Game inbox
Optional camera
I know GC was only trying to be impartial but I for one am very happy that Sony will not be able to do as many motion-controlled games as the Xbox One. In fact that’s the best reason I can think of not to include the PlayStation 4 Camera. Although obviously cutting the cost of the console is a very good thing as well.
It’s not just about choice it’s about making sure that if a developer wants to put in motion controls he has to be serious about it. It’s a risk for them to make one on the PlayStation 4, but with Xbox One they can just throw them in and not care whether they work or not – just say, ‘Oh, well use the controller instead’.
My hope is that anyone making a motion-controlled game on the PlayStation 4 would have to think a bit more about what he’s doing, because motion controls have been going on for seven years or so now and I still haven’t met that was worth its while. If that’s not a reason not to include a camera I don’t know what is.
Goodfriend
Return of the exclusive
Interesting news about the Xbox 360 outselling the Wii, although I agree with the Underbox that a large percentage of those sales must have been people having to buy a new one after the Red Ring of Death. But what I also find interesting is how close this generation has been in terms of the three consoles, and particularly the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Can it be a coincidence that this is also the generation that has seen by far the smallest number of third party exclusives? I wonder if that means that the next generation will see a resurgence, as that’s certainly what Microsoft was implying at their E3 conference.
I’m in too minds about this as on the one hand it basically means you have to buy both consoles but on the other hand competition is always good and games are always better when they’re made for one dedicated format. I’ll be very interested to see whether Sony has any big announcements in the future…
Chucky, Jr.
Game of Steel
Interesting preview of Batman: Arkham Origins, but I can’t help being more intrigued about Rocksteady are up to at the moment. After seeing Man of Steel I really hope it’s the rumoured Superman or Justice League game, because as flawed as that movie was I’d love to see a game with that level of action and destructibility.
In fact similar to what another reader was saying the other day I hope that destructibility is going to be one of the key things of the next generation, because I’m tired of fighting it out in landscapes that never change and where a small wooden box is more impervious than a heavily armoured tank.
In fact it doesn’t even have to be about destruction, merely change. Levels that morph and change when it rains or when a fire breaks out, or even if you just start building something would be a lot more fun than today’s static playgrounds. I’d much rather see games that look the same as the current gen but are fully interactive than more cardboard cut-outs that are just a bit prettier.
Sarah
discuss your comments to: play4you on facebook or join to discuss
Peripheral only
With Microsoft pushing Kinect 2.0 with the Xbox One I decided to join the world of motion controls and picked up a Kinect second-hand, along with Dance Central 1 to 3, Kinect Sports, and Kinect Adventures. It can be fun to play with friends and family, albeit somewhat imprecise and some games recommending I empty the room of furniture to have the best possible playing area.
As a peripheral it joins DJ Hero turntable, Guitar Hero’s guitar and drums, and a Konami dance mat as an enjoyable add-on to my gaming experience. But a Kinect as the centrepiece of the interaction with a console I’m highly sceptical of. I feel daft talking to my TV, especially if a command doesn’t register the first time.
Using hand gestures is fundamentally a bad idea. While watching LOVEFiLM streaming I moved my hand to scratch my head, the Kinect registering this and starting skipping through the movie, whilst any movement causes a distracting hand outline to appear. This leads to the Kinect staying off unless I’m actually playing a game.
John Ryan
PS: Thanks to Trailbreaker83 for the extra PlayStation Plus info. I can see PlayStation Plus as the basis for a game rental scheme in the future, where each month a select number of games become available, and access lost if the subscription is cancelled. I’m surprised there are no digital rental services available already on any platform.
Catching up with Nintendo
It has been interesting reading some of the praise for the 3DS over the last few weeks as I also recently upgraded to a 3DS XL and it feels like a totally different handheld from the far, far too small-screened original model. I very nearly part exchanged it last year but now with Monster Hunter, Luigi’s Mansion 2 and Animal Crossing the handheld is now my go to console of choice.
I have to confess that Animal Crossing should stay a handheld game as I would never live it down if my friends and family knew I was spending hours of my free time walking an avatar about a village on fetch quests for talking rodents and such like. I’m pretty sure that the boat captain that takes me to the island is trying to hit on me as well through the power of song.
I must confess that I got burnt with the Wii and Nintendo’s lack of third party support and painfully slow drip feed release schedule leading me to sell the console before all the real gems came along. However, purchasing a Wii U I can now catch up on those Wii classics for a hugely discounted price.
I found Xenoblade Chronicles on the cheap the other day (My interest was piqued by the frankly awesome trailer for X). I’ve previously written about my obsession with Monster Hunter as it’s providing me with some true gaming moments and I am confident that when we look back on the new generation in 7 to 10 years’ time the Wii U will have its share of gaming classics. This time when it comes to Nintendo I will not make the same mistake twice.
Peter Watts
Game of the year
I recently rediscovered your site after losing you for a number of years during your transition to an online format. Now I’m back to reading you every day, keep up the good work.
I wanted to email about my experience so far with XCOM: Enemy Unknown which I recently got free from PlayStation Plus. I played the original on the PS one years ago and it took over my life for a significant period – wearing out at least one PlayStation along the way (remember those times where you had to turn it upside down to make their disk work properly!).
Anyway, I finally took the plunge with the new one after getting it free and I can’t quite believe how addicted I am. It feels almost exactly the same structure as the old game but that just doesn’t seem to matter. The tension during each of the missions is palpable, despite it being turn-based. And I was surprised to find myself weighing up the various cars in my local Sainsbury’s to see how effective they would be at covering me from gunfire! I think it definitely deserves top place in your games of 2012 list.
The similarities between this and the original got me wondering – is it because it has been so long since I played it that I find it acceptable? Or is it that the mechanics are so robust that I would have enjoyed countless sequels between then and now without boredom setting in? I suspect the former, but the way Call Of DUty sells year after year I could be wrong. Keep up the good work.
Hartley-Jones (PSN ID)/Petersmiler (Nintendo ID)
GC: There are some important differences – the lack of action points and the much smaller squad sizes for example. But as you imply it’s been over a decade and a half since the last proper XCOM game, so a direct remake doesn’t feel like laziness.
Thanks for the thanks
Just wanted to add my appreciation for your E3 coverage. Although I watch the conferences on livestream and read other site’s coverage I always read all of your E3 posts. In particular, your interview skills are excellent – pleasant enough with the interviewee but still willing to ask difficult or uncomfortable questions.
It really makes a difference when compared to some other sites’ press release type questioning. Thanks!
Angry_Cadaver (PSN ID)
Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here
Wii U conversations
Another disappointing Wii U review in Game & Wario but I have to sympathise with GC’s obvious frustration with Nintendo. What I don’t understand is how on earth a game like that got green lit and it’s almost the first Nintendo-published game we’ve had in seven months?!
Did they design the console and then decide, ‘You know what? Our priority should really be a low budget mini-game collection that we can shoehorn Wario into at the last minute’. I’m assuming that’s not what happen but was the other conversation?
‘I think we should have an amazing looking game that shows just what the Wii U can do with stylised graphics that put Super Mario Galaxy to shame and amazing graphics to equal the best Zelda’. Did no one say that? Maybe someone did and he got shot down in favour of another 2D Mario.
I know I’m grossly simplifying the situation but it is literally impossible to understand what Nintendo was thinking, or how they imagined any of this playing out any differently.
I know GC was only trying to be impartial but I for one am very happy that Sony will not be able to do as many motion-controlled games as the Xbox One. In fact that’s the best reason I can think of not to include the PlayStation 4 Camera. Although obviously cutting the cost of the console is a very good thing as well.
It’s not just about choice it’s about making sure that if a developer wants to put in motion controls he has to be serious about it. It’s a risk for them to make one on the PlayStation 4, but with Xbox One they can just throw them in and not care whether they work or not – just say, ‘Oh, well use the controller instead’.
My hope is that anyone making a motion-controlled game on the PlayStation 4 would have to think a bit more about what he’s doing, because motion controls have been going on for seven years or so now and I still haven’t met that was worth its while. If that’s not a reason not to include a camera I don’t know what is.
Goodfriend
Return of the exclusive
Interesting news about the Xbox 360 outselling the Wii, although I agree with the Underbox that a large percentage of those sales must have been people having to buy a new one after the Red Ring of Death. But what I also find interesting is how close this generation has been in terms of the three consoles, and particularly the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Can it be a coincidence that this is also the generation that has seen by far the smallest number of third party exclusives? I wonder if that means that the next generation will see a resurgence, as that’s certainly what Microsoft was implying at their E3 conference.
I’m in too minds about this as on the one hand it basically means you have to buy both consoles but on the other hand competition is always good and games are always better when they’re made for one dedicated format. I’ll be very interested to see whether Sony has any big announcements in the future…
Chucky, Jr.
Game of Steel
Interesting preview of Batman: Arkham Origins, but I can’t help being more intrigued about Rocksteady are up to at the moment. After seeing Man of Steel I really hope it’s the rumoured Superman or Justice League game, because as flawed as that movie was I’d love to see a game with that level of action and destructibility.
In fact similar to what another reader was saying the other day I hope that destructibility is going to be one of the key things of the next generation, because I’m tired of fighting it out in landscapes that never change and where a small wooden box is more impervious than a heavily armoured tank.
In fact it doesn’t even have to be about destruction, merely change. Levels that morph and change when it rains or when a fire breaks out, or even if you just start building something would be a lot more fun than today’s static playgrounds. I’d much rather see games that look the same as the current gen but are fully interactive than more cardboard cut-outs that are just a bit prettier.
Sarah
discuss your comments to: play4you on facebook or join to discuss
Peripheral only
With Microsoft pushing Kinect 2.0 with the Xbox One I decided to join the world of motion controls and picked up a Kinect second-hand, along with Dance Central 1 to 3, Kinect Sports, and Kinect Adventures. It can be fun to play with friends and family, albeit somewhat imprecise and some games recommending I empty the room of furniture to have the best possible playing area.
As a peripheral it joins DJ Hero turntable, Guitar Hero’s guitar and drums, and a Konami dance mat as an enjoyable add-on to my gaming experience. But a Kinect as the centrepiece of the interaction with a console I’m highly sceptical of. I feel daft talking to my TV, especially if a command doesn’t register the first time.
Using hand gestures is fundamentally a bad idea. While watching LOVEFiLM streaming I moved my hand to scratch my head, the Kinect registering this and starting skipping through the movie, whilst any movement causes a distracting hand outline to appear. This leads to the Kinect staying off unless I’m actually playing a game.
John Ryan
PS: Thanks to Trailbreaker83 for the extra PlayStation Plus info. I can see PlayStation Plus as the basis for a game rental scheme in the future, where each month a select number of games become available, and access lost if the subscription is cancelled. I’m surprised there are no digital rental services available already on any platform.
Catching up with Nintendo
It has been interesting reading some of the praise for the 3DS over the last few weeks as I also recently upgraded to a 3DS XL and it feels like a totally different handheld from the far, far too small-screened original model. I very nearly part exchanged it last year but now with Monster Hunter, Luigi’s Mansion 2 and Animal Crossing the handheld is now my go to console of choice.
I have to confess that Animal Crossing should stay a handheld game as I would never live it down if my friends and family knew I was spending hours of my free time walking an avatar about a village on fetch quests for talking rodents and such like. I’m pretty sure that the boat captain that takes me to the island is trying to hit on me as well through the power of song.
I must confess that I got burnt with the Wii and Nintendo’s lack of third party support and painfully slow drip feed release schedule leading me to sell the console before all the real gems came along. However, purchasing a Wii U I can now catch up on those Wii classics for a hugely discounted price.
I found Xenoblade Chronicles on the cheap the other day (My interest was piqued by the frankly awesome trailer for X). I’ve previously written about my obsession with Monster Hunter as it’s providing me with some true gaming moments and I am confident that when we look back on the new generation in 7 to 10 years’ time the Wii U will have its share of gaming classics. This time when it comes to Nintendo I will not make the same mistake twice.
Peter Watts
Game of the year
I recently rediscovered your site after losing you for a number of years during your transition to an online format. Now I’m back to reading you every day, keep up the good work.
I wanted to email about my experience so far with XCOM: Enemy Unknown which I recently got free from PlayStation Plus. I played the original on the PS one years ago and it took over my life for a significant period – wearing out at least one PlayStation along the way (remember those times where you had to turn it upside down to make their disk work properly!).
Anyway, I finally took the plunge with the new one after getting it free and I can’t quite believe how addicted I am. It feels almost exactly the same structure as the old game but that just doesn’t seem to matter. The tension during each of the missions is palpable, despite it being turn-based. And I was surprised to find myself weighing up the various cars in my local Sainsbury’s to see how effective they would be at covering me from gunfire! I think it definitely deserves top place in your games of 2012 list.
The similarities between this and the original got me wondering – is it because it has been so long since I played it that I find it acceptable? Or is it that the mechanics are so robust that I would have enjoyed countless sequels between then and now without boredom setting in? I suspect the former, but the way Call Of DUty sells year after year I could be wrong. Keep up the good work.
Hartley-Jones (PSN ID)/Petersmiler (Nintendo ID)
GC: There are some important differences – the lack of action points and the much smaller squad sizes for example. But as you imply it’s been over a decade and a half since the last proper XCOM game, so a direct remake doesn’t feel like laziness.
Thanks for the thanks
Just wanted to add my appreciation for your E3 coverage. Although I watch the conferences on livestream and read other site’s coverage I always read all of your E3 posts. In particular, your interview skills are excellent – pleasant enough with the interviewee but still willing to ask difficult or uncomfortable questions.
It really makes a difference when compared to some other sites’ press release type questioning. Thanks!
Angry_Cadaver (PSN ID)
Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here
Wii U conversations
Another disappointing Wii U review in Game & Wario but I have to sympathise with GC’s obvious frustration with Nintendo. What I don’t understand is how on earth a game like that got green lit and it’s almost the first Nintendo-published game we’ve had in seven months?!
Did they design the console and then decide, ‘You know what? Our priority should really be a low budget mini-game collection that we can shoehorn Wario into at the last minute’. I’m assuming that’s not what happen but was the other conversation?
‘I think we should have an amazing looking game that shows just what the Wii U can do with stylised graphics that put Super Mario Galaxy to shame and amazing graphics to equal the best Zelda’. Did no one say that? Maybe someone did and he got shot down in favour of another 2D Mario.
I know I’m grossly simplifying the situation but it is literally impossible to understand what Nintendo was thinking, or how they imagined any of this playing out any differently.
Ouya is another imerging name in the indie gaming market- ouya games console review.
The players, who have to travel a lot, are being benefited hugely by the ongoing explosions in the independently developed, low-budget games. It doesn’t matter if you have an iPad or an Android phone, as long as you have a smartphone in your pocket; there is a huge collection of online games for your entertainment. On the other hand, most of the gamers like to play games on big-screen as soon as they reach home. Here comes ‘Ouya’ in the equation.
‘Ouya’ is the new name for performance and entertainment of games on a high resolution display. It delivers the best indie game experience through a small device that runs on the Android platform designed for phones and tablets. The best part is that you can get it for just $100, which is way too less than the cost of other gaming consoles. Over the past few weeks, Ouya has shown tremendous rise in the popularity as thousands of game developers and gamers have contributed at least $95 to the creators through the group-fundraising site Kickstarter. On Tuesday, the device widened the sales.
The Google’s Android platform in Ouya is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 3 processor; this gives the option of portability to the users already using Android smartphones or tablets. So far, Ouya provides over 180 games on the online store, but this number is expected to rise hugely in the near future. And unlike other gaming consoles, Ouya’s online gaming store provides a free version of all the games that are available in the library.
‘Ouya’ is the new name for performance and entertainment of games on a high resolution display. It delivers the best indie game experience through a small device that runs on the Android platform designed for phones and tablets. The best part is that you can get it for just $100, which is way too less than the cost of other gaming consoles. Over the past few weeks, Ouya has shown tremendous rise in the popularity as thousands of game developers and gamers have contributed at least $95 to the creators through the group-fundraising site Kickstarter. On Tuesday, the device widened the sales.
The Google’s Android platform in Ouya is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 3 processor; this gives the option of portability to the users already using Android smartphones or tablets. So far, Ouya provides over 180 games on the online store, but this number is expected to rise hugely in the near future. And unlike other gaming consoles, Ouya’s online gaming store provides a free version of all the games that are available in the library.
Nvidia shield launch date announced
Finally, after a myriad of beta versions of the Nvidia’s handheld gaming console ‘Shield’, the final retail version is all set to launch. Pre-orders have already been started and the shipping would start at the end of June 2013. Fudzilla had a chance to meet up with Ujesh Desai, Nvidia’s vice-president for corporate marketing where he demonstrated the features of the final version of the console including a glimpse of the game Dead Trigger 2.
According to Fudzilla, the graphics of the game and the console are better than anything seen on Android so far, and when it comes out, it would be worth buying. They also had a chance to see another game which is available on the Android Play Store, Virtual Tennis. Navigating to Android 4.2.2 OS was quite easy and the console also has good sound quality. It can be used to play music louder than most of the tablets in the market, let alone smartphones. The Nvidia Sheild sports a matte black finish and has a strong build and does not attract finger smudges.
The battery life was well explained by Ujesh and he suggested some optimistic figures. At least 10 to 12 hours of battery life can be expected while streaming the game from the PC as all the heavy stuff would be done on the desktop and a compressed H.264 HD video would sent to the console.
However, if you are doing basic Android gaming which uses the Tegra 3 GPU, the battery life would be 6 to 8 hours. And battery life up to 4 to 5 hours can be expected with games optimized for Tegra 4 and having a lot of visual effects.
According to Fudzilla, the graphics of the game and the console are better than anything seen on Android so far, and when it comes out, it would be worth buying. They also had a chance to see another game which is available on the Android Play Store, Virtual Tennis. Navigating to Android 4.2.2 OS was quite easy and the console also has good sound quality. It can be used to play music louder than most of the tablets in the market, let alone smartphones. The Nvidia Sheild sports a matte black finish and has a strong build and does not attract finger smudges.
The battery life was well explained by Ujesh and he suggested some optimistic figures. At least 10 to 12 hours of battery life can be expected while streaming the game from the PC as all the heavy stuff would be done on the desktop and a compressed H.264 HD video would sent to the console.
However, if you are doing basic Android gaming which uses the Tegra 3 GPU, the battery life would be 6 to 8 hours. And battery life up to 4 to 5 hours can be expected with games optimized for Tegra 4 and having a lot of visual effects.
playstation 4 compatible with playstation vita
It is very hard to predict how long the ongoing console war between Sony and Microsoft is going to last, but apart from this console war Sony’s primary aim for the soon to be released PlayStation 4 would to be save the bacon of PS Vita, which is the handheld gaming device launched by Sony. Despite receiving a lot of appreciation and solid reviews from both the consumers and the tech media, the device is still a long distance behind Nintendo 3DS in terms of overall sales. Compared to the 31.9 million 3DS, only 5.2 million Vitas have been sold.
The data by VGChartz reveals that even the classic Sony PlayStation 2 outsold PlayStation Vita last week. Keeping all these things in mind, Sony’s move to make the PlayStation Vita compatible with PlayStation 4 does make sense. And during the E3, Sony revealed that it had plans to make almost every PS4 title available on the Vita platform. Now the main boulder which remains in Sony’s way is that would the people who buy the PS4 would be willing to spend an additional $249.99 to gain access to the PS4’s remote gaming features. It’s quite possible that before the actual launch of the PlayStation 4 it is highly likely that Sony will drop down the price, but still the demand for remote gaming remains dicey.
In the era of mobile gaming, all these games are featured on devices that are considered necessary by the consumers. And in the near future almost everyone would be switching to smartphones. So will it make sense to carry another hand held device on gaming when you have all the games available on your smartphone?
In the era of mobile gaming, all these games are featured on devices that are considered necessary by the consumers. And in the near future almost everyone would be switching to smartphones. So will it make sense to carry another hand held device on gaming when you have all the games available on your smartphone?
Sony promises 40 games at E3 2013, announced live streaming details
In a blog post yesterday from Sony’s Social Media Manager, Sid Shuman, Sony detailed some of what we can expect from their E3 briefing and LiveCast shows. The briefing itself will stream from Sony’s site (as well as elsewhere) on Monday, June 10th, at 5:30 Pacific Time, while the next three days will have six to eight hours of live content each day.
The content will showcase over 40 games across Sony’s big three platforms.
Expect to see Beyond: Two Souls from Quantic Dream, Destiny from Bungie, DriveClubfrom Evolution Studios, The Evil Within from Tango GameWorks, Gran Turismo 6 from Polyphony Digital, inFAMOUS: Second Son from Sucker Punch Productions, Killzone: Shadow Fall and Killzone Mercenary from Guerrilla Games, The Last of Us from Naughty Dog, Tearaway from Media Molecule, Wolfenstein: The New Order from MachineGames and many, many more.
The streams will be available on the PlayStation site as well as UStream. And since they’re still trying to make PlayStation Home a thing, they’ll have a virtual E3 booth there, too
The content will showcase over 40 games across Sony’s big three platforms.
Expect to see Beyond: Two Souls from Quantic Dream, Destiny from Bungie, DriveClubfrom Evolution Studios, The Evil Within from Tango GameWorks, Gran Turismo 6 from Polyphony Digital, inFAMOUS: Second Son from Sucker Punch Productions, Killzone: Shadow Fall and Killzone Mercenary from Guerrilla Games, The Last of Us from Naughty Dog, Tearaway from Media Molecule, Wolfenstein: The New Order from MachineGames and many, many more.
The streams will be available on the PlayStation site as well as UStream. And since they’re still trying to make PlayStation Home a thing, they’ll have a virtual E3 booth there, too
Kokuga blasting it's way onto the 3Ds eshop this summer
Kokuga, the latest from SHMUP genius Hiroshi Iuchi, is finally making its way to the United States this summer. Exactly one year after we first covered the game, in one of my first articles for TechnoBuffalo no less, Nintendo has finally given the game a launch window this summer.
Hiroshi Iuchi is responsible for Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga, two of the biggest games in the SHMUP gaming world. His revolutionary approach to the typically action heavy genre requires more thinking and tactics as opposed to twitch skills and precision placement.
Kokuga focuses more on approach rather than linearly blasting through enemies. It’s a slower experience with an open map designed to allow enemies to be taken out in the best possible order.
Nintendo hasn’t set a price or exact release date yet, but keep an eye out for it in the next month or so.
Hiroshi Iuchi is responsible for Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga, two of the biggest games in the SHMUP gaming world. His revolutionary approach to the typically action heavy genre requires more thinking and tactics as opposed to twitch skills and precision placement.
Kokuga focuses more on approach rather than linearly blasting through enemies. It’s a slower experience with an open map designed to allow enemies to be taken out in the best possible order.
Nintendo hasn’t set a price or exact release date yet, but keep an eye out for it in the next month or so.
Injustice:god among us may's top selling game
The monthly NPD game sales report shows the industry had another terrible month overall, but one Warner Bros. Interactive and NetherRealm Studios are likely pretty proud of.
There was a $175.1 million in non-PC software sales during the month of May, led by the DC Comics-based fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us. 2012′s Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 maintained its spot in the top five, with Donkey Kong Country Returns, Dead Island: Riptide, and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon rounding out the month’s top sellers.
Software sales were down 31 percent from where they were just one year ago, which is not particularly good. 2012 was already a down year, so to have performed so far below last May’s numbers doesn’t bode well for the rest of 2013. New consoles should help the industry recover a bit, but it’s going to be some time until hardware and software industry is back in the black.
There was a $175.1 million in non-PC software sales during the month of May, led by the DC Comics-based fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us. 2012′s Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 maintained its spot in the top five, with Donkey Kong Country Returns, Dead Island: Riptide, and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon rounding out the month’s top sellers.
Software sales were down 31 percent from where they were just one year ago, which is not particularly good. 2012 was already a down year, so to have performed so far below last May’s numbers doesn’t bode well for the rest of 2013. New consoles should help the industry recover a bit, but it’s going to be some time until hardware and software industry is back in the black.
You can check out a full rundown of May’s top ten sellers below.
- Injustice: Gods Among Us (X360, PS3, Wii U) – Warner Bros.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II (X360, PS3, PC, Wii U) – Activision Blizzard
- Donkey Kong: Country Returns (3DS, Wii) – Nintendo
- Dead Island: Riptide (X360, PS3, PC) – Deep Silver
- Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS) – Nintendo
- Metro: Last Light (X360, PS3, PC) – Deep Silver
- NBA 2K13 (X360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, PSP, PC) – Take-Two Interactive
- BioShock Infinite (X360, PS3, PC) – Take-Two Interactive
- Battlefield 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC) – Electronic Arts
- Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (X360, Wii, DS, PS3, 3DS, Wii U, PS Vita, PC) – Warner Bros.
The pre-order performance of the Watch Dogs PS4 bundle at Amazon.com is proving Ubisoft has developed a knack for offering the must-own game for a new console launch. Having seen the E3 demo in person the rising interest in the hacker adventure is entirely justified.Late last week, Amazon.com began accepting sales orders, or pre-sales, for four different PS4 "Launch Day" bundles after the standalone PS4 with a launch day guarantee quickly sold out following Sony's successful E3 media briefing a couple days earlier.
Right from the get go gamers chose to pre-order the PS4 Watch Dogs bundle priced at $459 and left the other bundles looking up from behind. Those other bundles included a PS4 with Knack, aPS4 with Battlefield 4 and a year's worth of PlayStation Plus (PS Plus), and a PS4 with Killzone Shadow Fall and the year of PS Plus.
As of this morning the only items in front of the PS4 Watch Dogs bundle at Amazon.com are the Xbox One Day One console, Sony's own Naughty Dog for PS3, and the standard PS4 console without the launch day guarantee. The standalone release of Watch Dogs for PS4 is also in the top 20 bestsellers list, which is updated hourly. Further fueling interest in the game is an hour's worth of content that is exclusive to the PS4 version.
Click here to pre-order the Watch Dogs PS4 bundle with free shipping at Amazon.com, while it's still in stock.
The Watch Dogs demo at E3 delivered one of the biggest surprises for those who went in unaware of the twist. At one point in the demo, a second hacker is detected and a cat-and-mouse chase ensues. The curtain to the back right of the demo room whips open to reveal a second player whom had snuck into the first player's game and appeared as any random citizen, only they were actually a dangerous hacker out to inflict harm.
Ubisoft found similar console launch success with last year's ZombiU, a Wii U exclusive that helped boost Wii U numbers and was successful enough for its developer to publicly state that prototypes for a potential sequel are already underway.
The next-gen version of Watch Dogs is priced at $59.99 individually and will be released the same day the PS4 and Xbox One consoles are.
Right from the get go gamers chose to pre-order the PS4 Watch Dogs bundle priced at $459 and left the other bundles looking up from behind. Those other bundles included a PS4 with Knack, aPS4 with Battlefield 4 and a year's worth of PlayStation Plus (PS Plus), and a PS4 with Killzone Shadow Fall and the year of PS Plus.
As of this morning the only items in front of the PS4 Watch Dogs bundle at Amazon.com are the Xbox One Day One console, Sony's own Naughty Dog for PS3, and the standard PS4 console without the launch day guarantee. The standalone release of Watch Dogs for PS4 is also in the top 20 bestsellers list, which is updated hourly. Further fueling interest in the game is an hour's worth of content that is exclusive to the PS4 version.
Click here to pre-order the Watch Dogs PS4 bundle with free shipping at Amazon.com, while it's still in stock.
The Watch Dogs demo at E3 delivered one of the biggest surprises for those who went in unaware of the twist. At one point in the demo, a second hacker is detected and a cat-and-mouse chase ensues. The curtain to the back right of the demo room whips open to reveal a second player whom had snuck into the first player's game and appeared as any random citizen, only they were actually a dangerous hacker out to inflict harm.
Ubisoft found similar console launch success with last year's ZombiU, a Wii U exclusive that helped boost Wii U numbers and was successful enough for its developer to publicly state that prototypes for a potential sequel are already underway.
The next-gen version of Watch Dogs is priced at $59.99 individually and will be released the same day the PS4 and Xbox One consoles are.
dynamic lighting for moodier corpse in the evil within
E3 saw Bethesda airing gameplay footage from The Evil Within, a survival horror game being developed by Resident Evil creator, Shinji Mikami.
The game has you playing as Detective Sebastian Castellanos, a chap investigating a brutal mass murder at an asylum. After his fellow officers get slaughtered Castellanos must -- as you might expect in a survival horror game -- fight for survival in a horrific environment.
Talking about the gameplay footage, Pete Hines, VP of Marketing and PR at Bethesda was keen to flag up The Evil Within's use of the id Tech 5 engine.
Initially created for first person shooters, the engine has been modified for the third person perspective. In the interview, its dynamic lighting capabilities are demonstrated in-game using a set of bodies dangling upside down from the ceiling.
Unpredictable, or at least less predictable behaviours are also being used to ratchet up the tension. Enemies and creatures move around the environments dynamically, meaning they don't follow the same movement patterns or pathways each time. Headshots don't always kill and even when an enemy is down, there's a chance they may just be playing dead.
about this ad
"We want you to be constantly off-balance, terrified, but feel like you can use your wits to survive and get to the next level," said Hines
The game has you playing as Detective Sebastian Castellanos, a chap investigating a brutal mass murder at an asylum. After his fellow officers get slaughtered Castellanos must -- as you might expect in a survival horror game -- fight for survival in a horrific environment.
Talking about the gameplay footage, Pete Hines, VP of Marketing and PR at Bethesda was keen to flag up The Evil Within's use of the id Tech 5 engine.
Initially created for first person shooters, the engine has been modified for the third person perspective. In the interview, its dynamic lighting capabilities are demonstrated in-game using a set of bodies dangling upside down from the ceiling.
Unpredictable, or at least less predictable behaviours are also being used to ratchet up the tension. Enemies and creatures move around the environments dynamically, meaning they don't follow the same movement patterns or pathways each time. Headshots don't always kill and even when an enemy is down, there's a chance they may just be playing dead.
about this ad
"We want you to be constantly off-balance, terrified, but feel like you can use your wits to survive and get to the next level," said Hines
Call of duty black ops 2
Call of Duty: Blacks Ops 2 is the sequel to Treyarch's Black Ops and is the tenth entry in the multi-award winning Call of Duty series. Blops 2's s release date is set for 13 November 2012 and it is widely expected to become the best-selling game of 2012 Call of Duty Black Ops 2 shifts the main action to 2025 and as well as a huge conventional arsenal of weapons, players will get to use all manner of military hardware, including AI drones, fighter jets and hijacked futuristic technology as they race through a breakneck single-player campaign. Black Ops 2 will also feature the latest version of the award-winning Call of Duty multiplayer as well as the long established Zombie survival mode. Black Ops 2 will be available on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
Gear of war DLC: lost relic map pack details and videos
Out now for season pass holders and next week for everyone else
Epic has released a fresh batch of details about new Gears of War Judgment DLC Lost Relics, as well as numerous videos showing off the content.
Available now for season pass holders and from June 25 for everyone else (check out the latestXbox Live DLC release schedule), the Gears of War Judgment DLC includes four new maps, fresh weapon and armour skins, plus a new mode called Breakthrough.
Epic has released a fresh batch of details about new Gears of War Judgment DLC Lost Relics, as well as numerous videos showing off the content.
Available now for season pass holders and from June 25 for everyone else (check out the latestXbox Live DLC release schedule), the Gears of War Judgment DLC includes four new maps, fresh weapon and armour skins, plus a new mode called Breakthrough.
There are two completely new competitive multiplayer maps, Lost City and Museum, returning Gears 3 map Checkout, and a fresh OverRun exclusive map called Ward. Check them out in the new screenshots above, as well as the gameplay and flythrough videos below.
New multiplayer mode Breakthrough sees two teams vying for control of a single flag that must be delivered to a set location. The attacking team has a limited pool of lives with which to complete its objective, while the defending team has unlimited resources.
New multiplayer mode Breakthrough sees two teams vying for control of a single flag that must be delivered to a set location. The attacking team has a limited pool of lives with which to complete its objective, while the defending team has unlimited resources.
Capcom announced Dead Rising 3 at E3 this year as an Xbox One exclusive no less. It makes sense seeing that the first Dead Rising was an early key game in displaying the processing power of the Xbox 360.
Dead Rising 3 is being handled by Capcom Vancouver, formerly Blue Castle Games. The team behind Dead Rising 2 is a welcome sight because it’ll at least bring back the extra level of flare it added to the well received sequel.
Or not so much. Following in trend with Devil May Cry, Bionic Commando, Mega Man, and just about every other series it owns, Capcom is out to reboot yet another series with a down and gritty Western feel to it.
The shlocky weapons, goofy psychopaths, hilarious costumes, and shopping mall setting are all now a thing of the past. This is a hard and mature experience that missed the memo when everyone else found out that “brown” isn’t cool anymore.
Dead Rising 3 follows the story of Nick, a biker crossing a zombie infested America. 10 years after the events of Dead Rising 2, the outbreak taking place in Colorado and Las Vegas has now spread across the country and there is no safe place to hide. He must escape the fictional city of Los Perdidos, CA before the government vaporizes it.
Nick can still sew together a wide variety of weapons, but it will mostly be brutal tools like hammers, circular saws and crowbars. Something tells me that he lacks more than just Chuck’s materials. He lacks the imagination.
What happened, Capcom? You promised you would change! These Western games just aren’t your style. Dead Rising had a special charm and character to it that set it apart from the ocean of stereotypical zombie games.
Without that, it’s just another rotting corpse on the pile, and I can’t fuse together a lawnmower and rubber duckies to dispose of them.
Dead Rising 3 will be an Xbox One exclusive available at launch.
Dead Rising 3 is being handled by Capcom Vancouver, formerly Blue Castle Games. The team behind Dead Rising 2 is a welcome sight because it’ll at least bring back the extra level of flare it added to the well received sequel.
Or not so much. Following in trend with Devil May Cry, Bionic Commando, Mega Man, and just about every other series it owns, Capcom is out to reboot yet another series with a down and gritty Western feel to it.
The shlocky weapons, goofy psychopaths, hilarious costumes, and shopping mall setting are all now a thing of the past. This is a hard and mature experience that missed the memo when everyone else found out that “brown” isn’t cool anymore.
Dead Rising 3 follows the story of Nick, a biker crossing a zombie infested America. 10 years after the events of Dead Rising 2, the outbreak taking place in Colorado and Las Vegas has now spread across the country and there is no safe place to hide. He must escape the fictional city of Los Perdidos, CA before the government vaporizes it.
Nick can still sew together a wide variety of weapons, but it will mostly be brutal tools like hammers, circular saws and crowbars. Something tells me that he lacks more than just Chuck’s materials. He lacks the imagination.
What happened, Capcom? You promised you would change! These Western games just aren’t your style. Dead Rising had a special charm and character to it that set it apart from the ocean of stereotypical zombie games.
Without that, it’s just another rotting corpse on the pile, and I can’t fuse together a lawnmower and rubber duckies to dispose of them.
Dead Rising 3 will be an Xbox One exclusive available at launch.