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Articles by Michael Fontanini
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Archives
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – Anubis Collection Weapon Skins An in-depth look at each weapon skin available in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's new Anubis Collection, analyzing the symbolism behind the Egyptian-inspired designs. A detailed breakdown of weapon finish style, all visible details, and the impact...
Tag: Space Engineers - KeenGamer
10 Games Releasing In May To Look Out For Here is a selection of ten games releasing in May 2023 that we think you should be looking out for. This selection contains highly anticipated releases, sequels, ports and some future indie gems. From teaming up with friends in a vampire-infested tow... Huge Space Engineers: Heavy Industry Update is Here Developer Keen Software House has just unleashed the massive Space Engineers: Heavy Industry update.
Tag: Metroid Prime 4 - KeenGamer
Publisher The Last of Us Part 2 Out of the Park Developments Developed By Out of the Park Developments Above and Beyond Technologies Out of the Blue
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Archives
Imitation Games: The Failure of Marvel’s Avengers The failure of Marvel's Avengers represented the most popular film franchise in the world being gamified by one of the biggest companies in the industry throwing away $200 million. The game industry has been making these sort of blunders for decades,... Highlights from Skyblivion Development Diary 4 Yesterday Skyblivion Development Diary 4 was released to provide updates about The Elder Scrolls Renewal modding group's ongoing project.
Dying Light 2 Cloud Version Delayed On Nintendo Switch
In a new press release, Techland has announced that Dying Light 2: Stay Human – Cloud Version has been delayed on Nintendo Switch. The game was planned to launch on February 4th, but due to the delay, it will now launch sometime within six months after that day. However, all other platforms (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5) will still get the game on February 4th. As such, more news on the game is coming soon in spite of the Switch delay.
Majora's Mask Is Next In Line For Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo of America has announced that The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask will be arriving on Nintendo Switch Online next month. Subscribers of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack will be able to return to the land of Termina in a matter of weeks. In the meantime, another previously announced title, Banjo Kazooie, has just arrived on Nintendo Switch Online. The Nintendo Switch Online expansion pack was announced in September of last year.
Underworld Dreams is Coming Soon To Switch and PC
One-man dev studio, Drop of Pixel, and Skystone Games are bringing old-school terror adventure, Underworld Dreams: The False King, to Switch and PC. The scares will begin starting sometime this spring. In addition to arriving on the Nintendo Switch sometime this Spring, it will also launch on PC via Steam and the Epic Games store. Underworld Dreams: The False King is being built from the ground up for the Nintendo Switch.
Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection Announced for Switch
Are you a fan of some of the older Assassin’s Creed titles and the Switch? If so, then you’re in luck. Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection is headed to the Nintendo Switch! The title is set to arrive on February 17th, placing it about a month away.
Pixel Art Adventure, Ocean's Heart, Sails Onto Switch
In a new press release, developer Max Mraz and publisher Nordcurrent have announced a Switch launch date. The pixel art adventure will sail onto the hybrid console on February 10th. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch version will cost $14.99 for the 310 MB download.
Exploration Adventure, Astroneer, Lands on Nintendo Switch
System Era Softworks has just unleashed Astroneer on the Nintendo Switch. Alongside it has landed a brand new launch trailer for the game. Astroneer is available as a 1.3GB download on the Switch eShop for $29.99. However, a physical release is set to arrive sometime in the February time frame. You can delve even deeper into the game at the official Astroneer website. Astroneer now gives players on the Switch their chance to dive into an era of intergalactic exploration.
Survival Space Horror, Syndrome, is Coming to Switch
The brutal space survival horror, Syndrome is coming to the Nintendo Switch. Publisher RedDeer Games says the game will arrive sometime later this year. However, no specifics about the game’s launch window have been announced as of yet. As you might have guessed, all hell has broken loose aboard a space station known as the Valkenburg.
Project Zomboid Announces Future Update Plans
Developer The Indie Stone has announced future update plans for Project Zomboid in 2022 and beyond. The game has come a long way since first launching back in late 2013 on Steam. While Build 41 took an unusually long time to release due to large chunks of code being reworked, they say future patches will be much faster. They will focus heavily on NPCs, balancing, expanding the tech tree, and perhaps a few other things, like hunting and animals.
Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity Hits Sales Milestone
According to a new tweet, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity has hit a new sales milestone. Koei Tecmo says that over the past year, the game has surpassed 4 million units sold to date. This number takes into account not just physical, but also digital sales numbers for the hack-n-slash adventure. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity has moved more copies than a number of the company’s other recent games.
Sonic Team Opens 2022 with Special Sonic Frontiers Art
Sonic Team has decided to celebrate the new year with some special new Sonic Frontiers art. The image was posted on the official Japanese Sonic account with a special “Happy New Year” message. According to Google, it translates to the following: “Happy New Year This year, with more momentum than last year, we would like to take on many challenges as a team so that we can bring the charm of Sonic to even more people.
Leak Suggests N64 Classic GoldenEye May Come to Xbox
A new achievements leak suggests that the classic N64 adventure, GoldenEye 007, may be coming to Xbox in some form after all. The leaked achievements list is viewable over on TrueAchievements.com. Within the list are 55 different achievements spanning both single and multiplayer modes. The achievements add up to a total of 1,000 gamer points in all. Regardless, the James Bond franchise is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. They have said that new announcements are coming this year.
Shadow Man Remastered Prepares to Sneak Onto Switch
It seems the Nintendo Switch version of Shadow Man Remastered is finally drawing near. We now know the release date, since the game has appeared on the eShop. It will be arriving on the 17th of January. Developed by Nightdive Studios, this remaster is $19.99 on the Switch eShop. Players can join Shadow Man and delve into the spirit world on the go starting later this month.
Canada Trademarks Hint at Possible New Klonoa Game
Fans of the Klonoa series may be excited to hear that new trademarks have been filed by Bandai Namco. This could mean a new Klonoa game is coming. It has been quite a while since the series saw a new entry. The most recent Klonoa game launched on the Wii back on May 5th, 2009 in North America. It was a remake of the PlayStation title Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. The very first game in the series appeared on the PlayStation back in December of 1997.
Dragon Quest X Offline Gets Delayed Into 2022
Square Enix has announced a delay for the upcoming Dragon Quest X Offline. The game will now release sometime in the summer of 2022 in Japan, thwarting its previously planned February launch. It has not been revealed whether or not the game will find its way to western audiences. According to Dragon Quest X Offline Producer, Takuma Shiraishi, the RPG needed extra time for polishing. While players will have to wait a while longer now, it was also announced that the DLC was delayed.
The Chernobylite Holiday Fan Art Contest Kicks Off
The Farm 51 has kicked off the Chernobylite Holiday Fan Art Contest. The contest centers around creating Chernobylite-themed holiday art. They want to see what you can create to show off the holidays within the Zone. Fans of the post-apocalyptic game are tasked with creating just about any piece of art they want from hand-drawn to digital images and more. Five winners with the most creative entries will get free Chernobylite game codes for the platform of their choice (Steam, Xbox, or PlayStation).
Minecraft Soars Past 1 Trillion Views on YouTube
The video game juggernaut, Minecraft, has been around since 2009. It was then that a blocky new journey began for countless gamers. In the years since then, it has become an extremely successful game. In fact, Minecraft has now amassed over 1 trillion YouTube views. That also makes it the most-watched video game on the platform. The recent release of the Caves and Cliffs Update Part II has only added to that tally.
Empyrion Galactic Survival v1.7 Update Brings Big Changes
Eleon Game Studios just rolled out the Empyrion Galactic Survival v1.7 update. The voxel-based indie game has just expanded with a ton of new content for players to mess around with. The developers say that with community help, over 300 bugs have been fixed in just the last several months. However, since that’s not what you’re here for, let’s jump right into the major details of this update.
First 4 Figures Opens Zelda Hylian Shield Figurine Pre-Orders
The well-known high-quality figurine company, First 4 Figures, has started taking pre-orders for the upcoming Zelda Hylian Shield Figurine. It is a new limited-availability addition to their line of detailed Breath of the Wild PVC figures. This includes some of the game’s characters, such as Revali. This latest figure also includes a magnetic base that lights up. It is planned to launch in the first quarter of 2022.
Daedalic Entertainment Drops New LOTR Gollum Trailer
Daedalic Entertainment unveiled a new LOTR Gollum Trailer at the 2021 Game Awards. The action-adventure is a story-driven experience based on The Lord of the Rings novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. You may also recall that back in January, the game was delayed to 2022. Daedalic then joined forces with NACON on the project in order to ensure it meets fan expectations. The game is planned to come to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
Elden Ring Gets a Brand New Story Trailer
Elden Ring got a shiny new story trailer during The Game Awards 2021. The trailer is full of lore created by game director Hidetaka Miyazaki and author George R. R. Martin. Excited fans will be pleased that the action RPG’s release date is still set for February 25th. Elden Ring will arrive on PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 and 5. The new Elden Ring story trailer unearths some new lore. It says the demigods began to fall after the rune of death was stolen.
Star Trek: Resurgence Announced by Former Telltale Devs
Former Telltale devs have announced the story-driven project, Star Trek: Resurgence. The title was announced during The Game Awards 2021. It is being developed by the brand new studio, Dramatic Labs. The team is composed of over 20 former Telltale developers. Star Trek Resurgence is a very story-driven experience focusing on player choice, similar to many of the games Telltale made. The game’s original story takes place shortly after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Metroid Prime Dev Discusses Nintendo Prototype Strategy
Metroid Prime Trilogy Lead Technical Engineer, Jack Mathews, recently talked to the Kiwi Talkz podcast. The former Retro Studios staff member talked about Metroid Prime 4‘s prolonged development cycle and the Nintendo prototype strategy. They ended up discussing the differences between working for a western publisher versus a Japanese one. He says the Japanese publishers are more willing to take risks than their western counterparts.
Stardew Valley Future Hinted at by v1.5.5 Change Notes
Stardew Valley Future Hinted at by v1.5.5 Change Notes Recent patch notes hint at what lies in the future of Stardew Valley. There is definitely some good news if you're a modder of the game. The current v1.5.5 patch also brings good news in terms of quality of life improvements and changes for the modding community as well. The future of Stardew Valley has been hinted at by the patch notes for the recent v1.5.5 update.
Quake Remaster Update 2 Adds Horde Mode + Honey Add-on
The Quake Remaster Update 2 has just arrived, bringing with it the new Horde Mode and a new addon: Honey. Horde mode is a new multiplayer PVE experience that supports up to four players. Bots are supported in both local and online play. Four new maps were designed just for Horde mode. As for new improvements, the most significant is the fact that you can now play previously downloaded add-ons while offline. You can also change the crosshair type and color in options now.
ZRET Has Reverse-Engineered Zelda 64 Successfully
The ZRET (Zelda Reverse-Engineering Team) is a group led by the fan community. They’ve been hard at work for almost two years now trying to decompile the game into C code that could be read by PC. Now, ZRET has successfully reverse-engineered the Zelda 64 source code. The project has been based around the Gamecube’s Master Quest version. That’s because it has a handy debug menu that was helpful in their work. However, they do still plan to decompile other versions as well.
Nintendo Announces Official Smash Bros. Tournaments
Nintendo is teaming up with Panda Global, which is a major organization within the Super Smash Bros. community. As a result, the first official (licensed) Smash Bros. tournament is coming to North America in 2022. It will include both Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Of course, more details on the event will be coming at some point in the future.
Player Creates the Great Fox to Scale in Minecraft
Some ambitious Minecrafters have spent a whole year constructing a huge recreation of Team Star Fox‘s mothership. The Great Fox in Minecraft is built to 1:3 scale and even comes complete with a huge interior. Obviously, berg_ took some creative license given that we don’t see the inside of the Great Fox too much in the Star Fox games. It is an impressive build, to say the least. Not many finish a year-long build in games like Minecraft.
Minecraft Caves and Cliffs Part II Gets Release Date
The first half of this year’s major Minecraft update came out back in the summer, adding a bunch of new blocks and mobs to the game. Now, Minecraft Caves and Cliffs Part II just got a release date that will close out November with a bang! While axolotls, goats, and glow squids joined the blocky world previously, the new world generation arrives on November 30th. The second half of this massive Minecraft update gives mountains and caves a huge revamp.
Modder Creates Skyrim VR Brain-Powered Mod
A modder (Cangar) has created a Skyrim VR brain-powered mod. It literally utilizes a brain-computer interface. Specifically, you need a Muse meditation device and dongle to play the mod. It measures a number of things from brain activity to heart rate and breathing. The mod uses it to measure your level of concentration so that the more you focus, the higher your magicka bar rises.
Xbox Gaming Chief Wants Industry-Wide Game Preservation
Beyond celebrating the Xbox’s anniversary recently, Xbox Gaming Chief Phil Spencer talked game preservation with Axios. Specifically, he was referring to the industry-wide need for better preservation of older games. He says the industry as a whole should work toward making older games more available to new generations. The easiest pathway is of course via emulation. Unlike movies and TV, enjoying older games can be very difficult.
The Zelda Game & Watch Lands With a Launch Trailer
The Legend of Zelda Game & Watch has arrived in stores along with a short launch trailer. Nintendo’s latest collectible in the series features three games and a few other modes. The Legend Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening are all included. Nintendo also even included the Japanese versions of the first two games, which hail from the NES era. The Legend of Zelda Game & Watch hand-held also includes interactive timer and clock modes.
Minecraft Caves and Cliffs First Pre-Release Arrives
It seems that the second half of Minecraft‘s next major update is not far off now. The Minecraft Caves and Cliffs part 2 just got its first pre-release. This update brings some massive changes to the world generation. Namely, it adds spectacularly huge new mountainous biomes, and majestic cliffs. Mojang has also added huge improvements to cave generation, including the first cave biomes in the game. These include the Lush Caves and Dripstone Caves biomes.
Twitch Comes to Nintendo Switch
Twitch has now landed on the Nintendo Switch eShop. However, this is not the first foray into the console world for the streaming service, though. It was already available on consoles like Xboxes, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. This means Switch owners now get the ability to watch tons of different streaming content like other console and PC owners. It may have come over four years after the Switch’s own launch, but it’s better late than never.
Yoshio Sakamoto Hopes For Metroid Movie in CNET Interview
In an interview with CNET, Metroid Dread producer Yoshio Sakamoto was asked about the idea of a Metroid movie in the future. The question was asked in light of the recent Super Mario movie announcements. You may recall that Shigeru Miyamoto announced various cast members in a recent Nintendo Direct. These included names like Chris Pratt as the famous Mario and Jack Black as his pesky rival, Bowser. This naturally led to the idea of bounty hunter Samus Aran having a movie of her own.
Pokémon TCG Live Gets Delayed to Next Year
The Pokémon Company has announced that Pokémon TCG Live has been delayed. It was expected to release for mobile and PC sooner than later. However, now it has been delayed to sometime in 2022. They say the delay is needed in order to give players a more polished experience in the end. The game was first announced back in September. To provide Trainers with a more polished experience, the Pokémon TCG Live mobile soft launch in Canada, and global open beta for desktop, have been shifted to 2022.
Skyward Sword HD Sales Milestone Tops Wii Lifetime Sales
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has just surpassed the original game’s lifetime sales on Wii. Nintendo’s newest earnings report says the improved Nintendo Switch version had sold about 3.6 million units as of September 30th. The original Wii version of the game sold about 3.67 million. It reached this milestone in the span of just a few short months. Nintendo’s choice to bring this adventure to the Switch appears to have been a good move.
Super Sami Roll Comes to Switch This Week
Developer Sonzai Games and publisher X Plus are bringing Super Sami Roll to the Switch very soon. In fact, it will arrive later this week, on November 4th. You’ll be able to nab it for $14.99 in the Nintendo Switch eShop. The game previously jumped onto Steam earlier this summer, back in July. Sami can roll, jump, and grapple with his tongue to navigate the game’s 3D levels.
Nintendo Unleashes Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity DLC 2
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Nintendo Drops Pikmin Bloom Launch Trailer
Niantic and Nintendo have dropped the Pikmin Bloom launch trailer. The previously announced mobile game is in some ways similar to Pokémon GO. However, this is the first time we’ve heard the actual title of the new game. Pikmin Bloom is available now on Android and iOS devices. New adventures are waiting for you around every corner in Pikmin Bloom. Every step you take can grow more Pikmin and make flowers bloom. Pikmin grow from seedlings, and once they are ready you can of course pluck them.
A Boy And His Blob Gets Launch Date For Switch
The Switch port of the HD version of the adorable Wii platformer, A Boy and His Blob, just got a launch date. Switch owners will be able to dive into this cute little adventure starting on November 4th. Ziggurat Interactive first announced the game’s Switch release earlier this month. The newly announced launch date means players have just a couple more weeks to wait.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp Gets Delayed
Nintendo of America just dropped some bad news for those looking forward to the December 3rd launch of the Advance Wars remake. On Twitter, they let loose news of a Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp delay. They say the upcoming remakes of Advance Wars and its sequel Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising will no longer be launching in December 2021. Nintendo says that it will instead arrive in Spring 2022.
Rockstar Drops Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Trailer and New Details
Rockstar Games has dropped the first Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition trailer and new details. The trilogy implements new controls and targeting akin to Grand Theft Auto V. The developers also added lighting and environmental enhancements like high-resolution textures and increased draw distance. They say there is also “much more” beyond these improvements.
The Power and Impact of Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate shows us the true power of video games, perhaps better than any other. However, creative games like Minecraft do it pretty well, too. They whisk us off into faraway worlds filled with grand adventures. Through storytelling, games can make us smile wide or break down in tears. They can inspire us, teach us, surprise us, and help us deal with real-life problems.
Bethesda Celebrates With Doom Guy Metroid Dread Art
Bethesda has decided to celebrate the launch of Metroid Dread with an unexpected piece of art. They tweeted the art while congratulating Nintendo on the launch of Samus’ latest adventure. The image is essentially a very cool DOOM version of the Metroid Dread box art.
The Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Has Been Confirmed
Rockstar Games has announced that a rumored trilogy is indeed coming. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is confirmed for multiple platforms. Furthermore, fans will be happy to hear that it is coming this year! However, there is no release date just yet. The remastered trilogy will speed onto PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 & 5. Players on Android and iOS will be able to enjoy it sometime in the first half of 2022.
The Final Metroid Dread Report Delves Into Design
The final Metroid Dread Report covers the thought process behind the game’s design. The idea is to highlight certain things the developers and artists put extra effort into. Meanwhile, the semi-final report last week was a bag of tips, particularly for newer players. Metroid Dread‘s development used an iterative process in which the level design and gameplay feed into each other. They kept the whole picture in mind, along with the type of experience they wanted to build.
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