Gran Turismo Sport releases on November 15, and if you already know you want to jump in and play on launch day, then there are some preorder bonuses you can take advantage of at different retailers. You can also pick up the Limited Edition, which comes with over $130 worth of content.
The Limited Edition costs $69.99 and comes with eight cars, $1 million in-game credits, a livery sticker pack, 30 themed avatars, a racing helmet for your driver profile, and a steelbook case to hold the game.
Everyone who preorders GT Sport gets early access to a three-car pack that includes a Ford Mustang Group B Rally Car, a Toyota FT-1 Vision GT Group 3, and a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP LMP1. More, retailer-specific bonuses are available, and you can see which store has what below.
Homefront: The Revolution is out this week (yes, really), marking the end of a long and difficult development cycle on the game. Its developer hasn't shied away from this, even going the unusual route of including a note at the end of the game that acknowledges the situation.
Entitled "A Word from the Game Director," the note--shared on Twitter by Colin Tanner--briefly recounts the game's history, going through publisher and developer issues. The full remarks, penned by studio head Hasit Zala, follow below.
"Homefront: The Revolution has been in development for just over 4 years and as some of you may be aware the path has not always been a smooth one. Several reboots, the original publisher going into liquidation, the development studio changing ownership… I could go on. Thankfully throughout all these difficult times key people have kept faith and belief in the IP and the team's ability to deliver a quality game, and I would especially like to acknowledge [Koch Media's] Klemens Kundratitz' and Huw Beynon's unwavering support without which this game and this studio would not exist.
"For the team members that have made it to the end I salute you for your endeavour. To create a game of this size and complexity with a relatively small team is a remarkable achievement. For those that we lost along the way, I would like to thank you for all your contributions and you will find your names in the special thank you section.
"Finally for all of you that have enjoyed playing this game, I promise you -- this is just the beginning!"
THQ, the publisher of the first Homefront, went out of business in 2012, which led to Crytek buying the rights to the franchise in early 2013. A year later, following reports of financial issues at Crytek, it sold the IP to Deep Silver, which set up a new studio for the Homefront team to continue its work. That's likely the reason for Zala calling out Kundratitz and Beynon, both of whom work for Deep Silver parent company Koch Media.
The worlds of sports and video games collided last night, as the Tampa Bay Lightning projected Mario Kart onto the ice during a Game 3 intermission in their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It doesn't look like any old version of the Nintendo racing game, however, as the one you see below features Lightning mascot ThunderBug and... some purple thing.
The video, shot by Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, shows what looks like a ROM hack of 1992's Super Mario Kart. It's not clear whether its live gameplay or just a pre-recorded video, but the two characters being controlled are ThunderBug and that purple thing. You can try to figure out what it is in the video below--and if you do, let us know in the comments.
This place is like a big Dave and Busters. They're playing Mario Kart on the ice: pic.twitter.com/G3Qbu8PzgS
Other characters that can be seen include Bowser, Toad, and Mario. You can follow who's in the lead by looking at center ice or checking out the jumbotron above it.
This seems like it was an entertaining way to pass 15 minutes between periods, though the hockey game itself probably wasn't as fun for the hometown fans. The Lightning lost to the Penguins, 4-2.
There is a new top-grossing movie of 2016: Captain America: Civil War.
With $981.9 million globally, Disney's superhero action movie pulled past another Disney film, Zootopia ($971.3 million),this week to become the highest-grossing movie this year (via Entertainment Weekly).
Disney is having a big year. Three of the top five highest-grossing global movies this year come from the House of Mouse; the other is The Jungle Book, which has pulled in $831 million.
The top five highest-grossing global films of 2016 are (according to Box Office Mojo):
Captain America: Civil War -- $981.9 million
Zootopia -- $971.3 million
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice -- $870.1 million
The Jungle Book -- $831 million
Deadpool -- $762.9 million
When looking only at the domestic box office, Civil War is not faring as well, as it is the No. 5 movie this year, behind The Jungle Book, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Zootopia, and Deadpool.
A double XP event and the first of five free characters coming to Battleborn will be out in the next few weeks, Gearbox announced today.
Alani is an Eldrid "warrior-monk healer" that will be out for all players on May 31 at 9 AM PDT. If you've purchased the Digital Deluxe edition of the game or the season pass, however, she'll be playable beginning on May 24 at 9 AM PDT. Those who participated in the PS4 version of the open beta will also get her on May 24.
"A member of the Eldrid faction who was raised as a healer, but forced to be a warrior, Alani is all that remains of her order after Rendain's Jennerit Imperium stole the oceans from her world," Gearbox's description reads. "As a warrior from a planet with vast seas, Alani's attacks and abilities revolve around her power to control water to dish out pain, or heal her fellow Battleborn."
Unlike other characters, Alani will come with an in-game cost: You'll have to spend 47,500 credits to unlock her. Alternatively, Gearbox is introducing something called hero keys that can be used. When each new character is released, Digital Deluxe/season pass players will get a key that unlocks any character in the game, including the new one.
If you choose to use a key on one of the existing characters, thereby bypassing whatever requirements you'd otherwise have to meet, you'll be able to earn that key back later by meeting the usual unlock requirements.
Anyone who played the PS4 open beta will receive a hero key in addition to early access to Alani, as well as the first story operation DLC pack when that's released. If you played the PS4 beta and purchased the Digital Deluxe edition or season pass, you'll receive an extra hero key.
Gearbox teases that this is the first of "many free updates" it has planned. There are four more free characters on the way in addition to paid DLC packs consisting of story missions, skins, and taunts. Silhouettes for the other characters can be seen alongside Alani in the image above.
Finally, being a game in the mid-2010s, Battleborn will soon offer the requisite double XP event. From May 20 at 8 AM until May 25 at 8 AM, you'll earn double Command Rank and Character Rank experience in story missions and competitive multiplayer matches on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Ubisoft will air a "Special Report" broadcast for The Division's soon-to-launch 1.2 update later today, and you can watch it right here in this post through the Twitch embed above. The event begins at 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST.
Ubisoft has not said exactly what to expect, but it's likely the broadcast will cover the update's new content, including the next Incursion, Clear Sky. It's also possible Ubisoft will talk about the new Hijack features that allows players to cut an extraction rope, which will spill all of the loot on the ground.
The Conflict update also adds "high-value targets," which you'll learn about from your base of operations.
"The HVT officer inside your base of operations will provide you with a list of these targets, along with a description, their level, and the recommended gear score you need to engage them," Ubisoft explained. "You'll have a limited amount of time and only one chance to take down these targets."
The Division launched in March and broke sales records. It hasn't been completely smooth sailing, however, as the game has faced a number of bugs and glitches, many of which have been fixed. The developer has pledged to continue to improve the player experience in the future. You can read this post to find out some of the ways the developer is tackling cheating and exploits specifically.
You can see an overview of the content included with The Division's Conflict update in the image below.
Check back later today to watch the broadcast; we'll update this post with the key takeaways.
Halo 5's Forge tools are coming to PC later this year, Microsoft announced today. In an Xbox Wire post, Microsoft revealed Forge -- Halo 5: Guardians Edition, which is launching in the coming months for Windows 10.
With the tools, players can create levels on Windows 10 PCs and publish them on Xbox One. Note that this is not Halo 5 the game, but only the Forge tools. Earlier this year, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said it was unlikely that Halo 5 would come to PC.
The PC version of Halo 5's Forge tools will include what's in the Xbox One edition, as well as "some exciting new features designed specifically with PC users in mind." These include (descriptions via Microsoft):
Keyboard & Mouse Support – For the first time ever, Forgers will have the option of using a keyboard & mouse allowing for more precision control than ever before.
Increased Resolution – Support for multiple resolutions including 4k.
Test and Play with Friends – Enlist the help of Friends to help build, test, and play your Forge creations on Windows 10.
Build on Windows 10 and Publish to Xbox One – Experiences built on Windows 10 can be published to and played on Xbox One, opening the doors for countless new experiences to be enjoyed by players all over the world.
"Forge on the PC will finally give the mouse/keyboard editing precision the community has always been clamoring for," Forge designer Tom French said. "On top of that, an updated and optimized UI geared towards mouse interactions makes a lot of the inputs in Forge easier/faster than before.
"The team has continued to wonder what we'd get if we could put Forge in the hands of as many people as possible, and making it free on Windows 10 literally gives the chance to anyone who wants to jump in and try their hands at building a cool new map for Halo 5," he added. "I'm excited to see what the future content from the community will bring!"
Microsoft will announce more details on Forge - Halo 5: Guardians Edition later this year. Additionally, Microsoft teased that the Xbox One version of Halo 5's Forge is going to receive some new updates in the coming months, introducing things like "new environments, advanced file sharing capabilities, new pieces, palettes, props, and much more."
Forge users on Xbox One have already created some incredible maps and custom game modes, including Harry Potter Quidditch and Star Wars podracing. It's exciting to think about what could come after the Forge tools are released on PC.
Polish developer Techland, the creator of the Dead Island and Dying Light franchises, is working on at least two new games. Now, CEO Paweł Marchewka has shed some further light on these projects.
He told Eurogamer that one of the games is a new IP that will developed at the studio's Warsaw office. It is described as an open-world fantasy game that has RPG elements "maybe in a slightly bigger sense than Dying Light," Marchewka said. Though it will have some RPG elements, it is not to be thought of as a true RPG. Additionally, the game will offer co-op multiplayer and a single-player, he said.
This game is not a repurposed version of Hellraid, which was put on hold last year, Marchewka said. However, it is likely the new IP will share some of the same technical elements of Hellraid, he explained.
As for Techland's other game, which is being made at the company's Wrocław office, Marchewka was much more tight-lipped about this project. However, it's suggested that this is Dying Light 2. The first game was made at Techland's Wrocław office, and Eurogamer reports that Marchewka mentioned "Dying Light 2" in an answer to a separate question about the Dead Island franchise.
Dying Light has reached around 8 million unique players, the executive said, adding that the zombie game has been pirated around 3 million times. Officially, the game sold 5 million copies in its first six months.
Pressed to say if the game in development at Techland's Wrocław office was in fact Dying Light 2, Marchewka said, "Can't say that," and smiled, according to Eurogamer.
As for release timing, Marchewka said he expects both the new IP and the other game to be out "within three years."
Finally, Marchewka provided status updates on Hellraid and Call of Juarez, saying Techland is currently weighing its options for what to do with these franchises going forward, but nothing has been decided.
X-Men: Apocalypse opens next weekend, and is already in many cinemas worldwide. But that doesn't mean that the onslaught of trailers, TV spots and viral teasers is quite over. Another new clip has been released, focusing on Michael Fassbender's villainous Magneto. Check it out below:
X-Men: Apocalypse is directed by Bryan Singer, and also stars James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, and Rose Byrne.
Last week, producer Simon Kinberg teased the post-credit sequence, and revealed it wouldn't just set up the next film in the ongoing franchise. "It's a nod toward potentially a lot of different movies," he told Collider. "I mean certainly the Wolverine movie is related to what happens at the end of it, but there's also another character that's introduced, at least in name, in the tag and he could show up in any host of different X-Men films. Maybe a Gambit movie, maybe another X-Men movie."
GameSpot's review of X-Men: Apocalypse said that it "contains enough action, suspense, heartbreak, and excitement to keep you hooked. The movie juggles a lot of characters, and many don't get the time to be fully explored or utilized, but the movie never fails to keep you entertained for its entire running time thanks to the action and heart of the protagonists. Apocalypse is a great character in the comics and as a movie villain, the stakes are raised to such a level, you can't help but wonder how they'll top this in the next one."
You can check out more of GameSpot's X-Men coverage through the links below:
CD Projekt Red today released a new trailer for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's upcoming Blood and Wine expansion. The video is called "New Region," and it shows off the expansion's all-new setting, Toussaint.
As you'll see, Toussaint is a lovely, peaceful city--but it also has a monster problem that only the White Wolf can solve. We won't spoil the surprise, but the second half of the video really takes a turn. Check it out:
Blood and Wine launches on May 31 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It is The Witcher 3's second paid expansion, following Hearts of Stone last October. Blood and Wine features more than 90 new quests and 40 points of interest to explore. Overall, the content should offer around 30 hours of gameplay.
[Update] A trailer for Gran Turismo Sport has been released. Watch it below.
Gran Turismo Sport, the latest entry in the PlayStation-exclusive racing sim series, will launch for PS4 on November 15 in Japan, Asia, and North america, followed by a November 18 launch in the UK.
The date was provided during a special event showcasing the game. Details, screenshots, and a trailer were scheduled to be officially released later today, but some of it has appeared online a little ahead of time. Take a look at a few screenshots below.
GameSpot will update this post with further details as they're revealed.
Gran Turismo Sport was first announced last October. At the time, there were plans for a beta version to be available in early 2016. There's no mention of that in today's announcement, nor is there any reference to the PlayStation VR support that was mentioned last year.
The publisher has also released a new trailer for the game, which shows off some of the characters; there are a total of 50 fighters in the roster. Also showcased are various special attacks, the new story mode, and mission mode, among other things. Watch it below.
The trailer also reveals a day one steelbook edition will be available, which includes a classic costume for Kyo.
SNK previously updated the game's official website and highlighted some key features:
A Brand New KOF Saga: The KOF Series' storyline has been continuing over the Orochi, Nests, and Ash story arcs. KOF's rich story has not finished, and returns in a brand new exciting arc with KOF XIV
KOF's traditional game system is back!: Select your favorite 3 fighters from the game's gorgeous character roster, and fight to victory via KOF's traditional and most praised 3-on-3 team battle game system
Ultimate combos!: The combination system has evolved in KOF XIV, allowing players to strike up to three Super Special Moves in the same combination for astonishing damage
A refined MAX MODE!: KOF Series' emblematic Max Mode returns in KOF XIV with significant improvements! Activating the Max Mode gives access to EX Special Moves for unlimited combo and damage possibilities
A new feature that can be enjoyed even by newbies: The newly introduced Rush feature allows even novice players to perform combos by mashing the square button
A plethora of game modes: KOF XIV features a large variety of game modes such as Story Mode, Vs Mode, and a Gallery Mode for the best KOF experience ever.
A new fighting game experience: Duke it out with as many as six people (three players on each team) in VS Online Party Battle. Feel the heat of an authentic fighting game tournament experience via PSN.
Learn techniques from the best players!: Low experienced players can learn how to become stronger with master players via the Online Training feature. Both players can communicate with each other with the common goal of strengthening the disciple
Various communication possibilities!: KOF XIV will make full of PlayStation 4's online functions such as the Online Profile and Comment features in order to foster player communication and communities
"This brand new KOF numbered series title features high-quality 3D visuals, however [it is] staying true to the gameplay roots of the series," SNK said at the time.
Despite being one of the biggest releases of the year, Bethesda has been very coy with Dishonored 2 details. While information on most AAA games is drip fed over a protracted period, Arkane's sequel still carries an air of mystery.
However, ahead of Bethesda's E3 press conference in June, the publisher has started to lift the veil on the sequel. GameSpot was recently given the opportunity to see the game and has published a Dishonored 2 preview with our impressions.
We also spoke to Harvey Smith, creator and director of the series, as well as art director Sébastien Mitton and lead designer Dinga Bakaba about the decision to introduce a new protagonist, designing Dishonored 2's unique powers, and reinventing Corvo.
Why have two playable characters? It could be interpreted like a compromise. Emily seems like a natural next step, but the presence of Corvo feels like an attempt to retain recognisability for the property.
Harvey Smith: It would be all too easy to just say, "Why not have both characters, it's better to have both characters," but there was a thought process. I'd say when we finished Dishonored we were haunted by this question about what Emily would be like as an adult. Not just because she saw her mother killed in front of her by assassins and is going to become an Empress, but also because Corvo is this paranoid father. He tells her that someday their enemies are going to come for them with knives and she needs to be ready, so he trains her.
She's also privileged, she's born in a palace and lives her life there. Then everything gets taken away from her and she's on the run. She travels to a place that's exotic to her and sees how the other people live. The people that don't live in palaces. She sees how some people live in palaces in a way that's very cruel. So this little girl that was a moral reflector of you when you played as Corvo is immediately a compelling character. Dunwall. Empress. Assassin. All those things have meaning in making up who she is.
These games are two halves of a circle. This pivotal event that happen where Jessamine Kaldwin was killed shifted the entire Empire. Corvo had to respond to it and now 15 years later you see the final outcome of it through Emily. As we working through the game we also felt this deep nostalgia for Corvo, this guy who's is aging and is trying to protect his daughter one more time.
In his case, he's also going home. In Dunwall he was seen as the foreigner, the outsider. Dunwall was a very dogmatic society, it was very stratified society with aristocrats at the top of everything. Corvo comes from Serkonos, so while Emily is exploring a foreign place, he's going home.
How are those nuances reflected in both Emily and Corvo's design?
Sébastien Mitton: Emily's lineage as an Empress is in her posture and her gestures. The anatomy of the character is made in a way that you can read the past of the character and the position she held. The costume also does this. You see that she's the Empress of the Isles through how she looks at people and interacts with them. But you can also see that there's something wrong that happened in her past: the murder of her mother, and you can see her connection to Corvo. When you see them together you get a sense of the progression from the first game, when she was a child.
The way it's done [with Corvo] is subtle. You'll notice he doesn't wear his hood. He has a human presence without a mask. This is something we focused on. It's important and meaningful to have the player connect and empathise with Corvo.
We think it's more interesting that when Corvo found the guy who killed the woman he loved and set the events of Dishonored in motion, he spared him.
Harvey Smith
Does voicing the characters mean Emily and Corvo are more rigidly defined in the sequel? The first game allowed you to shape the characters through actions.
HS: Yeah I think it's a shift in our thinking and technique, but also in the industry. There were more people 20 years ago asking for an avatar to be a blank slate so they could project themselves onto it. Nobody wanted the RPG where something pivotal was happening and you have two conversation options that you absolutely disagree with, you would need six options to represent everyone in the room and how they might react to it based on their personal morality and understanding of the situation. Over time, people have come to want their characters to respond emotionally to what's going on. We heard from many more people after Dishonored that they were curious about how Corvo felt. Who he was as a person felt a little cold in a way. So we wanted that warmth, but didn't want to violate your understanding of him either. It's a tricky balance and we immediately started experimenting in the DLC with Daud. By the time we got to Emily and Corvo we were ready.
We don't just use the voice in how they interact with other people within a scene, but also as you're moving through the world and look at something. Sometimes it's giving you little bits of information, other times there's an object in the world that you can interact with. Those may have lines attached that branch based on whether you're playing Corvo or Emily, and are playing low, high, or very high chaos. Depending on who you are and how you're playing at that moment, that object can trigger a line in keeping with that. We try not to violate how you're playing.
During our pre-interview chat you discussed a personal experience you had while travelling…
HS: Yes. I was in a bus in Mexico, near Playa del Carmen. We had to deviate from the highway due to a problem, passing along a very rough road through the jungle, which connected ultimately to another highway. Basically, we left the cush tourist area and passed through an area where very poor locals live.
Every now and then we passed a collection of small homes, in very bad condition. Next to one of them was a pile of trash, as tall as the house. On that pile, I saw a dog and a toddler wearing nothing but a diaper picking through the trash, halfway up the pile.
It was stunningly sad. And I had the guilty feelings of the privileged tourist; the mixed doubts about whether my vacation money was helping anyone, by providing jobs, or just supporting a badly two-tiered system, resulting in endless poverty. It was a hard image to process.
Do you think that has informed the creation Emily, either intentionally or unintentionally? She seems like she's undergoing a similar kind of shift in perspective.
HS: I think so. I have a pretty amazing life now, but I wasn't born in a palace. Let's put it that way. That's one of my favourite things about Arkane, it has the soul of a little company. We were founded 17 years ago and one of my favourite things is that it feels like the personalities of the people on the team and their history end up in the games. It's not just big corporate endeavour where were testing this video game and put all the pieces in that will maximise the sales. Different people on the team have had different experiences and they come out. I can look at different parts of the game and see a certain person in that. It's important to me that this is a labour of love.
What are Corvo and Emily's motivations in this game?
HS: We think in terms of literary themes and in Dishonored we had an internal team saying, "Revenge changes everything." We talked about revenge, redemption, and justice--those universal high level concepts. But we also talked about a theme of abuse of power, when you have power, how do you use it? And you can mean that in the sense of having a knife—how do you use it? But it can also be, how do the aristocrats in the world live? Do they live in massive palaces while other people live in terrible conditions? Those themes underlay Dishonored.
In Dishonored 2 we have multiple sets of themes because we have Corvo and Emily. I would say the question of how you use power is back for sure because The Outsider is back and key in the game. That's one of his obsessions. The fiction behind The Outsider is that he was a figure 4000 years ago that was greatly wronged and merged with the Void, this unspeakable horror happened to him. So he grants people power not so they can hurt others, but cynically expecting them to. When they don't, he feels pleasantly surprised. He's more of a cautionary figure than a trickster god or something.
The aristocrat layer versus how others live is another one, but for Emily it's like she's born in a palace, so what responsibility does she have to people that aren't born in palaces? If she's going to say she's a ruler, does she owe it to the people outside of the walls of the palace to do her job well so their lives aren't made worse? What's it like to lose your home? What's it like to flee it and be on the run, trying to win back you home? What's it like being sheltered and then cast out into the world?
For Corvo it's the question of how long he can protect his daughter. He's aging, so when should she stand on her own? And it's also going home to Serkonos. In the first game we talk about how Corvo and the Empress aren't married but it's implied they have this daughter. There's hints on different levels that Emily is his daughter. After being looked at as a foreigner and distrusted, he's going back to where he's from and seeing it changed. You wonder, does it fill him with anger to see the place that he considered rich and lush driven into the ground? We definitely thought about all those things.
Click image to view in full screen
Corvo was a reflection of player morality in first game, which shaped Emily's outcome. How does that work for Emily and are you carrying over decisions?
HS: We didn't have the option of picking up all the end game decisions from the first game. Emily could die in the first game, so we had to assume some things. We canonized the outcomes we thought were most interesting. It was more interesting that the High Overseer was branded with the Heretic's Mark. You kill lots of people in video games, so this is a more interesting piece of fiction. We think it's more interesting that when Corvo found the guy who killed the woman he loved and set the events of Dishonored in motion, he spared him. He spared Daud.
In terms of moral reflectivity, I would say we do have some characters around you that react more cynically or optimistically based on how you're playing. In between missions you come back to your boat, The Dreadful Whale, and Meagan Foster is the captain of that ship, Anton Sokolov is also on board. Those characters do a lot and their mood changes based on how you're handling things. Also we just use the player's voice a lot. All the lines through the game branch to give that sense of who they are based on how you're playing.
In terms of playing, it must be very difficult to design powers that are open but also connect with each other in interesting ways.
Dinga Bakaba: It's not like we're playing alchemist with this, but we do try to make systems that are open. Let's say you have to design an explosive barrel, most games would tell the game if the AK-47 bullet touches it, create an explosion. We tell the game there is an explosive barrel, then make it listen to everything that has piercing damage in the world around it, or fire or anything else that could trigger it. That way you don't have to plan for every single combination of actions. A crossbow bolt could create the explosion, but so can a sword.
It's the mix of planning for the simulation, but at the same time having some control. You don't want it to break [the game] and crash consoles due to memory problems. It's a balance of experimentation and good planning beforehand.
For example, Emily can create a doppelganger and when it's not upgraded it will flee, so you can use it to distract enemies. But if you put a Spring Razor mine on its back you're changing a distraction tool into a weapon. That's the kind of thing we embrace.
One of the things that I find interesting about stealth games is how developers strike a balance between making enemy AI challenging, but also predictable enough for players to manipulate and feel powerful.
DB: That's tricky and how you approach that depends on your context. If you're supposed to be a powerless protagonist dealing with monsters and aliens, you probably want their behaviour to be inscrutable. If you're supposed to be an expert covert agent like Solid Snake or Big Boss, you probably want him to have the upper-hand. The fact that you as a player are able to predict their behaviour is kind of a mechanical metaphor for his knowledge and experience of the battlefield.
So, if that's your thinking, do the enemies in Dishonored 2 behave differently depending on whether you're Corvo or Emily, given that one is a seasoned assassin and the other isn't?
DB: There's some fictional stuff I won't go into but I'll say it's more about your reaction to them than their reaction to you. Enemies are fighting Corvo, the Royal Bodyguard, and the Empress, but they're both wanted felons, so they don't dramatically shift behaviour. Emily is less experienced, but we didn't want her to be the lesser Corvo, she's trained by her father, so she's extremely badass, but just lacks field experience. The way we approached it is Emily's moves have more flourish, she's young and she's enjoying it. Maybe she won't admit that, but she is.
With organic AI, there's two things. First we try to make the perception analogue and not binary. Not whether they can see you or can't, more like they ask, "Am I seeing something? Wait a second, I've seen enough that I want to go there and look." Then, "That looks like a person, so I'm getting my sword out." The player needs to be able to get a feel of that, even when there's no UI. Also in terms of feedback, they need to say things that express their state.
The other way is to be very careful about anything cyclical. If they immediately know where you are it feels unfair. There was one thing in Dishonored that we didn't make a big deal of and should have. If you have a Wall of Light and hack it so it kills enemies that go through, if there are three enemies and one of them runs through and fries, the other one will stop. We had a detail where if a new group of enemies come, they won't know because the enemies that have the knowledge haven't had the time to tell them, so one of them may also die. We loved that.
Then you'd have this situation where they'd throw rocks from the other side at you, which actually would decrease the battery on the wall quicker and let them through. What it missed was one of the first guards saying, "Hey, wait!" If he had said that, the player would have stumbled into a new strategy.
That, in the last generation, was difficult because of the memory constraints. You needed to have many languages on disc and there wasn't that much space to have lines like that. It was very painful, but this time with our new engine was specifically designed for this type of game, so we have much more freedom to add lots of lines and animations. We can make those guys alive. It's not just having a new AI feature, it's adding a level of polish.
Two final quickfire questions. First, do you pick Emily or Corvo and play the whole game with them or can you switch between them during the campaign?
HS: You can't switch. We wanted to start with Emily, which is exciting to us for a number of reasons. It's the new character so you get to have a moment in the life of the Empress, announced as you come into the room everyone looks at you because you're an important figure. This is your throne room. But you also get to see Corvo look at you and talk to you, for the first time. Then you play a while and an inciting event happens, where you have to make a choice between them. They have different powers and assassination moves, and the game supports multiple playthroughs because they have violent, non-violent. I think a lot of people are going to play as both.
Second, is it the same story for both characters?
HS: Yes it's largely the same series of missions and stories, the difference is their mechanics vary in terms of supernatural moves and assassination skills. There's so many pathways that you can't take them all, so each time you play you're going to find a different one. But then the personality and the voice gives you a different flavour.
Devolver Digital has announced a very special edition of its upcoming "bus physics" game, OmniBus. The one-of-a-kind Omnibus Ultimate Edition will cost $7,500 and include the game, an original soundtrack, and a real life MCI bus that "may or may not have been used to motion capture lifelike bus movement for the game." The bus itself must be picked up by the purchaser from its storage location in North America.
The publisher also confirmed the game's release date, which is May 26 for PC, Mac, and Linux.
Players who are interested in picking up a copy of the game sans bus can pre-order OmniBus: Game of the Year Edition (which includes the soundtrack) or OmniBus: Bus Driver Edition with a ten percent discount and download the OmniBus Free Edition from the official website. The game comes from a Kickstarter campaign which launched in August 2015. The project smashed through its $5,000 goal to finish at $8,000 of crowdfunding.
OmniBus is a game in which players take control of an out-of-control bus that cannot be stopped or slowed down. There's a mission mode where players can attempty to complete various objectives, and another mode where players can try to pull off tricks and earn high scores. There's also a multiplayer mode for up to four players, who can compete for the highest score while pulling off tricks and flips, as well as a deathmatch mode.
CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was released one year ago today. To celebrate the RPG's first birthday, the developer released an image of characters and creatures from the game having a big party.
Hero Geralt is at the center, raising a mug and toasting the occasion. A cake with a massive "1" candle is seen at the center table, while characters like Ciri, Yennefer, Triss, and Vesemir are all standing around having a good time. There are even what appear to be Gwent cards on the table.
The game's first paid expansion, Hearts of Stone, came out in October. The next add-on, Blood and Wine, is slated to arrive on May 31. It is set in a new region called Toussaint, and there are more than 90 new quests and 40 new points of interest to explore. Overall, the content should offer around 30 hours of gameplay.
You won't have to wait too long to play the next title from CD Projekt Red, as the Polish developer will release a new game later this year. Interestingly, the unannounced game will be a "new type of video game format previously unexplored by the studio."
With just a few more weeks to go before Legendary's video game movie Warcraft comes to theaters, the film company has now released a pair of new videos for it. One of these is a 30-second TV spot that contains footage from past trailers. The other is a behind-the-scenes video that spotlights actress Paula Patton and the work she did to perform her character Garona's stunts and fight scenes.
Take a look at the two videos below.
Patton explains that she did 2.5 hours of physical training, six days a week to prepare for her role in the movie. On top of that, there was an additional two hours of stunt training where she was taught how to use swords and knives.
"I think it's so important to be able to feel physically that you can do what your character is able to do. The physical preparation, it was very daunting," Patton said.
Director Duncan Jones went on to praise Patton's abilities and eagerness.
"We have a terrific stunt crew, but Paula has been willing to throw herself into their care," he said. "So we've actually been able to do a lot of stuff in-camera with Paula that normally you would be using stunt people to do."
In addition to Patton, Warcraft stars Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Toby Kebbell (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), and Robert Kazinsky (Pacific Rim). As for Jones, he previously directed Moon and Source Code.
Legendary has released trailers that showcase the movie's characters. You can watch them through the links below. You can also listen to the movie's title track here; it was composed by Game of Thrones and Iron Man music writer Ramin Djawadi.
Creative Assembly has a stellar record in creating high-quality strategy games based on real history. Its next game, however, blends the deep mechanics of its Total War series with the fantasy universe of Warhammer.
But is Total War: Warhammer a successful marriage of the two properties? We've delivered our verdict on it, as have many other online video game publications. These have been gathered up and put into a list below; have a read and by the time you're done you'll have a good idea of whether it's worth picking up.
For a wider look at the game's critical reception head over to GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
"When you're in the middle of a siege and you're coordinating an assault with a friend, Total War: Warhammer approaches perfection. You'll be tested on all fronts and asked to manage complex battles with broad, nuanced outcomes. Every system and piece feeds into others, and your choices make all the difference. It's a triumph of real-time strategy design, and the best the Total War series has ever been." -- Daniel Starkey [Full review]
PC Gamer -- 86
"The part of me that collected a High Elf army as a teenager wishes it was broader in scope (at least give us Skaven!) but there will be expansions to cover some of that and in previous games they've been handled well. Anyway, the best Total War games have been the most focused, whether on a single nation or a single general. Total War: Warhammer takes in a continent but tells one story, and it's potent because of that." -- Jody Macgregor [Full review]
GameInformer -- 8.75
"Total War: Warhammer is one of the best Total War games I've ever played, and fans of either franchise should find themselves with a winner here. Those looking for more historically rooted fare may find the fantasy over the top, but plenty of solid strategy lurks under the magic and mayhem." -- Daniel Tack [Full review]
Eurogamer -- Recommended
"Creative Assembly has done an exceptional job here. Not only is this the greatest roster of units we've ever seen in a Total War game, I think the series has also picked up some valuable lessons from its tabletop compatriot. This is still a game of rock, paper, scissors and understanding systems, but it's also a game about heroes ... In a world of fantasy and magic, it's fun to play the legend, not just the general." -- Chris Bratt [Full review]
Destructoid -- 8
"Outside of Shogun 2, Total War: Warhammer is my favorite Total game to date. Developing this project must have been a massive undertaking, because it somehow manages to not sacrifice the core tenets of the series while staying true to the ever-expanding source material of the Warhammer universe. After nearly two decades of historical battles, having the chance to command a magical undead army is a breath of fresh air." -- Chris Carter [Full review]
IGN -- 8.6
"Total War: Warhammer is brimming with exciting ideas, interesting characters, and outright, skull-stompingly delightful units and faction mechanics. The current roster of starting positions in the campaign feels thin, but each army therein is a distinctly different experience. Some factions (Vampire Counts, Greenskins) are more fun than others (Dwarfs), but none feel underdeveloped or unfinished. Deep hero progression and a well-executed Chaos invasion round out a campaign that, while it has some flaws in set-up and pacing, fulfilled all of my deepest fantasies of seeing giant, impossible armies clashing amidst the shrieking of griffins and the glow of flaming meteors summoned from the sky. It's just a damn good time." -- TJ Hafer [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4.5/5
"If you've ever had an imaginative thought about the Old World, Total War: Warhammer will fill in the blanks. There are some frustrations that inevitably come from a challenging campaign, but I don't know what else I could ask of a Warhammer game, except for more of the same." -- Matthew Elliott [Full review]
To promote this summer's Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Warner Bros. is releasing a video series that spotlights different characters from the game. The first of these videos, released today, focuses on X-Wing pilot Poe Dameron.
There's a good amount of action in the trailer, but of course some silly sequences as well. At one point, Dameron says, "Don't worry, I work best under pressure, although ideally less than two tons per square inch." And that's actually Oscar Isaac doing the voicework, as he recorded new lines for the game.
Isaac isn't the only actor from The Force Awakens who recorded new dialogue for the game. Others actors who did the same include Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa), Daisy Ridley (Rey), Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux), Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), John Boyega (Finn), Luputia Nyong'o (Maz Kanata), and Max von Sydow (Lor San Tekka).
You may also notice that in one part of the video, Dameron is seen alongside Admiral Ackbar. As announced previously, Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens not only re-tells the story of Disney's blockbuster, but also includes some missions that cover the time between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
One of these missions is called "Poe to the Rescue," and it involves Dameron's "daring rescue mission to save Admiral Ackbar." You can see more footage from that mission in this video.
Included with Eclipse are four new multiplayer maps and a new Zombies campaign.
One of the new maps is remake of Bonzai, a fan-favorite from Call of Duty: World at War, which is now called Verge. The other maps included in Eclipse are Spire, Rift, and Knockout. You can see full descriptions for each of these maps here in GameSpot's previous coverage.
The DLC is available on its own for $15, but is also included with the $50 Black Ops 3 DLC season pass. It is the game's second expansion, following Awakening, which came out in February.
Treyarch and publisher Activision have said two additional expansion packs will follow, but these have not been announced.
Sony is "certainly aware" that fans would like to see the Crash Bandicoot series return, according to SCEE CEO Jim Ryan. He made the comment in an interview with OPM UK(via PSU), but unfortunately, didn't say more.
"Um...we're certainly aware of the considerable affection--even reverence--in which the mighty Crash is held. But nothing to update at this stage in that area," he explained (via VideoGamer.com).
Recently, Sony confirmed that the Crash Bandicoot rights remained with Activision. The Call of Duty company said in 2013 that it "continue[s] to explore ways in which we could bring the beloved series back to life," though nothing has been announced.
The latest title to bear the jorts-wearing Bandicoot's name was mobile game Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 in 2010.
As for why Crash is back in the news now, check out this spoiler-filled post. You can also check out this story to see a roundup of some of the big teases Sony has made about a possible Crash revival.
Would you be interested in a new Crash game? Let us know in the comments below!
While the Marvel Studios debut of Spider-Man got much of the attention during the build-up to Captain America: Civil War, the first appearance of Black Panther has since proved just as impressive. Creed director Ryan Coogler is on board to helm the standalone Black Panther movie, which will star Chadwick Boseman as the superpowered King of Wakanda. It has now been rumoured that Star Wars: The Force Awakens star John Boyega may be joining the cast.
In terms of resolution, the PS4 edition runs at native 1920x1080 (1080p), while the Xbox One comes in below that, at 1600x900 (900p). The site mentioned that for its tests, it had the latest patch applied and enabled temporal anti-aliasing, though this apparently has no impact on performance.
As for frame rate, the Xbox One edition of The Revolution held the advantage, though both platforms struggled somewhat, according to the analysis. Starting with the very first cutscene, the Xbox One edition performs by an average of 3fps better, which also extends to gameplay.
Both editions of The Revolution come in at around 20-25fps for the game's main Elmtree zone, with the Xbox One performing better generally. Digital Foundry also mentioned that the PS4 version features instances of tearing in some cases, while the Xbox One edition does not.
For indoor shootout sequences, however, The Revolution reportedly runs smoothly, achieving a consistent 30fps.
Outside of resolution and frame rate, The Revolution's auto-save system is proving to be problematic, causing the game to freeze for up to ten seconds at a time, according to Digital Foundry.
"This wouldn't be such a nuisance, except these checkpoints occur so frequently; whether it's after buying a new gun, accepting a new mission, or simply moving to a new area," the site said.
As for the PC edition of The Revolution, Digital Foundry said early tests show that this is the best version, provided your system is capable enough. The site will post a full performance analysis of the PC edition later.
"Its substantial story campaign is impressively rich and its shooting can be tense and fun, but half-baked stealth, an unfulfilling story, and a vast menagerie of technical inadequacies drag the overall experience into disappointing mediocrity," critic Scott Butterworth said in his review.
The world of Bethesda's celebrated open-world RPG Fallout 4 continues to grow today. The game's third paid expansion, Far Harbor, is out now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
It's included with Fallout 4's $50 DLC pass or can be purchased by itself for $25.
The expansion is set in a post-apocalyptic version of Maine's Bar Harbor. It represents the largest landmass that Bethesda has ever created for a piece of add-on content. Players can expect new quests, weapons, creatures, and more. Check out some concept art in the galley above.
"Far Harbor will take you on a journey that's a far cry from the Commonwealth," Bethesda said.
To get a closer look at the content and to hear directly from the Bethesda designers who made it, check out the video above. You can also see some screenshots of the expansion in the gallery below.
Looking ahead, Fallout 4 mods are coming to Xbox One this month, while PS4 players will get them in June. Additionally, Bethesda has told fans to "stay tuned" for more information about further add-ons coming later this year.
Are you planning to jump back into Fallout 4 today to check out the new expansion? Let us know in the comments below.
Speaking during Take-Two's earnings call, CEO Strauss Zelnick said Rockstar will not release a new game in the current fiscal year, which runs April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017. That means the earliest a new Rockstar title might be released is April 2017, though of course the games may be announced sooner.
Earlier in the call, CFO Lanie Goldstein mentioned that Take-Two is expecting a 75/25 revenue split between its 2K Games and Rockstar Games labels for the current fiscal year, which suggested no Rockstar release.
As for what Take-Two might mean by "soon" for the announcement of Rockstar's new games, Zelnick recently teased that the company had big plans for E3 2016. It is possible one of the new games is a sequel to Red Dead Redemption, a franchise that Take-Two has labeled "permanent."
Take-Two president Karl Slatoff mentioned during the earnings call that the company is also working on new IP to further diversity its portfolio, though it is not known if one of Rockstar's new games is a new IP.
For more on Take-Two's latest earnings briefing, check out the stories below.
In North America, Square Enix will distribute Ultimate Collector's Edition units on Monday at 9 AM PST to people based on the order they're in on this waitlist. If you're chosen, you will receive an email containing a private link to buy the premium version, but the link is only good for 48 hours. If you don't place an order within 48 hours, the bundle will be released and given to the next person on the waitlist.
In Europe, the Ultimate Collector's Editions will go on sale Monday, May 23, starting at 10 AM BST through Square Enix's EU store. These will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis--and you can only buy one.
Check out this Square Enix blog post for details on other regions, including France, Austalia, and New Zealand.
The first run of Ultimate Collector's Editions was limited to 30,000 copies, meaning, after this wave, Square Enix will have produced a total of 40,000 units. As for why Square Enix isn't making more than 10,000 for this second wave, the company said this is "due to the time it takes to create each individual Noctis Play Arts Kai figure because they are so detailed."
The Ultimate Collector's Edition costs $270. It consists of a copy of Final Fantasy XV, a special steelbook case, an artbook, a Play Art Kai statue of Noctis, a soundtrack, and more. The other special edition, the $90 Deluxe Edition, remains in stock and available.
As you might have guessed, the sold-out Final Fantasy XV Collector's Editions popped up on auction site eBay, where they were listed at and sold for huge markups, with some even going for $700. It's unclear if Square Enix plans to do anything about these resellers, but game director Hajime Tabata previously acknowledged that the company is aware of what's happening.
Hideo Kojima has discussed his recent travels to various video game developers around the world, explaining that he is searching for an engine to develop his new studio's first game.
Speaking in an interview at the Nordic Game in Malmo, Kojima said he believes developing games using internally developed tools is preferable, but noted that adopting third-party technology eliminates the time investment required to build an internal engine.
Image credit: Forbes
"I think it's better to use internal tools to make games," he said. "But for my first title we are going to use a third-party engine because we want to release it to the people who are waiting. The reason why I'm travelling around the world is because I am looking for [an engine] to use."
Most recently, Kojima visited DICE, the studio behind Battlefield and Mirror's Edge, which builds its games on its internally developed Frostbite Engine. Prior to this he met with Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream and Sucker Punch Productions, the team behind the Infamous series, among others.
"So I may conclude that the game creation is to use the magic to this real world with the use of the latest technology," he said. "Or to say, to make the dream of the people in this real world come true by magic. But just having technology doesn't mean you can make magic.
"What I've learned the most in this trip: start up the new studio, hire the staff to work with, find the office, construct organization, work on the latest technology, and step into the challenge of creating the new magic."
Although very little has been revealed about his new game, Kojima has discussed the project in vague terms. According to the Metal Gear creator, it may not seem all that remarkable when it is announced, but people will understand it better when they play it.
The title will also appeal to fans of AAA action experiences like Uncharted.
"It's an amazing game," he said. "While not to say that it's open-world, users who enjoy today's AAA games (The Division and Uncharted, etc) will be able to easily enjoy it.
Reddit user blackfire561 has taken a selection of scenes from Return to Arkham trailer and found the corresponding shots in the original versions of Asylum and City. This has provided a good look at what rebuilding the games on Unreal Engine 4 has achieved. A few of the images can be found above, but the full set is here.
Click image to view in full screen gallery
Both Arkham Asylum and Arkham City were developed using Unreal Engine 3, but Chinese company Virtuous opted to use the latest version of Epic's game engine for its remasters.
In addition to the base games, players receive all Game of the Year extras and downloadable content in Return to Arkham. Overall, Warner Bros. said players can expect "improved graphics" and "upgraded models, environments, lighting, effects, and shaders."
Return to Arkham launches on July 26 and will cost $50/€50/£40.
The first two Batman Arkham games gained near-unanimous praise in reviews. GameSpot's Arkham Asylum review said "everything about this game--the impressive visuals, stirring soundtrack, superb voice acting, fiendish puzzles, hard-hitting combat--feels like it has been lovingly crafted by a development team that's both knowledgeable and passionate about the source material."
Arkham City was also rated highly: "From the speedy exhilaration of soaring high above the streets to the atmospheric thrill of discovering long-forgotten secrets in the tunnels below Gotham, this is an unforgettable adventure that will keep you coming back to the cape and cowl long after you've seen the credits roll."
The long-awaited film adaptation of Stephen King's fantasy classic The Dark Tower is finally in production. Earlier this week, on-set images of star Idris Elba were revealed, and now King himself has spoken about what fans can expect from the movie.
While the author does suggest that the book's famous opening lines will kick off the film, audiences should expect a few changes along the way. "I expect that the movie will start where the books start," he told the EW Podcast. "Y'know, 'The man in black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed.' I think that nails it right in place for people. I've been pretty insistent on that, and I think everyone's onboard with it."
However, King went on to explain that from that point, the movie will deviate from the book. He stated: "It starts sort of in medias res, in the middle of the story, instead of at the beginning, which may upset some of the fans a little bit. But they will get behind it, because it is the story."
Whether or not King means the middle of the first part of the eight-book series, or during the events of a later book, is unknown. However, BMD suggests that the latter might be true, as previous casting announcements have included characters that don't appear until further on in the series.
The movie stars Elba as gunslinger Roland Deschain, while Matthew McConaughey will play Walter Padick, aka the Man in Black, the demonic sorcerer who is the story's central villain. It is directed by Nikolaj Arcel, who previously helmed the Oscar-nominated A Royal Affair.
The Dark Tower encompasses eight novels, written between 1982 and 2012. The books blend classic western themes with horror, sci-fi, and fantasy.
The film is set to be released on February 23, 2017, and there are plans for this movie to be the first of an ongoing franchise.
Hideo Kojima has discussed the decision to continue making AAA games at his newly founded studio, instead of smaller, indie experiences. According to the Metal Gear creator, the decision was influenced by what fans expected of him.
Speaking at the Nordic Game event in Sweden, Kojima explained that he initially intended to make a smaller game, but decided not to after heeding the advice of some friends.
"While meeting friends and acquaintances around the world, they said everybody expects me to make a big title, so I changed direction. So, the first game coming from me will be big."
He went on to say his current ambition is to "make a big title with a small team."
"Although I can't say when," he continued, "I will release it as soon as possible."
After leaving Konami, Kojima announced he was partnering with Sony to release his next game as a PlayStation 4 console exclusive. The game, which still has not been officially unveiled or detailed, will also be released on PC.
Kojima has discussed the project in vague terms, saying it may not seem all that remarkable when it is announced, but people will understand it better when they play it. It will also appeal to fans of AAA action games like Uncharted, in particular.
"It's an amazing game," he said. "While not to say that it's open-world, users who enjoy today's AAA games (The Division and Uncharted, etc) will be able to easily enjoy it.
Star Trek is heading back to TV screens next year, and the first teaser for the new show has been released. Details on the upcoming series are few, but this short promo does reveal a logo and suggests that it will stand apart from the franchise's previous series and movies. Check it out below:
While the first episode will be broadcast on the CBS network channel, all subsequent episodes will initially screen on the company's All Access digital subscription service, making it the first show to launch on a broadcast network but air primarily on a VOD service.
The last series in the franchise was Star Trek: Enterprise, which ran for four seasons between 2001 and 2005.
Disclosure: CBS is GameSpot's parent company.
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