PC News, Videos & Reviews

Gauntlet reboot's creator promises free overhaul with 'brand new mode'

By Owen S. Good on May 23, 2015 05.23.15

The studio behind Gauntlet's reboot is promising big changes, but the news is more why they're promising big changes. Basically, they themselves aren't happy with the game they released in September. "In truth, we were never fully satisfied with how Gauntlet turned out," Emil Englund, the game's director, wrote on Arrowhead Game Studios' site. "So, rather than just fixing little things here and there, we have been working on the core of the game to turn it into what we originally envisioned." For those who bought the game, fear not — the improvements will come in the form of "a free major content update for the game," which include "a brand new game mode," as well as improvements to the game's campaign and Colosseum mode. "I can't tell you too much right now, but if you keep watching...

Body parts intact or not, Jason refuses to die in this Mortal Kombat X glitch

By Megan Farokhmanesh on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

Huh, so here's a weird Mortal Kombat X glitch for you. Friday the 13th's Jason, true to his nightmare legacy, can survive getting half of his body ripped off or even having his head removed entirely. According to YouTube user YVX1222, it only works with "Jason's Unstoppable Variation, while in Test Your Luck or Kustom Kombat using the Brutality Kombat Modifier." In Unstoppable mode, this usually means that whenever Jason is knocked down for the second time, he'll be revived based on how much energy he has in his power meter. Most reports suggest that this glitch will only work with the two brutalities demonstrated above. In the video above, Jason gets knocked down by vicious brutalities, aaaaand then gets right back up minus some key bits. You've got good spirit, kid. For more on M...

Issue 06

April 30, 2015

Indie Developer Science Fair

By Matt Leone

17 fun projects from some of the game industry's most creative teams.

Check out the first in-game look at Total War: Arena

By Megan Farokhmanesh on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

The latest trailer for Total War: Arena, Creative Assembly's free-to-play, team-based strategy game, zooms through the game's battlefields and shows off in-game alpha footage. Total War: Arena features 10v10 matches in which players navigate three warrior units to victory or defeat. As they progress, units will level up and unlock specialist skills and abilities. Watch the trailer above for more on the game. Total War: Arena was announced at GDC in 2013. The game is still in closed alpha, though players can sign up through the official website. The alpha is currently only available in Europe; U.S. servers are expected to open soon.

Minimap May 22: Let's talk about the news, Scrooge

By Dave Tach on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

Welcome to Polygon Minimap, a daily audio podcast touring the latest news about video games, related technologies and culture. Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Download this episode directly as an MP3 Here's what we're covering today: THE BIG STORIES Teen pleads guilty to nearly two dozen charges in connection to nationwide swatting spree Anger mounting over non-payment from games marketplace There's a new secret area in Destiny that only the best players will ever visit Bill Murray will star in a Christmas special for Netflix this December THE BEST OF THE REST The first first-person shooter Tomorrowland Review: Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow Watch the terrifying market research that would have killed Psychonauts Here's a sneak preview of the B...

War, identity and the swanky '70s in Sunset

By Danielle Riendeau and Charlie Hall on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

Watch on YouTube | Subscribe to Polygon on YouTube Tale of Tales' latest game, Sunset, is about a lot of lofty things. It takes on race, class, gender and war — all from the confines of a single, swanky '70s apartment. Join Charlie Hall and me as we explore the inner workings of Sunset and find a simple game that tackles a lot of complicated issues.

The first look at Dreamfall Chapters: Book 3 teases some dramatic changes

By Megan Farokhmanesh on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

Dreamfall Chapters: Book 3 is "getting close" to release, and in the meantime, Red Thread Games has shared the first look (pictured above) at the upcoming episode, titled Realms. In it, we see protagonists Kian and Zoe looking drastically different than their appearances in Book 2: Rebels. "Please note that this art is not final," a post on Kickstarter reads. "Art director Christoffer will continue to tweak the art next week — but Book Three is indeed called 'Realms'...and both Kian and Zoe have gone through some dramatic changes in the time that's passed since the end of Book Two!" The third episode is progressing well, the post adds, and the focus now has shifted to finishing final assets. Red Thread said it won't announce a release date until the game is five to seven days away...

Undead Labs' Moonrise comes to Steam Early Access on May 27

By Michael McWhertor on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

State of Decay developer Undead Labs is bringing its colorful, Pokémon-inspired role-playing game Moonrise to PC next week with a Steam Early Access release. The free-to-play game has been in a closed beta for months, but the upcoming Early Access release will let players buy into the pre-release version of Moonrise. Undead Labs will sell two Early Access bundles for Moonrise, one at $14.99 and the other at $19.99. The developer shared details on what's included in each bundle on its forums earlier this month, but that buy-in will grant Early Access players access to certain creatures — called Solari — and in-game gold, gems and boosters. Moonrise will be available for both Mac and Windows PC through Steam Early Access on May 27. Undead Labs describes Moonrise as a real-time tactical...

Review | More
Bloodborne
- Platforms: PS4
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Developer: From Software
- Release Date: 2015-03-24
Review | More
Destiny
- Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, 360, PS3
- Publisher: Activision
- Developer: Bungie
- Release Date: 2014-09-09
Review | More
Mortal Kombat X
- Platforms: PS4, PS3, Win, Xbox One, 360
- Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Developer: NetherRealm Studios
- Release Date: 2015-04-14
Review | More
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
- Platforms: Win, PS4, Xbox One
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Developer: MachineGames
- Release Date: 2015-05-05

All Games

F1 2015 pushed back into July, but here's a first look at gameplay

By Megan Farokhmanesh on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

F1 2015 will miss its original June launch date and instead release on July 10, Codemasters announced. The developer also released a trailer showing off a first look at gameplay, which you can watch above. Those who pre-order the game will get a special metal case and the Race Like a Champion guide for hints and tips. F1 2015, which will use a new version of the EGO engine, is being developed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. In addition to new content, the game will also include drivers, cars and tracks from the 2014 season as bonus content.

Introducing Tanaan Jungle: six things to know about World of Warcraft's newest zone

By Philip Kollar on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

World of Warcraft's patch 6.2 has been on test servers for a while now. When it goes live in the coming weeks, it will bring a number of major new features to those playing the popular MMO, most notably a whole new zone called Tanaan Jungle. We spoke with World of Warcraft lead designer Ion Hazzikostas to find out what players should be looking forward to with the new zone. 1. You've seen Tanaan Jungle before When the Warlords of Draenor expansion first launched on Nov 13, 2014, Tanaan Jungle was actually the first glimpse players got of the new/old (time travel!) world of Draenor. But after a series of quick quests, players were whisked away to elsewhere on the planet, unable to return to that starting area. "We knew this was coming pretty much from the start," Hazzikostas says....

These are Batman: Arkham Knight's characters, and the Batmobile counts

By Dave Tach on May 22, 2015 05.22.15

A video released today for Batman: Arkham Knight explores the characters in developer Rocksteady Games' upcoming superhero title. Press play above to learn about the designs and roles of characters like the Arkham Knight, Penguin, Scarecrow and the Dark Knight himself. Stick around to learn more about a less traditional character, the Batmobile. Batman: Arkham Knight is set for a June 23 release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC. For more on the game, you can watch a live-action trailer below.

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Anime, Cartoons, Comics! Plight Vol. 3, No. 12: Mom! Kirielson's Making a Plight Overflow Thread!

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Listen to Nobuo Uematsu's new Final Fantasy theme for Heavensward

By Michael McWhertor on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

Veteran Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu is lending his musical talents to the series' impending release, Final Fantasy 14 expansion Heavensward, and Square Enix is giving fans a chance to hear his theme a bit early. Square Enix released "Dragonsong," Final Fantasy 14: Heavensward's main theme today alongside new media for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The title of Heavensward's theme refers to the Dragonsong War, the conflict between the knights of Ishgard and the dragons of Dravania, which is core to the story of Final Fantasy 14's upcoming expansion. You'll see scenes from Heavensward in the above music video, which also features the vocal talents of singer Susan Calloway. Final Fantasy 14: Heavensward is coming to PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and Windows...

Minimap May 21, 2015: Let's talk about the news, Optimus

By Dave Tach on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

Welcome to Polygon Minimap, a daily audio podcast touring the latest news about video games, related technologies and culture. Subscribe on iTunes Subscribe to the podcast (RSS) Download this episode directly as an MP3 Here's what we're covering today: THE BIG STORIES Bloodborne will get an expansion, Sony confirms Need for Speed gets a reboot with eponymous game this fall Witcher 3 team on downgrade accusations: 'Maybe we shouldn't have shown that trailer' Witcher 3 PC version gets stability, graphics patch; console version inbound Rockstar parent company sues BBC over upcoming GTA drama The Walking Dead's Robert Kirkman is working on the Transformers movies now Techland's Hellraid sent back to drawing board, didn't meet expectations PlayStation's E3 press...

See Overwatch's master bowman (and dragon summoner) Hanzo in action

By Michael McWhertor on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

Blizzard Entertainment continues its gameplay previews of team-based shooter Overwatch today with an extended look at Hanzo, the bow and arrow-wielding assassin who's also pretty skilled with summoning a giant, murderous spirit dragon. Hanzo can use his arrows in a variety of ways, including the standard Storm Bow shot, the Sonic Arrow — which can track nearby enemies — and the Scatter Arrow, which fires a spread of projectiles to take down multiple foes. His flashiest attack is his Dragonstrike, the ultimate ability that brings forth a massive, spiraling dragon that passes through walls and kills anything in its path. You can see Hanzo in action in nine minutes of new gameplay from Overwatch. Blizzard released similar gameplay videos of three other Overwatch characters, Zenyatta, M...

Galactic Civilizations 3's lead designer on 64-bit architecture and their five-year support plan

By Nick Robinson and Charlie Hall on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

Watch in 60fps on YouTube | Subscribe to Polygon on YouTube After nearly a year in Early Access, Galactic Civilizations 3 launched this past week — the first full-fledged GalCiv release since Galactic Civilizations 2: Dread Lords almost a decade ago. We recently sat down with the game's lead designer Paul Boyer for an in-depth discussion on building a game this huge, the very real difference 64-bit architecture can make in a 4X game, and Stardock's five-year plan for supporting the title.

Torment: Tides of Numenera trailer takes you on a tour of its world

By Megan Farokhmanesh on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

InXile Entertainment's upcoming role-playing game Torment: Tides of Numenera has a new trailer, and this one is all about its "world unlike any other," also known as the Ninth World. Torment: Tides of Numenera is a spiritual successor to Planescape: Torment, funded via Kickstarter, being developed for Linux, Mac and Windows PC; the game is still one of Kickstarter's most funded projects. Check out the Ninth World in all its alien, exotic weirdness in the video above.

Arkham Knight's new trailer shows there's a bit of Batman in all of us

By Ben Kuchera on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

Batman: Arkham Knight has seen its fair share of trailers and promotional videos, but this live-action look at the game is a bit different. The idea focuses on the bravery and competence that Batman can, hopefully, inspire in the people around him. If you're doing something great, if you're helping someone, you're being like Batman. Batman has, in fact, been in your heart the whole time. It's an effective trailer, catching the feeling of the game rather than the actual gameplay, and uses the music of Nine Inch Nails well. We know what the game looks like; we're well past the point where that's a surprise, and this gives Warner Bros. another way to sell the game's ideas to the player.

Telltale rolling out Game of Thrones' fourth episode, 'Sons of Winter,' starting May 26

By Samit Sarkar on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

"Sons of Winter," the fourth episode of Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, will be released next week on all platforms, developer Telltale Games announced today. Episode Four will be available Tuesday, May 26, on Mac and Windows PC via Steam, the Telltale Online Store and other digital distribution services. It will also arrive that day on PlayStation Network in North America and Europe for both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. "Sons of Winter" will launch May 27 on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The Android and iOS versions will both go live May 28. "Sons of Winter," the fourth of six episodes in the debut season of Telltale's Game of Thrones, finds our heroes risking life and limb in an effort to ensure their family's survival in the War of the Five Kings....

How a group of college students made gaming history at the dawn of personal computing and computer networks.

The first first-person shooter

By Richard Moss on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

It started as an experiment. Steve Colley had just figured out how to rotate a cube on the screen when Howard Palmer suggested they could make a three-dimensional maze. The year was 1973. They were high school seniors in a work-study program with NASA, tasked with testing the limits of the Imlac PDS-1 and PDS-4 minicomputers. Their maze program flickered into life with simple wireframe graphics and few of the trappings of modern games. You could walk around in first person, looking for a way out of the maze, and that's about it. There were no objects or virtual people. Just a maze. But Maze would evolve over the summer and the years that followed. Soon two people could occupy the maze together, connected over separate computers. Then they could shoot each other and even peek around...

Need for Speed gets a reboot with eponymous game this fall

By Brian Crecente on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

The Need for Speed franchise is getting a reboot, Electronic Arts announced today, with the launch of Need for Speed this fall. Need for Speed is set for release on PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One and, according to the press release, will deliver "deep customization, authentic urban car culture, a nocturnal open world, and an immersive narrative that pulls you through the game." This will be the 22nd Need for Speed game released since the original in 1994. The franchise stopped numbering the games after the third installment and instead used standalone titles like "Nitro," "Shift" and "Most Wanted." This year's Need for Speed is in development at Ghost Games, the studio behind 2013's Need for Speed Rivals. "Need for Speed is one of the most iconic names in gaming, and we're...

Witcher 3 PC version gets stability, graphics patch; console version inbound

By Brian Crecente on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

The PC version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt received a patch today meant to improve stability and increase performance, the studio announced this morning. The console version of the patch will be "available very soon." Here's a rundown of the patch notes. Improves stability in gameplay and the UI Improves performance especially in cutscenes and gameplay Fixes grass and foliage popping that could occur after density parameters were changed Improves Nvidia Hairworks performance Boosted texture anisotropy sampling to 16x on Ultra preset Sharpen Post-process settings extended from Off/On to Off/Low/High Blood particles will now properly appear after killing enemies on the water Corrects a bug where player was able to shoot bolts at friendly NPCs Improves menu handling Corrects...

Witcher 3 team on downgrade accusations: 'Maybe we shouldn't have shown that trailer'

By Brian Crecente on May 21, 2015 05.21.15

Despite garnering almost universal praise, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has been catching some heat about the PC version and whether it was downgraded since its initial 2013 trailer. The game was graphically downgraded on PC, members of the company tell Eurogamer. But that original video wasn't all smoke and mirrors, it was captured PC footage, it just showed a game that it turned out the developers couldn't deliver. "Maybe it was our bad decision to change the rendering system," company co-founder Marcin Iwinski told Eurogamer, "because the rendering system after VGX was changed." It turns out that the one used to create the video for the VGX show couldn't deliver the same look across the entire world both in the day and at night. "Maybe we shouldn't have shown that [trailer], I don't...

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