Well finally, there has been some good PR news for Microsoft this month. Today, Larry Hyrb discussed exactly how their new Xbox Live free game program would differ from their clearly inspired PlayStation counterpart. Starting next month, those who are signed up for Xbox Live will be receiving two free digital games for the Xbox 360. Sounds very familiar to Sony’s PS Plus program right? Wrong, the terrific difference with Microsoft’s program is that gamers will actually get to “really” own the two free games. In other words, they will not have to pay to rent them month to month as in Sony’s subscription. Basically, once your Xbox Gold membership expires, your downloadable free games will not be locked. Gamers will be able to play those free titles forever, regardless of your Gold subscription status. Assassins Creed 2 and Halo 3 will be the first two free titles.

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Years ago, Disney’s Castle of Illusion was ranked with a near mythical status for old-school gamers that gamed in the 16-bit era. It seems Sega is dead set on trying to create a perfect balance between nostalgia and innovation. A Sega spokesperson has stated this when questioned on the passion for creating this HD remake.

“It is one of the most requested games for us to make for us on the Sega side, and on the Disney side as well. About two years ago we decided to re-imagine it. We didn’t just want to make an HD version. We wanted to freshen it up, not just in graphics, but in gameplay as well. As a result you see something that is very true to the original game and is very modern as well.”

“The team took the opportunity to tweak some elements that hadn’t aged as well, most notably that cornerstone of any platforming challenge: jumping. The jumping mechanics are pretty modernized. The old game, it was good, it was challenging, but for a modern game you have a little more fluidity of animations. That’s one part that we’ve had the opportunity to add a lot more animations.”

It seems Mickey’s animations add more depth to the character than ever before. Sega insisted that they have been working hand-in-hand with Disney. Disney animators have kept a close watch over the visuals and art style of the game as it has progressed. A new feature will be the inclusion of 3D visuals for Boss battles only. The rest of the game will be in 2D just as the original. The team at Sega seems to be putting a lot of love into a project that is clearly so nostalgic from some of our childhoods, and clearly still a passion of Disney’s.

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One notable announcement out of E3 last week was that PS4 owners will need to purchase a Playstation Plus subscription in order to access online multiplayer features. The announcement was met with mixed responses – while some are upset at the loss of previously-free mulitplayer, an advantage the PS3 had over the Xbox 360, others are already paying for the extra features Plus provides and are more than happy to continue their subscription into the PS4′s release.

Sony understands the concerns, and has given more information about the changes coming to the Plus service for PS4, and it’s clear they’re not planning on resting on their laurels, but rather intend to expand on the service to justify its more mandatory nature.

First, the Auto-Update feature is hopping the pay gate and will now be available to all PS4 owners. This excellent feature backs up gameplay data to the cloud while automatically downloading and installing system updates. As of now it seems this will only apply to the PS4, so PS3 and Vita owners will still need a subscription to take advantage of this feature, but time will tell if Sony changes their minds. The PS4′s social features will remain free for all owners as well – presumably this refers to things like status updates and streaming services. The catch-up TV and movie streaming services will also be available without a Plus subscription, however, a Plus subscription may be required to access the PS3′s back catalog of games on the upcoming Gaikai service to be released next year.

Naturally, a Plus subscription provides benefits across all three current Sony platforms, including an instant game collection, so PS4, PS3, and Vita owners will build up a collection of many free games over the course of their Plus subscription. It would seem Sony is using the Plus service as a gateway for PS4 owners to really get into the service whereas they may have hesitated before. The first game in the PS4 instant game collection, DriveClub Plus Edition, will get new subscribers off to a great start, not just for getting a full game for free but for added features for Plus subscribers.

A major point of speculation at this time is whether or not Sony will introduce tiered levels of service for use of the PS4′s Gaikai streaming technology, or if it will be included in current Plus services. The vastly-improved Remote Play feature will also make use of this technology, so it’s not currently known if Remote Play will be available to all PS4 owners or only Plus subscribers.

Above all, Sony made it clear that the requirement of a Plus subscription for multiplayer isn’t just a money-grab, but will pave the way for improved service uptime and performance. ”It is time to charge, but it is time to charge and still continue to deliver phenomenal value,” says SCEE MD Fergal Gara.

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IO Interactive announced today that they will be losing almost half of their staff. They will all also be cancelling most of their planned projects for the upcoming 2013-2014. However, one glimmer of hope was the confirmation on the continuation of their most famed franchise. IO is currently creating the next Hitman title.

“The studio will focus resolutely on the future vision for the Hitman franchise and is in pre-production on a new AAA Hitman project. However, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel other studio projects and initiatives at IO and reduce the workforce in this studio, which will impact almost half of the employees currently at IO, as we make internal adjustments to face the challenges of today’s market. The publisher laid off employees to “align business against a changing and challenging market,” said an IO rep.

As we reported a few months back, apparently Hitman: Absolution did not meet Square Enix’s “sales expectations”, despite the fact that it sold over 4 million units and continues to sell. Thankfully however, the publisher and developer are deciding to continue the 13 year old franchise. Sadly and more importantly, many hardworking developers will be out of work due to this business move. Square Enix stated that they it wil try to relocate staff to other open positions within other Square Enix divisions.

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Wii U owners are likely frustrated over the lack of support from bigger developers and publishers compared to the PS3 and 360, from delayed patches and DLC to outright absence of certain games on the console. It’d be easy to cast the blame on corporate greed and money-hungering, but as EA and Ubisoft have recently pointed out, in this case it’s a legitimate concern.

EA Labels President Frank Gibeau elaborated, saying a limited number of Wii U sales is bottlenecking their game sales.

“Look, the only thing they can do to fix it is to sell more boxes… The Wii U, we shipped four games. We shipped Madden, FIFA, Need for Speed and Mass Effect. In fact, the last Need for Speed shipped 60 days ago had a pretty good Metacritic. It was a good game. It wasn’t a schlocky port, we actually put extra effort into getting everything to work. And it’s just not selling because there’s no boxes.”

Gibeau went on to say that Nintendo is a “good partner” and in spite of focusing on Xbox and Playstation for now, EA will continue to keep an eye on the Wii U and as soon as the situation changes, they are ready to jump back in and support it.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot had a similar sentiment, saying that the onus falls on Nintendo to increase Wii U sales before they’ll be ready to continue making games for the console. ”We need more sold. They are coming with five of their biggest brands ever. And the Yen went down. So maybe they will take steps that will increase the number of consoles sold.”

Thankfully it seems Nintendo is keenly aware of the Wii U’s lower sales numbers, and they are hopeful that an assortment of quality first-party titles being released over the next year will boost console sales, providing the framework for third parties to boost their sales on the Wii U and justify resources spent on developing for it. Beloved franchises like Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, Smash Bros., Mario, and Zelda are on their way to the Wii U this holiday season and beyond, and many are sure to want to jump on board and get a Wii U of their own.

Charlie Scibetta, head of Nintendo of America’s corporate communications, had this to say: ”We feel that’s our job to help drive that install base, and we haven’t had the software so far in 2013 that’s going to do that. But we’re confident between now and the holiday and again in 2014, we do have the software that’s going to grow that install base. And when that happens, we think that Wii U will be a far more attractive platform for third parties to want to publish on. The same thing happened on Nintendo 3DS that we think will happen on Wii U, which started off slow, but when the software came around, the hardware sales came. We’re looking for the same dynamic for Wii U.”

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Developer 3 Sprockets released an awesome sleeper indie hit last year with their RTS / TD hybrid Cubemen. After giving the game a try and writing my review (which you can read here – if you want all the details on which Cubemen 2 was built on, give it a read!), I knew that 3 Sprockets was on to something big. Cubemen was a fresh take on the TD genre, replacing static towers with movable soldiers that can be placed around a 3D map. Cubemen also included a multitude of play modes, limiting the number of resources or soldiers you could have at a time, or even a crazy rockets vs. crossbows mode. Cubemen is great, so here we have another case of 3 Sprockets having to out-do itself with Cubemen 2. The game was a hit on PC, but does the iOS version stand toe to toe with its computer counterpart? Read on and find out.

Cubemen 2′s gameplay doesn’t deviate terribly from the first when it comes down to it – you and your opponents have a base from which you can spend credits – called “cubes” – to spawn soldiers to attack your enemy’s units. Depending on the game type you’re playing, you may also spawn AI-controlled mobs from your base, making their way to your enemies and taking off a life if they reach their base. Cubemen set itself apart from other TD games in several ways; first, instead of planting static towers, you purchase and deploy units with unique weapons, with the option of moving them to different locations as the situation changes. Players battle it out in fully-3D environments, and weapons obey full line of sight physics, opening up new strategies, like placing flamethrowers behind corners and perching snipers on high ground for superior offensive and defensive positioning.

All of the core gameplay has made its way into Cubemen 2, with some added tweaks and improvements. First and foremost, the list of units has been modified to replace some under-used or under-powered soldiers with more useful ones. Both games feature Grill, a speedy pistolero with low health, Flint, a short-ranged flamethrower, Moty, a fire-support unit with a long-ranged AoE attack, Ricky, armed with a heat-seeking rocket launcher, Lazlo, a laser-firing death machine, and Sid, a sniper armed with a powerful long-ranged rifle, perfect for picking off units at a distance. Two units from the original were removed – Fred, an ice-based version of Flint who deals less damage but slows units hit by its attack, and Mike, a medic who can restore the health of your units. Fred was replaced with Larry, a low-cost unit that can slow enemies in an area around him with ice lightning. Mike is no longer a unit in Cubemen 2, but his function was brought over as regen squares present on the map, which players on either side can move their units onto to heal. Cubemen 2 also sees the introduction of two new units that completely change the gameplay dynamic. Milo turns into a mine when he reaches his destination, exploding for huge damage when an enemy passes near it. Waly brings a traditional TD element to Cubemen 2, turning into an impassable wall when he reaches his destination to close off paths or create choke points. Both of these new units are single-use and will disappear when they reach their destination, but are also extremely tough to kill, but a new “Engineer” unit will be implemented soon which can dislodge these powerful area-denial units. This is a nice balancing factor, as the gameplay previously allowed players to permanently change the playing field with walls, a potentially game-breaking situation. All of these units can be upgraded for a variable Cube cost, upping their damage, range, and fire rate, as well as fully restoring their health. 3 Sprockets has done a great job of streamlining the unit selection in Cubemen 2, making every purchase purposeful and allowing for a lot of strategic options.

Finally, the long-standing feud between Knights and Luchadores is settled.

Players can get acclimated to the game through the two included Defensive Campaigns (one of which is new from the computer version of the game), which sees the player go through traditional tower defense scenarios on several unique maps. Each stage records your score on a playthrough, allowing you to go back and play the campaign again if you want to try to improve on your score. However, there’s plenty of alternative content included in Cubemen 2 to keep you busy. The game comes with additional maps which can be played on a multitude of game modes. The single-player offerings include Defense (your traditional TD game type) and Rescue, which has your AI mobs trying to rescue allied NPCs from enemy bases, requiring you to build units to protect them. Three additional modes can be played single-player against bots, in multi-player against other human players, or any mix of the two, and include: Skirmish, which is similar to Defense mode but requires players to attack as well as defend, sending out units to destroy their enemies and guard their mobs toward their bases; Territories, a spin on King of the Hill which requires players to send out units to capture most of the stage for their side; and a traditional Capture the Flag mode. Skirmish and CTF are tons of fun, but Territories is definitely the most exciting addition to the game with a ton of depth. The winner is only declared once the timer runs down, so players can either expand outward early and blitz the board, or bide their time, build up their forces, and steamroll their opponents closer to the timer. All game modes are highly configurable with options such as time limit, number of waves and opponents, solo or team options, and more.

The game’s AI is certainly competent and will put up a fair fight, but even on the highest difficulty, players will eventually find their skills are no longer up to snuff, so eventually you’ll want to spend more time in Cubemen 2′s multiplayer mode. Up to six players can face off solo or in teams on any of the 3 multiplayer modes. This is truly the way the game is meant to be played, and other players will put up a nice challenge and use tactics that the AI simply can’t do. Glacier928 and I had an awesome time facing off against each other and in teams, and even though I’m more of the strategy buff (while he goes more for action games), he found Cubemen 2 to be a beginner-friendly yet exciting game. Latency wasn’t an issue and our games ran smooth as butter, even with six players throwing down in intense battles with cubes flying everywhere.

The excellent level editor featured in the PC version of Cubemen 2 has made its way to the iPad version of the game; unfortunately, iPhone and iPod Touch users will be out of luck here. If you’re playing from an iPad, you’ll find every bit of functionality featured in the PC version of the game. Tons of options are available here, from raising and lowering terrain and creating floating tiles, adding in spawn points, teleporters, and regenerator squares, and even setting the recommended texture for the level are all options available. Once a level is finished, you can upload it to 3 Sprockets’ public server for other players to try. A rating system helps players gauge if a map they’re about to download is fun or not. As a side note, if you happen to own the PC/Mac version of the game but don’t own an iPad to play on, you can create a level there, upload it to 3 Sprockets’ server, and download it to your iPhone or iPod Touch.

The level editor gives players a lot of freedom and creativity, allowing for the remake of this N64 classic.

Cubemen 2 has taken cues from the original in terms of visual and sound design, and while there haven’t been any major leaps forward in the game’s engine, it still runs at a brisk pace on every modern iDevice, and features plenty of pleasing, block-based visual effects, including ambient lighting around players’ bases and light flashes when weapons are fired which help to spice up the action a bit. As an important note, the game is only supported on the latest Apple devices, including the iPhone 4S and up, iPad Mini, iPad 2 and up, and the iPod Touch 5 and up. The game does run on older devices, but is a much more stripped-down experience, including poorer performance, some audio and video stutter, and the complete removal of all multiplayer modes. Buyer beware, trying to play on an older system is not the way Cubemen 2 is meant to be played.

3 Sprockets has greatly expanded on the options presented to the user to customize the game their way as well; while players could originally choose a color for the levels and Cubemen, as well as a basic skin for the latter, Cubemen 2 has greatly expanded on this, offering all of the classic color options as well as full-fledged skins for units and levels. There’s a pretty expansive offering here – from soldiers, orcs, and ninjas for Cubemen, to Minecraft, lunar, Egyptian, and a Tron Grid-like look for levels (just to name a few), it’s easy to customize the look of the game to your liking. There are many more skins to choose from through downloadable content, and 3 Sprockets intends to add even more to the game over time. The game also features a more varied soundtrack compared to the original score, sporting a different theme for the title screen and most of your units. These songs are essentially different takes on the same basic melody, but with different tonality and feel to suit each character they’re named after. Ricky’s Theme is a personal favorite of mine, but you may choose not to use it everywhere like I did and instead take advantage of the game’s sound options, letting you play a separate theme for the title screen and each gameplay mode. These songs have taken a step up since the first game too, sounding a bit more grand and dramatic, which really helps the immersion factor during a game. It’s nice to see 3 Sprockets listening to their fans and incorporating some of their suggestions into Cubemen 2′s initial release.

So, is there anywhere Cubemen 2 falls flat? Honestly, not in a lot of places. You can’t pick campaign stages to play on, requiring you to replay the whole thing if you want to get to a specific stage. The game does have a couple of minor bugs and kinks to work out as well, such as incorrect information in some in-game menus. It would have also been nice to be able to re-name or delete maps you’ve published online. And of course, 3 Sprockets will be looking into keeping the game balanced so that cheap strategies don’t reign supreme. The upcoming Engineer unit is sure proof of this. If you happen to be playing from an iPhone or iPod, the lack of a level editor will be sorely missed.

A friendly game of Territory in the medieval countryside.

Cubemen 2 for iOS does a very good job of bringing the desktop experience to a portable platform, and in the case of the iPad version, doesn’t sacrifice anything for it. Cubemen 2 doesn’t do anything radical to change the formula, but instead makes the game fresh through a tweak in the gameplay dynamics, improvements to user customization, and by featuring an excellent online mode and level editor. With plenty of updates and patches in the pipe, Cubemen 2 will only get better over time, and is sure to be a long-standing member of your iDevice’s home screen.

Final Score: 8.5 out of 10 = BUY IT!

Special thanks to 3 Sprockets for providing us with a review copy of Cubemen 2 for iOS!

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We recently had the chance to talk with Terraria creator Andrew Spinks in advance of the impending Vita port of his wildly-popular side-scrolling adventure game. Terraria has seen a hugely-successful launch on PC and its Xbox 360 / PS3 following is quite strong as well, so it’s only natural that the game makes the leap to mobile platforms next. While we were certainly excited to find out more about the mobile version, Andrew was also gracious enough to give us some insight into Terraria’s origins and where it’s going from here. Check out the interview below!

Jonathan: First off, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for us, Andrew. I’m a big fan of Terraria, both for its 2D action-explorable style as well as the crafting options it features. It’s a really unique experience. What was your inspiration to combine these playstyles into Terraria?

Andrew: My goal with Terraria has always been to make a game that I personally enjoy playing.  Along with that “unique experience” you mentioned, combining these and other styles is just part of what helped me reach that goal!

Jonathan: No doubt that there will be inevitable comparisons between Terraria and Minecraft, both for their explorable worlds and crafting features. Did you come up with the idea for Terraria before Minecraft went public? Was it an inspiration for Terraria? What do you think sets your game apart?

Andrew: Minecraft was a definite inspiration for Terraria.  Starting out, Terraria looks very similar to Minecraft, but as you progress, the differences become more apparent in terms of exploration, combat, and game progression as a whole!  Terraria has its own personality as well that comes to life through the dialog, the soundtrack, as well as the graphics.

Jonathan: Terraria’s been a huge hit on PC, and you’ve said that it’s fan feedback that prompted you to work on a PS Vita version of the game. Did the majority of this feedback come about after Terraria’s release on Xbox 360 and PS3, or was it mostly due to the initial feedback from the PC crowd?

Andrew: I’d say it was initial feedback that prompted the port to the Vita, but there was more and more demand for it after the release of the console versions too.

Jonathan: The Vita sports some unique features not available on other portable platforms, like its rear touch pad and Near social features. What sorts of technologies are you looking to leverage in the Vita version of Terraria? Will the Vita version be an adaptation of the PC/Console version, or are you looking to add some new features to the game that take advantage of the Vita’s unique technology?

Andrew: We’ll have more information for you as we get closer to launch, but I will say that we are going to do our best to take advantage of the system’s unique qualities to make sure the game stays intuitive in this new environment!

Jonathan: Finally, what does the future of Terraria look like? Are you planning to work on a version of the game for iOS and Android platforms, or even other consoles like the DS / 3DS and Wii U? Are there any major additions to the game in the pipe?

Andrew: iOS will be coming out this summer, and we hope to have it for Android devices soon after that!  I’ve also been personally working a great deal on the 1.2 update for PC that will also be ported to XBLA and PSN!  We haven’t made any concrete decisions about Nintendo yet, but we’ll see what happens!

Jonathan: Thanks again for your time Andrew. It’s been great talking to you, and we’re looking forward to playing Terraria on the go on our Vitas!

Andrew: Thanks for the interview and for the kind words!  It’s been fun!

Be sure to look out for Terraria on the Playstation Vita and iOS devices this summer!

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Mutant Mudds was a 2D platformer that released for the 3DS back in 2012 by developer Renegade Kid. Over time, the game has seen a rendition for the iOS and Steam. Renegade Kid has now brought the game to Nintendo’s new console, which is also their first title for the Wii U. While the game was intended for play on the 3DS due to its foreground and background transitioning, how does it handle on the Wii U?

Upon booting up the game, you’re quickly introduced to your main character Max relaxing at his house with Grannie, until all of a sudden, a meteor crashes onto the planet. A newscast then appears on the TV that there’s an invasion of mud-like creatures running rampant. From here, you’ll run out and do what you can to put a stop to this infestation. If you’ve never played Mutant Mudds, the mechanics are simple to pickup-and-play. You’ll wield a water cannon and H20-powered jetpack (which shoots out bubbles to propel Max) to help you along your journey. You’ll use the D-Pad or Analog Stick to move Max in the 2D environment, while the Y button will shoot the water gun and the B button will let you jump. Double-tapping the B button will trigger your jetpack to let you hover your way to distant platforms. Careful though, as the jetpack only lasts for a few short seconds and must recharge (which is instant) when you touch the ground. Controls are incredibly simple, responsive and just plain old-school. To provide more comfortability, you can play the game with literally any combination of controllers that the Wii U can read. The Wii U GamePad, Wii U Pro Controller, Wii Remote, Wii Remote with Nunchuk, and Wii Classic Controller are all options for you to play with.

In the game, there are four levels within five environments: plains, cave, volcanic castle, mountains and outer space. You will have a time limit during each stage, but that never really becomes much of an issue. Throughout the levels, you’ll platform your way to the exit collecting the 100 water sprites littered around and taking out the Mudds. Platforming will take place between three different panes: foreground, mid-ground, and background. You’ll switch between them with the jump pads placed around levels as you try and nab all the water sprites. Your health consists of three hearts…and only three hearts. There are no health items to collect, so being cautious is a must. Thankfully, new to the Wii U version (compared to the 3DS version) is the ability to reach checkpoints in a level. While these might not seem as necessary in the earlier levels, the latter half has you thanking the game for having these implemented. Of course, for the masochist gamers, you can turn checkpoints off when pausing the game while roaming the HUB, basically making the game return to its original 3DS state. Enemies are scattered throughout levels and there are quite a variety to encounter. The game starts off by throwing ground mudds at you that simply move back and forth. As you progress, you’ll take on bigger mudds that shoot eyeballs at you, flying eyeball mudds, flying mudds that drop bombs, micro-sized mudds and warrior mudds (which wield swords and shields).

As you collect water sprites, you can visit Grannie’s Attic in the HUB to acquire a new upgrade for Max to utilize. There are three upgrades you can acquire: a powerup for your water cannon, an extended jetpack meter and a hi-jump ability. You can only choose one of these at a time for use in levels but you’ll unlock them in the order where they’ll become most useful. For example, the extended jetpack meter will become available if you’ve collected all 100 water sprites in the first two worlds, in time for the third world where it’ll be very handy. Some powerups will become more handy in certain levels and makes experimenting with them an interesting component. To make things more adventurous, each level contains a secret area that can be unlocked. However, to unlock these, you’ll need a certain upgrade equipped. Certain paths may be blocked off by a wall, which would require you to have the upgraded water cannon to shoot it down. Others may either be at a higher to reach altitude or farther distance to reach that can only be reached with a specific upgrade.

Warrior mudds are one of the most difficult enemies to deal with due to their shield and thrust attacks.

If all this wasn’t enough, there’s a mirror in the HUB that when walked through will take Max to an alternate universe. This alternate universe is basically a ghost world of the original areas, where enemies will become transparent and platforms will move, making you have to be on edge to avoid getting crushed between walls. Since the enemies are ghosts, you’ll have to collect a specific gun found in levels that provides you 10 shots to take them out. However, each ghost mudd takes a few shots to go down, so being strategic with your shots and what you shoot is an absolute must. The mirrored world is dramatically harder than the main world’s levels, and will demand the utmost skill to successfully complete. Also, you can unlock Grannie as a playable character, who has her own set of levels and can utilize all three powerups at once. Only the best of the best will be able to unlock her, bringing about an old-school sense of accomplishment that few games bring to the table.

Visually, Mutant Mudds Deluxe replicates everything an old-school gamer will crack a smile to. From its vibrant, colorful sprites, to great animations and a high frame rate, Mutant Mudds Deluxe is an incredibly crisp looking game. All the environments have a distinct look to them, as do the enemies Max will face. The game’s overall visual aesthetic is very engrossing to get into. However, there’s one particular feature that I was curious about when hearing the game was coming from the 3DS to the Wii U, the 3D element. For the 3DS, the 3D slider really helped the player gain a better perspective as to which part of the background the action was taking place in. Whether it was the foreground, background or in-between, you could easily tell where to distinguish the action. Well, I’m glad to state that Renegade Kid has nailed the transition from 3DS to Wii U by making the 3D element handled with the GamePad and TV screen. To explain it better, the game will be more zoomed out on the TV, while the GamePad will be a bit closer. When in the middle, the TV or GamePad are completely suitable for play. However, if you go into the background areas, the GamePad will be much easier to distinguish objects due to the zoomed-in camera. If you’re in the foreground, the TV will become the better suit of screen to play on so that you have more distance to view up-close. It’s much better to witness in action than explain, but it works remarkably well. As far as audio goes, the sound effects are cheery and do a very good job conveying what pertains to which object. The soundtrack in particular is very catchy, with its retro style tunes that’ll be sticking with you.

Ghost mudds, lava and spikes…oh my!

Mutant Mudds Deluxe is an enhanced version of a great 3DS game. However, seeing the additions and slight changes put into the core game, this is by far the superior version to get. From the vibrant retro visuals, great audio and addictive gameplay, Mutant Mudds Deluxe is an absolute must own for the Wii U. The game is meant to be as old-school as possible, and that’s what I absolutely loved about it. If you’re a fan of platformers, and more importantly retro games in general, do not let Mutant Mudds Deluxe go past you. It’s a terrific game that nails the term “old-school” and we need more games like this.

Overall Score: 9.0 out of 10 = BUY IT!

A special thank you to Renegade Kid for providing us the review copy for Mutant Mudds Deluxe!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @GamersXTREME for all the latest news, editorials and 100% honest reviews!

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Today, Telltale Games finally unveiled details on their latest project, 400 Days. It is the first DLC for their highly successful Walking Dead game. This download only will offer five stories. All of these stories will be centered on individual characters located at a Georgia truck-stop. 400 Days takes place between and after the events in the first series, and connects with Season 2 .

Remarkably, the decisions you made in Season 1 do affect the 400 Days DLC. Additionally, the decisions you make in this new DLC will most certainly affect your experience in Season 2. They did note however that it is possible to play elements of the story independently of one another, having not played Season 1.

“The five stories, taken together, are about equal in length to a single episode of The Walking Dead. They can be played in any order and you can then figure out how they all connect with each other, like Pulp Fiction”. When asked if familiar characters from Season 1 would return, the rep answered “might be … who knows?”
In symbolic Telltale fashion, the characters have to balance protecting themselves, while also trying to keep people on their side, before making hard choices that have upsetting or sometimes deadly consequences. 400 Days will launch in July, priced at $4.99, for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS and Mac. For more E3 news, stay tuned to GamersXtreme.

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Square Enix has confirmed that the upcoming Director’s Cut for Deus Ex: Human Revolution will not be an exclusive title for the Wii U anymore. Apparently, even though Square Enix stated this would only be coming to the Wii U, they have now retracted their statement. As always, money talks in this industry clearly. Square Enix now stated that it is now coming this fall for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, alongside the previously announced Wii U version.

Square Enix spokesman stated “The Director’s Cut for Deus Ex: Human Revolution includes the Tong’s Rescue mission and Missing Link downloadable content, alongside “overhauled” boss battles, “redefined” game balance and combat, “improved” artificial intelligence, and updated graphics. It seems this E3 that the trend has become money. Earlier today, in an uprising move, it was announced that Kingdom Hearts 3 would be not be a PS4 exclusive, as originally thought. Clearly developers are looking to generate the greatest profit, and distribute to all audiences.

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