes the butter tart can have some pieces of pecan, or be a trap and have raisins.
    • They are popular enough to have a home in the baked good sections of any good gas station with the muffins and Twinkies.

Twitter

  • Karen – Saskatoon Berry
    • Sakatoon berries are also known as Juneberries in the United States

Instagram

  • Darcy (Josh’s Mom) – Raisin pie
    • I can’t honestly say I’ve had this, but it’s my Mom’s favourite, so I may try to make it. May be like the pecan pie but raisin.

Facebook

  • Tamara – Pumpkin Pie
  • Emily from Emily Missed Out – Strawberry Rhubarb
    • Also Josh’s brother-in-law’s favourite.
  • Travis Dart – Flapper Pie
    • Flapper pie is a vanilla custard pie topped with meringue. The Graham cracker cream pie dates back to the 19th century but entered Western Canadian pop culture in the 20th century as flapper pie.
  • Derek Boxdorfer – Apple Pie

This Week In Gaming History

August 15 – 1987 – Metroid – NES North America

  • A pillar franchise for Nintendo, we recently talked about how Animal Crossing has now sold more copies than the Metroid franchise.
  • Fans of the franchise have been eagerly awaiting an announced Metroid 4, as we have not had a main title release for ten years.
    • The previous longest stretch between main titles have been between Super Metroid in 1994, and Metroid Fusion in 2002.
    • The latest release was Metroid Samus Returns, for the 3DS, from September 2017. The game is a reimagining of the 1991 Game Boy game Metroid II: Return of Samus. It was also accompanied by an excellent couched Samus amiibo as well as a Metroid amiibo with a soft body.

August 16 – 1993 – Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose! – SNES North America

  • You play Buster Bunny, in a series of levels, featuring characters from the Tiny Toon Adventures cartoon.
  • Most of the six levels are platform levels, the fourth level is an exception, and consists of a game of (American) football, played with a simplified version of the rules.
  • This stood out to me as I have always loved classic Looney Tunes, but I have never enjoyed the Tiny Toons, and it is almost always brought up when I talk Looney Tunes.

August 17 – 2009 – Toss The Turtle – Browser

  • Toss the Turtle is a Flash-based game, in which the player has to launch a turtle from a canon and make it travel as much distance as possible. While airborne, the turtle can be controlled with the WASD keys, either to be relaunched by letting it hit explosives or creatures, or to avoid obstacles like a spiked wall. The player also has a projectile weapon with limited ammunition, with which he can shoot the turtle up in the sky and a one-use jet pack.
  • After the flight, the player receives money, the amount being dependent on the distance travelled, objects hit, and money bags collected. This money can be used in the shop to upgrade the cannon, weapon or jet pack, or buy a chest bomb or nuclear thingy.
  • I love these kinds of games, and this was one of the best in its heyday

August 18 – 2007 – xWUNG – Browser

  • Described by the author as a shmup without the shooting, xWUNG presents a retro playfield straight from the days of early arcades with vector graphics and chippy tweets and bleeps.
    • The easiest comparison is to Asteroids, since they are both primarily concerned with dismantling large targets and avoiding being caught in the debris.
    • Here, however, once the target has been struck and the pieces fly, you have no need to further diminish them.
  • A profounder difference lies in the tools in your toolbox; rather than a gun, your weapon is a weighted wire, swung and twirled around your vessel at varying lengths, depending on the vigorousness of the swirl.
    • If either the weight or the wire touches an enemy, they discombobulate in a shower of rectangular parts, deadly to the touch.
    • Your ship also has no acceleration or deceleration — both the movement of the ship and the trajectory of the weapon are directed by precise mouse movements.

August 19 – 2008 – Star Wars: Galaxies – Trading Card Game – Windows

  • Created following the success of Sony Online Entertainment’s Legends of Norrath digital card game, Star Wars Galaxies: TCG is both a stand-alone, online-only strategy game, and a tie-in with the Star Wars Galaxies MMO.
    • Players can download a free trial of the card game with limited content, but must be a Galaxies subscriber to participate in the majority of game modes.
    • The card game can be played within the MMO, or through a separate downloadable client.
  • Star Wars got me excited, then I was shocked it was a card game.
  • The game is based on a system similar to Magic the Gathering.
    • There was an alternate way to win where they added the option to complete a quest before the other player.
    • You could buy 15 card booster packs or new starter decks.

August 20 – 2002 – The Thing – PS2, Xbox, Windows

  • Set after the events of the 1982 John Carpenter movie, The Thing is a squad based 3rd person shooter, where each member of your team is equipped with a range of weapons and items to help you in your quest to destroy The Thing.
  • You must use every player in the squad if you wish to proceed through each level, and once you find one of the thousands of alien creatures through-out the complex, weapons such as flame throwers, pistols and more come into play.
  • 20 levels are on offer, with humans scattered around the area. But are they friend or an infected foe? Trust is the key to success.

August 21 – 1991 – 3D Maze – Windows 3.X

  • 3D Maze is a simple graphical maze game.
  • You begin in a blue square. The object of the game is to reach the red square hidden somewhere in the maze, then go back to the blue square. Once you do that, you win the game! You only have the help of an Elf which tells you if you’re close to the red square or not. If you’re getting close, it’ll say “Warmer”; if not, it’ll say “Colder”.
  • The game also offers four maze sizes: Playable (12×12), Taxing (20×20), Unhealthy (30×30) and Suicidal (50×50).
  • The 3D Maze Screensaver, was present from Windows 95 to 2000.

Tidbits

  • There’s an interesting new app called Native Land, made by a Canadian nonprofit of the same name, that has mapped Indigenous territories across much of the world and lets you view not only what territory you’re in, but also other resources like languages and treaties that you can use to research the land you’re living on or start using land acknowledgements
  • Crows Crows Crows announced that The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe has been delayed in their usual strange, meta fashion- by photoshopping Halo Infinite’s and Deathloop’s delay announcement tweets to refer to their game instead
    • For bonus points, they also put together an announcement that looks at first glance to reference a delay of the upcoming Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but that games hasn’t actually been delayed

Mini review: Truth or Dare on Netflix

  • Went in expecting generic horror, got a surprisingly smart script

 

For more content, Patreon supports get access to upcoming ideas and more!

Thank you Renée, and check out her podcast that Josh works on, Ravage Love.

And thanks to the rest of our ‘fanily’ that support us.
And if you want to support us too, its as easy as clicking this link!
And talk to us in the comments!

PS2J 313 News – Stifling Innovation

Free games

  • Twitch

    • Truberbrook

      • 2019
      • A point-and-click sci-fi mystery adventure game with hand-made scenery and stop-motion elements married with 3D animation

  • Epic Games

    • Remnant: From the Ashes

      • 2019
      • Third person action RPG shooter that borrows mechanics from the Soulsborne games with the addition of more gunplay on top of melee combat, where the earth has been decimated and overrun by an interdimensional evil called the Root

    • The Alto Collection

      • Alto’s Adventure
        • Join Alto and his friends as they embark on an endless snowboarding odyssey. Journey across the beautiful alpine hills of their native wilderness, through neighbouring villages, ancient woodlands, and long-abandoned ruins.
      • Alto’s Odyssey
        • Join Alto and his friends and set off on an endless sandboarding journey to discover its secrets. Soar above windswept dunes, traverse thrilling canyons, and explore long-hidden temples in a fantastical place far from home.

Trump has apparently issued executive orders that will ban not only TikTok but also WeChat from operating in the US if they aren’t sold by their Chinese-owned companies by the end of September

  • As we’ve reported Microsoft is already looking at buying TikTok from its parent company ByteDance, but this is the first we’re hearing about anything to do with WeChat
    • WeChat started life as a popular chat platform, especially for communicating with people in China as other US messaging apps are banned by the Chinese government, but has grown with abilities like transferring money and shopping online
  • Trump’s order alleges that TikTok “automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users,” such as location data and browsing and search histories, which “threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information — potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”
    • There’s some basis to these worries, since a Wall Street Journal report found that the app tracked Android users’ MAC addresses for over a year, as recently as November 2019
      • A MAC address is a globally-unique identifier for any device that connects to a network, and is normally blocked so they had to build a workaround to even get the information
    • The order also claims that the platform censors or disseminates content in keeping with the Chinese Communist Party’s agenda, citing “when TikTok videos spread debunked conspiracy theories about the origins of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.”
  • And the one for WeChat is pretty similar, but also includes a ban on financial transactions with its owner Tencent
  • I can see where this is all coming from, but as TikTok said in a statement it sets a dangerous precedent in forcing foreign companies to sell to American ones if they want to operate in the US
  • And you have to wonder how much of this is fuelled by the stunt organized by many TikTok users which had them registering for thousands of tickets to the Trump campaign rally in Tulsa but not showing up, which likely contributed to the sparse attendance
    • As we’ve seen before, when something hits Trump’s ego he’s likely to lash out in toddlerific fashion
  • It’s gotten to the point where TikTok is apparently planning to sue the Trump administration, challenging the executive order and arguing that the action is unconstitutional as it does not give the company a chance to respond
    • They also state that the national security justification is baseless, according to a source talking to NPR, and that it’s built on pure speculation and conjecture

Epic Games has decided to take on Apple and their App Store in a calculated move regarding in-app purchases

  • Earlier this week, Epic introduced a new direct payment option in the Fortnite app for iPhone and iPad, allowing players to purchase in-game currency at a discount by bypassing Apple’s in-app payment framework and giving the money directly to Epic Games
  • The problem with that is Apple’s App Store guidelines are specifically against that, saying that not only do purchases of in-game currencies need to go through the App Store, but also that you’re not even allowed to tell someone about other purchasing options
    • This makes sense to a point, because Apple generally gets 30% of App Store sales and if someone could say “Hey, pay on our website and it’s cheaper!” then that revenue would drop significantly
  • Epic Games knows exactly what they’re doing in flouting these regulations though, and in an FAQ they described not only Apple’s but also Google’s 30% commission as “exorbitant”, leading them to introduce an alternate payment system to offer 20% discounts
    • If you’re doing the math at home, I guess they’re grabbing that extra 10% for themselves
  • So just hours after the new payment option was brought online, Apple pulled the Fortnite app from the App Store
    • In a statement provided to MacRumors, Apple said that Epic Games knowingly violated the App Store guidelines, and just because they want to push for a special arrangement doesn’t change the fact that the same set of rules should apply to everyone
    • One thing to note, this doesn’t stop anyone from playing the game if they’ve already downloaded it, it just stops new downloads
  • Shortly afterward, Epic announced a new Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite short riffing on Apple’s 1984 ad and likening Apple to Big Brother
    • The fact that they had this ready in the chamber shows they knew exactly what they were doing when breaking those rules and how Apple would react
    • And they’re definitely going guns-blazing, claiming at the end of the video that “Apple is blocking Fortnite from a billion devices”, even though as we previously said anyone that already downloaded it can still play
  • Then Epic Games filed a pre-prepared lawsuit against Apple for pulling Fortnite, accusing Apple of being “the behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition, and stifle innovation”, imposing “anti-competitive restraints” and using “monopolistic practices in markets” against developers
    • It’s a little hard to justify this though, since Apple basically built a walled garden and made it attractive enough for people to want to play in it. Just because you break the rules and get kicked out doesn’t mean they owe you a spot inside.
  • Epic says it’s not looking for a cash payout, but instead wants to secure relief in the iOS app distribution and payment processing market for consumers and developers
    • Digging in to the lawsuit, it looks like they’re using this situation as a wedge to argue that iOS should be as open to third-party software as the Mac is. In fact, they’re almost saying it’s illegal not to be
  • At this point is feels like Epic Games is jumping on the antitrust bandwagon, protesting that Apple’s not making enough space for them to thrive, but I wonder how it would feel if this kind of thing was applied globally.
    • Look at Fortnite- it has a huge audience and I have no way of making money off of it. If I draw a gun skin and want to sell it inside of Fortnite there’s no way for me to do so. Because Epic is stifling my innovation and imposing anti-competitive restraints by forcing people to use its own currency inside the game instead of giving players a chance to give me money for my work.

Microsoft’s rumoured Xbox Series S has been confirmed by leaked controller packaging, and the controller’s pretty nice too

  • The new Xbox controller has slight design tweaks all over the place, with a redesigned d-pad, textured triggers, a new share button, and a slightly smoothed out shape
    • It reportedly even works on the current generation Xbox One, with onscreen graphics matching the updated controller
  • The packaging specifies that the controller works with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. The Series X has already been announced, but this is the first official word we’re hearing of the Series S
    • The S is expected to run the same CPU as the Series X, but with less RAM and a slower GPU
  • Twitter user @zakk_exe managed to buy the controller from someone on the online classifieds app OfferUp who “got it from a homie”

Facebook is facing yet another lawsuit over how the company uses the personal information of its users, this time because of Instagram

  • Last month Facebook offered a $650M settlement for illegally collecting biometric data via its photo tagging feature
    • If approved, affected users could be paid up to $400 each
  • Now a new case has been filed in California, accusing Facebook of collecting, storing, and profiting from the biometric data of over 100M Instagram users.
    • The biggest problem is that there was no consent involved, and users weren’t even made away of the data harvesting.
    • Instagram apparently let people know at the start of this year, but it’s believed to have occurred for some time before that
    • The lawsuit states that the unauthorized collection of this info would be a violation of Illinois privacy law, in which case Facebook could be forced to pay up to $5000 per violation

This Week In Gaming History

August 8 – 2013 – Cookie Clicker – Browser

  • Cookie Clicker is an endless game where the entire point is to gather cookies, then use them to buy items and upgrades which do nothing but gather cookies even faster.
  • It is highly regarded as the first, at least, the most influential incremental clicker game.

August 9 – 2018 – Discord Nitro Beta Releases

  • On the Discord Blog, this was posted “Today, we’re slowly rolling out a beta test to about 50,000 of our Canadian players and will be expanding to more over time. These players will see an upgraded version of Discord Nitro that has access to a curated selection of games along with the current subscription perks. They’ll also see a new Discord Store tab in the home screen with individual games for purchase.”
  • Released on the Beta, the following games for Windows:
    • Bridge Constructor
    • Dandara
    • Darksiders: Warmastered Collection
    • Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition
    • GoNNER
    • Kathy Rain
    • Kingdom: New Lands
    • Metro: Last Night – Redux
    • Slime-san: Superslime Edition
    • Super Meat Boy
    • System Shock: Enhanced Edition
    • Tormentor X Punisher
    • de Blob

August 10 – 2004 – Ben’s Game – Windows

  • A special 3d game designed by Ben Duskin and LucasArts. Ben is a 9 year old with Leukemia. Ben worked with the Make-A-Wish foundation to find a developer for Ben’s game. Ben wanted to make a game that would help kids battle cancer.
  • The game involves a changeable character riding a skateboard over an imaginary playing field, made of red blood cells and cartoon representations of viral infections. The character collects innoculents to shoot at his enemies. The player pivots his character in order to steer around objects and collect bonus shots.

August 11 – 1993 – Samurai Shodown – Neo Geo

  • In early feudal Japan, a man named Shiro Tokisada Amakusa preaches a heretic religion. Little does anyone know that Amakusa is really a servant of the evil Ambrosia, who had possessed and taken over Amakusa’s body, as Ambrosia wishes to shroud the world into eternal darkness. Now, the player must select from out of 12 fierce warriors and plus 3 bonus characters in order to fight for the honor of defeating Amakusa once and for all, while fulfilling a specific mission for each and every warrior in the game.
  • The Genesis version of the game does not however include the Earthquake which has been removed due to its 16-bit memory capacity and technical size limitations.

August 12 – 1981 – PC-DOS Included Game – DOS

  • Included with IBM’s PC-DOS was Microsoft’s BASICA (Advanced BASIC) interpreter and several programs, one of which was a game and hence is of interest to us: DONKEY.BAS.
  • Directing a sports car on a stretch of rural road, the player must beware of donkeys roaming its picturesque lanes. Spot a donkey ahead and the player must quickly determine whether to switch lanes with the space bar before the car’s course brings it into a messy head-on collision. With each burro successfully traversed, the car moves a little higher on the road — closer to earning a point for the player (after passing eleven mules) but also giving less response time between the appearance of the titular donkey and its potential impact.
  • The game credits two people for coding the game
    • Neil Kozen, whose other credit is for designing Forza Motorsport
    • Bill Gates

August 13 – 2013 – Papers, Please – Steam

  • Papers Please is a simulation game based on the life of a immigration inspector charged with checking passports at the border of a fictional communist state, Arztoska.
    • The game is set after the conclusion of a six year war with neighboring Kolechia, the war has moved the combatants boarded and left the city of Greznin split.
    • Kolechia controls the west and Arztoska the east. The game begins with the player being selected for border duty in Arztoska’s monthly labor lottery. He (the player character is unnamed) and his family are relocated to the city of Greznin.
  • A powerful game paralleling the Cold War in Europe.

August 14 – 1989 – Altered Beast – Sega Genesis, North America

  • You are a hero raised from the dead by the god Zeus to rescue his daughter Athena.
    • With scenery inspired by Ancient Greece, you have to fight hordes of undead and demons, with a boss at the end of each level until you meet the god Neff, who holds the girl captive.
  • Made by Team Shinobi, creators of the first Shinobi game, as well as Golden Axe
  • Fun podcast fact, the bit crushed audio from this game “Rise From Your Grave” is used as a bumper on the Last Podcast On The Left.

Tidbits

  • Researchers are rejoicing over changes to the names of human genetics, all because of Excel
    • Apparently there were genes with names like “Membrane Associated Ring-CH-Type Finger 1”, which was abbreviated to MARCH1. The problem was that Excel would automatically format that as the date 1-Mar and confuse data with no way to turn the feature off
    • There are manual options to prevent this, but they need to be applied to each spreadsheet and for many people that aren’t necessarily power users the data would just end up corrupted each time it was exported
  • Control is taking fire for how it’s unveiling the new Ultimate edition as part of the release of its second expansion
    • The Ultimate Edition will come with all updates and content, including both expansions, and see a Steam release for the first time
    • The problem is that only people who buy the Ultimate Edition will get an upgrade to the next-gen version when it comes out for the Series X and PS5
      • People who bought the game day one, or even those who purchased the season pass, will not get the free upgrade on next-gen consoles and would need to buy the game all over again
  • MIcrosoft’s new Surface Duo Android tablet finally answers the burning question “Hey, how much would it cost to slap a hinge on two 6” tablets?”.
    • The answer is apparently $1400 USD
  • Halo Infinite has officially been delayed until 2021, citing COVID-related impacts and other development challenges and saying the extra time will help them deliver the most ambitious Halo game ever
    • I’d quote Miyamoto about this, but as we’ve seen over the years with No Man’s Sky and Duke Nukem Forever development time doesn’t necessarily equate to quality

For more content, Patreon supports get access to upcoming ideas and more!

Thank you Renée, and check out her podcast that Josh works on, Ravage Love.

And thanks to the rest of our ‘fanily’ that support us.
And if you want to support us too, its as easy as clicking this link!
And talk to us in the comments!

PS2J 312 News – Domestic Spying Only

Free Games

  • Twitch

    • NeuroVoider

      • 2016
      • Twin-stick shooter RPG set in a futuristic world about brains shooting around evil robots with nuclear rocket launchers, where you can customize your brain with the smoking remains of your victims

    • Dead in Vinland

      • 2018
      • Survival management game mixed with RPG and adventure elements, about a viking family trying to survive after being exiled on a mysterious island

    • Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn

      • 2018
      • Fighting game featuring Shaquille O’Neal that has you fighting your way around the world, beating outlandish celebrity bosses, and listening to a new rap track from Shaq himself

    • WARSAW

      • 2019
      • Turn-based historical role playing game where you need to use everything at your disposal to help a team of accidental heroes survive on the streets of Warsaw in 1944

    • Treachery in Beatdown City

      • 2020
      • Retro-style beat ’em up with RPG tactics and wrestling mechanics that lets you build a custom character and go save the president

    • Blazing Chrome

      • 2019
      • Side-scrolling action run and gun that has you freeing human kind from a machine-ruled world with fast-paced single player or co-op gameplay

    • Chroma Squad

      • 2015
      • Turn based tactical RPG about five stunt actors who decide to quit their jobs and start their own Power Rangers inspired TV show, where you customize your studio, craft your giant cardboard mechas, and combine your heroes’ abilities with teamwork maneuvers

    • Baseball Stars 2

      • 1992
      • Two player sports arcade game for the Neo-Geo that also saw a home release on the NES, it was lauded as having unparalleled gameplay and “the best graphics, sound, and gameplay this side of ESPN”

    • Shock Troopers 2nd Squad

      • 1998
      • Top-down military themed action shooter arcade game on the Neo-Geo that actually has no connection to the first Shock Troopers game, you choose from four mercenaries with different abilities to take down a terrorist organization

    • Ironclad

      • 1996
      • Side-scrolling shoot ’em up that has you manoeuvring a warship and teaming up with the mighty Iron Clad in order to fight the Iron Mask Republic and save the Kingdom of Chop

    • King of the Monsters

      • 1990
      • Isometric fighting game that pits pits kaiju against eachother and humanity to discover who is the strongest Super Monster of all

    • Sengoku 3

      • 2001
      • Side-scrolling beat ’em up that has you adventuring around the world to destroy evil spirits awoken by the red moon, with armed and unarmed combos and massive Ninja Art attacks

    • Metal Slug 2

      • 1998
      • Iconic run and gun action shooting game where you fight your way through a hail of bullets to thwart General Morden’s evil ambitions and uncover the secret of his new coup

    • SNK 40th Anniversary Collection

      • Video game compilation consisting of 24 different arcade and console games published by SNK between 1979 and 1990, from Ozma Wars to Crystalis

  • Epic Games

    • Wilmot’s Warehouse

      • 2019
      • Top-down puzzle game about keeping a warehouse running in tip-top shape. You’ll need to flex your organizational muscles in arranging and grouping items so you can retrieve requests as quickly as possible

    • 3 out of 10, Ep 1: Welcome To Shovelworks

      • 2020
      • Billed as the world’s first playable sitcom, it’s a fully animated and voiced free episodic series based in the world’s worst game studio, with narratively driven mini games taking you behind the scenes in a satirical look at game development

Health Canada has released a national COVID-19 contact tracing app, and it actually uses the proper exposure notification API

  • COVID Alert is available on iOS and Android, and takes full advantage of the Apple/Google Exposure Notification API
    • One thing to note here is that because the API is only available in iOS 13, you’ll need an iPhone from the last five years or so (6s or newer)
    • That lets your phone silently record randomized identifiers for anyone that comes within range of you for 15 minutes or more
    • Then, if someone tests positive for COVID-19, they just have to enter a code given to them by health care workers and it will upload a list of everyone that was in range in the last 14 days
    • At set intervals your phone will check the uploaded lists and, if your identifier was included in one, let you know that you may have been exposed
    • No personal information is asked for or collected by the app- you’ll see a prompt asking to enable COVID-19 Exposure Logging and Notifications, and then another asking to enable notifications for the app. Other than that it just asks what province you live in
  • A lot of other apps, even some local ones like ABTraceTogether, have attempted something similar, but because they wanted to use their own systems they hit walls like your iPhone screen needing to be on and unlocked at all times
    • These apps are not only battery hogs, but also less secure as they could be accessing other identifying information while they run
  • There is a caveat here in that reporting is currently limited to a pilot program running in Ontario, but you can still download and run the app anywhere in Canada so that your contact tracing records are kept up to date. Then even on day one of reporting in your province you’ll be able to see if you came into contact with someone days or weeks ago
  • Estimates show that these apps become really effective after they reach 60% of an area’s population, and there’s literally no downside to running it, so I’d heartily recommend everyone take a moment and get that going on your smartphone

Xbox Game Streaming is going full Stadia on September 15th, but they might actually do it right

  • Based on Project xCloud, the new tech will allow Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to play more than 100 games from the cloud on their Android devices
  • You’ll be able to play things like Minecraft Dungeons, Destiny 2, Gears 5, and Yakuza Kiwami 2, and they’ve announced they’ll be providing day-one access to new titles from Xbox Game Studios
  • Mobile users will have full access to the console experience, including friends lists, achievements, and saved game progress
  • And one of the best parts is that this isn’t limited to the States- September 15th will see the launch across 22 countries across North America and Europe
  • Unfortunately this is Android exclusive- Microsoft was running tests with iOS devices, but Apple’s App Store policies smacked the whole idea down
    • An Apple spokesperson told Business Insider that streaming services like these can’t be on the App Store because the company can’t review every single game included in the apps
    • They say that because games are interactive, unlike movies and music, they must be reviewed before being allowed to reach iPhone and iPad users
    • I think if that’s their concern they should just put the highest age-rating on the app and let it loose. There are a lot of interactive things on iPhones, like web browsers, where it’s just not feasible to review every single interaction

Samsung introduced a bunch of new tech with their Unpacked digital event this week

  • They introduced a fancy new Galaxy Z Fold 2 with a faster processor and redesigned hinge
    • The gap between the screens has been shrunk and the device is thinner than the first Fold, but the hinge also boasts improved dust elimination. We’ll see more details on September 1st when preorders open
  • The Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra are the next flagships of the Galaxy line with 5G support
    • They’ve improved the S Pen and, for the Ultra model, set up a 120Hz screen for less latency when gaming
    • They’ve also partnered with Microsoft for three free months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with Xbox Game Streaming, as well as a free controller to play with
  • New tablets are coming in the form of the Tab S7 and S7+, and are the first tablets that support 5G in the US (for what it’s worth)
    • Apparently they’ll have a lot of Microsoft integrations, including the ability to use it as a second screen with your Windows computer
  • Taking a note from Apple’s iPhone X, Samsung skipped right from the Galaxy Watch to the Galaxy Watch3, with a smaller, thinner, and lighter body that still houses a larger screen
    • The new model has a cool feature that can measure your blood oxygen levels, too, which is pretty handy when we have a lung-attacking pandemic on our hands
    • Recent rumours are saying that the next Apple watch will also include this feature
  • Galaxy Buds Live are Samsung’s latest wirefree earbuds, now with active noise cancelling
  • And they’ve announced the followup to their original folding smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
    • This one goes back to the book-style body of the Fold, but now when it’s closed you get a full 6.2” screen instead of the giant bezels and 4.6” screen of the original
    • They’ve also switched the display from using plastic to “ultra thin glass”, to improve strength and scratch-resistance, and improved the hinge to be not only stronger but also offer more varied angles
      • It still has a slight gap in the hinge, but Samsung says they’ve added bristles to keep dirt out

It’s been a weird week when it comes to TikTok

  • With such a popular app being owned by a Chinese company, many are concerned about the data that so many are willingly uploading to the service (along with whatever it may be grabbing behind our backs) ending up in the hands of a foreign government
    • Some are also concerned about how it could pave the road for some low-grade propoganda, given how the way videos are promoted to users is a complete mystery
  • Last Friday Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he would be banning the Chinese social media service from the United states, though given his track record who knows what he actually meant
    • He said he’d be signing the document the next day, but whether that was supposed to be an executive order or something else it never materialized
  • Then two days later Microsoft confirmed its intent to acquire TikTok in the US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealond, saying they got a window from the president to have a deal in place by September 15th but is still threatening a ban if they can’t hash it out
  • On the political side, China’s communist party tabloid Global Times called a forced sale the “hunting and looting” of TikTok, and with Trump saying the US Government should get a “substantial portion” of the sale for “making it possible for this deal to happen”, you can start to wonder if they may be on to something

This Week In Gaming History:

August 1 – 1991 – F-Zero – SNES

  • The series is known for its high-speed racing, characters and settings, difficult gameplay, and original music, as well as for pushing technological limits to be one of the fastest racing games.
  • The original title inspired the creation of games such as Daytona USA and the Wipeout series.
  • And selfishly, I love this game for putting Captain Falcon into Smash bros, so he could be cloned to be my main Ganondorf.

August 2 – 1992 – Mortal Kombat – Arcades

  • Mortal Kombat was considered as one of the greatest video games of all time by critics and audiences in 21st century and became a best-selling game and remains one of the most popular fighting games in the genre’s history, spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs over the following years and decades, beginning with Mortal Kombat II in 1993, and together with the first sequel was the subject of a successful film adaptation in 1995.
  • However, it also sparked much controversy for its depiction of extreme violence and gore using realistic digitized graphics, and, along with the home release of Night Trap, prompted the formation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), a U.S. government-backed organization that set descriptor ratings for video games.

August 3 – 2008 – The Angry Video Game Nerd in Pixel Land Blast – PC

  • In The Angry Video Game Nerd in Pixel Land Blast, you play the Angry Video Game Nerd from the web video series.
    • You are flying along wielding your NES Zapper, shooting NES cartridges that have been features on the Angry Video Game Nerd videos.
    • Do not touch a cartridge or get hit with a shot as this drains your life meter. If your life meter drops to zero, you lose a life. Hitting a spiked wall instantly loses you a life.
    • If you see a couple bottles of Rolling Rock beer, these will restore some of your life meter.
    • A six-pack is an extra life.
    • You can press a second fire button to call forth Shit Pickle, who will clear all enemies from the screen.
    • After a couple of levels, your progress will be saved so you don’t need to restart from the beginning, if you don’t want to.

August 4 – 2013 – Pikmin 3 – WiiU

  • The game centers around controlling three new characters: Alph, Brittany, and Charlie. They travel to PNF-404 (the planet featured in the first two games) to save their home planet Koppai from famine by harvesting seeds from the planet’s fruit. Upon reaching the planet, they discover the Pikmin, a servile species that’s both plant and animal, which they use to collect the fruit and battle the planet’s many fierce creatures.
  • Pikmin are super cute, and I love Pikmin 2, but the loss of control in this was devastating to my enjoyment of the game.
    • You used to be able to control Pikmin with the right analog stick, but in this game it is a camera control, and the Pikmin mindlessly follow you to me devoured, stomped or somehow caught by anything that follows you.

August 5 – 2000 – Hot Chix ‘n’ Gear Stix – PC

  • Caught my eye with the ridiculous title
  • Behind the wheels of one of the 6 mid-70s American muscle cars your only aim is to show yourself as the hottest chix around in this arcade-style racing game.
  • Tried to get more info off the developers website, but their website looks like its no longer hosted

August 6 – 2001 – Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to Jaburo – PS2

  • An action game based directly on the Mobile Suit Gundam films and series. The game begins at the start of the series and ends at the ending of the second film.
  • The game plays in an action game format with a standard third-person view. It features newly hand animated cutscenes that depict events from the original television series as well as a CGI opening depicting a space battle from the One Year War and then a scene of the Gundam destroying several Zaku IIs before being attacked by Char Aznable.
  • A sequel, Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space, was released in 2003.
    • Which has hard to learn controls that reflect space combat well.
  • The English dub of the video game features the voices of the actors who were cast for the Mobile Suit Gundam television series as with most games subsequent to the series’ dubbing, rather than the English cast of the films.

August 7 – 2018 – Dead Cells – XBox One/PS4

  • Dead Cells is a roguelike action platformer video game inspired by Metroidvania-style games
  • Absolutely love the art style, I have no idea how to play the game. And feel like I’m bad at it.

Tidbits

  • Animal Crossing: New Horizons has officially sold more than double what New Leaf did, beating out Breath of the Wild and Super Smash Bros Ultimate to reach the number 2 spot for Switch game sales just under Mario Kart 8
  • Bethesda has announced that Doom Eternal and The Elder Scrolls Online will both be free on the PS5 or Xbox Series X for players that have them on PS4 or Xbone, respectively
  • A new brushing scam saw people in dozens of US states receive mystery seeds in the mail that they didn’t order
    • Governments are urging people not to plant them or throw them out, as they could introduce invasive species, but to contact your state plant regulatory official instead
    • Brushing scams, I learned this week, are a e-commerce trick where scammers will get ahold of people’s names and addresses and then send them some random, low-value item.
      • The idea is that once there’s a record of some kind of shipment, they can use that to legitimize fake positive product reviews that they attach your name to
  • Three teenagers were arrested this week for last month’s massive Twitter hack that had prominent users like Bill Gates and Elon Musk promoting a Bitcoin scam that earned over $100K
    • According to federal agents, they’d used their own driver’s licenses to open Bitcoin wallets that received some of the loot
    • The suspected leader is being charged with more than 30 felonies, including communications fraud and identity theft, but the hack could have been a lot worse if the goal had been to affect global policy rather than make a quick buck

 

For more content, Patreon supports get access to upcoming ideas and more!

Thank you Renée, and check out her podcast that Josh works on, Ravage Love.

And thanks to the rest of our ‘fanily’ that support us.
And if you want to support us too, its as easy as clicking this link!
And talk to us in the comments!