Video – Xbox One backwards compatibility demonstration

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

Xbox One backwards compatibilityDuring its E3 conference this week Microsoft surprised gamers by announcing that the Xbox One will soon be backwards compatible with a number of Xbox 360 games.

Although this feature isn’t rolling out until later this year, anyone signed up to the Xbox One Preview Program can test it out right now with a select number of games (around 20 or so) in order to give feedback to Microsoft on how smoothly things are running.

I’m a member of the Preview Program, so yesterday I held a quick 20-minute livestream on my Twitch channel showing the entire process. If you missed it, here it is in its entirety. Continue reading “Video – Xbox One backwards compatibility demonstration” →

Nintendo E3 2015 Digital Event: exclusive script leak

Published on by Chris Scullion6 Comments

nintendo e3And so we come to the end of my week of exclusive E3 script leaks.

On Monday I brought you Sony’s entire E3 conference, exactly as it will play out.

Then, on Wednesday, I did the same with Microsoft’s E3 conference. Neither should surprise you now.

Finally though, to show no company is safe from my investigatory skills, here’s the script for Nintendo’s E3 2015 Digital Event, which will stream next Tuesday. Enjoy. Continue reading “Nintendo E3 2015 Digital Event: exclusive script leak” →

Microsoft E3 2015 conference: exclusive script leak

Published on by Chris Scullion9 Comments

Xbox E3 2015 scriptOn Monday I busted open Sony’s E3 conference by leaking the entire script a week before it was due to be presented.

Sony isn’t the only company with lax security measures, though. I’ve also managed to obtain the full scripts for Microsoft’s E3 conference and Nintendo’s E3 Digital Event.

Today I’ll be chucking a middle finger in the face of Bill Gates (or whoever it is now) by revealing Microsoft’s E3 script in its entirety.

On Friday I’ll round things off with the entire shooting script for Nintendo’s E3 Digital Event.

I’m really too good to you. Enjoy. Continue reading “Microsoft E3 2015 conference: exclusive script leak” →

Sony E3 2015 conference: exclusive script leak

Published on by Chris Scullion16 Comments
The leaked Sony document: read it in its entirety below
The leaked Sony document I received: read it in its entirety below

In my years as a games journalist I’ve built up a sizeable repertoire of contacts I can get in touch with to verify rumours, ask questions, what have you.

Sometimes these sources, under an agreement of anonymity, will reveal juicy information to me so I can report on it.

Last week one of these sources forwarded me the mother lode: the entire scripts to Sony’s E3 Press Conference, Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference and Nintendo’s E3 Digital Event.

It is my journalistic duty to present these to you so you know exactly how each conference is going to go, starting with Sony’s. You’re welcome.

To anyone at Columbia University looking to contact me regarding my Pulitzer Prize: my email address can be found in the sidebar to the right.

Until then, here is Sony’s E3 2015 conference, in its entirety, more than a week before it is due to be presented. Some content subject to change. Continue reading “Sony E3 2015 conference: exclusive script leak” →

TOH Dev Open Invitational #1: Wrassling

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

This is the first entry in my regular series, the Tired Old Hack Developer Open Invitational, in which I challenge developers to send me their games for a guaranteed review. I don’t promise positive coverage, I only promise a review: so if I don’t like it, it could backfire. If you’re a developer (be it triple-A or a one-man indie) and you’re confident your game is good enough to pass the test, check out how to submit your game. I’m not a snob so all genres and budgets are welcomed.

Wrassling review panelGiven that the Tired Old Hack Developer Open Invitational is blatantly inspired by the WWE and John Cena’s US Title Open Invitational, it’s perhaps fitting that the first developer to brave my inbox came bearing a wrestling game.

Wrassling is the work of indie devs Colin Lane and Folmer Kelly, and is a physics-based wrestling game with its tongue placed firmly in its cheek.

It’s set in the land of Slamdovia, where champion ‘wrasslers’ are considered the greatest athletes in the country.

You play as one such wrassler, and it’s your job to defeat all-comers by chucking them out of the ring, battle royale style. Continue reading “TOH Dev Open Invitational #1: Wrassling” →

The Tired Old Hack Developer Open Invitational

Published on by Chris Scullion8 Comments
Me, earlier today
Me, earlier today

I’m a big fan of professional wrestling. Look, just shush.

At the moment John Cena is the United States Champion. Rather than keep him going in a feud with another wrestler, the WWE have decided it would be best for him to fight a bunch of different wrestlers: lower-to-mid card ones who may not necessarily get the chance to feature in a title match during a pay-per-view.

It’s called the John Cena US Title Open Invitational, and I reckon it’s a great idea because it gives everyone a fair chance to shine.

So, I’m going to rip off the idea.

Continue reading “The Tired Old Hack Developer Open Invitational” →

An open letter to journalists who don’t give a shit

Published on by Chris Scullion113 Comments

Rock Band 4Bear with me here, things are going to get a bit rambly and train-of-thoughty. Yes, it’s a phrase.

This morning I went to a Rock Band 4 press event, where I got to try out the game.

I wrote up this preview article detailing my thoughts. Long story short, my opinion was that at this stage it didn’t seem to be revolutionising things by any means, but that was fine because it was still Rock Band and that’s good enough for me.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s completely fine to be negative in a preview. Some believe that publications are scared to badmouth a game at preview stage because they might be denied review code, but as long as the publication is fair about it then publishers are actually usually okay with it. Continue reading “An open letter to journalists who don’t give a shit” →

Rock Band 4 hands-on preview – It’s Rock Band, innit

Published on by Chris Scullion2 Comments

Rock Band 4 logoIt’s possible to have too much of a good thing.

The infinite food scenario is the most commonly used example: if you were stuck on a desert island and could only eat your favourite food for the rest of your life, you’d still probably be sick of it after about a month. Even if it was Nando’s.

This was the fate that befell the ‘plastic guitar’ sub-genre of rhythm action games spearheaded by Harmonix, who created Guitar Hero and then – in an odd twist of fate – went on to create its rival Rock Band after being purchased by MTV. Continue reading “Rock Band 4 hands-on preview – It’s Rock Band, innit” →

FIFA 16 has women’s football, and that’s brilliant

Published on by Chris Scullion17 Comments

If you’re the sort who even slightly follows gaming news you’ll probably already be aware that FIFA 16 will feature women’s football teams for the first time in the series’ 22-year history.

To say I’m excited about this is an enormous understatement: not just because it offers the ‘new content’ FIFA critics demand on an annual basis, but because of what it stands for.

Let me be honest: I’m not a massive follower of women’s football. I would be lying if I pretended to know a lot about it. I’ve only been to two women’s games and though I keep an eye on the Celtic Women and Scotland Women teams, my involvement doesn’t go much further than knowing Kelly Clark is a bloody good player:

What excites me, then, is what I might end up learning about women’s football by playing FIFA 16. I’m not the sort of person who’ll just randomly watch a football match (men’s or women’s) if my team isn’t playing, but I am the sort of person who’ll play a random match on FIFA regardless of what team I’m controlling.

Continue reading “FIFA 16 has women’s football, and that’s brilliant” →

An ode to the Nokia Lumia 1020

Published on by Chris Scullion1 Comment
Nokia Lumia 1020
Nokia Lumia 1020

I am a big fan of the Windows Phone operating system. It’s intuitive, it’s time-saving and its little grid-shaped layout looks cool as hell.

Besides, as a self-confessed Xbox achievement hunter, the added benefit of mobile games that add to my Gamerscore is too much to resist.

There’s just one problem (other than the aforementioned achievement obsession): my Windows Phone of choice, a Nokia Lumia 1020, had major battery issues since launch for reasons I could never pin down.

Any time I booted up Internet Explorer – which, incidentally is the best mobile browser I’ve ever used by far – the phone would rapidly heat up and the battery would start plummeting. Even after closing it down and turning on its battery saver functionality I’d still find myself losing 10-20% battery an hour.

After 18 months of putting up with this, I’ve finally decided to take the plunge and go for my first ever Android phone. I will always love the Windows Phone operating system, but it’s time to move on. With this in mind, I’ve decided to pen this song, to the tune of Candle In The Wind by Elton John: Continue reading “An ode to the Nokia Lumia 1020” →