Following a successful debut month, Microsoft has released the first DLC pack for its Xbox One/PC zombie survival game, State of Decay 2. The Independence Pack is available to purchase now and gives players access to an assortment of "patriotic" items and gear, including vehicles, weapons, and more.
Those who purchase the Independence Pack will receive three Independence Day-themed vehicles: the Pyrohawk, Burninator, and the Meatwagon. Additionally, players will get a trio of melee weapons (The Freedom Ringer, Grillmeister, and BBQ Fork) and two long-range weapons (Pyro Launcher and Starshank Launcher). You can see some of the DLC items in the brief trailer below.
Further tying into the patriotic theme of the DLC, players will get four new fireworks in the Independence Pack, as well as the Fireworks Crafting Station facility mod, which can craft additional fireworks or ammo. Players will also be able to snag some in-game discounts on fireworks and ammo thanks to a special sale being held by a new wandering trader.
The Independence Pack can be downloaded for US $5 / £4.19 / AU $7.45. Players who picked up the State of Decay 2 Ultimate Edition will receive it for no additional cost. You can grab the DLC from the Microsoft Store.
State of Decay 2's first DLC pack arrives shortly after developer Undead Labs rolled out the game's 2.0 update. Among other things, the patch introduced 20 more missions, an assortment of new weapons, a Rare Book trader, and Revolutionary War-era zombies. You can read more in the patch notes on the game's website.
The next expansion for State of Decay 2 is called the Daybreak Pack, and it's slated to arrive in September. Undead Labs says that DLC will include a new mode that gives players control over a "well-equipped" Red Talon soldier. No pricing details have been announced yet for the Daybreak Pack, but it is likewise included as part of State of Decay 2's Ultimate Edition.
With the start of summer comes Steam's annual summer sale. This time around, Valve has introduced a new theme, dubbing this edition the Steam Intergalactic Summer Sale. Despite the name tweak, you know what to expect: 2018's sale brings discounts on a massive number of games. Valve says more than 10,000 are on sale right now, which is a staggering total. That's far too many for anyone to hope to parse through, but that's where we come in.
Rather than wade through countless pages of discounted titles, we've rounded up a selection of worthwhile games that you should consider buying before the sale ends. The specific amount you'll save varies greatly, but we've asked GameSpot's staff for their favorite deals, and we've come up with a selection that runs the gamut from big-name, triple-A games to lesser-known (but nonetheless excellent) titles. Whether you're looking for shooters, RPGs, strategy games, or something else, we've got you covered.
The Steam Intergalactic Summer Sale, like recent sales on the platform, is relatively straightforward. Valve has done away with the daily and flash deals, as well as voting; you don't have to check in every eight hours to avoid missing out on what you're looking for. That might have done away with some of the excitement of past Steam sales, but it does make shopping much easier, as you can rest assured that anything you buy now isn't going to be discounted more heavily later in the sale. If you're specifically looking for cheap stuff, check out our recommendations for Steam sale games under $5.
This sale does feature one wrinkle, which is where the "intergalactic" aspect comes in. Steam's homepage allows you to jump into what's called the Summer Saliens game, which sees you head to planets and save various games that have been abducted by aliens. You'll earn XP and unlock new abilities, RPG-style, although it's all rather simplistic. While perhaps not worth playing for long on the strength of its gameplay, you may want to dive in anyway, as doing so can earn you Steam trading cards. More notably, defending certain planets enters you to win a corresponding game, with your odds increasing as your Salien stays on the same planet for longer.
The Steam Summer Sale runs from now until July 5, and a variety of anime is also on sale. Be sure to let us know your picks for worthwhile deals, as well as what you plan to pick up, in the comments below.
Agents of Mayhem - Total Mayhem Bundle | $16.05 / £13.21 (72% off)
Agents of Mayhem takes Saint Row IV's pure insanity and cranks it up to 11. Canonically taking place after the Gat Out of Hell "recreate earth" ending, Agents of Mayhem is a story of bad vs. evil. I loved the diverse range of personalities, races, and sexualities that compose the lovable rogues that make up MAYHEM, an organization set on destroying the evil terrorist group known as LEGION. My favorite agent is Daisy, an ex-roller derby girl with a knack for cussing, drinking, having sex, and handling heavy weaponry, but I also loved the the queer logistics officer Friday, storytelling ninja Scheherazade, and loud-mouthed Safeword (who's this universe's version of Saint Row's Kinzie Kensington). -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
Where EA's SimCity (2013) dropped the ball, Cities: Skylines picked it up, and it ran. It ran far, wide, and it's never stopped, even to this day. The city builder has positively delivered everything that anyone has ever wanted out of this kind of game, and has seen a steady stream of expansions over the past three years. But even if you're just interested in trying the vanilla experience during this Steam sale, Cities: Skyline's incredibly accessible modding options, and its amazing community will give you more than enough content to gorge on. There's a lot of joy to be had in city building and management games, and Cities: Skylines is the definitive game in the genre. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
Danganronpa is a murder-mystery story taken to the weirdest extremes. When a group of gifted high school students awakes in their new school, they find that all the exits have been sealed. Then, their new headmaster--a robotic bear named Monokuma--tells them that in order to leave, they have to murder a classmate and fool the survivors. It's up to you to successfully investigate each grisly (yet colorful) murder and maybe figure out who's the mastermind behind the sadistic setup along the way. Now mostly concluded after the release of Danganronpa V3, Danganronpa is one of my favorite game series of all time. Getting both Danganropna 1 and 2 for this price is an absolute steal. -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
If the recent release of Dark Souls: Remastered hasn't gotten you to try out From Software and Hidetaka Miyazaki's fantastic Souls series, maybe the heavily discounted Dark Souls III will. Dark Souls III takes the dilapidated world of the Souls games and adds new lands to discover, a quicker pace to the combat, and plenty of upgrades to the multiplayer, all while maintaining the strong world and level design that has made the series stand out so much. While I don't personally find the game to be as strong of an entry into the series as Dark Souls or Bloodborne, I could not put this game down when I first picked it up. For players looking for a rewarding game with challenge, I could not recommend the game more. -- Dave Klein, Video Producer
Dead Cells takes the DNA of Dark Souls, Castlevania, and a heavy dose of roguelike to create something that's more than the sum of its parts. This addictive and thrilling side-scrolling adventure boasts a bevy of tense moments, challenging bosses, and satisfying combat.
The core of the game is based on growing with each run, as every failure brings new lessons to learn, items to unlock, and points to take with you into the next life.
With a huge array of weapons, skills and playstyles, Dead Cells is a game that epitomises the "one more try" style of play. After your first few deaths, you'll be hooked and hungry for success. -- Dave Jewitt, Video Producer
Divinity: Original Sin 2 | $35.99 / £23.99 (20% off)
I have, admittedly, never actually finished Divinity: Original Sin 2, and yet there are few games on Steam (included in this sale or not) that I'd recommend more highly. Like its predecessor, it's such an ambitious game that it's astounding that it's able to pull it off so effectively on all fronts. Original Sin 2 is chock-full of fascinating characters and a seemingly endless array of ways to approach any given situation. While it puts up a real challenge (at least on difficulties other than its lowest), I've not managed to make it to the end because what's most difficult is resisting the urge to restart and try a different way of handling many of the game's scenarios. Original Sin 2 might be more expensive than many of the games on this list, but its combination of an excellent narrative, numerous secrets to uncover, and complex combat--all wrapped in an extremely replayable package--make it well worth the price of entry. -- Chris Pereira, News Editor
If you haven't played 2016's Doom reboot yet, now's a good time--publisher Bethesda announced a sequel, Doom Eternal, at E3 this year. This new Doom is self-aware in its intensity, with its high-octane demon-slaying madness backed by an over-the-top metal score. It's both a return and an homage to the corridor shooting of the series' past, but modern touches also make it feel like a step forward for the series. As a bonus, the classic Doom levels hidden in each mission are both fun to find and provide the perfect amount of nostalgia. -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
I'm usually not a huge fan of roguelike games, but something about Everspace just kept dragging me back for more. Stressing over every jump between sectors, while trying to simultaneously circumnavigate challenging fights and monitor my fuel cost, kept me constantly on edge. The mindless humdrum of outfitting a new vessel would quickly replace every frustrating death, and I'd promise myself I'd get a little bit further on my next excursion. I enjoyed solving the overarching mystery in the main storyline, but Everspace's tight controls and hectic dogfights were what drew me into its quiet beauty. -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
About 15 minutes into Forgotton Anne, I was curled up on the couch and weeping, after mistakenly profiling an illegal immigrant as a terrorist and getting him killed. Forgotton Anne never gave me a chance to catch my breath, though, and continued to dole out emotional punches. This adventure-platformer threw me into a role I've never played before: an officer who enforces border control. Anne must squash a rebellion that threatens her and that of her master, and the player chooses whether or not she goes about that task with any mercy. I'll admit, I was fooled by the pretty Studio Ghibli-style art into thinking this would be a game for kids. I was so wrong. -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
There's a good chance that, by now, you're one of the incredible number of people who have bought Grand Theft Auto V. If not, this is as cheap as it's ever been, making it easier to buy a copy for you and a few friends. And you'll want to play with friends, because there aren't many games like GTA Online and its heists. These multi-part missions that have you working in tandem with friends (or strangers, if you're less fortunate) are among the most fun I've ever had with a multiplayer game. Dodging a military jet in your biplane until you can pick up your friends who are breaking someone out of prison makes for an unforgettable, tense experience. GTA 5's single-player remains enjoyable, and buying it on PC gives you access to mods, but this is well worth the price of entry for GTA Online alone. -- Chris Pereira, News Editor
An iconoclast is a person who destroys a religious image or symbol, and that's the exact role you take on in this indie Metroidvania title. I didn't find Iconoclasts' puzzles or platforming segments to be all that challenging, but the game makes up for these faults with dozens of intense boss battles, a wonderful cast of characters, and a nuanced narrative. It's been a while since a video game's story really made me stop and think about the consequences of my in-game actions, and whether I was playing the role of the hero or the villian. Despite the protagonist's silence, Robin also makes for a fantastic hero, whose adorable emotes and expressive poses convey her helpful yet naive nature. -- Jordan Ramee, Associate Editor
From the creators of FTL comes hands down, one of 2018's best games. Into the Breach is tactical strategy boiled down to its purest elements, with completely transparent mechanics that let you know exactly what the enemy is going to do next, and what effect your hypothetical actions will have before you make them. This alone makes every single turn a satisfying brain-churn that has you poring over all the game's exciting and multi-faceted cause-and-effect systems. With dozens of unique mechs, it's a sincere joy to experiment and replay Into the Breach again and again and again. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
As developer Team Ninja admits, Nioh is a game that was deeply inspired by Dark Souls. It combines Souls' mechanics with the action and combo mechanics of Team Ninja's previous franchise, Ninja Gaiden. While the game can be brutal with a steep learning curve, I absolutely loved the depth to its combat and gameplay. The game is set in Feudal Japan, with winding and interconnected level design, and the enemies are various Yokai, or supernatural monsters pulled straight out of Japanese folklore, all serving to give the game a unique style and feel. Souls fans have been split on Nioh, but I found the game stands out on its own, and the moment Nioh 2 was announced at E3 this year, my knee-jerk reaction was: YES! I want more of that! -- Dave Klein, Video Producer
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition | $9.99 / £7.49 (50% off)
When pressed for time and trying to explain what makes Ori and the Blind Forest so special, I tell people that it's a Meat Boy-Metroidvania--intense platforming balanced against exploration and wonder. It gets the point across, but the reality is that it's so much more than that. The gorgeous art style and animation mix with fine-tuned controls that make the whole experience feel smooth as silk. The fable-like story is a resonant one about empathy and love. It's one of the best games to have come out in the last few years, and absolutely deserves more attention before the sequel arrives in 2019. -- Steve Watts, News Writer
I sincerely hope you're skipping this entry because you've already played and finished this game, because Papers, Please is one of my favourite games of all time. It's a modern classic where premise and mechanics marry together beautifully with difficult moral choices, strict consequences, and an unavoidable imperative for self-gain. You play an immigration inspector on a politically tumultuous Eastern European border, charged with inspecting and cross-referencing documents, controlling the flow of people, and correcting following protocol above all else. Hidden amongst civilians are spies and terrorists, but also sympathetic stories of innocent people caught by the riptides of war, trying to hang on to a semblance of life. Where does your loyalty lie: To the job that's keeping your family fed, to the greater good, yourself, or potentially, something else? How far are you willing to push your moral compass? Paper, Please is a masterpiece through and through, and it makes stamping passports feel like the most satisfying feeling in the whole world. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
Prey is arguably one of the most underappreciated and overlooked games of 2017. It captures so much of what I love about immersive sims, particularly in its environmental storytelling--emails, notes, and other personal items weave the stories of who was on the space station before everything went wrong, and piecing things together takes careful attention to detail. Each part of the station also presents you with multiple ways to solve a problem, be it getting past an enemy Typhon or getting into a locked room, and all those things combined make traversal and exploration rewarding. The new DLC is just one more reason to pick Prey up while it's on sale. -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
I've put around 300 hours into Stardew Valley between the PC and Nintendo Switch versions, and it's become one of my favorite games I've ever played. I'm a big proponent of the Switch version now, but if you don't have one or prefer playing on PC, now's your best chance to try it out. Stardew Valley is everything I ever wanted Harvest Moon games to be, and it's made even better by its complex characters and surprisingly heavy themes. I don't want to spoil anything, but this is a game where you get out what you put into it--and there's a lot to discover. -- Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
On its face, a game like SteamWorld Dig shouldn't have worked, much less warranted a sequel. A modern-day rogue-like Dig Dug, SteamWorld Dig carried an oddly relaxing gameplay loop: burrow your way underground, find some loot, come back up and spend it on upgrades, repeat. Its sequel, SteamWorld Dig 2, improves on the predecessor in every way, offering better upgrades, more character customization options, and challenge rooms for the truly enterprising spelunker. Sometimes you just want more of a great thing. -- Steve Watts, News Writer
The masters of grand historical strategy, Paradox Interactive, released their ambitious spacefaring 4X game Stellaris a couple of years ago, but if you haven't played it yet, you're definitely better off coming into it now. As is typical, the Swedish developer has improved the game significantly with free updates and meaningful expansions over time and addressed many concerns. Beginning with a single planet, you'll expand your empire, discover new galaxies, inhabit new worlds, meet new alien races, and see where your interactions with them may lead. Stellaris is certainly a complex 4X game, but like other Paradox titles, once you begin to internalise it, gain momentum, and appreciate the myriad nuances to its systems, you'll probably never think about playing anything else for a good, long while. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
I hope no PC devotees out there will get upset when I say that one of the most innovative tactical strategy games of the past decade was born as a console game, and is anime as hell. Valkyria Chronicles puts some strange twists on its alternate version of World War II, but that doesn't deny the fact that its battle system is unique and fun. You plan and order troops in a turn-based fashion with a top-down strategy phase, but then need to personally move an ordered troop or vehicle in a real-time third-person mode and line up their shots. It may sound arduous, but it's incredibly satisfying and exciting to actually do. Its beautiful watercolour art direction has aged very well, and with Valkyria Chronicles 4 coming out on PC and consoles later this year, you might as well see what the fuss is all about. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
If you're a fan of over-the-top action games and you haven't played Vanquish, then you haven't lived. Directed by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, the magnum opus of PlatinumGames' resume contains incredibly fast-paced shooting with an emphasis on movement. Equipped with a high-tech battle-suit with jet-boosters, you'll charge head-first through bullet-hell scenarios, gunning down robotic foes as you constantly dodge, vault, slow-down time, and famously, butt-slide at great speed. It's one of the most invigorating actions games of the past decade, and it has a dedicated command to smoke a cigarette. You owe it to yourself to play Vanquish. -- Edmond Tran, AU Editor / Senior Video Producer
The Witcher 3: Game of the Year Edition | $19.99 / £13.99 (60% off)
If you ask me (and many others who have played this remarkable action RPG), The Witcher 3 is the best game of this generation. It's huge, gorgeous, well-written, mature, and exceedingly fun to play. The dark fantasy world it's set in is perfectly rendered and unlike any other you'll find in all of games. Despite its sense of finality, here's hoping it's not the last game we'll get to play in this world, with these characters. It's a great ride. -- Chris Reed, Commerce Editor
The Nintendo Eshop is running a sale on a number of excellent games. So if you've finished or grown bored with your current collection of Nintendo Switch games, now is a great time to save money while adding new downloadable titles to your collection. The games will go back up to full price at different times, so grab them quickly.
Unlike some recent weeks, no big first-party Nintendo games are on sale, but you can save money on lots of indies and other games. For instance, the surprisingly intense rhythm game Thumper is on sale for $10. This game has you play as a metallic beetle hurtling down a nightmarish psychedelic space road.
From GameSpot's Thumper review: "Surprisingly little has been sacrificed in the transition to the portable console, and in some ways the fact that you can now hold it close by undocking the Switch makes it a slightly more immersive experience than sitting feet away from your TV."
If you ever have people over, The Jackbox Party Pack 2 can make your gatherings more enjoyable. It's a group of party mini-games that support up to eight players. You don't need a box of Switch controllers, because everyone can use their phones for input devices. It's on sale for $13.
Battle Chef Brigade, a side-scrolling brawler and a match-three puzzle game in one, is on sale for $12. Fans of horror can grab Layers of Fear: Legacy for $16, while platformer aficionados can add Owlboy to their collection for $18.
You can find more of our picks for the best games in the Eshop sale below, or look at the full list here.
The closed alpha for Battlefield 5 has kicked off, and we're diving helmet-first into the multiplayer. The alpha is only available on PC, and it's limited to a small group of players. It includes two multiplayer offerings. Conquest is a traditional control point mode, while Grand Operation is a narrative meta-mode that spans various maps and game types.
This particular Grand Operation will be "Fall of Norway," set on the Arctic Fjord map. It encompasses two different game modes, Airborne and Breakthrough. The alpha will also include one Special Assignment and several daily orders. Completing your Special Assignment tasks will net you a special dog tag for your profile in the full game.
To participate, you'll need to get into the alpha and then download the client through Origin, and naturally, your specs will need to be up to snuff. If you didn't get in this time around, just relax and watch some multiplayer gameplay above. We'll be putting each of the modes through their paces. Battlefield V is set to launch on October 19 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Purchasing the Deluxe edition will get you access on October 16.
EA has shared details on Battlefield V's first closed alpha. The limited-time test began on Thursday, June 28, and allows certain players to try out the upcoming World War II shooter ahead of its release later this fall, including a portion of one Grand Operation.
According to Battlefield's official website, the closed alpha will be available on PC and can only be joined by invitation, which EA says were distributed to a "small group" of Battlefield players. The invitations will contain a code to download the alpha client, which must be redeemed via Origin in order to get in.
Those who do get invited to participate in the closed alpha will be able to try two of Battlefield V's modes: Conquest and Grand Operation Fall of Norway. The former is the classic Battlefield multiplayer mode that pits two teams against each other in a struggle to seize control of key points on the map, while Grand Operation is a narrative-driven multiplayer experience that encompasses different maps and gametypes.
Fall of Norway, the Grand Operation featured in the closed alpha, is set on the Arctic Fjord map. Players will be able to try two of its modes: Airborne and Breakthrough. Depending on your side, Airborne will have players either drop onto the map to combat enemy artillery or stop the incoming troops, while Breakthrough tasks them with capturing sectors or defending against the attacking side.
EA also says that participants will be able to undertake one Special Assignment and several Daily Orders during the closed alpha. The Special Assignment is made up of several in-game tasks, and completing it rewards players with a special Battlefield V dog tag that will appear in their profile when the full game launches.
Daily Orders, on the other hand, are smaller objectives that players can complete while playing, such as damaging enemy vehicles or killing a certain class of enemy. EA says that no rewards will be offered for completing Daily Orders during the closed alpha, but players will be able to earn them in the full game.
You can read more details about the closed alpha on the game's website. Battlefield V is slated to launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 19, but those who purchase the Deluxe edition will get access to it three days early, on October 16. For more details on the game's various editions, check out our Battlefield V pre-order guide.
Today only, you can get find some seriously killer deals on video game consoles on Ebay. That's thanks to a promotion that gets you 15% off any item on the site. All you have to do is use promo code PERFECTDAY during checkout, and the discount is applied to your purchase. When you combine that promotion with some of the already-discounted console offerings, you can save lots of money on a gaming hardware.
Let's see what kind of savings we can get. A word of warning: inventory at these retailers tends to sell out pretty quickly, so act fast if you find a deal you want.
Xbox One
Let's start with the best deal available right now on any game console. You can get a 500GB Xbox One S for $162 after you use the promo code. It even comes with physical copies of Battlefield Hardline and Mass Effect Andromeda. That's a fantastic deal. If that one runs out of stock, you can get the same console configuration without the games for the same price here.
On the other hand, if you need the most powerful gaming console on the market, you're going to want an Xbox One X instead. They usually retail for $500, but you can grab an Xbox One X for $406 today.
Moving on to the PlayStation 4, the discounts aren't quite as deep, but they still beat paying the suggested retail price. Using the promo code, you can get the powerful 1TB PlayStation 4 Pro for $356 instead of the usual $400.
If you don't need the Pro, you can grab a standard 1TB PS4 Slim for $272 instead. That saves you a few dollars off the regular $300 price tag.
And finally we come to Nintendo's popular gaming console. You can get a Nintendo Switch with red and blue Joy-Cons or with gray Joy-Cons for $255 instead of the usual price of $300. Or, if you'd prefer a Switch with gray Joy-Cons, you can get one here for $255. Not a bad way to save some money while buying the gaming hardware you want.
Along with the sandbox-style Playground mode (which currently remains offline while Epic irons out issues that cropped up shortly after it launched), this week's Fortnite: Battle Royale update marked the start of another limited-time event, Final Fight Teams of 12. After receiving fan feedback, the developer has announced it is disabling Final Fight and replacing it with another iteration of the fan-favorite 50v50 mode. [Update: Following earlier issues that prevented its rollout, Epic announced on Twitter that 50v50 mode is now live in Fortnite: Battle Royale.]
Despite only being available in the game for a couple of days, Epic says it decided to disable Final Fight after listening to the community's feelings on the mode. "We've heard your feedback regarding the Final Fight LTM and we agree that the mode isn't quite in a state where we want it to be," the developer wrote on Reddit. "Due to this, we'll be disabling Final Fight and re-enabling the 50v50 LTM."
Once again, this iteration of 50v50 will pit two teams of 50 players against each other in a fight to be the last team remaining. This time, bounce pads will spawn at double their normal rate, while resource rates will be increased by 50%. The newly added Dual Pistols, which were introduced in this week's 4.5 update, will also spawn at double their typical rate.
50v50 was scheduled to enter the rotation today, June 29, at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET; however, Epic announced on Twitter that it discovered "a few issues" with the mode and won't be enabling it just yet. The studio says that it'll provide an update on the mode when it's ready to go live.
As previously mentioned, the limited-time Playground mode also suffered from a series of issues following its launch and still hasn't returned to the rotation. In its most recent Reddit update, Epic said, "We're continuing testing on our matchmaking improvements and are still aiming to open the Playground LTM as soon as we're confident in our improvements. Once we have confirmed that our testing was successful we will begin gradually rolling servers out to all regions and platforms until it's available to all players."
By Anonymous on Jun 29, 2018 11:24 pm Uncharted lead Amy Hennig confirms that she's no longer working on a Star Wars game for EA, while Drake's new album Scorpion dips into Final Fantasy.
It's a good time to be a PS4 owner who appreciates a good deal. That's because Sony has launched a new line of low-priced modern classics called PlayStation Hits. Just like the Greatest Hits and Essentials lines from Sony's previous consoles, PlayStation Hits keeps these older PS4 games in print and lowers the price to $20/£16/€20. Those in the US and Canada can buy the lineup of PlayStation Hits now on disc or on the PlayStation Store. The UK/Europe market will have to wait until July 18.
The physical versions of PlayStation Hits come in red cases, just like PS3's similar line did. As of now, 15 games are in the US lineup, while the UK/Europe market gets 23 and Canada gets 14. Sony says it will add more games in the future.
Some European markets will also get a special PlayStation Hits PS4 bundle that comes with a 1 TB console and three of Sony's first-party PlayStation Hits titles. As of now, there's no word on whether that bundle will release elsewhere.
After it closed out Microsoft's E3 press conference and wowed press during a behind-closed-doors demo, it seems like all eyes are on Cyberpunk 2077, the new RPG from CD Projekt Red, the developer behind The Witcher series. Taking influences from the cult-favorite Cyberpunk 2020 pen-and-paper RPG, the studio's next project builds upon their pedigree of dense RPGs, while venturing out into a drastically different world.
After seeing the private E3 demo and interviewing Cyberpunk 2020 creator Mike Pondsmith, who is working with CDPR on the game, we came away with a clearer picture of what Cyberpunk 2077 is all about. We've compiled all the information we have on Cyberpunk 2077 so far: how it came to be, why it's a first-person game, and more.
What Is Cyberpunk 2077?
Moving away from the fiction of Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series, CD Projekt Red is switching over to a new setting based on the Cyberpunk pen-and-paper RPG. While not a direct adaptation of the pen-and-paper game, Cyberpunk 2077 extrapolates many of its concepts, archetypes, and storylines. Created by Mike Pondsmith, Cyberpunk 2020 is set in the dystopian future of Northern California, where corporations, late-stage capitalism, and technology invade all forms of everyday life. In a hidden message from their E3 2018 trailer, CDPR stated that they began work shortly after finishing Wild Hunt's Blood and Wine DLC.
"It's been over 2077 days since we announced our plan to develop Cyberpunk 2077. We released a CGI trailer, gave some interviews and… went dark. Normal procedure for these kinds of things — you announce a game and then shut up, roll up your sleeves and get to work. We wanted to give you the Witcher 3 and both expansions first, which is why this period of staying silent was longer than we planned. Sorry for that."
The story of Cyberpunk 2077 focuses on V, a vagabond hustling their way through life in Night City--the largest metropolis in the Free State of California. While exploring the city's districts and surrounding areas, taking on odd jobs and rubbing shoulders with the various gangs, tech dealers, and corporate agents, your character will leave their own mark on the metropolis. Over time, you build Street Cred, gain credits, and acquire new weapons and cybernetic enhancements--such as remote hacking, improved optics, and the Mantis Blades, bladed weapons that unsheath from your forearms. But as you make your presence known, you'll catch the attention of other characters looking to use you for their own ends.
Who's The Lead Character?
While the Witcher series focused on the exploits of Geralt of Rivia in the Northern Kingdoms, Cyberpunk 2077's story centers around a character that the players create. The main protagonist is whoever you want them to be, and your choices will decide their place and standing in Night City. Along with gender options, ethnic background, and personal style, you can also choose their backstory, including what brought them to the city or if they're a local. Playing as V, you'll be able to make decisions, take out important characters--which will alter or end specific questlines--and upgrade and enhance yourself however you see fit. Much like traditional role-playing games, your character's background and interests play a key role in their growth and base stats.
During the character-creation segment in the E3 demo, the developers took some time to go through some of the options you'll have for customizing V. Unlike in the pen-and-paper game, you aren't able to pick dedicated classes like Techie, Fixer, Netrunners, Rockerboys, or Nomads. Cyberpunk 2077 has an organic and in-the-moment approach to classes: your starting class evolves based on the choices you make and upgrades you acquire. While exploring the city and taking on missions, V will have their partner in crime, Jackie--an imposing but ever-reliable muscle--in tow, who can become a valuable asset on some of the more intense jobs.
What Kind Of RPG Is Cyberpunk 2077?
While still an action-RPG, Cyberpunk 2077 focuses more on making key decisions throughout many of the scripted and dynamic encounters in Night City. When compared to The Witcher series, particularly The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, Cyberpunk 2077 is similar in the sense you have free reign to explore and interact with random characters and hopefully stumble into unexpected missions. However, Cyberpunk 2077 aims to put a greater focus on placing you in the shoes of a character that's constantly evolving. In V's case, that's by taking on cybernetic enhancements and amassing an arsenal of seriously dangerous weapons--the homing sub-machine gun was particular standout.
The new weapons and abilities you acquire will have a significant impact on your individual playstyle. For instance, the Mantis Blades are not only powerful melee tools, but can also be used for freerunning and stealth attacks. The main weapons you have are divided into three categories: power, tech, and smart. Power weapons are mostly standard weapons like generic pistols and shotguns, tech guns have amplifying buffs like bullet penetration, and smart firearms focus on powerful special properties like homing shots. However, as you take on more cybernetic enhancements, you'll lose some of your humanity--which will affects how certain characters will interact with you.
Despite the clear change from the Witcher series, the developers haven't forgotten their past work. During our talk with associate design director Kyle Rowley on GameSpot's E3 2018 liveshow, he spoke about the design techniques they picked up from The Wild Hunt, and how it ended up having an impact on Cyberpunk's combat mechanics."We learned quite a lot from the combat in Witcher 3, and we're translating that to the lessons we learned in the gameplay about how to do melee and try to transfer that to Cyberpunk," Rowley said. "Obviously it's very different in the fact that we're now doing it from a first-person perspective rather than from a third-person, but the lessons that we learned in Witcher, we can definitely translate."
What Is Night City?
Cyberpunk 2077's main setting is a bustling, and always busy metropolis where tech has left irreparable impact on the lives of its citizens. From the beginning, you'll have much of Night City to explore. Whether it's on-foot, on the back of a motorcycle, in a car, or through the city's train system, you'll be able to travel throughout the city and its many regions. While there are some areas that won't totally accessible, some of which are locked off, there are many locations that you're free to explore. Having said that, the different regions of the city are set within specific level caps, and there is no level-scaling in the game whatsoever. While you're free to explore these areas and try to engage in encounters with the gangs that have control of the region--it might be best to steer clear of them until you are better prepared. One gang that we know of in particular, known as the Maelstrom, who have the appearance of neon-lit ghouls, uses extremely powerful weapons and operates out of the Pacifica district.
Here are the six districts of Night City, in CD Projekt's Red's words:
City Center: Night City's biggest pride, this is the heart of corporations, the cluster of neon, and the quintessence of luxury.
Watson: A unique mix of Asian cultures, it is a fallen corporate giant now populated by immigrants, hiding various bazaars and markets in a tangle of narrow alleyways.
Westbrook: Featuring tourist-oriented Japantown, it is a place for the wealthy who like to work hard and play hard.
Heywood: Living in one of the neighborhoods of the predominantly Latino area means you successfully managed to climb the social ladder -- it's a massive suburban housing district, with an underlying gang problem.
Pacifica: On the other end of the spectrum, this is the most dangerous part of town, abandoned and overrun by gang activity. Separated from the rest of the city, it's a place of immense poverty.
Santo Domingo: All of Night City is powered from here, with its countless power plants and industrial factories, stuck in an endless cycle of modernization.
Why Is It A First-Person Game?
One of the most surprising details we learned about Cyberpunk 2077 is that it's a first-person game. When fans learned of this, there was a noticeable outcry, with many expressing disappointment. From watching the gameplay demo, almost all of the actions stayed within the first-person view--including dialogue sequences, combat, and general exploration--only breaking away from the perspective during vehicle segments. We spoke with Cyberpunk RPG creator Mike Pondsmith during E3 about the decision to make it at an FPS. Here's what he had to say:
"This is where I put my designer hat on, and I get to put on both my table and my video game designer hat, both. This is why it's important. The one thing is the state of the character, the interfaces they use, the drugs they take, the way they deal with their implants--it's all very, very internal to the head of the character, and if you step out of that out [into a third-person view] it becomes a busy hub that you're tracking. On another technical level, the world is massively immersive and if you're stepped back from that into a third person avatar dummy, you are not really part a part of it."
What Platforms Will Cyberpunk 2077 Be Releasing On?
At this time, Cyberpunk 2077 is planned for release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The private E3 demo ran on a modern PC, and the developers have not said whether a next-gen version is planned. However, in an interview with vg247, CDPR stated that its proprietary tech running the game, REDengine 4, was designed to scale to new hardware.
When Will It Release?
Aside from the cryptic messages that CDPR left in their E3 2018 trailer, which makes jokes about the long the wait and lack of microtransactions in their single-player focused games, the developers haven't confirmed an official release date for Cyberpunk 2077. The game was demoed in a pre-alpha state--which likely means there's still a ways to go for the release. Having said that, there's some strong speculation that the game could make its way to a 2020 launch, which would tie it up nicely with the original Cyberpunk 2020 game. Regardless, the developers in their cryptic message stated that the game will release "when it's ready, we mean it."
By Anonymous on Jun 29, 2018 10:57 pm Luke Cage season 2 follows the Marvel hero in the aftermath of The Defenders. Greg breaks down season 2, dives into the best Easter Eggs and references, and tells you what it all means for season 3. Warning: SPOILERS!
July is fast approaching, which means Xbox Live Gold subscribers will soon get a new batch of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games to download for free. Microsoft has pulled the curtain back on July's offerings. The titles that will be available at various times throughout the next month include the Xbox One games Assault Android Cactus and Death Squared and the Xbox 360 games Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction. Thanks to backwards compatibility, those Xbox 360 titles are playable on Xbox One as well.
As for the Xbox One offerings, Assault Android Cactus is a fast-moving twin-stick shooter that's been well received as it's landed on various platforms since its initial release in 2015. It's available to download July 1-31. Death Squared is a colorful co-op puzzle game that can be played alone or with up to four players. You can download it between July 16 and August 15.
On the Xbox 360 side, Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown is a fighting game geared toward online competitive play. Thanks to a set of in-depth tutorials, it's more welcoming to newcomers than some other fighting games. It's available for free July 1-15. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction is a stealth-action game from 2010 that contains both a single-player campaign and a co-op campaign so you and a friend can sneak around and take down enemies together. You can grab it gratis July 16-31.
Shortly after Blizzard teased Hero 28 for Overwatch and revealed his identity as a cute, chubby hamster, the company has released him on the Public Test Realm and detailed his full suite of abilities. The new hero is indeed Hammond, as suspected, though his name in-game is Wrecking Ball.
As seen in the teaser trailer, Wrecking Ball has the ability to transform into a ball and roll around to increase his movement speed, and his automatic weapons are known as Quad Cannons. Grappling Claw allows him to send out a grappling hook that lets him swing around the nearby area, which Blizzard said allows for "high-speed collisions to damage and knockback enemies."
Adaptive Shield provides shields for Wrecking Ball that increase in effectiveness depending on the number of nearby enemies. Piledriver causes Wrecking Ball to slam into the ground, dealing damage and knocking enemies up into the air. His Ultimate is Minefield, which lays out a "massive" field of mines that detonate when enemies come near to them. His backstory is detailed on Blizzard's website; you can watch his origin video below or check out some Hammond gameplay in our livestream.
As noted above, you can try out Wrecking Ball for yourself right now if you own Overwatch on PC. A new update has been released on the PTR, which you can access through the Battle.net app's Region/Account drop-down menu. There's no word on how long the PTR will be available or when Wrecking Ball will be released in the live game on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
This PTR update also does a number of other things. There are hero updates to multiple characters, making "major changes" to damage falloff for the likes of McCree, Bastion, Mei, Soldier 76, and Widowmaker. Hanzo's new Storm Arrows see a small nerf, Assault maps now provide one less minute for each control point objective, and various bug fixes have been implemented. You can see all of these changes in the full patch notes.
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With a new Overwatch patch out now on PC, we take Hammond, Hero 28, for a spin on the Public Test Realm on PC.
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