Today we get the second Night City Wire episode where more about the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 game will be revealed and teased for fans. It is still a very long wait until November 19th 2020 following the delay announced in June moved it from September.
⏰ Second episode of Night City Wire starts in 1 hour!
Below you will find all the new and trailers from the event including my final thoughts….
Lifepaths
We open with a look at the “lifepaths” or backstory players will have and how this choice impacts on their game experience:
The Path you pick impacts your whole game experience, where you start the game can effect your knowledge of the city and its people such as Nomads who live in the Badlands and are family focused and the start of the game is leaving that family and trying to start a life in Night City. The Life Path or your chosen back story will thread throughout the story, different dialogue options and game options depending on which Life Path you chose. The Badlands surrounds Night City and you can as the player visit it at any time even if you do not choose the Nomad Life Path.
Trailer introduces “Fixers” in this case Pedro, Fixers are people that others will turn to if they have a problem they need resolving, especially the rich and powerful!
Music
Next up a look at the music of Cyberpunk 2077 including how the in game band “Samurai” is created with the reveal of the 4th track from the soundtrack “A Like Supreme”
Tools of Destruction: the Weapons of Cyberpunk 2077
Now we have a look at the varity of weapons available in Cyberpunk 2077 from Tech weapons, Power Weapons, Smart Weapons to Melee Weapons and Cyberware…my personal favourite to try out in the game!
The different types of weapons really offer so much choice for players and goes far beyond basic FPS gameplay. Different weapon companies create different types of weapon for just about any gameplay from conventional guns to smart weapons which guided bullets or modifications that can add non lethal ammo as well. Definitely going to be fun trying them all out!
The World of Cyberpunk 2077 Artbook plugged
Final Thoughts…
Another solid look and tease at the world of Cyberpunk 2077 and it just shows the many layers that will make up your player experience with the game. I love how your choice of Lifepath is more than just a cute little biography backstory but actually folds into your entire game journey in Cyberpunk which can give extra dialogue options or a new gameplay choice.
The music, especially for the in game band Samurai is incredible to see being brought to life with so much attention to the little things as well as the big elements that make up the musical performance of each track.
The diversity of the weapons has really impressed me and already I am imagining how to tailor my character to using which type of weapon. The focus on which company makes the gun as well has my interest, could be fun really creating different weapon load-outs depending on which style of combat I feel like.
Overall I am really loving seeing the developers getting to talk about the game and their work following news of another delay just before the first episode of Night City Wire. So far everything feels fresh in what is being talked about and I appreciated the episodic nature of slowly but deep diving into the game ahead of its now November release.
Big Finish Productions, in association with BBC Studios, today announced the long-awaited return of Christopher Eccleston to the popular role he originated on television.
First seen on screen in 2005, Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor introduced a whole new generation of sci-fi fans to the TARDIS, Time Lords and sonic screwdriver. Now he’s back in a brand-new series of twelve fantastic full-cast audio adventures in time and space, due to be released across four box sets, starting with volume one in May 2021.
Christopher Eccleston said: “After 15 years it will be exciting to revisit the Ninth Doctor’s world, bringing back to life a character I love playing.”
Story details, writers and additional guest cast are being kept under wraps at present but this Doctor Who audio series promises to be, once again, the trip of a lifetime.
Doctor Who fans worldwide can now pre-order all four volumes, which are available in three formats – collector’s edition CD, digital download or limited edition gatefold triple LP vinyl. Shop the range HERE!
Big Finish’s Chairman, Jason Haigh-Ellery said: “I first talked to Christopher about returning to the role of the Doctor at the Gallifrey One convention in February this year. Christopher said he was enjoying meeting the fans and was pleased that his Doctor was remembered so fondly. He indicated he would be open to discussing a project with Big Finish and then the pandemic happened and time moved both quickly and very slowly. Over recent months, ideas have been exchanged and discussions had. I am so pleased that Christopher has decided to return to the role with us – and I’m excited to welcome him to the Big Finish family as we discover the new adventures of the Ninth Doctor.”
Big Finish’s Chairman, Jason Haigh-Ellery said: “I first talked to Christopher about returning to the role of the Doctor at the Gallifrey One convention in February this year. Christopher said he was enjoying meeting the fans and was pleased that his Doctor was remembered so fondly. He indicated he would be open to discussing a project with Big Finish.
“And then the pandemic happened and time moved both quickly and very slowly. Over recent months, ideas have been exchanged and discussions had. I am so pleased that Christopher has decided to return to the role with us – and I’m excited to welcome him to the Big Finish family as we discover the new adventures of the Ninth Doctor.”
Big Finish’s Creative Director, Nicholas Briggs, added: “Working with Chris was a very special time for me. The beginning of my Doctor Who TV career. So, writing for and directing him feels incredibly exciting. He’s such a powerful performer and it’ll be amazing to work with him again.”
Each of the four volumes in Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures will be released as a 4-disc collector’s edition box set or download containing three brand-new full cast audio adventures, plus a selection of behind-the-scenes extras.
Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures is now available for pre-order exclusively HERE from just £19.99.
Here is our review of the latest Livescribe Smartpen, the Symphony.
A pen for every occasion. The pen that fits into your day like a cup of coffee. With you always, but lasting longer and doing so much more. From taking notes in your meetings, to the idea that came on the way to the next. Mix your writing and audio together to relive that moment of inspiration, using just your pen. Save time, the pen makes your handwriting searchable giving your more time to brew another cup.
Features
Transcribe your notes in 27+ languages.
Auto sync your notes to your favorite cloud services.
Store up to 1200 A4 pages on our pen before you need to sync.
Our pens give you access to our Livescribe+ application that syncs to your pen and opens the doors for your handwriting to go everywhere with you.
Access to our free Livescribe+ app.
90 day standby battery life.
What’s in the box?
The box contains the Symphony, guides, cables and a spare refill.
A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
When you open the Symphony Smartpen, one of the first things that comes to mind is that it looks like a very expensive and stylish pen! It’s very light (more so than a normal pen) and feels very comfortable to hold and write with.
After you have charged the pen (it’s a simple as plugging it into a power source) you have to download the Livescribe+ app and pair the pen to the app. Again this is a very simple process which involves you selecting your pen type from the app and then following the instructions. I couldn’t get the Symphony to pair the first attempt (I think it was something I did) but I was impressed that the app offered me a number of other options to pair it, the first of which worked immediately. You can also pair from one of the journals if you wanted to.
Once the pen was paired, the app advised me that it needed new firmware and so I had to wait for that to update. The app advises not to terminate the app or disable Bluetooth during the update and that it will take a few minutes – after about 5 minutes the update was completed and the pen was ready to use.
Then just grab the journal you want to use and start writing – whatever you write appears in the app and you can then use it how you wish. You can transcribe your notes into different languages, sync with the cloud, and so on. You can record audio, make drawings, and so much more. You can store up to 1200 pages on the pen itself before needed to sync it – I can honestly say I didn’t get anywhere near that amount before syncing.
When fully charged the battery lasts about 90 days on standby, and it lasted a long time before it needed charging when used.
If you are looking for a very smart looking smartpen that it easy to use and has great features then look no further than the Livescribe Symphony, it’s the pen you need!
The Livescribe Symphony Smartpen is available now priced £119.99 with the notepads starting from £8.99. The Executive Journal 2-pack used in the review retails for £24.99.
For over a year, maybe even longer, there have been rumours that the studio who brought us the Arkham series, has been working on a new DC Comics based game. Today all the rumours and all the reports have led to them announcing via Twitter that they will be revealing ‘Suicide Squad’ at the DC Fandome online event this month:
From the image alone we can see that Superman will play a big role perhaps in this game, though not confirmed to be playable, the curl in the hair is very much a sign of a Christopher Reeves or even Brandon Routh Superman perhaps. You can learn more about DC Fandome below.
Imagine all the Super Heroes and Super-Villains you’ve ever loved finally coming together in one place to celebrate DC’s past, present and future. Accessible for 24 hours at DCFanDome.com, the global event will immerse fans into the DC Multiverse, with new announcements from WB Games, Film and TV, and comics, as well as an unprecedented opportunity to hear from the casts and creators behind your favourite feature films and TV series, including: Aquaman, The Batman,Batwoman, Black Adam, Black Lightning, DC Super Hero Girls, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, DC’s Stargirl, Doom Patrol, The Flash, Harley Quinn, the SnyderCut of Justice League,Lucifer, Pennyworth, SHAZAM!, The Suicide Squad, Supergirl, Superman & Lois, Teen Titans GO!, Titans, Watchmen, Young Justice: Outsiders and, coming this fall to theatres worldwide, Wonder Woman 1984.
The DC FanDome is the place to hear highly anticipated announcements and the latest news, see exclusive footage, and venture into themed worlds designed to entertain everyone from movie and TV superfans to gamers and readers, to families and kids. With special presentations to engage fans in every time zone across the globe, you’ll have the opportunity to have an experience that’s all your own.
Inside this virtual con, fans will also get access to localized events, featuring the faces and voices from countries around the world in their local language. No matter where you live, your age or your level of fandom, there is something for you.
Ann Sarnoff, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros., said, “There is no fan like a DC fan. For more than 85 years, the world has turned to DC’s inspiring heroes and stories to lift us up and entertain us, and this massive, immersive digital event will give everyone new ways to personalize their journey through the DC Universe without lines, without tickets and without boundaries. With DC FanDome, we’re able to give fans from around the world an exciting and unparalleled way to connect with all their favourite DC characters, as well as the incredible talent who bring them to life on the page and screen.”
Exploring the DC FanDome
The epicentre of the DC FanDome is the Hall of Heroes, where you can experience special programming, panels and content reveals from a wide variety of films, TV series and games, available in several languages, including Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. From there, navigate deeper into the DC Multiverse, exploring five additional satellite worlds, each with its own localized content and unique activities and one world fully devoted to our younger fans:
DC WatchVerse: Here’s where you grab a seat, sit back and join our virtual audience and become completely engrossed in hours of must-see content from around the world. Everything from panels and exclusive screenings to never-before-seen footage, featuring cast, creators and behind-the-scenes crew from across DC Films, TV, Home Entertainment and Games.
DC YouVerse: Venture into this world, where the FANS are the stars, to see the most amazing user-generated content, cosplay and fan art from around the world, including, perhaps, your own.
DC KidsVerse: Need a way to entertain your kids for hours on end? We’ve got you covered inside a special world which can be accessed directly at DCKidsFanDome.com. This area features a broad range of family-friendly activations for our younger fans.
DC InsiderVerse: This creativity-based world contains a centrepiece video featuring legendary artist and DC CCO/Publisher Jim Lee, President of DC-Based Film Production Walter Hamada, and creator of the DC TV Arrowverse, Executive Producer Greg Berlanti, welcoming fans with a 101-style introduction to the DC Multiverse. From there, go behind the scenes with the master artisans who bring DC to life in all its forms, from comic books to games, TV, movies, theme parks, consumer products, and more.
DC FunVerse: Take your DC FanDome experience and gather cool shareables; check out our comic book reader; DIY cool WW84 Golden Armor and Batmobile kits; plus digital giveaways and a store filled with merchandise, including some limited-edition exclusives.
Pull Up to the Blerd & Boujee House
Where my Blerds at? The second annual celebration of Black nerd culture returns with the all-new Blerd & Boujee House at DC FanDome, bringing Blerds, LatinxGeeks and all nerds “party-with-a-purpose” vibes. As anyone lucky enough to get into the first-ever Blerd & Boujee boat party (featuring DJ D-Nice) at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 can attest, fans will not want to miss connections and conversations designed for the culture.
Calling All Fans, there’s nothing more important to DC than the fans, and DC want to showcase you! In partnership with Talenthouse, DC FanDome today launched a call for your best DC Fan Art & Fandom displays. Show off your cosplay, makeup, tattoos and even your own Batcave! Be sure to submit your best at create.DCFanDome.com for a chance to be featured inside this virtual world event, and demonstrate to people in your home country and across the globe that you are the ultimate DC Super Fan. Selected artists on the day of our event will be voted on by the community in each of our two competitions in order to help our judges pick selected artist winners. Selected artist winners will receive part of a cash prize pool courtesy of DC and Talenthouse.
Be sure to check back at the official site, DCFanDome.com, frequently for additional updates on what will be happening inside the DC FanDome, including exciting new content on our new blog, the Daily Star, which kicks off with a welcoming note from Jim Lee himself. Also, follow the social channels below for frequent updates about participating cast members, creators, writers, artists and game developers you can expect to see.
In what is likely to become a norm for film production companies in light of all things COVID-19, Lionsgate has confirmed that both John Wick 4 & 5 sequel films will now be filming back to back next year.
In the company’s Earnings Call, the studio’s CEO John Feltheimer said:
“We’re also busy preparing scripts for the next two instalments of our John Wick action franchise, with John Wick 4 slated to hit theatres Memorial Day weekend 2022. We hope to shoot both John Wick 4 & 5 back to back when Keanu becomes available early next year.”
I can really see this being the new normal for major film franchises for a while to come if you can keep all the cast and crew in a protective bubble, it will be easier to maintain that and continue filming, much in the same way the Avengers: Infinity War and End Game were shot though before the pandemic took over the world. Keanu Reeves himself is no stranger to this style of filming as he did the same for The Matrix : Reloaded and Revelations films back in the early 2000’s.
I am really enjoying the diversity of DC Animated films coming from WB Animation, with the conclusion of their New 52 Animated Universe with Justice League Dark: Apokolips War they have really started to stretch out with stand alone stories Superman: Red Son and Wonder Woman: Bloodlines. But the most intriguing story so far has to be this, Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons whilst the character of Slade Wilson is a fan favourite it is interesting, they have gone for such an anti-hero who lives in a very grey area of morality. What was once a planned web-series has now been combined into a full feature length release.
The mature tone of the stand-alone stories from WB Animation releases is very much something of a refreshing style for more grown up DC Fans, and this is certainly not a story for a younger audience in what is perhaps the bloodiest and most violent DC animated film so far. Visually the art style does take some getting used to compared to previous titles, knowing it was originally planned as a series of web shorts, that never really leaves you as you watch it but I actually grew to like it by the end.
The story serves as both a Deathstroke stand-alone story but also an origin story for the character and the DC universe around him with associated characters introduced as well as his family. We being where it all really began for Slade Wilson, who volunteers for a secret Army program which turned out to be a medical program designed to create an augmented super soldier. Believing it was a failure, Slade went home with his wife Adeline and soon they have a child, Joseph where his family believe him to be a successful business man travelling the world making deals when in reality, the army’s experiment worked and that for the last ten years, Slade Wilson has been working as a mercenary for hire in Deathstroke. It is his secret life as Deathstroke that brings this story together, his lying to his family and the reality of what being a super soldier merc brings Slade’s world crashing down as the organisation H.I.V.E. try to recruit him but pay a price for his refusal as Slade easily takes down their operatives and defeats their leader ‘The Jackal’. Believing it all over, Slade returns to his family.
I actually quite like where the story from here, as ten years have passed and Slade is still living the lie and secretly still takes jobs as Deathstroke, dishing out death and justice according to his own morality code to extreme levels of violence and it is this code that makes Slade Wilson such an iconic antihero. He will kill many to complete his mission and used extreme tactics to take people out but we see him remove a dictator by installing a General instead but makes sure he knows if he does anything against the people, it will be his head taken next but also remembers to get paid for the work. We also see him take down a child slavery syndicate so it does blur the lines of hero and villain which makes Deathstroke such a brilliant character to see get his own outing in an animated film.
The story is pretty much about Slade having to face and deal with his past mistakes, H.I.V.E return ten years later and take his son Joseph who during the rescue, has his throat cut leading to his wife Adeline discovering the secret life Slade has been living as Deathstroke and it breaks up the family. We also learn that Slade also had an affair which led to another child he did not know about, a daughter who inherited his super soldier abilities of heightened strength, stamina and healing ability and Joseph, well he also gained abilities but on a very different level. The return of H.I.V.E and an enemy Slade believed he had killed forces him to confront his past, and try to save his family no matter the cost.
The animation is fluid throughout with tremendously brutal fight scenes and nice moments when the dialogue takes over from the action. Michael Chiklis voices Slade Wilson superbly, really embodying the dual nature of Slade but sadly the rest of the voice cast is a little weak at times, with more than a little wooden performance but not enough to spoil the story telling but just not enough to equal other recent animated DC films. The comic book visual style as I said takes some getting used to but it works and the film delivers enough of a good watch to make it worth sitting through the 87-minute run time. My main complaint is more in the quality of this as a Blu-Ray release as the menu is so basic with the lovely box art serving as the non-animated background and a DVD level of moving between standard disc menus. There is a single special feature of ‘Deathstroke: One Man Death Machine” which looks at the character In the comic books but then also has the producers from Arrow along with Manu Bennett who played the character in the ArrowVerse which just leaves you feeling this was simply taken from the Season 2 of Arrow boxset rather then created just for this animated release.
If you are a fan of DC animated films and of the character Deathstroke, Knights and Dragons delivers enough to make this a worthwhile purchase but it does lack in the overall presentation that previous WB Animated titles have had recently as well as no preview for what is next on the release list. As a fan of the character, this gave me what I hoped for but I am not sure the conscious effort to make him feel like more of a hero than a villain was really achieved, and I am kind of glad it did not!
Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons is out NOW on digital download and arrives August 17th on Blu-Ray and DVD.
As promised at the end of the first Cyberpunk 2077 ‘Night City Wire’ Special, a second has just been announced for Monday August 10th at 5pm BST:
Join us on Monday, August 10 at 6PM CEST, at https://t.co/y8iUIM0gBv for episode 2 of Night City Wire! This time we'll share details about lifepaths, show you the types of weapons you will be using in the game, and discuss Refused's transformation into SAMURAI! #Cyberpunk2077pic.twitter.com/n3LFFocbVI
From the Official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter we can see that we will get to a good look at the weapons players will be able to use in the game as well as possible lifepaths characters can journey down. Of course, we are quickly approaching September which is when Cyberpunk 2077 was scheduled to be released after its first delay but as know, it was delayed for a third time to November 19th….and with both PS5 and Xbox Series X still not having confirmed release dates, for me….this is still a good indication of when we can likely to see both next gen consoles release.
I am very intrigued to see what else we can learn about Cyberpunk 2077 and was very impressed with the first Night City Wire so Monday is definitely going to be one event not to miss for fans!
Sony surprised many with the pop up announcement of a new ‘State of Play’ earlier this week but again, they made sure to let people know that there would be no “Business or Hardware announcements for the PS5” as fans eagerly await three things to be finally revealed: Price, Pre-Order date and Release Date.
A new episode of State of Play begins tonight at 9pm BST / 10pm CEST: https://t.co/Tpc5z4pCIo
Tune in for news on upcoming PS4 & PS VR games, and some updates on third-party and indie games from June's PS5 showcase. (P.S. No PS5 hardware/business announcements!) pic.twitter.com/8cnaNAHLGa
Below you will find all the news and trailers from the event including my own final thoughts after it ends:
Crash Bandicoot 4: State of Play Trailer
Show opens up with a look at the new Crash Bandicoot 4, talking about new features and changes to cosmetics and visuals to the game with confirmation that the game will not have any Micro-transactions and that all un-lockables are achieved via gameplay. Crash 4 will have many playable characters and is looking to be the new game fans have been longing for!
HITMAN III – PSVR Mode
Now we have a first for the HITMAN Series, an entire PSVR Mode! Play the entire World of Assassination trilogy in VR when HITMAN 3 launches in January 2021
Braid: Anniversary Edition: Reveal Trailer
A full remake of the original Braid is announced with extra commentary from developers looking at the development process of the game and new animation and art style. Release date is early 2021.
The Pathless: PS5 Gameplay
A look at the stunning gameplay for The Pathless, showcasing the symbiotic relationship between you as the hunter and your pet eagle as you traverse the world together.
Spelunky 2: A Development Update
Developers give an update on Spelunky 2 including a new co-op mode and a focus on improving the game for original fans and more welcoming to new fans. Game is releasing September 15 2020 on PS4.
Genshin Impact: Gameplay Trailer
Open-world action RPG Genshin Impact officially comes to PlayStation®4 in Fall 2020. In the distant continent of Teyvat, the seven elements — Anemo, Pyro, Electro, Cryo, Dendro, and Geo — converge. Those chosen by the gods are granted Visions, with which they can control the elements in nature. You, a mysterious traveler, are about to embark on epic adventures in this free world. You will master the various elements throughout your journey, during which amazing friends with diverse abilities will join you along the way. Together, you will fight mighty enemies, find your lost kin, and unravel the riddles of the world of Genshin Impact.
AEON Must Die: World Premier Trailer
Aeon Must Die! Ignite the galaxy on PlayStation 4. Aeon, the dreaded Emperor of the unstoppable Void Armada, has been betrayed and left for dead by his generals. Weakened and without a body to exact his revenge, he desperately merges with you to escape. Travel across the futuristic city of Pantheon to destroy or subdue those who betrayed Aeon, while fighting for your mind, free will, and control of your body. Experience a unique beat-em-up introducing breakneck, risk-reward gameplay, innovative tactical fighting, and an RPG alignment system that tracks how you behave as a warrior.
Anno Mutationem: Reveal Trailer
ANNO: Mutationem is coming to PS4 December 2020. An action-adventure game with RPG elements set in a cyberpunk world, featuring a unique mix of pixelated 2D & 3D graphic style with a rich, dark and bizarre plot.
BugSnax: New PS5 Gameplay
From the minds behind Octodad: Dadliest Catch comes Bugsnax, a whimsical adventure game coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 holiday 2020.
Star Wars: Vader Immortal: PSVR Game!
Watch the exclusive launch trailer for at Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series from ILMxLAB, coming to PlayStation VR August 25th. Vader Immortal is a cinematic, interactive experience that lets you step inside a galaxy far, far away into the role of a smuggler operating near Mustafar, the fiery planet that Darth Vader calls home. You’ll find yourself in a grand adventure where you can hone your lightsaber skills, navigate dangers, and come face to face with Vader himself.
Control: Expansion 2 ‘AWE’ Trailer
As Director of the Federal Bureau of Control, Jesse Faden must enter the Investigations Sector and confront the creature lurking within this long-abandoned part of the Bureau. This threat has haunted the sector for years, waiting on the other side of the sealed Firebreak. In order to reclaim the Investigations Sector from its clutches, Jesse will need to explore the numerous Altered World Events investigated here, including one from the town of Bright Falls. AWE brings new story content and side missions as well as new weapons and mods to the world of Control. Launching on PS4 August 27, 2020
Auto Chess: Reveal Trailer
A brand new chess battler strategic competitive game.
The Pedestrian: Reveal Trailer
New Puzzle game The Pedestrian is coming to PS4 January 2021! Developed by Skookum Arts.
Hood: Outlaws and Legends: PS5 Reveal Trailer
Hood: Outlaws & Legends comes to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 in 2021. Visit http://www.hood-game.com for more info. We are all Outlaws… but some of us will become Legends. Faced with a merciless, unchecked state, rebels and rogues from every corner battle to claim their place among legends. To win influence with an oppressed people, rival gangs now compete in daring heists to hit the wealthy where it hurts. Folk hero or gold-hungry outlaw, only the best will escape with hard-earned riches. Gather your team of outlaws and attempt to steal treasure from an oppressive government in a dark and violent, medieval world. Two teams of players compete to execute the perfect heist, in environments patrolled by deadly AI guards. Utilise the unique skills and mystical abilities of each character, moving in stealth to steal treasures unseen or dominating through loud and brutal combat. Blood will be spilled. Riches will be stolen. Legends will be reborn.
Tentem: PS5 Reveal Trailer
Temtem, the Creature Collecting MMO is Coming to PS5 in 2021!Seek adventure in the lovely Airborne Archipelago alongside your Temtem squad. Catch every Temtem, battle other tamers, customize your character, join a friend’s adventure and explore the dynamic online world.
Godfall: New PS5 Gameplay Overview Trailer
Settle in for an extended look at combat in Godfall, a looter-slasher and brand new, fantasy IP coming to PS5 this holiday. Enjoy nine minutes of footage diving deep into the world of Aperion, the five weapon classes, complete movesets for Longswords and Dual Blades, and more, all running on PlayStation 5.
and shows over….
….My Final Thoughts
Honestly this was much more of a solid showcase event than I was expecting tonight, a nice blend of PS4 titles to look forward to and some fresh and new PS5 title gameplay. With the news this week that PSVR will work on PS5, the focus on some pretty good reveals tonight especially with a full PSVR Mode for the HITMAN Trilogy come early 2021 will no doubt have fans of PSVR happy to see it having a life well into 2021.
Opening with Crash Bandicoot 4 was brilliant and it is looking staggeringly good and love the confirmation of zero micro-transactions for all the lovely new cosmetics revealed in the trailer was a very lovely bonus and continuing all good feelings towards the game. Standouts for me has to be The Pathless with its gameplay, art style and musical score resonating with me as well as the stunning new beat em up AEON Must Die absolutely has my interest peaked.
Sneaking in the reveal trailer for Alan Wake DLC ‘Awe’ which serves as the second Expansion for CONTROL definitely went down well and it was very clever to give both updates to known PS5 titles but also reveal new titles such as Tentem and the curious Hoods: Outlaws and Legends gave the 40 minute event a nice solid pacing though I still just fail to get excited for Godfall.
I really cannot see what else is left for PlayStation to show now other than another State of Play this month that will finally give the PS5 price, pre-order and actual console release date and the frustration in the on going wait for them still builds but this was a good and solid showcase event.
It is very easy to forget how very different video games were just one console generation ago but especially when you go two generations back to the original Xbox console. Video Games were very arcade and often the most fun were the parody ones that took a little joke on a genre of entertainment. The one that stands out to me the most was Destroy all Humans, a game take both served as a tribute but also poked fun at the Cold War era alien invasion films and TV shows with a humour I had not really encountered before in a video game setting. Now in 2020 the game has had a bit of a fresh coat of paint for current gen consoles, and after playing the Summer Games Fest demo..I was very eager to step back into the space shoes of Crypto and get to probing!
It needs to be pointed out that this 2020 version of Destroy all Humans is a remake and not a straight up visual remaster job so it has had some things tweaked which I will get to a bit further on as well as bringing the visuals to current gen consoles. The strangest thing really does stick out like a sore thumb is that, well I played the original back in 2005 and I loved it then, but it does not really scream “Remake me” in the same way the Crash Bandicoot series or Spyro or even the most recently announced MAFIA remastered collection. Destroy all Humans was incredibly fun and overall silly parody game that is now 15 years old and only those who played it can really be both happy to see it back again and to really understand why.
The story begins with the infamous Roswell Crash, where Cryptosporidium 136 or Crypto 136 to his friends, was captured by American forces. His clone, Crypto 136 is instructed to come to Earth to find out what happened but also on another mission, to save his people as we learn that the entire Furon race is in trouble due to the defects now plaguing their cloning process and now needs a fresh source of pure Furon DNA which, following a visit to Earth which we will never talk about, human DNA also contains Furon DNA. With the Mothership setting course for our little marble in the galaxy, it sets the scene for what happens in the game.
Set in the 1950’s, ‘Destroy all Humans’ plays very much into the cold war era fear of little green men from Mars launching an invasion of Earth which you can see in every cheesy film and sci fi based TV show of the 50’s and 60’s. The humour is very much tongue in cheek about all things alien and humans being so untrustworthy of scientists and political leaders right down to the always classic Anal Probing jokes. Back in 2005, this game ticked so man boxes for me and I admit that I still find the same corny jokes and terrible dialogue funny even now 15 years later. Having recently played through such instant classic titles such as The Last of Us Part 2 and Ghost of Tsushima, it was a very welcome return to a very old school style of gameplay and this remake served as a fantastic reminder of how adventure games were not just last generation but two console generations ago.
The missions begin by teaching you how to use the variety of special powers Crypto has from his telepathic abilities such as mind reading to more fun powers such as Telekinesis. Soon we get to try out the awesome alien weapons such as the Zapomatic and Disintegrator ray guns and it was a lovely surprise to see that powers and weapons can now be combined together adding to even more chaos and mayhem. I love getting to fly the Saucer Craft and use its Death Ray to lay waste to buildings, vehicles and humans. That said, the missions are exactly how they are in 2005 and that they are objective based and can range from being very short simple objectives to being multistage ones interlaced with story cutscenes.
The objectives can also suffer from being instant failure so players are punished with being sent to the mothership should they fail to follow the rules of that level such as not being seen by humans of failing to complete an objective in the set time limit. It is as frustrating now in 2020 as it was originally in 2005 because it can be very harsh if you are trying to work out how to complete an objective in a short time limit and the game throws enemies such as the Army or the Men in Black known as MAJESTIC at you. I found the loading times of being sent back to the mother ship and then back into the mission very annoying, in a time when whole worlds can be made loading screen free, something as relatively simple as a level should allow you to just restart without having to see a few loading screens before you can try again.
You can free roam an area once unlocked, and these will allow you to basically go nuts and complete some challenges and for me this is probably where I had the most fun with the new gameplay mechanics such as combining powers and weapons, the new dash which is a welcome one when trying to break sight from the enemy so you can reapply the hologram disguise. I love using Crypto mental powers to force humans who spot me to forget that they have and reading the minds of random people can be fun until they start to repeat themselves oh and popping a brain stem with my mind will never get boring.
Visually the game does look much better now on current consoles than it originally did but it still feels like a retro game. The voice acting and dialogue of Crypto and Supreme Leader was a lovely bit of nostalgia as a player of the original game but the dialogue is also very cheesy along with the humour which may not work so well for a new generation of players in 2020. The humour plays heavily on the standard tropes of Alien Invasions with probing being a big focus of the comedy, especially when you get the Anal probe weapon and the animation along is worthy of a chuckle or too but it will be short lived.
Overall Destroy all humans is a fun arcade game which offers a very different experience from the big blockbuster games of 2020 but still offers more than enough to really get your money’s worth from the asking price. I do kind of hope for a possible sequel off the back of this remake and to really see what new fresh ideas can be used to make a truly 2020/21 version of Destroy all Humans. A definite purchase for fans of the original game, more of a “see you in the sales” for those unsure whether to dip in or not.
I had a great time with this which was enhanced due to having played the original, I also really liked the old school feel to the gameplay though after over a decade later, the mechanics feel more than just a little dated compared to more recent action games. The asking price does reflect this is a “would be fun to play” than a “must have right now” game. Playing the game does mean having to go back to a very old style of video game and its an adjustment that many may not be able to make but once you do get a chance to play this, you might just find yourself having more fun than you expected to.
Here is our review of the LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course.
Kids can team up with their favourite character in the real world with this LEGO® Super Mario™ Adventures with Mario Starter Course (71360). The set features a LEGO Mario™ figure that gives instant expressive responses via the LCD screens and speaker. Players earn virtual coins moving LEGO Mario from the Start Pipe to the Goal Pole via spinning and cloud platforms, the ? Block, and super battles with the Goomba and Bowser Jr. toy figures. Rearrange the bricks to create new levels to master.
What’s in the box?
The box contains 5 packs of LEGO and some simple initial instructions.
Building It
The in the box instructions give you enough detail to build the first set which is Mario himself. You need put in 2 AAA batteries and download the app. Once you have done that you need to sync Mario with your device and the app by pressing the Bluetooth button on his back.
The first thing that will then happen is that the app will update LEGO Mario – this took a few minutes to do so now would be a good time to sort the other bags of LEGO ready to build.
You can even see he is being updated by the image of a phone on his chest!
You can then step through the app to build each element. The app even shows a representation of the specific bag of LEGO to open and then walks you through step by step building it, even giving you the opportunity to have a 360 degree view to make sure you have built the thing correctly.
Now it’s time to play!
Final Thoughts
The starter kit comes with a lot of pieces to build and without the app you might have some problems (unless you like building LEGO without instructions). The app is actually brilliant, it tells you want pieces you need to build each section, with 360 degree views and then a little video at the end of each one showing what it can do.
The app also gives you tasks and challenges you can compete in, gives the ability to upload pictures of your creations and so much more. When you buy another set you can add it to the app very simply.
Building and playing with the LEGO Super Mario set was a lot of fun, certain pieces have a special bar code piece that the camera under Mario reads in order to activate sounds and visuals on him, including collecting coins and finishing a course. You can even make him go to sleep if you want.
Having a main LEGO piece that plays sounds and has visuals is a really great idea and a lot of fun to play with on it’s own.
And the great thing about any LEGO set is that you can build it however you want and play with it however you want. And that’s exactly what we did. We can’t wait to add more pieces into our growing world!
The set is aimed at ages 6 and over and contains 231 separate pieces and the LEGO code is 71360.
The LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course is available now priced £49.99 and is a so much fun – it’s the most immersed my almost 4 year old has been in anything so far (and it’s not even aimed at his age)!
To celebrate the release of Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons on digital download August 4th and DVD & Blu-Ray™ August 17th, we wanted to let you know a little more about one of DC’s lesser known characters.
Having appeared in comic books and TV series before, Deathstroke (AKA Slade Wilson) now appears front and centre in this new DC Animation, giving us a chance to see him in all his glory. Here are all the reasons we think he’s pretty awesome!
An Indestructible Soldier
One of the most extraordinary dimensions of Deathstroke are his remarkable abilities, which were given to him after he was chosen for a secret experiment where the army hoped to transform him into a super-soldier.
During the operation, the army imbued him with adrenaline serums, to enhance his brain activity. This left him with an incredible range of powers, notably accelerated healing meaning he can heal wounds in just minutes, making him the ultimate soldier.
In addition, Slade’s incredible new powers included: decelerated aging, toxic immunity, enhanced senses and superhuman agility, durability, speed, reflexes, stamina and strength.
A Knight in Shining Armour
Another reason why Deathstroke is slightly different from other DC supervillains, is his morality. Deathstroke’s job as an assassin is largely based around seeking revenge on those who have caused harm to others. Even though his actions cause death and destructions, he truly believes he is using his super-soldier strength for good and what he is doing is right, often acting as a “Knight in Shining Armour”.
Another example of Deathstroke’s morality and core values is shown in Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons, where he risks everything and pushes his body to the limits to save his son and keep his family together.
Deathstroke’s word is his bond, and you cannot get more genuine than that.
Badass Assassin
What more of a reason do you need to admire Deathstroke than the fact he is a straight up bad-ass assassin, never needing back up and always fighting solo. Despite his extra-ordinary body, Slade is also impressively talented in combat, after his training in the army, and is often called the “World’s Greatest Assassin”.
“Deathstroke is sometimes villain, sometimes anti-hero, and always deadly,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Senior Vice President.
His Armour Has a Meaning
Deathstroke’s armour was carefully thought out by original character designers George Pérez and Marv Wolfman. His orange and black colour scheme portrays his personality, with the two colours reflecting the differences between his lighter and darker sides – the difference between Slade and Deathstroke.
The dark side of the career but the morality of the man.
Mercenary and master assassin Slade Wilson leads two lives: one as the relentless killer known as Deathstroke, and the other as a dedicated family man.
Deathstroke: Knight & Dragons will be available on digital download August 4th and DVD & Blu-Ray™ August 17th.
The LEGO Group UK and Ireland and National Trust have teamed up to launch their first ever Young Explorer competition, inspiring kids across the UK to get creative in the outdoors this summer.
To coincide with National Play Day (5th August) and National Trust’s Play Week (running from the 3rd – 10th of August), budding explorers aged 12-and-under are being encouraged this summer to create the most imaginative and adventurous nature scenes – using LEGO Bricks, LEGO Minifigures and the great outdoors – to be in with a chance of winning the coveted prize. Once the scene is created, parents can submit their kid’s creative scenes on Facebook, along with a caption explaining the creative story behind the image, using the hashtag #LEGOYoungExplorer.
As more families than ever plan to have a stay-cation this year and enjoy the great British summer, the Young Explorer competition aims to inspire and empower families to get hands-on with nature and experience their very own play-cation.
But don’t fret if you don’t have access to sprawling fields, kids can get creative with their bricks wherever they want – in a plant pot on the windowsill, in the garden, local park or a National Trust place – nowhere is too small for a LEGO summer adventure.
The winner will be decided by a panel of expert judges, including celebrity farmer and nature expert JB Gill, LEGO Play Agent David Pallash, National Trust Play Specialist Anita Stevens and a young ambassador from the National Trust’s Museum of Childhood – with the creator behind the most imaginative and creative scene crowned the LEGO ‘Young Explorer’ for 2020/21. As well as securing this coveted title and their scene shared on the two brand’s social channels, the winner will also receive a plethora of prizes – including a year’s supply of LEGO sets, a free 12-month National Trust family membership and a bundle of National Trust story books!
JB Gill, LEGO Young Explorer Ambassador says, “The summer holidays should be filled with fun! That’s why a play-cation – whether that’s in your back garden, a local park or a National Trust place – is a brilliant excuse to grab some LEGO bricks, fire up your imagination and get creative in the great outdoors. As a farmer, a lover of the great outdoors and as a parent myself, I know just how important it is to explore nature as a family and there’s no better time than summer to do this.”
To inspire creativity, David Pallash, LEGO Play Agent has shared their top tips for getting creative with bricks in the outdoors this summer. Remember you don’t need lots of bricks, just lots of imagination!
Let your imagination run wild: Maybe it’s a purple spotted dragon flying over a daisy village or a bear vs kangaroo dance-off in your windowsill herb pots – there’s no limit when it comes to creativity! When you’re done creating, make sure you leave nature as you found it and take home your LEGO bricks, so you can play again and again.
Creative Colours: Think about all the different shades you find in nature; greens, blues, pinks and more, and incorporate as many as you can to ensure your scene is an explosion of colour
No garden, no problem: If you can’t access a field or forest to set up your scene, get creative in a plant pot or on a windowsill with the view as a backdrop for what you build…
Four Seasons: Just because it is summer doesn’t mean it has to be in your imagination – find some ice to make a snow scene or create a downpour using a watering-can!
National Trust Play Specialist Anita Stevens says: “Summer 2020 is set to look a little different to the norm, but that doesn’t mean families have to miss out on adventure. As it’s Play Week, we’ve joined forces with The LEGO Group to encourage families to explore nature, however big or small! The outdoors is waiting for you and the National Trust has lots of coast and countryside places for you to enjoy as a family.”
The Young Ultimate Explorer Competition – How to Take Part
Grab a camera, some LEGO bricks and Minifigures and fire up your imagination
Create the ultimate nature scene using Minifigures and LEGO bricks. Whether the scene is created on a windowsill, in the garden, a local park or a National Trust place, no location is too small for a LEGO adventure
Make sure they include your imaginative story alongside the post of your image telling us what you’ve built and what you imagine is happening in your scene – the more creative the better!
There’s been various games over the years that put players in control of monsters. Players have been able to take control of the likes of aliens such as Predators and Xenomorphs as they poked holes and ripped the spines off humans in gruesome fashion. Now there’s a new kid on the block with the arrival of Carrion and its carnivorous monster.
Multi-award-winning publisher and developer Wales Interactiveare proud to announce that survival-horror title Maid of Sker is now available on Steam, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Steeped in rich Welsh folklore, Maid of Sker draws players back to 1898 to venture through the notoriously macabre Sker Hotel. With multiple ways for your stay at Sker Hotel to come to an end, use your time wisely as you navigate the halls and grounds, employing no-weapon survival tactics, and relying on your ability in keeping quiet to keep breathing.
Richard Pring, Game Director said, “we’re proud to announce that Sker Hotel is now open for reservations. We hope guests take in the sights and sounds, and sample the litany of delights we have on offer for them – they’re set to have an unforgettable experience!”
Maid of Sker is out now Steam, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
