about X hours ago from
Engadget Gaming
The Mortal Kombat franchise was riding high... and then 1997 rolled around. AV Club takes a look at the hot streak before the release of two games and a movie in the fall of that year. All three fell flat. That trio of shortcomings didn't kill the franchise completely, but it did enough damage to end Mortal Kombat's reign atop the video game world.
about X hours ago from
Engadget Gaming
Some of the world's best Dota 2 players are doing battle at Valve's The International esports tournament, but they may need some more practice when they get home. That's because the company just announced it will add two more characters soon in its "The Dueling Fates" update. Neither hero has a name yet, but in the preview trailer the first attacked enemies both by rolling over them Sonic the Hedgehog-style and with a sword, while the other one flew in on fairy wings before releasing a minion to attack.
about X hours ago from
Engadget Gaming
As the fall sports seasons draw closer, we're also getting more information about the fall sports games. NBA 2K18 has highlighted its position as the dominant hoops game -- and squelched the release of NBA Live 18's demo -- by drip feeding tidbits like player ratings and screenshots. This means that not only are players excitedly tweeting out their ratings to start this year's game, but we're also getting a look at what they'll wear on their feet.
about X hours ago from
Engadget Gaming
Until two years ago, there was no way to play with female characters in FIFA, the world's most popular gaming franchise. But EA Sports changed that with the introduction of FIFA 16. That's because, for the first time ever, the studio revealed that its flagship game would feature women soccer players. It was a great move toward diversifying the game's plot, albeit a risky one considering its core demographic: young men. That doesn't mean FIFA players aren't open-minded. But in an industry with a reputation for being misogynistic, EA Sports made itself vulnerable to potential backlash. As it turns out, the company needn't have worried: FIFA 16 quickly became one of the best-selling titles of the year.
about X hours ago from
Engadget Gaming
Please Knock on My Door is a conversation about depression via video game. Developer Michael Levall created the indie title about his own experiences with depression and the mind-numbing routine of making games. "Every single thing in the game that you get to go through or read through or whatever has some kind of connection to either a true experience that I've had, just copy-pasted into the game, or it's based on an emotion that I've felt and I've extrapolated that and made a story out of it," he told Engadget back in March. The game is nearly ready; it will release for PC on Steam and Origin this September 7th.
about X hours ago from
Engadget Gaming
Less than a month after our last buyer's guide update, we're back with a slew of new additions. This round of updates focuses mostly on audio products, including several headphones and speakers at various prices. But we also threw in some other miscellany, including the Gear VR and its reasonably priced controller accessory. We belatedly decided that the 10.5-inch iPad Pro also deserved a spot on the list, along with the Huawei Watch 2 and two Chromebooks. Next time, we'll be beefing up our list of TV picks. Stay tuned, and check out our ever-evolving buyer's guide right here.
about X hours ago from
Engadget Gaming
So this is a bit strange: Over 15 years later, Blizzard has added a public test realm to its premier real-time strategy game, Warcraft 3. Overwatch (also made by Blizzard) fans know that the PTR is where experimental features and modes are tested before going wide to the full player population. In Warcraft's case, this is to test out new map pools for 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 multiplayer. Updates that address slow matchmaking, lag and that add automated tournaments and a "ladder board" are planned as well.
about X hours ago from
Engadget Gaming
In 2013, independent game developer Lucas Pope released an indie game called Papers, Please. Set in the 1980s, the game features an immigration inspector based in a communist country who's tasked with sorting through entry documents of those looking to immigrate to the country. As you try to decide who is sincere and who might be a spy or a criminal, the job forces you to work ever faster in order to earn enough money to support your family. If you mess up and let someone bad in, you get punished.