State of Decay 2 is on the way this spring and will carry a lower-than-expected price tag. Those looking to spend more than the $30 price of the standard edition will have some options for doing so, including the previously announced Ultimate edition and a newly revealed Collector's edition.
As shared on the Xbox Wire, the Collector's edition gets you some physical goodies: It comes with a latex zombie mask, a steelbook case, a stand for the case in the shape of a human brain, a 4 GB USB thumb drive in the shape of a severed thumb, and an "exclusive" iron-on patch.
What isn't immediately is whether this Collector's Edition, which is priced at $70, includes the game itself. Microsoft's announcement doesn't explicitly state this, and it wouldn't be the first time we've seen such a thing. If it is included, there's no word on which version of the game you get, whether it'll by physical or digital (the case may just be for show), and whether Xbox One and PC versions will both be available. The physical/digital distinction is particularly important, as those who buy the game digitally will benefit from Xbox Play Anywhere support, which grants access to the game on both Xbox One and PC. We've followed up with Microsoft about all of this and will report back with any details we receive.
We know you'll get the game when buying the $30 standard edition or $50 Ultimate edition. The latter provides access to the Independence and Daybreak DLC packs when they release, an Xbox One copy of State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition, and early access to State of Decay 2. As an alternative to purchasing the game outright, you can subscribe to Xbox Game Pass, which will grant you access to the game for as long as you remain a subscriber. That comes as part of Microsoft's recent initiative to provide access to first-party exclusives through Game Pass at launch, something that will begin with the upcoming launch of Sea of Thieves.
State of Decay 2 launches on May 22, or May 18 for those picking up the Ultimate edition. Although the budget price of the standard edition may suggest otherwise, the game will not include any microtransactions.
Burnout Paradise Remastered, the updated version of EA's beloved 2008 racing game, is coming out on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on March 16. But if you have an Xbox One and are an EA Access subscriber, you can play right now.
The game's "Play First" Trial is available now on Xbox One. It lets you play the full game for 10 hours, and it is a relatively small (by today's standards) download at 7.66 GB. All progress carries forward, so if you buy the full game after the 10 hours is up, you thankfully do not need to start again. Additionally, EA Access members save 10 percent on all EA digital content, so the $40 game becomes $36 right away.
Burnout Paradise Remastered, which was only just announced at the end of February, including the full game as you remember it, along with its eight expansions. This includes the open-world Big Surf Island expansion and the Legendary Cars pack, which adds vehicles from movies like Back to the Future and Ghostbusters.
The new edition includes technical enhancements that include "high resolution textures" and 4K / 60 FPS support for PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. It costs US $40 / £35 / AU $48.
Sony has revealed the list of best-selling games on the PlayStation Store for February 2018. While last month saw the release of a couple of highly anticipated titles, including Shadow of the Colossus and Kingdom Come: Deliverance, the sales charts were once again dominated by Monster Hunter World.
Capcom's online action-RPG was the best-selling PS4 game on the US PlayStation Store for the second month in a row. Bluepoint's Shadow of the Colossus remake debuted at No. 3, while Kingdom Come landed at No. 9. The rest of the top ten was generally comprised of sports games, notably NBA Live 18, FIFA 18, Madden NFL 18, and EA Sports UFC 3, but Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege came in at No. 7, while Dragon Ball FighterZ and Gang Beasts landed at No. 8 and No. 10, respectively.
Across the pond, FIFA 18 edged out Monster Hunter World to be crowned February's best-selling PSN game in Europe, with the ridiculous beat-'em-up Gang Beasts following at No. 3. The perennially popular Grand Theft Auto V and Shadow of the Colossus rounded out the top five, while Kingdom Come debuted at No. 6.
Once again, in lieu of the month's best-selling DLC, Sony has shared a list of the most-downloaded free-to-play on the PlayStation Store, and it was, unsurprisingly, topped by Fortnite: Battle Royale, Epic's incredibly popular PUBG-style shooter. Following at No. 2 and No. 3 were Brawlhalla and Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 Lite, respectively, while Warframe and Paladins rounded out the top five.
Another of February's releases, the adorable Moss, was the No. 7 best-selling PSVR game in the US, while the Secret of Mana remake was the No. 1 Vita release. You can see the top 10 most downloaded PS4 and free-to-play games for February 2018 below. For a full look at the month's best-selling titles, check out the US and European PlayStation Blogs.
February 2018's Best-Selling PS4 Games On PSN In The US
Monster Hunter World
NBA Live 18: The One Edition
Shadow of the Colossus
FIFA 18
Madden NFL 18
EA Sports UFC 3
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
Dragon Ball FighterZ
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Gang Beats
February 2018's Top Free-To-Play PSN Games In The US
Epic is bringing the massively popular Fortnite: Battle Royale to iOS and Android devices, but before the game officially launches on mobile, some iOS users will have a chance to try it out early. Sign-ups for an invite-only trial are now open on Epic's official website.
Both iOS and Android users can sign up for the trial, but only those with the former devices will be able to participate for the time being; Epic says Android support will follow "in the next few months." Players will need an internet connection and an iPhone 6S/SE, iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad 2017, iPad Pro, or a newer Apple device with iOS 11 in order to play the game.
If you're selected to take part in the test, you'll receive an email that contains a link to download the mobile version of Fortnite: Battle Royale shortly after signing up, as well as codes to share with your friends. Even if you aren't initially chosen to participate, you'll still have a chance to get in at a later date. Epic says it will send out more invites "as the servers can handle more players."
Epic says the mobile version of Fortnite: Battle Royale will be the same 100-player experience currently available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The game will boast the "same gameplay, same map, same content, same weekly updates," Epic explained in a forum post on its website. "We believe this is the future of games. The same game on all platforms. Console quality graphics and action. Play when you want, where you want."
Along with featuring the same content, the mobile version of Fortnite: Battle Royale will also support cross-play and cross-progression between PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, iOS, and (eventually) Android. Players will have the option to opt-in for cross-play and squad up with their friends on other platforms, meaning you won't be forced into teaming up with someone on mobile if you're on console or PC.
This episode of New Releases has sequels, remasters, and some new stuff. Leading off, the pink puffball's newest adventure Kirby Star Allies is headed to Nintendo Switch. Puzzle fans can solve their way through Q.U.B.E. 2, and sim fans can build a city on the red planet with Surviving Mars. For those looking to play the definitive versions of past games, you can slash and shoot through the Devil May Cry HD Collection or speed around Burnout Paradise City Remastered.
Devil May Cry HD Collection -- March 13
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
This week's first re-release contains the original Devil May Cry trilogy, so if you haven't played through them on an older console, this is the best possible way to catch up. Thanks to 60 FPS support, Dante never looked so good slaying the beasts of Hell.
For those that prefer a more methodical pace, there's Q.U.B.E. 2. This game sees archeologist Amanda Cross stranded on a strange alien island, and the only way to escape is to solve puzzles. The titular cubes will help you find your way through mazes, flip switches, and move objects to reach safety.
Speaking of alien planets, Surviving Mars is all about colonizing one. This city-builder comes from the studio behind Cities: Skylines and Hearts of Iron, so you'll definitely have to strategize and spread your resources if you hope to survive so far from home.
Nintendo's pink mascot has a new game, and it's all about working together, even if you're playing alone. That means four-player co-op is included, but you can also use the new heart mechanic to bring enemies over to your side if you don't have a full party. Of course, the real treat here is seeing an insanely buff King Dedede.
Back on earth, this week's second re-release is Burnout Paradise Remastered. You'll be able to race through the best-looking version of the city yet, with 4K support for drivers on PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. This remaster also includes every previously released DLC pack, laying even more challenges along the road.
Fortnite: Battle Royale is immensely popular, and it's growing bigger still. The game has truly broken out, becoming popular beyond gaming circles alone. The latest example of this comes in the form of celebrations from National Rugby League (NRL) players in Australia, among other sports leagues.
The first weekend of NRL just wrapped up, and, amazingly, three players--on three separate teams--each celebrated tries by imitating a popular animation from Fortnite. Check out the clips below to see players like Josh Dugan of the Cronulla Sharks and Blake Ferguson of the Sydney Roosters pretending to bandage themselves up as one does in Fortnite. New Zealand Warriors player Bunty Afoa did this as well.
Kotaku AU, which spotted the celebrations, wonders if the three players are squadmates and coordinated their celebrations this weekend. That does seem possible.
Whatever the case, Fortnite has become something of a phenomenon. Seemingly more of the talk and buzz surrounding the battle royale genre lately is about Fortnite rather than PUBG, the game that inspired it. We've even begun to wonder if PUBG could be in trouble as a result.
Beyond the rugby scene, soccer players have also taken to Fortnite-inspired celebrations. That includes finishing off a player with the pickaxe and generally swinging that pickaxe around. You can see both of those celebrations in the videos below (via SB Nation).
A new update is on the way to PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Starting tonight, March 12, at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET (3 AM CET on March 13), developer PUBG Corp. will take the PC servers down for roughly three hours as it performs maintenance and moves the current test build over to the live game.
This marks the seventh major update PUBG has received since leaving early access back in December, and it introduces a number of new features to the game, such as the previously announced emote system. Following the update, players will be able to use 12 different emotes; PUBG Corp. says it will further expand the system with more emotes in the future.
Additionally, the developer has added 37 new Achievements on Steam. PUBG Corp. has also introduced a friends list; this is independent from your Steam friends list and allows you to add up to 50 other players as friends. You also now have the ability to voice chat with your teammates while in the main menu.
Beyond those new features, the update fixes a number of bugs, including one that would cause players to instantly die when vaulting or climbing. PUBG Corp. has also made further optimization changes to ensure the game runs more smoothly.
"With this patch, we are bringing various optimizations to our server and client," PUBG Corp. wrote in a post on Steam. "We have mitigated lag and stutter instances and alleviated frame drop and lag occurrences happening when players are pushed together, starting from the second half of a match, or in dynamic situations, like intense firefights. This has allowed for a smoother environment to play in, than before."
You can find the full patch notes for the update on Steam. PUBG creator Brendan Greene recently shared the development roadmap for the game, outlining some of the new features coming in the next few months. These include a new, smaller island map and improved animations.
Valve has announced a major revamp of Dota 2's Battle Passes. In the past, these have taken the form of limited-time compendiums that centered around major Dota 2 esports tournaments, including The International and Majors. However, Battle Passes for Majors are now being replaced with what Valve describes as an "ongoing, uninterrupted service" called Dota Plus.
Dota Plus is a subscription service that features a variety of perks, some of which stem from what you'd expect to see in a Battle Pass. Each character now gains XP and can level up across games, granting Reward Shards and responses for use with the new Hero Chat Wheel. Additionally, characters get their own challenges that are designed for that specific hero and their mechanics; challenges feature different tiers of difficulty and reward XP based on what you complete. And characters also get Relic slots; these allow various stats to be tracked and display on the post-game screen.
The service also grants access to the Plus Assistant, a tool that provides various helpful information as you play based on "data gathered from millions of recent games at each skill bracket, ensuring your builds stay current in the ever-evolving meta." This includes suggestions for your pick during a draft or what item or ability to choose during a match.
Furthermore, Dota Plus grants a new weekly reward of 1,000 shards for winning three games. Those shards can then in turn be spent on, among other things, new items that are only available for Plus subscribers. Finally, Valve is bringing back the weekend Battle Cup tournaments, which Plus members will receive free access to. Non-subscribers will have to buy tickets for $1.
Despite having only just been announced, Dota Plus is already available. It's priced at $4 per month, with some small discounts available if you lock in a subscription for six or 12 months.
There's no other movie star quite like Tom Cruise. While many of the stars of the 1980s either faded into obscurity, moved into TV, or had their careers mired in controversy, Cruise has remained one of the world's most bankable stars for over 30 years.
But despite the popularity of movies like the Mission Impossible or Jack Reacher series, the way the world views the man himself has changed over the years. Off camera, Cruise's advocacy of Scientology, outspoken views about prescription drugs, and his various relationships have provided plenty of tabloid column inches. And on-screen, far from calming down, the 55-year-old star has moved into middle age by upping the danger factor in the stunts that he insists on performing himself in his movies. So here's a look at some of Cruise's craziest moments on a movie set, as he puts his life at risk for the sake of our entertainment...
9. Tanks a lot
The first Mission Impossible fully established Cruise as an action movie star. Although the set pieces are a little more modest than later movies, there is still one great moment that shows that the star was very willing to put himself in danger. During a tense standoff, Ethan Hunt uses some detonating gum to blow up a huge fishtank that surrounds the actors, causing 16 tons of water to explode, right next to the star. A huge wave of water crashes through the room, as Cruise sprints just ahead. Director Brian De Palma was reportedly reluctant to let Cruise perform the stunt, on account on the both risk from the glass and sheer volume of water. But an earlier take with a stuntman didn't look any good, so Cruise went ahead and did it himself.
8. Racing in the street
The Jack Reacher movies are Cruise's attempt to create a second action movie franchise, and while they don't hit the insane heights of the Mission Impossible movies, there are some cool moments in each. The most impressive slice of stuntwork comes in the first film, in which Reacher gets behind the wheel for a spectacular car chase. And of course, despite the fact that a stunt driver was on hand, Tom ended up doing the whole thing himself. Director Chris McQuarrie makes sure you know it too, keeping Cruise regularly in the shot as he races, skids, gearshifts, and crashes around the streets of Pittsburgh.
7. Samurarrghhhh!
The lavish period epic The Last Samurai required Cruise to learn how to wield a samurai sword, training which took more than eight months to complete. But all the preparations in the world can't protect you from freak accidents, and Cruise was nearly killed in the scene in which he charges actor Hiroyuki Sanada on horseback. Unfortunately, Sanada's mechanical horse didn't stop on the intended mark and his (very real) sword ended up inches from Cruise's throat.
6. On the edge
It was the Mission Impossible II that truly established the franchise's--and its star's--dedication to the dangerous. The movie opens with a sequence in which Cruise scales the cliffs of Dead Horse Point in Utah. While the actor was wearing a safety harness that was later removed digitally, it's still 100% Tom up there, jumping between rocks with no safety net below him. From that stunt on, there was no going back.
5. Pack it in!
Even in this age of excessive CG, some stunts just look better performed for real. There's no green screen during Minority Report's hoverpack sequence. Instead, Cruise was strapped into a complex stunt wire rig that used over a mile of cable and allowed him to shoot 80 feet in the air, as well as falling, jumping off buildings, and hitting the ground as he fights various bad guys.
4. Taking off
Like the Bond movies, the Mission Impossible franchise is known for its spectacular opening sequences. 2015's Rogue Nation is no exception, as Ethan Hunt clings to the side of a plane as it takes off. Cruise performed the stunt four times over the space of two days, and subsequently provided some alarming details about it. "While we were going down the runway, we were worried about bird strikes," he said. "Any kind of particle that the propellers could pick up, any kind of stone. I remember I got hit by a stone that was so tiny, you cannot believe it. I thought it broke my rib. Luckily it went to my vest, and not my hands or my face, or it would have penetrated and gone right through." Ow.
3. Dubai too high
It's not all running, jumping, and nearly drowning. Cruise also seemingly lacks a fear of heights, even when scaling the world's tallest building. In Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Ethan Hunt is seen on the side of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, 2,722 feet above the ground. And as the behind-the-scenes footage reveals, it's 100% Tom--swinging, climbing and clambering around the outside of the building, as the camera crew circle him in a helicopter.
2. Tom's big break
With the sheer number of movie stunts that Cruise has performed over the years, it was inevitable that one would go wrong. The production of the upcoming Mission Impossible: Fallout was shut down for several months last year after Cruise broke his ankle performing a stunt that involved the star jumping between two buildings. Cruise subsequently appeared on the UK chat show The Graham Norton Show, where he showed an eye-opening video of the accident. The stunt and fall are hair-raising enough, but the true sign of Cruise's insanity comes minutes later. Having slammed into the building and snapped his ankle in a particularly gruesome way, Tom continues with the shot, climbs onto the roof, and keeps on running (well, limping).
1. Water lunatic
Given that Rogue Nation starts with the Cruiser hanging off the side of an airplane as it takes off, you'd be even forgiven thinking that the movie had peaked early in terms of life-endangering stunt work. But you're be wrong. An hour later, Ethan Hunt attempts to crack open an underwater safe, a sequence which took two weeks to film and required Cruise to not only act underwater but also reportedly hold his breath for up to six minutes at a time. Tom's physical training took months, as he trained alongside a freediving expert and taught his mind to believe "that you don't have to take a breath."
Those in the market for a new PC game to play are in luck, as GOG has kicked off its St. Patrick's Day sale. More than 300 games in total are on sale, with discounts as steep as 90% off. And if you're not quite sure what to pick up, there's a perfect option for you, too.
Alongside the individual games that are on sale, GOG is offering what it calls Leprechaun Hats. Each one costs $3 / £2.29 and entitles you to a mystery game that you don't already have in your GOG library. There's no telling what you'll get, but these games are drawn from the pool of those that are currently on sale. Their sale price ranges from $3.49 up to $19.94, so no matter what, you'll be saving at least a small amount of money by picking it up by way of a Hat--though you of course run the risk of getting something you don't care for.
If you'd prefer to leave chance out of it, there are some quality offers available. You can pick up Abzu for $10 / £7.49, Yooka-Laylee for $13.59 / £12, Dying Light: The Following's Enhanced Edition for $30 / £20, and Pyre for $15. Both Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and KotOR II go for $4 / £3 each--an outstanding price for such games, though it's no lower than what we've seen before. A number of other Star Wars games are also on sale, and you can build a bundle with the ones of your choice.
The sale runs from now until March 19 at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET (12 AM GMT on March 20). You can see everything that's on sale here.
In December, Spanish studio Numantian Games released They Are Billions in early access. It took the PC world by surprise, providing fantastic real-time strategy elements and a nuanced take on the seemingly endless horde of zombie games. By all accounts, we can't wait for its full release.
But it also got us thinking: what is the state of the real-time strategy genre? Is it really dying, as many might claim? Or has it been burgeoning under our noses, with excellent entries rounding out one of the most renowned genres in the PC space?
In the video above, Mike Mahardy takes a deep dive into the inner workings of They Are Billions, and how it continues the legacy of stellar RTS games such as Starcraft 2, Command & Conquer, and Age of Empires.
PUBG recently received a new update, adding additional anti-cheat measures to the PC edition of the game. Now, however, developer PUBG Corp. has removed the update, rolling the game back to its previous version due to "compatibility issues."
"Despite its effectiveness in blocking cheats, we have decided to roll back our latest live server update," the company stated in a blog post. "We will continue to resolve some compatibility issues caused by it. There will be a small patch to download. We apologize for the inconvenience."
The company did not state when or if the update would be re-applied following a potential fix. It's not the first issue the patch has run into; PUBG Corp. previously delayed the update because of an "unexpected issue." The more recent issues include hard crashes and being unable to launch the game at all, hence the rollback.
PUBG on Xbox One received a separate update recently that added Game DVR support and introduced additional starting areas for all players. Other gameplay changes include lower damage taken from objects such as rocks, trees, and uneven terrain. On top of that, squad member colours should now be more visible, and you can now use the right stick to rotate your character at the customisation menu.
Later this year, the battle royale title will expand with a new emote system, Achievements, an in-game friends list, and the ability to voice chat with your squad in the main menu. There's also a new PUBG map on the way, which you can try on the game's Experimental Test Server next month.
State of Decay 2 will buck an industry trend and not feature any microtransactions, apparently. Jeff Strain, the studio head of developer Undead Labs, confirmed this to IGN in an interview. The story doesn't feature any quotes from Strain, but the report says "there won't be any microtransactions" in the zombie game.
This is notable because many games, from developers big and small, feature microtransactions as a way to pull in more money beyond the initial purchase price.
The original State of Decay for Xbox 360 features some microtransactions; one of these is the "Prepper's Pack" for 99 cents. It includes a gun, an SUV, and a melee weapon. While not a microtransaction per se, State of Decay also offered extra content to buy in the form of the Lifeline expansion (which was later bundled with the Year One Survival Edition for Xbox One).
There is no word on why Undead Labs is electing not to offer microtransactions in the sequel. But it may have something to do with the controversy around the business practice that re-emerged after Star Wars: Battlefront II last year.
State of Decay 2, which launches in May for Xbox One and PC, will also sell multiple DLC packs after launch, while those who pre-order will get "exclusive" items. The game's standard edition goes for $30, while the Ultimate Edition (which includes the expansions) will sell for $50. Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to play State of Decay 2 at no extra cost, as all Microsoft-published games going forward will launch into the Xbox Game Pass library.
While State of Decay 2 may not feature any microtransactions, plenty of other games do, and the business practice is not going away. For lots more on everything you need to know about microtransactions, you can check out GameSpot's explainer here.
The Farming Simulator franchise, which has sold millions of copies, continues this year with Farming Simulator 19. Now, the first screenshot has arrived--and it looks lovely.
What you see below is the first in-game image from Farming Simulator 19, which promises to allow players to "farm like never before." It also aims to be the "richest and most complete farming experience" ever made for consoles and PC.
Farming Simulator 19 is due out in late 2018 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Series developer Giants Software is behind the game yet again. For this year's game, Giants has reportedly completely revised the graphics engine, and, well, farming has never looked so beautiful.
In terms of gameplay updates, the developer says Farming Simulator 19 will have "many exciting new features" that will be announced in the coming months. Specifics are being kept under wraps, but the developers are teasing a "huge announcement" at E3 this year.
Farming Simulator puts you into the shoes of a modern farmer in an open world where you can do farming things like raise livestock and cut wheat.
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