MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Gamigo to bring UFO Online and more to Gamescom 2012

Posted: 17 Jul 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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Otherland screenshot
Next month, the eyes of the gaming world will turn towards Cologne, Germany as developers and fans converge at Gamescom 2012. In preparation, Gamigo has announced the line-up of games it will be presenting at this year's convention. Visitors will be able to try their hands at UFO Online and Jagged Alliance Online in the public area. Folks who can't make it to the convention won't have very long to wait to experience these games for themselves; UFO Online is set for open beta testing on August 23rd and Jagged Alliance Online is scheduled to leave beta shortly after the convention.

Although not open for public play, Otherland, Grimlands, and Black Prophecy Tactics: Nexus Conflict will be available for members of the press to dive into. Keep an eye out for impressions on these titles!

[Source: Gamigo press release]

MassivelyGamigo to bring UFO Online and more to Gamescom 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Two Defiance videos emerge from SDCC

    Posted: 17 Jul 2012 09:00 AM PDT

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    Defiance image
    Two new videos about Defiance, the upcoming third-person shooter coupled with a television show, have emerged from San Diego Comic-Con 2012. While sometimes only snippets of videos highlighting key things get released, the first video actually treats folks who couldn't attend to the entire Defiance panel. During the 54-minute video, developers and actors of the Syfy and Trion collaboration discuss the game/television show combination and field questions from the audience.

    In the second video (which is much smaller by comparison at 13 minutes), Rob Hill, senior producer, and Grant Bowler, the actor who stars as the lead in both the game and the show, discuss the project further. They touch on the background of the post-apocalyptic world setting, and discuss how the game and show will influence each other and evolve together. This video also shows game footage of vehicles and combat. The game, which begins before the show, will launch simultaneously on all three platforms: PC, XBox 360, and PS3.

    You can check out both videos after the break.

    Continue reading Two Defiance videos emerge from SDCC

    MassivelyTwo Defiance videos emerge from SDCC originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Soapbox: BioWare, meet ZeniMax; ZeniMax, this is BioWare

    Posted: 17 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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    The Soapbox - BioWare, meet Zenimax ZeniMax, this is BioWare
    Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

    Once upon a time, a group of decision-makers at a big AAA studio set out to brave the wilds of the MMORPG. This studio had several hugely successful single-player RPGs under its belt, and it also had quite a bit of consumer goodwill in the bank thanks to its pre-MMORPG efforts.

    The studio spent a ton, and I do mean a ton, of money recreating an MMO that already existed in dozens of different games. It also spent a ton of money trying to convince gamers and gaming press that it wasn't making a retread and was instead adding another pillar of awesome to the standard MMO formula.

    This studio was, of course, BioWare. Unfortunately for Elder Scrolls fans, it's also ZeniMax.

    Continue reading The Soapbox: BioWare, meet ZeniMax; ZeniMax, this is BioWare

    MassivelyThe Soapbox: BioWare, meet ZeniMax; ZeniMax, this is BioWare originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      New Firefall dev diary discusses special effects

      Posted: 17 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT

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      Firefall image
      When asked what you do, do you get to answer "I blow sh** up for a living"? The folks in special effects do, and that's the best part about working in the gaming industry according to Adam Kupratis, visual FX artist for Red 5 Studios. In Firefall's latest dev diary, Adam and colleague Marc McCall, technical artist, sit back and talk about developing the special effects in the game. The team emphasizes that they aim to make Firefall very visually different than other games.

      Amid the technical discussion, the video also offers footage demonstrating some of the different effects. You can check them out after the break.

      Continue reading New Firefall dev diary discusses special effects

      MassivelyNew Firefall dev diary discusses special effects originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Does redefining the term MMORPG help or hurt the genre?

      Posted: 17 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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      The Daily Grind - Does redefining the term MMORPG help or hurt the genre
      Yesterday's Daily Grind spawned some interesting comments, not the least of which was a theory that expanding the definition of the term MMORPG is good for the genre.

      I disagreed, as I feel that lobby-based shooters and preset character-driven games like Vindictus and Marvel Heroes dilute the original meaning of the term MMORPG and make it less likely for feature-rich MMOs to see the light of day. That's not to say that I dislike the Vindictuses (Vindictii?) of the world on their own terms, but I do wish they would keep their grubby paws off my acronyms and initialisms.

      What about you, morning crew? Are you OK with any sort of game appropriating the MMORPG label and attempting to expand (or in some cases, contract) it, or do you think this hurts the genre?

      Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

      MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Does redefining the term MMORPG help or hurt the genre? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Aion 3.1 goes live on Wednesday

        Posted: 16 Jul 2012 07:00 PM PDT

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        It's hard to tell if that massive rift is bad news for Aion or... you know, just business as usual.
        The first major version update for Aion's latest incarnation is going live on Wednesday, and it's all about getting your characters up to speed as quickly as possible. If you've got a character or two who's lagged behind, it's time to bring him or her up in levels. For starters, the entry requirements for Steel Rake, Theobomos Lab, Aetherogenetics Lab, Adma Stronghold, and Alquimia Research Center have all been reduced, meaning you can complete the dungeons earlier in your leveling career.

        The instances have been improved in other ways as well: Aetherogenetics and Alquimia give increased experience and drop better equipment, while Theobomos and Adma Stronghold have both been opened to both factions with new quests for each. Meanwhile, the game is also adding a special Fast Track server, allowing players to shoot along toward the level cap with a full array of Rift Buffs perpetually turned on. Keep your eyes peeled for the patch's approach, as it hits the live servers on July 18th.

        MassivelyAion 3.1 goes live on Wednesday originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Not So Massively: League of Legends' balance patch and more

        Posted: 16 Jul 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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        Not So Massively title image
        It's been a big week for League of Legends, with a major balance update and new champion Zyra being released. Sona, Malzahar, and Xin Zhao received major buffs, while Evelynn and Twitch were both completely reworked as part of a plan to balance persistent stealth. Dota 2 released new hero Templar Assassin and revealed a limited edition microtransaction key that is needed to open a rare chest. Heroes of Newerth also released its own new hero this week, a ranged damage-dealer called Prophet, who thrives on teamwork.

        Blizzard revealed a few details on Diablo III's upcoming legendary item buffs, and players manually recreated the game's Diamond Gates of Heaven area in Minecraft. Path of Exile continued to show its impressive character customisation options in its latest Build of the Week video and offered a sneak peek at the new passive skill tree layout. Finally, the Torchlight II crew announced that it will be at PAX Prime at the end of August and will be running a Torchlight cosplay contest while there.

        Continue reading Not So Massively: League of Legends' balance patch and more

        MassivelyNot So Massively: League of Legends' balance patch and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Inactive players give rise to Xsyon zombies

          Posted: 16 Jul 2012 05:30 PM PDT

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          Braaaaaains... better gear and braaaaaaains...
          Normally, the worst things that happen to inactive players are that guilds kick them out. But in the world of Xsyon, the consequences are more dire, not just for the player but for everyone around. With the game's latest update, inactive tribal totems will begin to give rise to intelligent and malicious undead revenants. And these creatures are far more intelligent thatn your average monsters, hunting other players and looting them for better equipment as they capture new territory.

          Fortunately for the players, there's also new armor to be looted off the revenants themselves and plenty of opportunities for players to beat back the invasion. The update also brings along a widespread upgrade to monster AI, making all foes a bit more clever and deadly aside from just the revenants. If you've been out of the game for a while, you might want to jump back in, especially to prevent your former home from turning into an undead nest.

          [Source: Notorious Games press release]

          MassivelyInactive players give rise to Xsyon zombies originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Star Wars: The Old Republic teases the upcoming HK-51

            Posted: 16 Jul 2012 05:00 PM PDT

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            Observation: This newspost will contain a great deal of arguing in the comments.
            Observation: If you are playing Star Wars: The Old Republic, you have likely accumulated a variety of enemies within the game. Query: Perhaps you would enjoy having some assistance in removing those enemies in a more permanent capacity? Entreaty: Consider employing the coveted HK-51 assassin droid, a mobile platform capable of dispatching even the most stalwart foes when given the proper direction by a master. Aside: Even if said master is a sniveling meatbag.

            Anecdote: BioWare first showed off the trailer for the upcoming HK-51 companion during the recently concluded San Diego Comic-Con. Observation: The trailer can now be viewed by players who missed the convention, allowing everyone to see a first glimpse of this special companion. Caveat: It has not yet been revealed how players can acquire their own assassin droids, although hints have been dropped that the process will require a great deal of questing, possibly on both factions. Encouragement: If you aren't daunted at the prospect, by all means, take a look at the trailer and start clearing space on your ship for a new droid.

            [Acknowledgement: Thanks to Michael for the tip!]

            MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic teases the upcoming HK-51 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Nival unveils new heroes for upcoming Prime World

            Posted: 16 Jul 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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            With a name like Cryo, you'd kind of expect fire spells, right?
            If you're looking forward to Prime World, Nival's upcoming entry into the growing market of DotA-style games, you'll be happy to know that the game's developers have just released information on a new group of heroes. This week's reveals cover a lot of ground, from the stalker-style Phantom and Faceless to the ice spells of Cryo and Blizz and the pack tactics of Wolf Dancer and Jaeger.

            Phantom and Faceless focus on hit-and-run tactics to harass the enemy, with high mobility, low hit points, and a lot of quick damage skills. Their talents include damaging teleportation and a stacking buff to damage as battles wear on. Cryo and Blizz instead focus on control and damage at range, with the ability to lock opponents in place and blanket an area with biting winds. Last but not least, Wolf Dancer and Jaeger use their pets as miniature armies, overwhelming enemies with large numbers of vicious targets. Take a look at some early screenshots of these heroes in the gallery below.

            [Source: Nival press release]

            Gallery: Prime World

            MassivelyNival unveils new heroes for upcoming Prime World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              TERA chronoscrolls to be made available via Amazon

              Posted: 16 Jul 2012 03:00 PM PDT

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              When TERA and Amazon love each other very much...
              Game developers are always looking for new and exciting ways for you to give them your money. To that end, En Masse has partnered up with Amazon.com to sell TERA chronoscrolls, which are redeemable for a month of game time or for cold, hard gold from in-game brokers. Chronoscroll purchases through Amazon don't come with a clunky ol' code that has to be entered in anywhere. Instead, sweetening the deal, chronoscrolls will appear automagically in your in-game Item Claim window.

              Need more convincing? Customers who integrate their En Masse and Amazon accounts in the next 30 days will get free stuff! The federation field kit, full of in-game goodies, will be available for free from Amazon. Check out the official news post for full details and the TERA + Amazon support page if this sounds like your kind of thing.

              MassivelyTERA chronoscrolls to be made available via Amazon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Guild Wars 2 beta will include new PvP map, live gem store, and more

              Posted: 16 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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              Guild Wars 2
              We've already told you that you can play as the Asura and Sylvari in the upcoming Guild Wars 2 beta weekend, but the fun doesn't stop there! Along with a chance to meet the last two races, characters will have access to a brand-new map for characters in the 17 to 20 level range. The new map, the Brisbane Wildlands, borders the areas of the Asura, Sylvari, and humans, with a heaping helping of Skritt thrown in for good measure. There's trouble in paradise, though, according to Game Designer Kim Kirsch. "The Inquest, Nightmare Court, and human bandits now flood the area, preying on skritt and disrupting lab operations. Worse still, each of these groups seem to have their own dark intentions -- plots that could be catastrophic if left unchecked."

              If you're torn between keeping your existing beta characters or rolling anew as an Asura or Sylvari, ArenaNet has made your choice a great deal easier. All existing beta information (characters, items, and likely server selection) will be deleted. You'll keep your contact list, but that's about it! This wipe will happen both before and after the upcoming beta weekend, so you'll have a clean slate for the last test and then again for the headstart weekend or launch proper. In addition, transactions in the in-game gem store will require actual credit card or PayPal purchases. While items bought in the store this weekend will be wiped, a record will be kept of how many gems were purchased, and those gems will be waiting for you after Guild Wars 2 launches.

              Continue reading Guild Wars 2 beta will include new PvP map, live gem store, and more

              MassivelyGuild Wars 2 beta will include new PvP map, live gem store, and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                MechWarrior Online Q&A talks BattleTech stats, weapons, and more

                Posted: 16 Jul 2012 01:00 PM PDT

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                MechWarrior Online Q&A talks BattleTech stats, weapons, and more
                Do you have a few burning questions for MechWarrior Online's devs? Well, it's too late because they've already answered them! OK, it's probably not too late, as we're sure the guys at Piranha will field some community questions before MWO's August 7th street date. That said, there is a new Q&A session on the game's official site that's worth a quick read right now.

                There are 10 separate questions and answers, many of which offer interesting nuggets about what long-time BattleTech fans can expect from the free-to-play sci-fi title. "We use the table-top [game] as our base stats, and then test from there. Most things are still pretty close, though," Piranha says.

                There's more, including blurbs about the minimap, ammo switching, and game types. Check it out via the link below.

                MassivelyMechWarrior Online Q&A talks BattleTech stats, weapons, and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Captain's Log: Star Trek Online launches Season Six

                Posted: 16 Jul 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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                Captain's Log Star Trek Online launches Season Six!
                Season Six has finally made its way to the Star Trek Online live servers! It was pushed to the Holodeck server last Thursday after a day-long maintenance period and a couple of patches that followed into the wee-hours of the morning on Friday.

                By Friday afternoon, the majority of issues seemed to be resolved, and players, especially those who belonged to fleets, crowded into the game to begin construction on their new starbases.

                Others jumped in to play against the new Tholian enemy in a hostile environment. Most now seem very happy with the new content and are eager to work with their fellow starship captains to create and defend their fleets' bases.

                Join me after the jump as I go over more of the new stuff!

                Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online launches Season Six

                MassivelyCaptain's Log: Star Trek Online launches Season Six originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Trion releases new concept art for RIFT's Storm Legion

                  Posted: 16 Jul 2012 11:00 AM PDT

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                  RIFT Storm Legion concept art
                  The last bit of news coming from the RIFT front was about a new feline mount players could purchase. Today, Trion Worlds turns the attention toward the game's upcoming expansion, Storm Legion, slated to release later this year. To help ease the wait (or simply to whet players' appetites), developers have decided to give fans a taste of some expansion foes by releasing new concept art.

                  Check out the four new images as well as other RIFT screenshots in the gallery below.

                  MassivelyTrion releases new concept art for RIFT's Storm Legion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  General gaming

                  General gaming


                  The Essential 100, No. 96: Asteroids

                  Posted: 16 Jul 2012 06:47 PM PDT

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                  1UP COVER STORY

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                  1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF JULY 16 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART ONE

                  The Essential 100, No. 96: Asteroids

                  Cover Story: The shooter that revolutionized movement in games... and made players think about how they were shooting.

                  I

                  n Space Wars, one of the first arcade games, two spaceships flew around and shot at each other. That was it. Each player had the one thing to shoot.

                  The genius of Asteroids, in part, comes from giving players lots and lots of targets. They aren't thinking, breathing targets that talk trash back at you, but there isn't any shortage of them.

                  OP-ED: Metacritic Presents Real Problems for the Industry

                  Posted: 16 Jul 2012 05:40 PM PDT

                  Metacritic

                  Metacritic is a problem; few will attempt to deny that. Far too often -- which is to say, ever -- publishers rely on it as something more than a potentially accurate snapshot of a game's critical reception. Gamers sometimes look to it as either a definitive statement on whether a game is good or bad, or as a means for pointing out how a review is 'wrong.' To say Metacritic is outright ruining the industry would, in my opinion, be a stretch, but it clearly is not doing it any good.

                  For the uninitiated, Metacritic is a reviews aggregator. It collects reviews of videogames, movies, TV shows, and music albums from a variety of publications, presenting a 'Metascore' for each title. This is a weighted average of all the review scores the site tracks, meaning certain publications' reviews have more impact on the Metascore than others. It's problematic enough when scores are the only thing readers look at, rather than the text that accompanies it, but Metacritic breaks the opinions conveyed in dozens of reviews down into a single number that readers and game publishers alike often look to when discussing the merits of a game.

                  The Essential 100, No. 97: Pitfall!

                  Posted: 16 Jul 2012 05:06 PM PDT

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                  1UP COVER STORY

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                  1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF JULY 16 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART ONE

                  The Essential 100, No. 97: Pitfall!

                  Cover Story: A jungle adventure that helped liberate both gamers and designers.

                  R

                  un. Jump. Evade. Collect. Explore.

                  Activision's Pitfall! didn't invent any of these video game concepts or mechanics. That's OK, though. Sometimes the most important games aren't the ones that introduce new ideas but rather the ones that turn those raw concepts into something that actually works. Pitfall didn't introduce gamers to platforming; Donkey Kong did that, with aplomb. It wasn't the first game to set players wandering on a mission of discovery in a deadly maze; we'd give Colossal Cave (aka ADVENT) the nod for that one. And collection has been hard-wired into adventure games since the start, whether for completion (as in the Zork and Ultima titles) or simple points (Pac-Man and dozens of games on either side of its release).

                  The Essential 100, No. 98: Phantasy Star Online

                  Posted: 16 Jul 2012 02:47 PM PDT

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                  1UP COVER STORY

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                  1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF JULY 16 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART ONE

                  The Essential 100, No. 98: Phantasy Star Online

                  Cover Story: A bold sequel that broke away from series tradition and helped bring consoles online.

                  P

                  hantasy Star Online helped consoles embrace a world where player experiences could be connected over the Internet. To make this pipe dream possible, Sega's Dreamcast shipped with a 56k modem -- a laughable connection speed by today's standards, but one that Sega put through its paces in the early days of internet console gaming. The Japanese company took many opportunities to entice players to try it, offering enough free promotions that it was impossible not to give SegaNet a chance to prove itself.

                  Spot Art

                  The Essential 100, No. 99: Out of this World

                  Posted: 16 Jul 2012 01:39 PM PDT

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                  1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF JULY 16 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART ONE

                  The Essential 100, No. 99: Out of this World

                  Cover Story: Eric Chahi's short-but-sweet cinematic action game remains incredibly relevant today.

                  I

                  n Out of this World, everything wants to kill you. Okay, so maybe it doesn't differ much from most games in this respect, but Out of this World takes absolute delight in killing you. When a faulty science test launches scientist Lester Knight Chaykin unexpectedly into another dimension, he immediately finds himself deep underwater, with hideous tentacles reaching up from the floor to tear apart their next meal. Pulling himself out of the water, we (but not Lester) see a horrible beast in background, which proceeds to follow his movements before disappearing over a cliff. When Lester suddenly comes face-to-face with his new predator, it takes after him, causing the lanky scientist to run, swing, retrace his steps, and collide with the first sign of intelligent life he's seen in the past few minutes. His humanoid saviors blast the beast, take one look at Lester, and quickly set their phasers to stun.

                  Spot Art

                  Cover Story: 1UP's Essential 100, Part One

                  Posted: 16 Jul 2012 12:40 PM PDT

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                  1UP COVER STORY

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                  1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF JULY 16 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART ONE

                  Cover Story: 1UP's Essential 100, Part One

                  We celebrate the most important games of all time, as chosen by you!

                  Many years ago, back when 1UP was a very young site, we ran a year-long feature called The Essential 50: A series of 50 articles that paid tribute to our picks for the most important games of all time. It was a bold, ambitious piece, and it garnered plenty of attention, but it wasn't perfect. Some of the picks didn't sit well with readers. Plus, readers weren't even asked to help create the list; the articles kicked off before 1UP had launched properly with its social features. There was no 1UP community to speak of back then.

                  Nearly a decade later, we feel the time is ripe to revisit that concept and bring it up to date. Plenty has changed since we published The Essential 50 -- who could have predicted in 2004 that Nintendo would rise again via motion games only to be pistol-whipped by mobile phones? -- and today's landscape of video games barely resembles that of a decade ago. And so, 1UP presents an old idea improved for the modern age: The Essential 100.

                  The Essential 100, No. 100: M.U.L.E.

                  Posted: 16 Jul 2012 12:38 PM PDT

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                  1UP COVER STORY

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                  1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF JULY 16 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART ONE

                  The Essential 100, No. 100: M.U.L.E.

                  Cover Story: Our countdown of the 100 most important games of all time begins with a cult classic simulation.

                  T

                  here's nothing quite like a non-violent economic simulation to angry up the blood of an '80s gamer kid. That may sound like smartassery, but in at least one case it held to be completely, unironically true. M.U.L.E. is an odd duck: A game of planetary conquest, full of aliens, robots, and even space pirates, where nary a shot is fired. Nevertheless, it's one of the most ruthless, cutthroat, controller-throwing games ever made. Yes, you will be furious at a friend for manipulating the price of food through artificial scarcity. Also, you will completely ace your economics courses because an old video game taught you what artificial scarcity is without you even realizing it.

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