Borderlands: The Story So Far

A mysterious alien race known as the Eridians were the first settlers of the known universe. They left behind advanced technology in vaults, way beyond anything humanity had come up with in the modern era.

Weapons manufacturers eventually find out about the Eridian Vaults and start settling new planets and moons in an attempt to have dominion over the riches.

Borderlands 

The four original Vault Hunters, Roland, Mordecai, Brick and Lilith start their adventure in the town of Fyrestone, pushed along by the voice of a siren known as Angel.  The disgruntled former employees of the weapon manufacturers have transformed Pandora into a playground of chaos that the main characters have to push through to pick up the pieces of the Vault key, which will allow them access to the unknown Eridian riches.

Along the way, they meet Patricia Tannis, an archaeologist who warns of the vault opening very soon. She is kidnapped by the Crimson Lance, a militia backed by the Atlas corporation who are also trying to open the vault.

Eventually, the hunters rescue Tannis, push through a defending army of Eridians and arrive at the vault with the key fragments. The leader of the Crimson Lance Commandant Steele opens the vault and is killed by the eldritch monster inside. Meanwhile, the hunters dispatch of the tentacled foe and reap the riches.

In the DLC, the Vault Hunters wipe out the remainder of the Crimson Lance with the help of a former employee, Athena.

The Pre-Sequel

Athena stars in this game alongside Nisha, Claptrap and Wilhelm. It came out after Borderlands 2 but it’s set before it! The new team head out to help an endearing, low-ranking Hyperion engineer known as Jack on the moon base of Helios.

The team enable Jack’s descent into madness as they wipe out the Lost Legion, search for the vault and build an army. Defying Roland and Lilith from the first game, they reach the vault and Jack picks up an illuminating artefact depicting the awakening of a warrior and a new vault on Pandora. Lilith scars jack by breaking the artefact, and Jack loses the plot, becoming Handsome Jack, the nefarious leader of Hyperion and antagonist of Borderlands 2.

Borderlands 2

New vault hunters Gaige, Krieg, Maya, Salvador, Zer0 and Axton arrive on Handsome Jack-controlled Pandora in search of a bigger and better vault.

Over the course of the game, the new vault hunters rescue the old vault hunters (Lilith, Brick, Mordecai and Roland) and join a resistance movement against Hyperion known as the Crimson Raiders.

Handsome Jack uses Angel (remember her?) as a power source to charge the new vault key and unleash The Warrior seen in his vision. It’s revealed that she is his daughter, and the team are forced to dispatch of Angel to proceed.

The team later wipe out The Warrior and Jack himself, before Lilith reveals a galaxy map with multiple vaults to find. Oops! Looks like the job isn’t over just yet.

Borderlands 3

As well as most of the surviving cast of the previous games, four new hunters have entered the fold, Amara, FL4K, Moze and Zane will be the playable protagonists, who appear to be fighting against the evil Calypso Twins, the so-called Children of the Vault.

I’m sure we’ll find out more as we approach September 13, when Borderlands 3 drops on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

Mortal Kombat 11 Release Date, System Requirements, and more

Mortal Kombat 11, developed by longstanding series veterans NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is set to push the series to the next level. With brutal combat, devastating combos, and punishing Fatalities, Mortal Kombat 11 looks like a fighting game to keep your eyes on.

A direct sequel to 2015’s Mortal Kombat X and the latest in the long running fighting series, we’ve got all the info you need to make sure you’re ready.

Mortal Kombat 11 release date

Mortal Kombat 11 was initially unveiled at The Game Awards in 2018, and is set to splash down onto PC, Xbox One, and PS4 on April the 23rd, 2019. A Switch release will be landing later in the year, on the 10th of May, 2019.

Mortal Kombat 11 trailers

A gameplay trailer was also earlier this year, highlighting some of the brutality you’ll be unleashing in the 11th game in the series.

In addition, a story trailer shows off some of the narrative beats and events you can expect in the campaign.

Gameplay

Mortal Kombat 11 continues the series’ tradition of 2.5D combat, with stalwarts such as familiar Brutalities and Fatalities making a welcome return. In addition, new gameplay elements such as Fatal Blows, Krushing Blows, and Flawless Blocks, will make their debut in this entry.

Fatal Blows will allow you to unleash a devastating move when a player’s health drops below 30%, once a match. Krushing Blows are cinematic variations of special moves, triggered upon completion of certain requirements. Flawless Blocks will allow you to counterattack after blocking an attack with flawless timing.

A new gear system is coming to Mortal Kombat 11, focusing on bringing cosmetics to the game. Tired of your character’s looks? You can now change it up while staying with the same fighter. You will be able to also set up custom move lists, further customising your fighter.

These cosmetics can be earned in-game, but also via spending real money on time crystals. These crystals will unlock cosmetics, and also allow players to simplify button presses for Fatalities. These time crystals can also be earned in-game through play.

System requirements

Minimum Requirements:

  • OS: 64-bit Windows 7 / Windows 10
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-750, 2.66 GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 965, 3.4 GHz or AMD Ryzen™ 3 1200, 3.1 GHz
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 670 or NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 1050 / AMD® Radeon™ HD 7950 or AMD® Radeon™ R9 270
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection

Recommended Requirements:

  • OS: 64-bit Windows 7 / Windows 10
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-2300, 2.8 GHz / AMD FX-6300, 3.5GHz or AMD Ryzen™ 5 1400, 3.2 GHz
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 780 or NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 1060-6GB / AMD® Radeon™ R9 290 or RX 570
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection

Now you should be prepared to take the fight to your foes in the latest incarnation of Mortal Kombat. Don’t forget you can always pre-purchase at a great price from Green Man Gaming, right here.

5 Days of Rezzed Day 5: Phoenix point

Julian Gollop has a long history in PC gaming. Creator of the original X-Com series, he’s been back on the scene recently with games like Chaos Reborn and now, Phoenix Point. Signalling a return to the turn- based action that made him a UK games industry hero, Phoenix Point looks like it’ll show us all how it’s done.

Last year we spoke to Julian Gollop himself about the game, but at EGX Rezzed last week I got to have a sit down with the game and try out a mission.

Back to the future

Phoenix Point is immediately familiar on the surface of things. You have a group of agents all with their own specialities, and you’re facing off against a series of enemies lurking out in the fog of war.

So much, so XCOM.

But Phoenix Point is both a step forward and a revival. It promises to push turn-based squad combat games forward whilst also treasuring and bringing back some of their legacy. Ideas that have been lost in the mists of time.

Well the mists are where the strange, mutated creatures you’re fighting lurk. And they’re hungry for your blood.

Phoenix rising

If you’ve played the original X-Com series, you’ll remember action points. Well, they’re back. Meaning you’re no longer limited to an action and a movement, instead you have a pool that your actions and movements deplete.

What this means is that your turns become much more about planning. Yes you can run a bit further, but you won’t be able to shoot. Or do you stay still, hoping to plough as many shots into your enemy as possible?

How you shoot isn’t something you often see in turn-based games, but it’s a vital part of Phoenix Point. When you target an enemy, you’ll be given a zoomed in view of them, third person shooter style. From here you can select where you’ll want to shoot them. Are they holding a shield? Well maybe you want to blow up their arm, causing them to drop it. Do they have a heavy weapon? Maybe target that.

It’s something we don’t see much outside of VATs or the original Fallouts, but component and bodily damage is something Phoenix Point takes very seriously. If you take out something’s legs, it won’t be doing anything other than pulling itself towards you. Similarly your agents have gear that has durability. A lucky strike from an enemy can cripple your gun, leaving you stranded with no offense. This all ties together so you’re constantly choosing where on the enemy to shoot, whilst also working out how best to defend your agents’ equipment, armour, and their very bodies.

You play as humans, so your bodies you’re (probably) familiar with. But what about your opponents? Deviating from the standard ‘alien’ look, they are a bit more fleshy and often insectile, and with good reason. See in Phoenix Point your enemies don’t stay the same. They mutate.

The way this is handled is that they’ll trial mutations out on you, and it’s through your actions that help prune off evolution trees. If a mutation isn’t effective against you, your enemies will drop it and try something else. Similarly, if it’s working real well, it’s time to change up how you play.

Say you favour rocket launchers, you might find that once susceptible enemies are becoming armour-clad, ablating your attacks away. If you don’t flank enemies much and prefer a direct assault, they may grow forward-facing shields forcing you to either shoot your way through – costing you valuable time – or learn how to play differently.

It means that potentially, you’re going to have to pay close attention to how you play throughout Phoenix Point.

A series of interesting decisions

That’s the quote from Sid Meier, that games, at their heart, are a series of interesting decisions. Phoenix Point seems to have taken and run with it. Everything in Phoenix Point is tailored about making you think, ponder the consequences, and then act. It’s a thoughtful game. One where you might have to take a step back and replan, rethink your strategies. Just advancing into cover and overwatching isn’t going to do it this time soldier.

Phoenix Point will be coming to PC in June 2019.

5 Days of Rezzed Day 4 part 2: Indivisible

Since being announced back in 2015 Indivisible has continued to be a good-looking game, but also one that not many have played. After raising 1.5 million dollars the game has been in production for a while and should finally be releasing at some point this year. While this may seem like a long time, it’s important to keep in mind that the art work is all hand drawn, so the animation alone is a gargantuan undertaking let alone the rest of development.

Well, I got to get a proper hands-on with it at Rezzed, and while the build shown is an old one, the game is still showing a lot of promise. The visuals are striking, each character is drawn and animated beautifully, and you can see an excruciating amount of detail in every single one. It makes you wonder how they’ve managed to do it at all, the idea of tackling something like this boggles the mind.

The combat will feel incredibly comforting to anybody who has played a Valkyrie Profile game. You have a team of four you can utilise with a single button press. Each character has their own button and can have two attacks at any one time, these take time to recharge though so you have to be smart to make the most of them.

You can shift the properties of the attack by holding up or down, doing so with Ajna, the protagonist, allows you to break an enemy’s guard. This is literally essential, or all of your attacks will deal a merely one damage – nowhere near enough to actually take them out. This is the kind of thing you need to learn in order to take out the foes who will stand in your way. It comes in later too when you have to use an archer to knock a mini-boss out of the sky before unleashing hell.

Not all of your attacks are actually attacks though, some of them are debuffs, buffs, and most importantly, they can heal you. Managing your health and your defence is integral to your survival. You need to tap a button to block in order to mitigate the incoming onslaughts, otherwise you will need to spend more time on healing, or just end up dying. Fear not though, if you make enough successful attacks or blocks, then you gain access to resurrections and special attacks. It seems like a pretty deep system, but one that needs more than the 30 minutes I had with it.

The platforming seems like a lot of fun too. You use the axe to cling to surfaces and you can then launch yourself up higher as a result. Add in the wall jumps and the slide and you have a very enjoyable game to traverse. The axe can also be used to break down certain walls. You get new abilities as you go, the archer allows you to hit tricky enemies from above or below while not in combat. This helps you get the edge if you start a fight and can even be used for certain bosses. Given that there will be a roster of 20 characters, this could be a little overwhelming, but I have faith. Indivisible is a gorgeous game, but it isn’t just a pretty face. It plays well, has an engaging combat system, and the characters seem interesting even in a small vertical slice. Given that the build I got to play was quite old, it leaves me feeling incredibly excited about the full version. It seems like it is filling a unique void in terms of combat, and the game around it is fun as well. Fingers crossed we get to see it soon.

5 days of Rezzed Day 4 part 1: Warhammer Round-Up

Last week we at Green Man Gaming hit EGX Rezzed hard. The yearly celebration of indie games takes place in Tobacco Docks here in London, and it’s filled with utter gaming joy. We were there, and this week we’re talking about the best games we saw.

It’s no secret that I’m an unashamed Warhammer fan, look to the bottom of this blog, it’s even in my bio.

Which is why I was tasked to check out the two Warhammer games in residence at Rezzed this year.

Warhammer: Vermintide II – Winds of Magic

Vermintide 2‘s gone from strength to strength since release, and now it’s time for things to change.

Winds of Magic is set to shake up the game, with new enemies – Beastmen – new abilities and career paths for characters, but the major change is Weaves.

Weaves are an end-game mode that’ll push your co-op abilities to their max. Taking place globally, they’ll affect the way you play through the levels, with the titular Winds of Magic changing up the game. The Winds of Magic will blow across the game, altering segments of existing levels and providing new challenges for experienced players.

The whole community may need to band together on message boards, social media, and Discord to discuss solutions to some of the more troubling Weaves. The idea behind them is to mix things up, but for everyone at once. So you won’t be getting a random Weave when you select this mode, you’ll be diving into the same one as everyone else. You’ll be working independently but with the knowledge that if you’re stuck, someone else will be too.

It’s clear that the Winds of Magic blow a breath of fresh air into the game, especially for veterans who may be searching for a new challenge.

Warhammer: Chaosbane

Warhammer: Chaosbane is an idea so obvious you wonder why the heck it hasn’t been done before. Diablo + Warhammer. Duh.

The section I was able to play took place in a dank sewer, filled with Nurgle’s delights. Four characters will be available in the full release, and I took on the mantle of wizard for my trial in the depths.

If you’ve played Diablo, Torchlight, or Path of Exile, you’ll be familiar with the rough flow of the game. You have a few abilities you use to destroy your foes, they drop loot, you check it out, repeat.

What sets Warhammer: Chaosbane apart are two things. One is that each class has a unique ability that affects that classes’ other abilities. For example, the wizard can control their spells directly. Launched a fireball in the wrong direction? Steer it back in and blow up some nurglings.

The other is just that this genre is the perfect marriage for Warhammer’s setting and tone. Warhammer’s world is dark, almost hopeless, but it’s also bombastic. Even though you’re ploughing through foetid sewers or forgotten dungeons, your spells and abilities make the screen explode with light and power.

Overall it’s looking like a good time for Warhammer fans. With Vermintide II: Winds of Magic and Warhammer: Chaosbane in the works, the dream of Warhammer Fantasy Battle won’t be dying just yet.

5 days of Rezzed: Bloodstained: Ritual of the night

Last week the Green Man Gaming crew descended upon EGX Rezzed at the London Tobacco Docks to bring you the latest in best in gaming. This week we will be dropping all our thoughts and opinions on what went down, Starting with Jasons thoughts on Bloodstained: Ritual of the night.

To Castlevania, or not to….

Given Konami’s propensity for ignoring the great games that they could produce many have felt a real sense of longing for classics like Mystical Ninja, Hybrid Heaven (it’s a classic, don’t @ me) and Castlevania. Thankfully, Koji Igarashi is a free agent and has so far graced us with Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, an excellent take on the very old-school Castlevania games and one of the sleeper indie hits of last year.

If Curse of the Moon is an appetiser, then Ritual of the Night is very much the main meal. You only have to look at the gameplay and the enemy designs to see just how clearly this is a Castlevania game in all but name. Instead of playing as one of the many Belmonts you take control of Miriam, who has awoken from a coma and has been tasked with confronting the Gebel who resides in the Demon Castle.

Powers, powers and more powers!

She has some unique abilities though, she can absorb the power of fallen foes because of the horrific experiments that caused her to fall into a coma ten year earlier. When she absorbs this crystallised power, she adds new abilities to her arsenal. These abilities take multiple different forms and are also one of the main ways of combating the Demon Castle’s rather unfriendly inhabitants.

The crystals can impact one of several different attack styles or abilities. For example, you can aim, you can hit y, you can hit RB. Your aimed attack tends to be projectiles or continuous attacks. I got to try out one that created a chainsaw of sorts that shredded enemies completely, and also one that simply fired an arrow. The Y attacks had mixed effects, one summoned a knight to attack for me while another sent a projectile along the ground. The RB seemed to be the metroidvania slot. I had one ability that let me grab and manipulate objects, and also one that turned me into a bunny girl.

The traversal feels good with a double jump being your main method of traversal. There is also a slide to get under low objects and potentially attack troublesome enemies. There were plenty of areas that hinted at other traversal abilities too. A lot of jumps were simply out of reach so a higher jump or a wall jump is no doubt hidden somewhere. I couldn’t swim when I found water, but there were definitely paths underwater, so you’ll gain the ability to swim at some point too.

In conclusion

All in all, this game is just about as Castlevania as it gets, and it is a lot of fun to play. It just makes the wait for it that much longer though, which is always the downside of any previews that are out in the world. Assuming the game lives up the rather impressive legacy that Koji Igarashi has then it is sure to be a stellar game. However, it didn’t feel very challenging, though that is possible it’s just because I’m coming in hot from the masochistic game that is Sekiro so it could be that my barometer is just completely off. The game just needs to come out soon so we can all delve into this comfort food style game of days gone by.

Rezzed 2019 – The games we want to see

Silence descends on the nation. In the deeps a susurration rises like a growing tide. The noise fills the ears, overwhelms the weak, and turns brains to jelly. That sound, that terrible, wonderful sound? It’s the sound of indie games.

And there’s no better place to see them than at EGX Rezzed, London’s annual celebration of everything indie.

There’s going to be more indie games than can have a stick shaken at them, and choosing what we’re really excited to see can be hard. That said, we’ve done it. Here’s the games we’re really looking forward to getting our hands, eyes, and brains on.

Beyond Blue

The ocean is a beautiful place, and in Beyond Blue you’ll be able to explore the depths. Made by the team behind Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna), the BAFTA winning game about Alaska Native culture, we know we’re in for something special.

Dicey Dungeons

Terry Cavanagh is a name you might not be familiar with, but you probably know VVVVVV and Super Hexagon. Dicey Dungeons is a game set in a completely different direction. A roguelike with a chance-based mechanic, it’s sure to be thought provoking and tough to master. Can’t wait.

El Hijo

You’re 6. It’s the Old West. You’ve lost your mother. That’s the set up for this spaghetti Western stealth-em-up, and if that’s not an intriguing start to a game, then we’ll eat our collective hats.

Fade to Silence

In a beautiful but devastated snowy landscape, survival will take everything you’ve got. As Ash, you’ll gather resources and fight the elements to survive, and hopefully build a refuge amongst the ruins of the future. Solo or co-op, this looks like it’ll scratch that survival itch perfectly.

Rainswept

Detective Michael Stone arrives in the small town of Pineview with mystery on his mind. This adventure game will lead you through a murder case, dealing with themes of love, relationships, and unresolved trauma. Weighty stuff, and important stuff.

Sigma Theory

Espionage, despite being a thematic core of many games, has rarely been explored. Enter Sigma Theory, a game about turn based espionage. Recruit agents, go on missions, and win the cold war for your nation. The Sigma Theory awaits.

Sunless Skies

Sunless Skies is a narrative-led steampunk adventure amongst the stars. Already released, it’s getting revamped zones and more, and at Rezzed we’ll be able to see some of the changes incoming. Sunless Skies is already something special, we can’t wait to see what’s coming up.

Vectronom

Block based rhythm action has never looked so good. Vectronom is a beat filled riddle game where your ability to move in time, and remember patterns, will be tested to its limits. With the game testing not only our musical ability but our three dimensional thinking, this is gonna be tough.

Warhammer: Chaosbane

Warhammer: Chaosbane is an aRPG set in the Warhammer universe. I mean that’s it, I’m sold at that point. With multiple classes and hordes to destroy, it’s the fantasy of being in the Warhammer world writ large. Want to smash things? This is your game.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 – Winds of Magic

It’s no secret that Warhammer: Vermintide 2 improved on absolutely everything from the first game. With an expansion incoming, it looks like this brilliant co-op rat-em-up will be getting even better, and we can’t wait to see what the team at Fatshark has for us.

Those are just some of the highlights we’re looking forward to seeing at EGX Rezzed this year. What are you excited to get more news about? Let us know in the comments below.

The top video game April Fools day jokes that backfired

It’s April Fools day, the day when the internet comes together to, well, lie to you.

If you see anything announced today, be very aware that it’s probably not true. Unless it is. In which case that’s an exception.

April Fools jokes don’t always go down well though. Sometimes they can even rebound on the company or product which inspired them. Here’s some that had, shall we say, less than great receptions.

ROBLOX – Cat characters

What was it? – In 2014 a YouTube video was posted to the official ROBLOX account stating that ‘The Future is Now’. In it, the developers showed off their plans for the future of ROBLOX, where all player character would be turned into cat.

How did it backfire? – The community did not take well to this news. Despite it being the 1st of April, the comments quickly became an absolute dumpster-fire of fury. The developers later renamed the video to include the phrase ‘April Fools’ in an attempt to ward off some of the vitriol.

Blizzard – Crabby

What was it? – Blizzard are renowned for their intricate and well planned April Fools day jokes. In 2011 they released Crabby, a Clippy-a-like for their World of Warcraft website. It offered helpful comments when navigating the website.

How did it backfire? – See the problem with Clippy is that it’s annoying, so riffing on Clippy just doubles down on t he annoying. Look at Crabby’s face, look at those smug claws. I HATE YOU SO MUCH CRABBY.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Mammoth tank

What was it? – In 2009, EA announced that it was adding a new unit, the Mammoth tank. No, not that one. This Mammoth tank is a pair of guns mounted on a heavily armoured mammoth.

How did it backfire? – Because, well, it’s Red Alert. The world that Red Alert is set in is already extremely hyperbolic and ridiculous, so an actual mammoth isn’t a stretch of imagination. The community just sort of…shrugged. And waited expectantly.

Gamespot – Nintendo Analyst

What was it? – Gamespot’s article from 2006 with a ‘Nintendo Analyst’ looked into the future, joking that with cheap games and a cheap console, Nintendo would corner the console market.

How did it backfire? – Nintendo released the Wii. Which cornered the console market. With cheap games. And a cheap console.

EA – Getting the boot into the Wii U

What was it? – EA announce that Frostbite games will be ported to the Wii U, something that wasn’t possible before due to hardware limitations.

How did it backfire? – The series of tweets were just cruel. The Wii U wasn’t the most powerful console and everyone knew it. Tweeting things like ‘Frostbite now runs on the #WiiU since it is the most powerful Gen4 platform, our renderer is now optimized for Mario and Zelda.’ just sounds like someone had a grudge against Nintendo. Eventually, EA COO Peter Moore apologised for them.

That’s our list, it’s the one we’ve done. Did we miss your favourite time an April Fools joke backfired? Hit us up in the comments.

This Month in Indie Games – April

Welcome one and all to the most godforsaken of all the months: April. That’s right, the month of fools is upon us and you can be sure of countless tiresome jokes being retweeted and shared around the entire internet.

Well, not here friends, not here.

Here we celebrate indie games and that’s no laughing matter. Here we still stand for something. So, here a few of the exciting indie games out this month.

Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey

Have you ever had the classic fantasy of wanting to take down Jack the Ripper as Lancelot and Morgana Le Fey? Well, Dance of Death is definitely the game for this intensely specific desire.  The game boasts historically accurate crime scenes based on the reports from the era. It also has branching narrative and the team behind it come from studios like Rocksteady and Lionhead. Also, Morgana is a dog. It is out on PC April 5th.

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain

The latest entry in the cult classic Earth Defense Force series is upon us. This one may well be a little bit different to what the hardcore fans expect though. It is being made by a different team and aims to have a more serious tone than most of the entries. There is also a brand-new class that can take control of enemies and use them to fight back. Iron rain is creeping and crawling to PS4 April 11th.

My Time at Portia

My Time at Portia is a bit like Stardew Valley but in 3D. It brings a fair few things of its own to the garden though. For starters, there is a lot more building than in Stardew as you need to fix up your old Pa’s workshop. You also need to really integrate into the community to succeed. It also has rock, paper, scissors, so that’s nice. Add in level ups and skills and you have a more RPG heavy beast. Check it on April 16th on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Katana ZERO

This is one of those indie games that already looks like a huge hit. It has gorgeous old-school visuals, fast-paced action, and a katana. You can deflect bullets, dodge, use traps, and even mess around with time in order to get through each level. Being an assassin is messy work though, so every morning you check in with a therapist for a bit of self-care. Katana ZERO comes to PC, Switch April 18th.

Box boy and Box girl

One of the most delightful and charming puzzle games around is coming to Switch. This time Box boy is joined by Box girl. Using the unique prowess of the protagonists you have to overcome each level as they get harder and harder. Along with the wonderful cast of characters is the wonderfully minimalist art style and the excellent puzzle design. The aim of the game is simple, but the solution never is, well, after the initial few levels anyway. If this all sounds like more fun than a cardboard box as a kid then you can find it on Switch April 26th.

Mother’s Day – Top mums in video games

It’s Mother’s Day – not everywhere, so don’t go panicking before you’ve checked a calendar.

Back? Good. It’s Mother’s Day, and we here at Green Man Gaming love our mums. Well, most of us do. Probably.

Love ’em or loathe ’em, you can’t deny that without mothers the human race wouldn’t exist. So let’s take a look at the mums in video games, and call out some of the best.

Jenova – Final Fantasy VII

Jenova is a kind, loving mother. Looking out for her son Sephiroth with care, attention, and all the alien mind games a young boy needs.

Yeah Jenova isn’t a fun lady to be around, especially later in Final Fantasy VII when she sort of becomes her son in an effort to destroy all life on the planet. Grim.

Elena Fisher – Uncharted 4

It’s late in Uncharted 4 when Elena becomes a mother, but it’s clear that her, Nate, and Cassie make a loving family unit. All the peril and ‘will they, won’t they’ from the previous games goes away as we realise that they’ve made it work.

It’s a genuine relief to see, at the end of the game, that Elena and Nate have settled down together. Elena, more than almost any other character in the series, deserves it.

Lara – Chrono Trigger

When you first meat Lara, Lucca’s mother, she’s a kind but sad lady. After a tragic accident, her mobility has been reduced. She loves her daughter fiercely however, and that comes through in everything she says.

Then later in the game, you go back in time and see it happen. It’s a terrifying, terrible, but also potentially hopeful moment. You get to save Lucca’s mother from the accident that befell her. Returning to your time, she’s full of joy and life again. A beautiful end to a side story well told.

Ana Amari – Overwatch

Mother of fellow Overwatch hero Pharah, Ana stays in the background, supporting and helping her daughter and her pals.

She’s had a hard time of things, but that doesn’t stop her offering the support her daughter needs to survive a battle. And like all good mums, she’s armed with a powerful sniper rifle and a cup of tea emote.

Dr. Bridgette Tenenbaum – Bioshock series

The ‘mother’ to the Little Sisters, Dr. Tenenbaum nonetheless cares deeply for them. Despite a chequered past, in Bioshock and Bioshock 2 it’s clear that she’s trying to make up for her past sins.

Especially since her metaphorical children don’t deserve their fate. She’s condemned them to a strange life deep under the sea, and her attempts to undo it are one of the few wholesome threads in the dark.

Ness’s Mother – Earthbound

If Earthbound gives you one clear message, it’s that you should call your mum. Well, most of us probably should. Don’t if your mum’s horrible.

There’s lots of support that comes from Ness’s mum in this game, from curing homesickness to healing your health through the blessed medium of steak. She really looks after Ness, and that’s admirable.

Rachni Queen – Mass Effect series

Some mothers have one child to look after, or two. The Rachni Queen has countless millions, teeming hordes. And she’s doing a remarkable job.

OK you can choose a rough fate for the poor Rachni Queen, and even if you don’t she has a bad time of things. But that doesn’t make her any less of a caring mum. She loves her little alien ant family. And we love them too.

Have we missed your favourite mother in a video game? Let us know in the comments below. Also: Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there!

Earth Hour – 5 video games you can play without electricity

Earth Hour is a yearly event where people and businesses are asked to turn off non-essential electrical items, for an hour.

You can do that right, a symbol of commitment to the planet. It’s only an hour and only once a year.

But what to do during that hour, you can’t play video games because they need electricity.

Fear not, we’ve got your back. Here’s five games you can play, all without electricity.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

By now you’ve probably played enough Skyrim to be able to recreate the whole game in your head if you wanted. So why not do that? During your hour off, try plotting out your adventure.

Maybe you’ll be heading down to Riften for a bit of thievery, maybe you’ll join the Companions, or maybe you’ll just wander the arctic wastes reliving the time a horker ate your leg. Whatever you want to do, you can do it in your brain for the low low cost of ‘many hundreds of hours in Skyrim’.

A half remembered level of Sonic

You played Sonic so much as a kid that it’s ingrained in your muscle memory. You know when to jump, when to duck, when to roll, and how to end Green Hill Zone act 1 with over 200 rings.

But can you remember what it looks like? You roll…up the…and there’s a fly thing? You jump at that? I think?

Remembering the exact layout of each Sonic level will take so much brain power Earth Hour will have passed in no time. Win-win.

Half-Life’s 2’s welcome to City 17 speech

Welcome. Welcome to City 17.

You have chosen, or been chosen, to relocate to one of our finest remaining urban centres. I thought so much of City 17 that I elected to establish my Administration here, in the Citadel so thoughtfully provided by Our Benefactors. I have been proud to call City 17 my home. And so, whether you are here to stay, or passing through on your way to parts unknown, welcome to City 17. It’s safer here.

Aw yeah, that’s the good stuff.

XCOM 2

If you’ve played XCOM 2 – especially in ironman mode – you’ll have had a mission that’s gone bad.

Why not do some wargames during Earth Hour. Replay that mission over and over in your head. Obsess over where you went wrong, and how you could fix it. Where did you go wrong? Was it when you sent the heavy on a run, or was it when you forgot to put your sniper in overwatch?

You buffoon, lives have been lost because of you. Dedicate Earth Hour to feeling bad about how you messed up.

Drawing an original XBOX from memory

The original XBOX came out in 2001 and it’s probably been a little while since you’ve seen one.

With your computer and consoles turned off, it’s time to see if you can draw one from memory. Was it in the shape of a giant X? What exactly did the original controller look like? All these riddles – and more, await you in this exciting game.

So there you go, five video games you can play without electricity when you’re participating in Earth Hour. Are there any other games you can play without the magic lightning? Let us know in the comments below.

Dictators in games

Everyone loves a dictator. No wait, everyone loathes a dictator. That’s better.

Dictatorships are present in many games. Often as antagonists, and rightly so. Gotta punch them totalitarians, right?

Other games lets you be the dictator, sometimes humorously, sometimes meticulously modelled. Either way, there’s lots of dictators in video games and on the cusp of the release of the latest in the Tropico series, we thought it would be the perfect time to take a look back at some dictators in video games.

Tropico Series

Taking place amongst natural beauty, the Tropico series sees you make the decision between being a benevolent statesman or a brutal dictator. Running a small nation takes a lot of work, and sometimes those greedy and lazy peasants need a bit of oppression to make them realise how good they have it.

Paradise can be what you make of it, and that’s the joy of the Tropico series. With Tropico 6 coming out shortly you’ll even be able to expand to new island types and archipelagos. Your paradise is your paradise, and no-one can take that away from you. Especially not if you have a thousand grim-faced guards.

Civilization Series

In the Civilization series, you play as the strangely immortal ruler of, well, a civilisation. Through many periods of time you can and will choose different methods of enforcing your rule, and one of those is as a despot.

In Civilization, as well as many other 4X games, the game doesn’t judge your actions in the same way. Despotism is just seen as an alternative governing model, one that has up – and down – sides. Your people will probably not be the happiest in a dictatorship, but will you care when that’s offset by other benefits? You monster.

Far Cry 4

Ah Pagan Min. The face of Kyrat. The provider of crab rangoon. The pink-clad ruler of a mountainous kingdom.

He’s a colossal dick, but he’s a brilliant character. Right from the moment you meet him you know he’s going to absolutely be a highlight of your time in the clouds. He’s a charismatic but unhinged despot who rules Kyrat with a beautifully shod heel. You’ll never forget your time with Pagan Min. Why would you want to?

Dungeon Keeper

It’s Twenty Frankenstein-Teen: Become the Monster, so why not remember a time when you were a literal monster, in charge of a dungeon filled with monsters?

Dungeon Keeper sees you taking absolute power over a group of disparate monster groups as you seek to despoil the world above you. Rewards and punishments are yours to dispense, and if your minions aren’t abiding by your evil will you can even take direct control of them. Despotism has never been so direct as this.

Sniper Elite Series

Hitler. He was a baddie. Just making that clear before we go on to say anything else.

Appearing in several Sniper Elite games, you’re able to plop a bullet right into that fascist brain if you so choose. Or in some games you can fire your rifle of justice right into his groin. The Sniper Elite series is famous for meticulously modelling the interior of human bodies, and upon shooting a testicle you can find that the song is true, Hitler is running solo. Imagine having the job of modelling Hitler’s sole testicle. Video games.

Dictators are rife in video games, these are just a few examples out there. What’s your favourite or rather more accurately, least favourite examples. Let us know in the comments below.

Rezzed 2019 – Come see ShockRods

EGX Rezzed is fast approaching. If you’re attending you might be wondering, what to see there. What games could there be out there that you want to go see?

Well we’ve got one word for you:

ShockRods.

ShockRods at Rezzed

ShockRods Action

Green Man Gaming Publishing have partnered with Stainless Games to release ShockRods, a bombastic, explosive, vehicular multiplayer game. It’s not out just yet, but we’re ready to show it off.

You can play it if you’re attending Rezzed. For the first time the general public will be able to get their hands on the game and engage in brutal, fast paced vehicular battles. The sleepy atmosphere of Tobacco Docks here in London will be rent asunder with the sound of revving engines, devastating weapons, and the cries of victory.

We’ll have our very own stand in the upper floor in the room next to the indies, and if you need more specific information it’ll be in the guide book. Come see us, say hi, and try to beat us at ShockRods. If you can…

What’s Rezzed?

EGX Rezzed is a yearly celebration of everything indie. Taking place in the beautiful Tobacco Docks venue in East London, it’s an open, welcoming, wonderful event full of absolutely brilliant games.

Between the 4th and 6th of April, you’ll be able to wander the halls and open air atriums of the event, seeing just the very best that gaming has to offer.

Not able to make it yourself? We’ll be covering it on the blog and newsroom, so if there’s cool games or breaking news, check with us. We’ll have all the scoops you need to get knowledge’d up about the best in indie games.

So there you go – ShockRods will be playable at Rezzed, and we’ll be there showing it off. Buy us a chicken burger. We’ll be grateful.

For more information on ShockRods, don’t forget you can check out the ShockRods website for all the details you can shake a rocket launcher at.

Elder Scrolls at 25 – Why Morrowind is important

There’s a particular sound that even now, 17 years later, feels like coming home.

The haunting wail of the silt strider is a mournful herald of safety. They stand on chitinous legs near settlements and towns, howling into the air the message that refuge awaits nearby.

When you’ve been trudging for hours through the Ashlands, fending off rabid beasts and winged nightmares, that sound echoing through your computer’s speakers plays like a fanfare from heaven.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind comes from a time before fast travel. Before quest markers. Before invisible dice rolls were replaced with physical combat. It was a harsh time, but one that was utterly rewarding in a way that few games or worlds have managed.

Let me tell you why Morrowind is important and worth playing today.

Born on a certain day.

morrowind ashland insert

Morrowind is a hard sell. It’s beset by issues that can impede the ability to enjoy the game, issues that sequels in the series have largely resolved. Combat, a core part of the Elder Scrolls experience, is pretty crap in Morrowind. Whether you hit or not is decided by invisible dice rolls, taking into account your enemy’s stats and your weapon skill. This means that the game itself is an abstraction. You might look like you’re hitting something, but unless the game says you are, you’re not.

The journal only gives vague directions for your quests, animations and character models are stiff and awkward, and if you don’t choose your skills carefully you’ll find the whole game almost impossible.

But none of that matters, not really. Because nothing compares to just the feeling of living in Morrowind, of existing in the world of Vvardenfell.

I heard them say we’ve reached Morrowind.

jiub morrowind

Players in 2002 were greeted by a beautiful world – with water with actual reflections – but an alien world, a world unlike other fantasy worlds.

Most fantasy worlds are inspired directly by Lord of the Rings and Western. Most of Tamriel, the continent The Elder Scrolls is set on, is the same. Except for parts, areas where the weird shines through.

One of these is Vvardenfell, up in the North East, part of the Dark Elf lands of Morrowind. A volcanic island of rich earth and brutal ashlands. It’s a land of history, of deep divides that go back generations. It’s a place where you, no matter who you play, are an outsider. One who’s often unwanted.

Giant mushrooms tower over the foetid Bitter Coasts and the lush Ascadian Isles regions. Majestic bull netch and poisonous betty netch playfully float over the scenery. Alit, Kagouti, Nix-Hounds, and the ever-present Cliff Racers make every step out of doors a risk.

And over it all, from the Red Mountain volcano hunkering at the centre of Vvardenfell, comes the Blight. A disease ridden wind that blows dust and worse across the island.

It’s a world unlike any you’ve set foot in, and if you play Morrowind, it’s one that’ll forever be your home. It’s a hard land, a land where heroes are forged.

Nerevar, Moon and Star.

nerevar moon and star

But who are you? The game starts with you as a prisoner, held deep within the bowels of a ship that’s docked at Seyda Neen on the South coast of Vvardenfell.

Who you are doesn’t matter in Morrowind. What matters is who you can be.

You’re very much a blank slate in Morrowind. Whilst you’re there ostensibly to fulfil prophecy, those who sent you there don’t believe in that prophecy. You’re there for political aims, to keep the grumbling Dunmer in their place. To appear to be the Nerevarine of legend but one under the thumb of the Empire. As such, a large part of the main quest asks the question; are you fulfilling prophecy, or just appearing to?

No-one can doubt that you achieve momentous things as the Nerevarine, but do you do them because of prophecy, fate, or your own will?

Obviously it’s a video game so caveats apply, if you want to complete the main quest your choices will narrow. But does that make the main quest’s questioning of prophecy a meta question? Is it prophecy, or the designer’s will that drives your actions? Would you kindly take that, Bioshock.

Regardless of the main quest, there’s just so much to do in Morrowind. Unlike later Elder Scrolls games it’s often exclusive, and difficult. You don’t join a guild and then find yourself at the head within a week, you have to earn it. And each of those guilds has enemies and allies, meaning your reputation will go up and down appropriately.

Joined the Fighters Guild? You’ll find the Thieves Guild more difficult. Joined House Redoran? That’s you locked out of the other two.

More than that, you can only choose a certain amount of abilities to focus on. You can’t be a jack of all trades. All this means that you’re actually playing a role. You’re not god, you can’t do everything. Care and attention needs to be paid about who you want to be.

Greetings, serjo.

aldruhn morrowind insert

Morrowind made a huge difference to my life, and continues to do so. As I get older I find the world of Vvardenfell increasingly comforting to return to, like a pair of old well worn shoes. It’s a harsh landscape and a tough place to live, but with practice and knowledge it can be a place to survive and indeed, thrive in.

Despite all its difficulties, despite it being seventeen years old, despite it creaking around the edges, Morrowind is important and still a vast treasure trove of adventure, opportunity, and roleplay.

If you’ve cut your teeth on the later games, or just skipped over the clunky cousin to Skyrim, I implore you to give Morrowind a try. You might bounce off it a few times, but persist and the richness of the world will surround you and last with you for the rest of your life.

Elder Scrolls at 25 – Elder Scrolls Milestones

Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls Series is 25 years old today. That’s older than I am… which means it’s high time to run through the major flashpoints in the history of this utterly formative RPG series. With more than 50 million copies sold, we’re looking back at some of the moments in its lineage that have made this series a household name.

Testing the waters – The Elders Scrolls: Arena

In 1994, a plucky little developer called Bethesda with previous credits on Wayne Gretzky’s Hockey and Home Alone for the NES broke the wheel by introducing the world to Tamriel. The Elder Scrolls: Arena was the primitive forerunner of the series we know and love today, and, as per the name, was supposed to be an arena combat game before the developers became far more interested in side quests and dungeons.

Players adored the pen-and-paper inspired first-person world, which was gargantuan by 1994’s standards. This became the game’s standout feature, and despite at first being criticised for its lack of depth, after patches and word of mouth, this would go on to become the thing that the Elder Scrolls is known for in the legion of games that followed it.

Daedric experimentation – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Flash forward 12 years to 2006, and nearly 10 games later (including some N-Gage spin-offs) we land on Oblivion, a defining moment for the series and the entry point of many gamers. Where 2002’s Morrowind set the tone and provided a hardcore experience that many fans latched onto, Oblivion’s enhanced physics engine, stunning graphics and experimental, deeply fascinating world invaded the dreams of many.

From The Shivering Isles to Arkved’s Bizzare Tower, the world was hiding mythological secrets and in-depth interaction around every corner. Personally, I could never get enough of that world, the most potent and interesting Bethesda has developed yet. Jeremy Soule’s spellbinding fantasy soundtrack was the bow that wrapped up this now-iconic title, one of the first truly ‘next-gen’ titles of the 360/PS3 era that received global praise from critics, selling close to 10 million copies and receiving multiple game of the year re-releases.

Mainstream mastery – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

A game that needs no introduction, with over 30 million copies sold, Skyrim marked Bethesda’s mainstream mastery. Any gamer worth their salt has heard of it, or at the very least, one of its many incarnations. From Amazon Alexa to the Nintendo Switch, the game is available on almost every platform under the sun. It’s the panacea of gaming, an accessible open-world enjoyed by almost every demographic.

With an inspired story framed in a snowy Nordic setting, the game refined everything fans loved about the series whilst sanding down some of the hard edges that kept the series from smashing records and getting into the hands of the wider population. With a still-thriving mod scene and a constant retainer of players on Steam, Its ambition and scope are still a thrill to behold, even if the horse physics are fairly wacky…

A developing future – Legends, Online and TESVI

The Elder Scrolls series has so far proven itself as a brand rather than just a game series. From merchandise to fan events and dedicated communities, Bethesda’s RPG experiment is now a household name in the industry, and the company seems determined to funnel its success into other avenues. The Elder Scrolls Legends is still one of the stand-out CCG offerings available right now, which is mostly thanks to its lore-laden backdrop and story-driven angle. The Elder Scrolls Online is also one of the more successful MMORPGs in recent years and is still receiving regular content updates.

Bethesda is committed to the brand, and with the announcement of The Elder Scrolls VI at E2 2018 last year, excitement is building for the next iteration. Fan theories list High Rock and the sunken continent of Yokuda as possible settings for the game. Regardless of where or when it’s going to land, it’s sure to expand the possibilities of the RPG genre much like the original title did 25 years ago. As we know, there’s always an emperor in need and a continent in peril. Long live The Elder Scrolls!

Updated: Everything we know about No Man’s Sky: Beyond

No Man’s Sky probably wins the award for ‘most changed game after release’. After a mixed launch, the team at Hello Games have pumped update after update out – all for free – and it’s transformed the game.

No Man’s Sky: Beyond will be the next chapter in the saga of No Man’s Sky, in part bringing about a change to how multiplayer is handled in the open world space game.

Hello Games have announced that No Man’s Sky: Beyond will combine three major updates into one larger release. The first one that’s been partially revealed is No Man’s Sky: Online. This update will overhaul the multiplayer and social experience into something that Hello Games deny makes the game an MMO, but definitely sounds like it shares some MMO-y elements. “No Man’s Sky Online includes a radical new social and multiplayer experience which empowers players everywhere in the universe to meet and play together” says Hello Games, which definitely sounds like it’s bringing the multi into multiplayer.

A brief teaser trailer has been released, which definitely falls into the ‘tease’ category.

Speaking of the update, the developers state that player feedback and habits when playing No Man’s Sky have been critical in defining the update path. In their announcement Hello Games go on to say that “These changes are an answer to how we have seen people playing since the release of NEXT, and is something we’ve dreamed of for a long time.”

We’re looking forward to more information from Hello Games over the coming days and weeks. As soon as we get more info we’ll be updating this article. Make sure you check back often as we’ll make sure this is your first place to come for No Man’s Sky: Beyond news.

Update 26/03: Developers Hello Games have announced the second strand of the three separate facets of the upcoming Beyond update. Adding virtual reality support for both PlayStation VR and Steam VR, No Man’s Sky: Beyond – Virtual Reality will be a free update for the game.

A trailer has been unveiled showing off some of the new features:

As soon as we get more info about the No Man’s Sky: Beyond update, we’ll share it here so keep checking back.