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Saints Row 4 up for Australian classification re-review next week

Saints Row 4's down under scrutiny will occur again next week, as the over-the-top sandbox crime game attempts a second run by the Australian Classification Board. The ACB banned the game last month, raising issues over its depiction of drug use and an "alien anal probe."

Publisher Deep Silver previously said it was planning to re-submit a re-worked version of the game - apparently a "low violence" one going by Steam Australia. That re-review is now confirmed and dated for this time next week on July 29, and hopefully it's a decision that leaves both parties satisfied.

Saints Row 4 was the first to be banned in the country after the government passed the law permitting R18+ games for adult audiences. The second game, banned a day after Saints Row 4, was State of Decay. Thankfully, Undead Labs' own reworked version came through its re-review earlier this month, and the developer expects to bring the XBLA game Australia's way on Friday, July 26.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified trailer lets you tweet an agent's fate


A new live-action trailer for The Bureau: XCOM Declassified partakes in an incongruous mixture of top-secret government information and large-scale social network marketing. Still, it will be interesting to see which way the public goes on the fate of Special Agent Meriadoc Brandybook, or Ennis Cole to give him his XCOM codename.

In the aftermath of a classified incident which left him without his wife and child, the vid asks users to tweet hashtagged votes for what Cole should do next. Votes can be registered until Wednesday, July 24, when the video revealing his determined fate will be released.

That's all well and good, but the date to remember is August 20; that's when The Bureau opens its doors to Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Oculus Rift planned for PC and mobile, consoles 'not a focus'

Oculus Rift focusing on PC, mobile devices, consoles 'not a focus'
Oculus VR CEO Brendan Iribe recently told EDGE that the Oculus Rift headset will focus on PC and mobile devices.

"I love consoles but internally we're a lot more excited about where mobile's going to go, and being able to plug it right into a next gen cellphone," Iribe said. "Those things are almost doubling every year, compared to a console that's just stuck it out for eight years."

Iribe hopes to have the Oculus Rift on the market by next year, but he's unwilling to make any promises.

"We don't want to announce any dates because frankly we just don't know when it's going to be really ready," Iribe said. "You have the form factor, HD, motion blur...we don't know how long that will take."

Steam Summer Sale, final day: Dishonored, BioShock Infinite, Tomb Raider and more

Steam Summer Sale, final day Dishonored, BioShock Infinite, Tomb Raider and more
The final day of this year's Steam Summer Sale is an encore, featuring the "most popular deals" during the festive, pocketbook-burning event.

In case you missed these deals, the following games are back on sale for the next day: Dishonored is $10.19, BioShock Infinite is $29.99, Tomb Raider is $12.49, Civilization 5 is $7.49, Torchlight 2 for $4.99, The Walking Dead for $6.24, Skyrim's Legendary Edition for $35.99, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare is $6.24, Kerbal Space Program for $13.79 and Borderlands 2 for $10.19.

With that, we close another grueling Steam Summer Sale. Time to start paying off those loans!

Clementine 'definitely a part of' The Walking Dead Season 2

Clementine returns in season 2 of Telltale's The Walking Dead
Telltale Games CEO Dan Connors told San Diego Comic-Con panel attendees that The Walking Dead darling Clementine "will definitely be a part of" the game's second season. Likewise, the fate of another character, Kenny, "will be explored."

Further details concerning Season 2 were not offered. The Walking Dead: 400 Days was released this month and served as a short bridge into the next season.

Steam Summer Getaway Sale, day 10: Prison Architect, Assassin's Creed 3, Saints Row The Third and more

Steam Summer Getaway Sale, day 10 Prison Architect, Assassin's Creed 3, Saints Row The Third and more
I knew she was trouble the moment she stepped through my doorway. She said her name was "Steam;" that she had a proposition for me and that I'd do well to listen close. Now, I'm no stranger to mysterious women and their troubles, especially since I started putting "We specialize is mysterious women and their troubles" on the advert for the agency, but something about her told me I needed to be careful.

Maybe it was the way she carried herself as she walked to my desk, or the glint off the snubnose revolver tucked beneath her heavy, snow-soaked coat.

"For the next 40 or so hours, Prison Architect costs $19.79," she said. "Assassin's Creed 3 has also been discounted, down to $23.99."

Before I could say anything, she rattled off more alien names and their associated prices: Worms Revolution for $3.73, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for $5.09, Omerta: City of Gangsters for $9.99 and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 for $3.39. I didn't know what any of it meant. I was confused as hell, and she just kept going.

"Saints Row The Third is just $4.99," she said, her voice now a dead, flat monotone. "Meanwhile, Natural Selection 2 is $6.24, Starforge Alpha is $9.99 and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed costs just $7.49."

"Lady," I said, "you're an insane person and I want you to get out of my office." It would be hours before I discovered that all of my money had walked out with her.

Gearbox remaking Homeworld 1 and 2 for Windows

Gearbox remaking Homeworld 1 and 2 for PC
Gearbox announced plans at PAX Australia to warp drive HD remakes of Homeworld 1 and 2 to Windows this year, following their recent acquisition of the franchise from THQ for $1.35 million. Direct ports of the original games will also be made available on unspecified digital distribution platforms for Windows.

Gearbox Software CCO Brian Martel expressed his fondness for the series in April after the purchase, stating his intent to make them "accessible on today's leading digital platforms" in a statement released by Gearbox.

Relic Games, creator of the Homeworld franchise, was sold to SEGA during the liquidation of THQ's assets and is currently working on Company of Heroes 2. Part of the Homeworld development team has since left the mother ship to begin work on a more grounded RTS, Hardware: Shipbreakers.

Wasteland 2 delayed due to increased scope

Wasteland 2 delayed
A recent update to inXile Entertainment's Kickstarter page for Wasteland 2 revealed that the game's initial October release will instead mark the beginning of its beta testing. The delay stems from the game's Kickstarter gathering $2 million more than the requested funds.

"This feature complete playable is about 6 weeks behind where I had wanted it to be but I can't be too surprised considering the increased scope," the statement reads. "We have been able to accomplish so much in so little time by our experience, fantastic team and tools."

The next month will be spent implementing all basic gameplay mechanics, including the combat system, world map travel and AI functionality for all the characters you're inevitably going to slaughter in cold blood.

Interplay and inXile founder Brian Fargo co-designed the original Wasteland in 1988 and is leading development for Wasteland 2. Fallout 1 and 2 composer Mark Morgan, Wasteland co-creator Michael Stackpole, and Fallout co-creator Jason Anderson are all involved with Wasteland 2. Those who donated $55 or more to Wasteland 2's Kickstarter campaign will gain access to the barren, desolate wasteland in October.

Borderlands 2 DLC and bumped level cap coming this fall

Borderlands 2 will get a new DLC pack this fall, Gearbox announced at PAX Australia. The Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack 2 will include the Digistruct Peak Challenge map and 11 levels. It also comes with a bumped level cap of 72, all for about $5.

According to OXM, studio head Randy Pitchford said "two or three" additional "Headhunter Packs" for Borderlands 2 are also on the way, starting with T.K. Baha's Bloody Harvest, which sees the return of Borderlands character T.K. Baha, if the title didn't indicate as much. None of said DLC is included in the Season Pass, but is expected to launch by Halloween.

Insurgency gameplay video and screens are being dramatic


This gameplay video for Insurgency, a team-based online FPS from New World Interactive, includes some rather dramatic music. We get it, a trailer for a game based on a popular Half-Life 2 mod by the same name deserves a little extra spice.

The fact that the game is already available on Steam through the platform's Early Access service for $14.99 says something else to us, though. Given Insurgency's tactical online play for up to 32 players, the game seems more inviting and inclusive than the dramatic music makes it sound. If New World Interactive is stumped while matching music with its trailers in the future, however, we'd recommend something more lighthearted.

Halo: Spartan Assault out now for Windows 8 devices

Heads up, soldier. Halo: Spartan Assault, the omnidirectional shooter spinoff set in the Halo universe, is now available on Windows 8 devices. That means Windows 8 PCs and tablets, including Surface. You can also nab the game on Windows 8 phones – so long as Verizon is your carrier, that is.

If you prefer your spinoffs with a little more context, Microsoft and Dark Horse have also produced a prequel comic series, Halo: Initiation. You can find a preview of the first issue on the Dark Horse website.

Continue Reading

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified should reclassify creepy clown

Image Nope. No, no, no. Clowns live in sewers and eat children. It also appears from this The Bureau: XCOM Declassified trailer that clowns are scared of aliens. So ... the enemy of our enemy is our friend? ... Continue Reading

Age of Wonders 3 delayed to Q1 2014

Age of Wonders 3 delayed to Q1 2014
Age of Wonders 3 needs a little more time to create wonderment, with developer Triumph Studios announcing the game will be delayed until the first quarter of 2014. It was originally scheduled between the ages of fascination and amazement for this autumn.

"Age of Wonders 3 is the largest game in the series and with the additional polish we hope we can give you an even better experience," wrote Triumph Community Manager Jimmy van der Have.

From here on out Triumph says it will be "organizing several events," along with a pre-order promotion and showing off the game to press at Gamescom in August.

Triumph returned to the turn-based Age of Wonders after an extended hiatus creating the Overlord series. Since Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson is helping fund development on AoW3, Triumph doesn't need to worry about shipping the game before it's ready (within reason).

Steam Summer Getaway Sale, day 9: Skyrim: Legendary Edition, Monaco, Civ 5 and more

Steam Summer Getaway Sale, day 9 Skyrim Legendary Edition, Monaco, Civ 5 and more
We're here live from Downtown Internet where the ninth round of the Steam Summer Getaway Sale World Series Championship Cup Tournament Series Finals are just about to get started. Stepping into the ring now are reigning discount heavyweight champion Valve Corporation and plucky underdog Our Wallet, who up until now has suffered eight consecutive crushing defeats at the hands of Valve.

And there's the bell! Valve opens with a powerful right hook of Skyrim: Legendary Edition for $35.99, but Our Wallet narrowly avoids, having learned its lesson after the Skyrim Flash Sale earlier this week. Valve recovers with a quick succession of rapid-fire blows to the belly: Grid 2 for $29.99, EVE Online for $4.98 and Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition for $4.99. Our Wallet powers through the barrage but its starting to look a little worn out, now is when Valve should–

Civilization 5 at $7.49 straight to the jaw! Followed by a one-two combo of Trials Evolution: Gold Edition for $9.99 and $3.39 Awesomenauts to the ribs! Our Wallet is barely on its feet now, one more clean blow from Valve and oh my God a left hook Monaco at $7.44 and Metro: Last Light at $29.99 straight under the chin! Our Wallet is out cold, this fight is over!

... Did Valve just spit a $10.99 Train Simulator 2013 bundle onto Our Wallet, after the bell? How can this be considered a legitimate sport?

DOTA 2 dives onto Mac and Linux

Valve partners with Nexon to bring Dota 2 to Japan and Korea
Valve's latest update for DOTA 2 has added lanes for both Mac and Linux. The update offers character balance tweaks that will make the most of every frenzied click, as well as a slew of adjustments to the user interface, matchmaking tools, visuals and audio elements.

Rounds in tournament and practice lobby matches now automatically end 10 seconds after a GG (good game) is called. The update also adds a daily calendar of tournament listings and adjustments to character abilities and the involved damage dealt.

Mac users will need OS X Lion 10.7, 4 GB of RAM, 8 GB of hard dive space, and the equivalent of an AMD Radeon 7000 graphics card for DOTA 2. Players running Linux will need Ubuntu 12.04, a dual core 2.8 GHz processor, 8 GB of hard drive space, and the equivalent of an AMD Radeon HD2600 to meet the game's minimum requirements.

DOTA 2 officially launched on July 10th for Windows. Heroes seeking the update's full bounty can find it here.

South Park creators were unaware of THQ sale until it was in the news

South Park creators didn't know about THQ sale until it was in the news
Speaking at San Diego Comic Con this week, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed that they had no knowledge of former South Park: The Stick of Truth's publisher THQ's bankruptcy and sale until the news broke publicly.

"We really just read about it in the news," Parker said, "that they were going bankrupt, that someone else bought [the rights to] the game." Facing potential cancellation, the pair joked, "Oh, good, it's over!"

The duo's enthusiasm for the project picked up once Ubisoft acquired publishing rights for The Stick of Truth. "Once we heard who had bought it, we got really excited," Parker said. "We flew up to [Ubisoft] and all that momentum picked up and we got really excited again."

South Park: The Stick of Truth will launch for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms on November 19.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified Video Preview


Drop in on this footage-filled discussion of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and learn how classy vests and buff-granting backpacks can save the Earth from extraterrestrial peril.

If you'd like to venture beyond the brief chat above, have a look at our impressions of The Bureau's on-foot tactical combat, and see how its Cold War setting strives for authenticity within reason.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is due on August 20 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Shadowrun Returns launch trailer welcomes you to the sprawl

Image After a couple of delays, a launch trailer emerging from Shadowrun Returns assures us the Harebrained Schemes game is ready to hit Steam for Windows and Mac next week. The cyberpunk RPG is also sprawling onto Linux, iOS, and Android devices down the line. ... Continue Reading

Copperhead is in Batman: Arkham Origins and this time she's a lady


Reptilian DC villain Copperhead was unveiled for Batman: Arkham Origins at San Diego Comic Con, but not as you may remember him ... because he's a she now. Origins features the character's new womanly guise, as per DC Comics' New 52 revamp.

As Newsarama reports, DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns told panel attendees the lady Copperhead is coming to "mainstream" New 52 books shortly after Origins hits shelves.

What you're seeing in the trailer, according to Warner Bros. Montreal Creative Director Eric Holmes, is the culmination of a stunt woman, a Cirque du Soleil performer, and a martial artist, combining efforts to capture Copperheads's slithering, venomous motions.

Copperhead joins a host of other baddies out to get the young caped crusader in Arkham Origins, which is set to swoop onto PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and Wii U on October 25.

JAW crowdsourcing Mudokon voices for Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee New 'n' Tasty

Conversation with the various denizens of Oddworld has been a staple of the series since it began back in 1997, when Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee's GameSpeak engine made farting in a video game easier than ever. There were also important gameplay uses for the system, and it served as a vital cornerstone in establishing the charm and character of the game's universe by giving voice and personality to its NPCs.

Now, developer Just Add Water wants to give your voice and personality to the Mudokons in its forthcoming remake, Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee New 'n' Tasty. Throwing your voice into the ring is relatively easy, provided you've got the right gear: A "decent microphone," an audio capture device capable of recording at 24bit/96kHz, some noiseless/feedback-free cables and a Soundcloud account.

A short script of required phrases has been posted on Just Add Water's official blog – once your takes been recorded, they are to be uploaded to your Soundcloud account as .wav files (remember those?) and shared with the official Oddworld account. The deadline for submissions is next Friday, July 26.

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