The Bureau : XCOM Declassified DLC announced

2K and 2K Marin, announced post-launch downloadable content plans today for The Bureau: XCOM Declassified that will see the title supported with updates beyond its August 23, 2013 UK release date.

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The narrative-driven add-on content will expand the declassified origin story of the clandestine XCOM organisation and will be available on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and  PC. The first DLC pack will be available exclusively to Xbox 360 players.

“We take great pride in our track record of providing high-quality post-release content for our games,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “We will continue to expand the XCOM universe by telling original stories set in the paranoia-drenched Cold War era of The Bureau.

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“The alternate 1962 universe that we’ve created for The Bureau is vast and there are many more stories to tell about the early days of XCOM,” said Morgan Gray, development director at 2K Marin. “We’re excited that our stories will provide a new perspective on the war effort, much like how our critically acclaimed Minvera’s Den DLC for BioShock 2 allowed us to present a unique perspective of Rapture.”

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Players who pre-order The Bureau through any of the participating retailers will receive a bonus campaign side-mission called “Codebreakers.” In this mission, a top secret government communications facility responsible for intercepting and decoding the enemy’s transmissions has gone radio-silent. In a desperate attempt to turn the tides of the secret war, Special Agent Carter and his squad must make contact with personnel in order to bring the facility back online, eliminate any threats, and decrypt the mysterious code.

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In addition to the Codebreakers side-mission, those who pre-order The Bureau through GAME will receive the Light Plasma Pistol as an exclusive in-game item. Early Bureau research into outsider weapons technology has yielded promising results in the form of a prototype light plasma pistol. Not as bulky as its Outsider predecessor, this compact weapon fires condensed bolts of plasma and boasts a vastly improved rate-of-fire, giving players an early edge in the secret war for humanity’s survival.

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The year is 1962, JFK is President and the Cold War has the nation gripped by fear – but a far more powerful and insidious enemy than communism is threatening America. Known only to a select few, a top-secret government unit called The Bureau begins investigating and concealing a series of mysterious attacks by an otherworldly enemy. As special agent William Carter, players call the shots, pull the trigger and lead their squad in a gripping third-person tactical shooter set within a high-stakes, covert war to protect humanity. The Bureau has been erasing the truth for decades. The time will come for the truth to be revealed.

We also recently interviewed Alyssa Finley from 2KMarin, so over to Alyssa:

For more information, please visit Facebook, or the official web site: http://erasethetruth.com.

And stay tuned for more soon, if the Bureau allow us to publish it.

Lenovo Launches the Thinkpad S531 Ultrabook

Today Lenovo has launched the ThinkPad S531 Ultrabook, a Windows 8 machine aimed at the business market. The PC features a 15.6-inch display that can be laid flat at 180 degrees, and is powered by an  Intel 3rd Generation Ivy Bridge processor.

 

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Lenovo claims that the machine offers a 15% boost over its predecessor, the ThinkPad S431, despite missing out on Intel’s next-generation Haswell chip.

Other features include a backlit keyboard, USB 3.0, and support for up to 10GB of memory and 500GB of storage space.

The ThinkPad S531 is not equipped with touchscreen functionality, with users required to navigate Windows 8 with a five-button glass click pad, but it is said to be fully spill-resistant.

The ThinkPad S531 is available to purchase now for £575 excluding VAT.

Deadfall Adventures Cover Art and New Screenshots Revealed

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Nordic Games today revealed the cover art as well as new screenshots for their blockbuster release of Deadfall Adventures, out on the Xbox 360 and Windows PC September 27th.

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In keeping with the style of Deadfall Adventures, the beautifully created cover-art  takes its inspiration from the Lost World genre of literature, popularised  in the early 20th century through novels such as King Solomon’s Mines and  The Land That Time Forgot  that depicted the discovery of unexplored and exotic worlds. The cover art also pays tribute to the science-fiction and adventure “Pulp” magazines of the same era that gave rise to one of the greatest treasure hunters and pulp action heroes of all time  –  Indiana Jones.

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PlayStation Plus Games for July include Battlefield 3, Saint’s Row: The Third

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Sony has revealed the PlayStation Plus titles for July, which includes Battlefield 3, Payday: The Heist and Saints Row: The Third, for PS3.
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Don’t worry if you are a Vita fan though, because Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus and Unit 13 make up the Vita section.
In addition, XCOM Enemy Unknown, LittlebigPlanet Karting and Uncharted 3 are also available now for download, although they’ll be sticking around for a year.

Ashes Cricket 2013 Release Date Delayed

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505 Games have today announced that Ashes Cricket 2013 release will now move to July. In conjunction with CA and the ECB, the decision has been taken to move the release date back in order to offer cricket fans the best possible gaming experience to compliment this historic back to back Ashes year.

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“505 Games has made a commitment to creating a cricket game designed for cricket fans,” commented Tim Woodley, Senior Vice President Global Brand & Marketing at 505 Games. “Developer, Trickstar Games has taken the time to overhaul and rebuild the game engine to offer brand new features in batting, bowling and fielding. By pushing back our release date, this gives us the opportunity to deliver a quality cricket title.”

Ashes Cricket 2013 will launch on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii-U and PC.

EXCLUSIVE Battlefield 4 interview with Karl-Magnus Troedsson from DICE at E3 2013

DICE, a studio of Electronic Arts demonstrated the next generation of Battlefield 4 at E3 last week, and after the demo we had the chance to talk to them about it.

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DICE showcased “Angry Sea,” a stunning single-player demo at the Microsoft media briefing, “Xbox: A New Generation of Games Revealed.” DICE also debuted “Siege of Shanghai,” a spectacular 64-person multiplayer match at “The Download: EA 2013 Preview” press conference. Both software demos were running at a silky smooth 60-frames per second, even while rendering massive maps, vehicles and infantry, environmental effects and dynamic destruction.

Over to Karl-Magnus Troedsson who is the General Manager of DICE:

DICE also revealed two notable innovations in multiplayer: a game-changer called Levolution, and the return of the fan-favorite Commander Mode. Levolution creates a dynamic and emergent battlefield where gamers can use the environment to their advantage like cutting the power to a building to shroud their enemy in darkness or reducing an entire skyscraper to rubble to alter the battlefield. With Levolution, the environment reacts to the player’s every move and ensures no two games will ever be the same. Commander Mode places two opposing players at the heart of the situation room with a birds-eye view of the battlefield. It’s a tug-of-war match between two commanders as they deliver critical intelligence and powerful assets to their troops below to the turn the tide of the battle. Gamers will feel the rush of Commander Mode on current-generation and next-generation consoles as well as PC. For the first time, commanders can also take control from their iPad or Android tablet.

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DICE also announced in celebration of the unveiling of Battlefield 4 multiplayer and to thank the millions of fans that have logged over one billion gameplay hours in Battlefield 3, DICE is giving away Battlefield 3: Close Quarters digital expansion pack to all Battlefield 3 players for free. For more details on how to download the pack, please visit: http://www.battlefield.com/battlefield-4/cq-giveaway.

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Battlefield 4 will be available November 1 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Battlefield 4 will also be available for Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.

Thief Extended Gameplay With Commentary

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Thief has been given an extended gameplay demonstration by Square Enix. The Thief gameplay demo, which was filmed during last week’s E3 gaming expo, is followed by a Q&A session with producer Stephane Roy.

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The demo sees Garrett attempt to steal a precious gem from a controlling land baron during a period of civil unrest.

Stephane Roy also talks about the game’s new focus feature, as well as the importance of sound and shadow.

Thief will be available on PC as well as Xbox One and PS4, and is due to be released in 2014.

PS4 Meets Jimmy Fallon

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Yesterday Xbox One appeared on the Jimmy Fallon Show and now it’s the turn of the PlayStation 4.
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“The big story that everyone’s talking about is that this system is the only one where you can still play used games,” Fallon said, before Sony’s Mark Cerny replied “we support used games, we don’t require an internet connection.” Fallon notes in the video that this is “pretty major” before receiving audience applause.
Check out the video and some Knack gameplay below.

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Pure introduces the Evoke D2 digital radio

Pure introduces Evoke D2, the new member of the iconic Evoke family of luxury digital and FM radios.

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Evoke D2 (SRP £84.99) takes design cues from the Evoke but has a clear identity of its own with a new compact size making it perfect for kitchen or bedside use. As with all Evokes, Evoke D2 has a solid wooden housing and comes in a real Walnut veneer finish.

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Nick Hucker, Pure’s director of marketing, says: “Consumers are increasingly looking for fresh and contemporary audio products that fit in with their home interior and size is often a key decision making factor. We are responding to this demand with Evoke D2 and giving customers the option to enjoy the award-winning Evoke features in a smaller footprint while delivering big sound.”

Benefitting from Pure’s heritage of British design and engineering, Evoke D2 uses highly energy efficient Class-D audio amplification to deliver the best possible sound quality, excellent battery life and low power consumption.

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Leading edge features include an input for an iPod/ MP3 player, alarm, sleep and snooze timers, 10 presets and a kitchen timer. The radio can also be taken out and about thanks to support for the optional rechargeable B1 battery pack (SRP £27.99), which gives users over 30 hours of portable listening per charge.

Evoke D2 is now available at all good electrical retailers and we should have one for review shortly.

Gears of War: Judgment Lost Relics Map Pack out now for VIP members

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Microsoft and Epic Studios have now released the third expansion in the “Gears of War: Judgment” multiplayer experience, the Lost Relics Map Pack for VIP members.

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This DLC includes four new maps, new weapon and armor skins, as well as the new mode Breakthrough.  Read up on all the new maps and study the flythrough videos below to get the competitive edge over your enemies.

CHECKOUT – Checkout’s combat takes place in the carcass of an abandoned superstore.  The shop owners tried to move inventory with a closeout sale in the weeks leading up to the HOD evacuations, but ultimately had to walk away and leave everything to time and history.  The intense close-quarters combat of the store aisles makes every decision important.  Weapon selection is key, cover is essential to survival and every move has an impact.  When facing your enemy, remember what the sign says: “Everything must go.”

LOST CITY – The ruins of this ancient city were once a major archeological find .  Despite sitting empty for centuries, the hydro-powered aqueduct and canal systems were still in working order and proved that the ancient Serans had a remarkable grasp of engineering and architecture.  Like so many projects, excavation was abruptly halted when the Locust emerged and changed the face of the planet.  Now every Seran city sits as empty and lost as this one.

MUSEUM – Situated on the bay just outside the city capitol, The Ilima Museum of Natural History features an array of permanent exhibits, special programs, and educational opportunities for visitors of all ages.  With over a million artifacts and specimens in our collection, you can explore the wonders of the natural world at your own pace, or take part in one of our special hands-on workshops. Tickets are on sale now for our latest special showing: The Ages of Seran Military Might.  Get up close and personal with ancient swords of mystical power and see some of the first working mechanical weaponry of our storied past.

WARD – The battle for Halvo Bay was fought on many fronts simultaneously.  While most areas of the city fell quickly, a few sections actually had time to mount a defense and fortify against the incoming Horde.  Some were even able to push the Locust forces back and regain some ground before all was lost.  This Overrun map features one such area where the battle was small but intense, and the dedicated forces of the COG army tried to hold off wave after wave of invading forces with little in the way of reinforcements.  They pushed the Locust back several blocks before resistance increased and ultimately they found themselves in a fierce tug of war with little hope of success.

We recently interviewed Jim Brown from Epic Games. We talked about old characters and new, new modes, cosplay and we even have new gameplay footage to share. Here is that interview:

What do you think of the new map pack? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Deadpool introduces some guest stars into his game

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Activision’s new Deadpool game will be released next week and there is news of new guest stars in the game.

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And here they are:

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Are you looking forward to playing Deadpool? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Sony PlayStation 3 System Software Update 4.45 out now but be careful updating

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Sony has released an update to the PlayStation 3 system software, taking it to version 4.45 but some users are reporting it’s bricking their systems.

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The issue appears to be on consoles that have upgraded hard drives in them, although it doesn’t seem to be affecting everyone.

So the choice is yours, but my advice would be to wait, just to be safe!

If you have updated let us know by leaving a comment below.

App Update: Facebook for iOS now at version 6.2

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Facebook for iOS has been updated to version 6.2.

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What’s New in Version 6.2

• Add icons to status updates to show what you’re feeling, reading, watching and more (English only)
• Easily change who can see something you’ve shared
• Start a new conversation with photos you receive in messages
• Bug fixes

Download Facebook for iOS from the Apple App Store

App Update: Amazon Kindle for iOS Updated to version 3.8.1

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I use the Amazon Kindle app on my iPad all the time, and it has just been updated to version 3.8.1.

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Description

The Kindle app is optimized for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, giving users the ability to read Kindle books, newspapers, magazines and PDFs on a beautiful, easy-to-use interface.

You’ll have access to over 900,000 books in the Kindle Store. Amazon Whispersync automatically syncs your last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across devices (including Kindle), so you can pick up your book where you left off on another device.

Get the best reading experience available on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch:
• Shop the Kindle Store by visiting Amazon for the largest selection of books people want to read: over a 900,000* books.
• *New*: Email PDFs & other documents to your new Send-to-Kindle e-mail address and we deliver them to your device. The documents are automatically archived in the Amazon Cloud and available for re-download on your iOS or supported Kindle devices. You can also read PDFs from Mail, Safari, or by transferring them from iTunes.
• Get free book samples – read the first chapter free before you decide to buy.
• Customize your reading experience by choosing the background color, font size, and either portrait or landscape format.
• Instant dictionary word lookup. Tap and hold a word to view the definition. Use the Google and Wikipedia links to get more information.
• Search inside the book to find a character, topic, or section you want to revisit.
• Simply tap on either side of the screen or flick to turn pages.
• You can also read your Kindle books on your Kindle, Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch, PC, Mac, Android-based device, and Windows Phone 7-based device. Our Whispersync technology syncs your last page read, notes, bookmarks, and highlights across devices, so you can pick up where you left off.

What’s New in Version 3.8.1

Fix for customer-reported bookmark issue

Download from the Apple App Store