Halo 5: Guardians' online multiplayer mode exclusively uses dedicated servers, even when playing custom games.
This news comes by way of executive producer Josh Holmes, who responded to a question about dedicated servers on the Beyond Entertainment forums. "We only have dedicated servers for MP in Halo 5: Guardians," Holmes wrote. "That's true for matchmaking AND customs. There is no P2P."
What this means is that you'll never have to rely on problematic peer-to-peer connections when playing multiplayer, even when it's simply a custom game you've set up with your friends online. This has not been the case in the past, resulting in what's known as Host Advantage, which refers to the edge that the player serving as the connection host has in peer-to-peer games.
Most recently, Halo: The Master Chief Collection used a combination of dedicated servers and peer-to-peer, with all custom games (and online campaign missions) using the latter.
Next week's big PlayStation 4 release, Bloodborne, has been purposefully designed to make you feel fear and terror. That's according to director Hidetaka Miyazaki, who explains in a new interview why getting players to feel these emotions actually benefits the overall experience.
"There are several reasons why you need a sense of horror in the world, especially with Bloodborne, which has a more chilling world view than Souls," Miyazaki says in a PlayStation Blog interview. "It's not like horror is something we specifically go for, but it's important to have that sense of fear and terror because it directly ties into the player overcoming that and enhancing their sense of achievement."
Miyazaki--whose previous works include Demon's Souls and Dark Souls--also explained why he typically gravitates towards making dark and punishing games.
"My personal view is that the world we live in can be a harsh and unkind place," he said. "To create a game world that is always kind to players--that's not how I see the real world. Whether it be nature or society, it's often a harsh and unkind environment--so that translates into my games."
"My personal view is that the world we live in can be a harsh and unkind place" -- Miyazaki
Also in the interview, Miyazaki responded to the fact that Bloodborne doesn't have as many total weapons as previous Souls games. This may be true, but Bloodborne's weapons can be augmented in a number of ways, in turn bolstering the variety of weaponry, he said.
"The weapons transform," Miyazaki said. "So one weapon will have various uses and strategies that you can implement. You can also customize your weapon with Blood Gems. You can have many different combinations--so actually the amount of weapons in Souls is absorbed in Bloodborne by this customization element and how someone can tailor a weapon to how they want to use it. In a way, the variety is still there, but it's absorbed down on a customization level, rather than in the quantity of actual weapons, much more than in Souls."
Hideo Kojima has issued his first public statement since it was revealed that the famed game designer is set to leave Konami after nearly three decades of service.
GameSpot revealed on Thursday that power struggles between Kojima Productions and proprietor Konami have led to drastic changes at the studio. As well as being demoted from an executive position at Konami, Kojima is now essentially a contractor, with the terms of his employment expected to cease before 2016.
In a bid to quell concerns that unrest at Kojima Productions would affect Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Konami has issued a statement with a quote from the games designer.
In it, Kojima is quoted as saying: "I want to reassure fans that I am 100 percent involved and will continue working on Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain; I'm determined to make it the greatest game I've directed to date. Don't miss it!"
Konami also stated that it would "continue to develop and distribute top-quality content in the Metal Gear series following the Phantom Pain." The press release showed no mention of Kojima's employee status, nor did it discuss the expected termination of his partnership with Konami.
Sony has revealed the latest additions to its Project SkyLight line of custom PS4 faceplates, which you can now order from the Sony store.
The first of these is a Bloodborne faceplate that features artwork from the game's cover. The other is a PlayStation symbol plate that includes a pattern of triangles, circles, crosses, and squares.
Both faceplates cost $25. The symbol plate is available now, while the Bloodborne one lists an estimated ship date of March 27, three days after the game's launch in North America.
This offering comes as part of the Project SkyLight beta program announced back in December. The first wave included two limited edition faceplates--LittleBigPlanet 3 and The Order: 1886--which ended up selling out. The LittleBigPlanet one is now back in stock, at least for a limited time.
There's still no date for when the program will launch in full and these faceplates will be made more widely available. In the meantime, there's a poll over at the PlayStation Blog where you can provide your input on which of the following types of faceplates you'd like to see:
[UPDATE] Sony has now published a trailer for God of War III Remastered (and some screenshots) and confirmed that the game is aiming to run at 60fps. The game, which is scheduled to launch on July 14 for $40, will also include a Photo Mode. Click through the image gallery above for a closer look at the game.
God of War III Remastered, an updated version of the PlayStation 3 game, will feature 1080p graphics. It marks the first God of War game to be released for PS4.
More information about God of War III Remastered will be revealed at 10 AM PDT / 1 PM EDT. Check back then to learn the release date, and see some screenshots and a trailer.
Ahead of Bloodborne's release next week for PlayStation 4, Sony and developer From Software (Demon's Souls, Dark Souls) have released a new trailer that will begin to show up on TV very soon.
Above is the extended cut of the 90-second ad, called "Cut You Down." The video introduces you to the game's dark world and some of its evil inhabitants.
In addition to the trailer, producer Masaaki Yamagiwa has shared some new details about Bloodborne's customization features and more in a post on the PlayStation Blog. Players will be able to visit a location called "Hunter's Dream," which serves as their home base. There, players can purchase items, level up their character, repair and upgrade weapons, and receive advice from an old man named Gehrman.
"In the Hunter's Dream, you can also interact with the Memory Altar in order to memorize special Caryll Runes to upgrade your character," he said. "Some runes may allow you to carry more items in your inventory, or boost the amount of Blood Echoes you receive from each beast you hunt down, allowing you to customize your hunter however you see fit."
Finding lanterns throughout Bloodborne's world will allow players to return to Hunter's Dream whenever they want.
Yamagiwa also reveals that Bloodborne's main currency is called "Blood Echoes." Players can earn this by hunting beasts "and more," he says.
"Use Blood Echoes to purchase items from the shop in the Hunter's Dream, or even repair and strengthen your weapons," Yamagiwa explained. "In your adventures, you'll soon come across special items called Blood Gems, which can be attached to weapons in order to increase their attack power and even add special characteristics to your weapons."
Finally, Yamagiwa revealed that Sony has created a custom Bloodborne audio mode for official PlayStation Gold, Silver, and Pulse Elite headsets. The audio mode will be available to download on March 24 through the Headset Companion App.
After a delay, Bloodborne launches March 24 exclusively for PS4. Earlier this week, Sony described the game as being "invaluable" to the PS4. A selection of screenshots are available in the gallery below.
Telltale Games on Friday released a handful of images teasing the upcoming third episode of its ongoing Game of Thrones adventure series.
The episode is titled "The Sword in the Darkness." It follows previously released chapters Iron from Ice and The Lost Lords. A total of six episodes are planned for the full series.
Telltale also said it will release a trailer for "The Sword in the Darkness" on Monday, March 23 at 10 AM PDT. Check back with GameSpot then to see the full trailer.
For now, take a look at the Episode Three teaser images in the gallery below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Cortana, one of the central protagonists of the Halo series, will play a role in Halo 5: Guardians--despite the events of Halo 4. That's according to voice actor Mike Colter, who plays a new character named Agent Jameson Locke in the upcoming Xbox One game.
MAJOR HALO 4 STORY SPOILERS FOLLOW...
Colter revealed Cortana's involvement in the game as part of a new interview with IGN.
"When [Locke] goes into Halo 5, you'll see him transition into a Spartan, a super soldier. It's a prominent role within the game," he said. "Obviously Master Chief will be involved, Cortana, but Locke will be one of the playable characters in Halo 5."
Locke isn't completely taking over in Halo 5, however, as he's just one playable character, alongside series hero Master Chief. Colter, however, teased that Locke represents a major character for the Halo universe, and may even appear in future games.
"He'll have a prominent role. He's one of the new additions that will be featured throughout the next couple of video games," Colter said. "So you'll see a lot of Commander James Locke."
The nature of the Locke/Chief relationship remains unclear, though it certainly sounds interesting. Colter mentioned previously that he "can't confirm whether he's a friend or foe of Master Chief," but he also offered up some more clues about that relationship. Locke is on a manhunt for Master Chief, however, "...you won't know what the purpose of finding Master Chief is [right away]. Or what will happen if we do find him, what condition he will be in, and where he's at mentally. But I'm sure that'll be a plot twist in Halo 5."
Cortana, Master Chief's trusty artificial intelligence companion, first debuted in Halo: Combat Evolved back in 2001. According to Halo fiction, artificial intelligence like Cortana break down over time--this was a major plot point in Halo 4. At the end of the game, Cortana basically sacrificed herself to save Master Chief. But it's been debated whether or not she truly passed on. Now it appears that she hasn't.
Reached for comment about Cortana's involvement in Halo 5, a Microsoft representative said: "We don't have anything to comment on here."
Halo 5 launches exclusively for Xbox One this fall. As a result of feedback from the game's beta, developer 343 Industries is making heaps of changes to the final game.
In other news about Halo 5, Microsoft has launched a teaser website for the game featuring a countdown clock set to expire on March 22, at 6PM PDT. The page features the image of a bullet embossed with the word "TRAITOR," the hashtag "#HUNTtheTRUTH," and the Halo 5: Guardians logo.
Halo 5 developer David Ellis offered a cryptic tease about the new teaser site.
With MLB 15: The Show releasing later this month, it's not altogether surprising that Sony would be focusing squarely on that game.
Sony regularly discontinues online support for legacy games to focus on new ones. But some gamers on Reddit aren't happy about online support coming to a close so soon after launch--in the case of the PS4 edition of MLB 14: The Show, it's just 13 months after release.
The online shutdown news was announced on PlayStation's UK website. GameSpot has followed up with a representative for Sony Computer Entertainment America, asking if the discontinuation also applies to North America.
MLB 15: The Show, which includes a raft of improvements over last year's game, launches March 31 across PS3, PS4, and PS Vita. See some screenshots in the gallery below.
Square Enix has released the Episode 2 trailer for Life is Strange, the episodic interactive narrative about a college student bestowed with time-travel abilities.
Following the release of the debut episode in January, developer Dontnod has been working on the finishing touches for the second, with a release date now set for March 25.
Life is Strange follows the life of Max Caulfield, a photography student who discovers she can rewind time. While that supernatural ability is pivotal to the story, it also is used to add a unique spin on the genre's decision-tree mechanic, with players able to rewind time if conversations with other characters turn sour.
GameSpot's Life is Strange review suggested that the game is worth consideration. Critic Kevin VanOrd wrote: "Inconsistencies of time reversal aside, Life is Strange is an involving slice of life that works because its situations eloquently capture a peculiar early-college state of mind."
Posted below is a spoiler-free synopsis for episode 2, written by Square Enix:
"You will start to see much of your choices affecting the story in a lot of different ways, be prepared for some surprises! You will also discover new locations as Max will go outside of Blackwell Academy and start exploring new areas in Arcadia Bay. You'll be able to learn more about the town, its inhabitants, and the social issues it's facing. On top of this, new and important characters will be introduced, as well as having a lot of difficult choices to make."
These games bring the total number of classic Disney titles available on GOG to 24. You can see GOG's full suite of Disney titles, which also includes various Star Wars games, here.
GOG.com turned six years old in September last year. For more on how the site evolved from a niche online platform for classic games and plans for the near future, check out our interview with managing director Guillaume Rambourg.
In February 2013, Triumph Studios confirmed that it had completed "extensive pre-production, engine work and playable prototypes on projects that would very much appeal to Overlord fans." However, at the time, the studio said "volatility in our industry" related to the console transition meant the project could not be taken into full-scale production...yet.
However, now that the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 console cycle is well underway, and both systems are selling generally well, it appears the time could be right for Overlord to return.
Would you be interested in a new Overlord game? Let us know in the comments below!
Nintendo made the surprise announcement this week of a new system, known internally as the "NX." Though official details on the platform are paper-thin, with no new information expected until 2016, one retailer has already opened up preorders for it.
That retailer is EB Games Australia. Writing on Facebook, the company announced the news and shared the image embedded in this post, featuring graphics for Nintendo's various platforms throughout the years.
"What's NX't?" the retailer asks.
Given that so little is known about NX, some wondered why EB Games would even accept preorders at all.
A representative for the company told GameSpot that it's doing so to give consumers what they want.
"Following the announcement Wednesday night, EB Games made the 'NX' available for preorder the next day," the company said. "At EB Games we have a very loyal Nintendo fan base, many of whom love the opportunity to put their names down first for new products. As long as that demand exists, we will continue to give fans what they want and be at the forefront of gaming announcements."
"As proof that Nintendo maintains strong enthusiasm for the dedicated game system business, let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept under the development codename 'NX,'" he said at the time. "It is too early to elaborate on the details of this project, but we hope to share more information with you next year."
What are you hoping to see from whatever the NX turns out to be? Let us know in the comments below!
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