This new DLC will introduce a new side story culminating with a brand new boss fight against the frightening Hellfire Knight. As well as being able to tackle this new threat, players can access a new blood code, three new weapons and alternative partner costumes. Players will also be able to sink their teeth into new challenges awaiting in the Depths – The Fiery Oblivion – a new area packed with powerful enemies.
Future DLC’s will include more content to further your adventure, with DLC2 set for February and DLC3 coming in March.
Code Vein is available now for PS4, Xbox One and PC, Hellfire Knight DLC is out now and is included in the Season Pass at £19.99 or standalone for £7.99 from your platform’s digital store.
We review the Paperlike screen protector for the iPad Pro.
The iPad has become a real workhorse. Especially in combination with the Apple Pencil it’s a beast. Annotating drafts, taking notes and quick sketches have become a commodity. But it still doesn’t feel right… The Paperlike protector adds the missing last percent to perfection. Love your iPad even more!
What Else Do You Get?
Along with the Paperlike screen protector, you also get installation tools including cloths, wipes and stickers.
Final Thoughts
So if you have an iPad you really want to keep the screen protected from scratches, marks and other thinks that might ruin your screen.
The Paperlike is more than just a screen protector, its a screen protector that gives you a feel of writing on paper. So if you use your iPad for drawing, annotating, writing or anything else you are going to see some real benefits.
The Paperlike has a matte and anti-glare finish so its great for using in a multitude of different environments without an loss of quality on the screen.
The feeling you get when you run your finger over the Paperlike is different to what you usually feel with a screen protector. This is because of the Nanodots surface technology, microbeads distributed across the screen protector’s foil. The Nanodots make the Pencil vibrate just so slightly to make it feel like you write on a rough surface, like paper. Also, the display light shines around and through them, minimizing refractions.
Applying the Paperlike was very easy – there are some very helpful videos on their website and it only took a few moments to apply and looked great.
If you are in the market for a really good screen protector that gives you more than just protection then take a look, and feel of the Paperlike.
The Paperlike is available now priced at £28.76 and is available for various types of iPad.
Play solo or with a friend – Explore the charming and hilariously chaotic alien world of Journey to the Savage Planet on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and the Epic Games Store. Buy Now: https://savageplanetgame.com
Journey to the Savage Planet is an upbeat first-person adventure and exploration game set on a bright and colourful alien world.
As an employee of Kindred Aerospace, the “4th Best Interstellar Exploration Company,” explorers are dropped onto the uncharted planet AR-Y 26, a far-off rock filled with danger, mystery and many smelly alien creatures. Kindred’s explorers have high hopes, but little equipment and no real plan.
You’ll have to explore, fight, jump, scavenge, craft and explode your way across an uncharted world to determine if this strange planet is fit for human habitation.
To celebrate the release of Downton Abbey The Movie on DVD and Blu-ray, we are offering you the change to win a copy on Blu-ray.
Based on Carnival Films’ Emmy® award-winning television series, the feature DOWNTON ABBEY sees the original cast return, alongside a host of newcomers. The incredible ensemble cast has been applauded by critics as “a sumptuous and satisfying banquet of intrigue, scandal, humour and heartache” (Chris Hunneysett, Daily Mirror).
The film chronicles the Crawley family one year after the conclusion of the series, as they prepare for the most important moment of their lives: an impending visit from the Royal Family. Join the glitz, glamour and spectacle as the special visit unleashes scandal, romance and intrigue on the fan-favourite family and its staff members. Lauded as “full of glamour and British charm” (Danielle Southwood, Best) the film comes from the series screenwriter and producer Julian Fellowes, and producers Gareth Neameand Liz Trubridge.
How to enter to win
We have a Blu-ray copy to give away, simply enter below:
Respawn Entertainment continues to expand the deep narrative of Apex Legends with a new Stories from the Outlands that sheds light on the backstory of a new Legend about to enter the arena at World’s Edge. Today’s new Stories from the Outlands – Up Close and Personal will stun the world with an unexpected turn that impacts what players can expect in the upcoming season, Season 4 – Assimilation.
Fans have known about Jimmie “Forge” McCormick, the former Hyper Fighting Champion turned Apex Legend, but a mysterious assassin has him, and his sponsor Hammond Robotics, in his sights. Get a look at Forge and a glimpse of a new evil foe in the new Stories from the Outlands – Up Close and Personal trailer :
Apex Legends Season 4 – Assimilation – is arriving on February 4, ushering in the next major seasonal content expansion as part of the one-year anniversary celebration. Players can look forward to an array of new content including a new Legend, changes to World’s Edge, the Sentinel, a new a bolt-action sniper rifle and much more including loyalty rewards and a brand-new Battle Pass. In addition, Respawn recently announced Ranked Series 3 in a new blog post will include new six-week splits, a new Master Tier (featuring the top 500 players by platform) and more.
The excitement of EVO Japan was palpable all weekend as the best of the best fighting game competitors came together at EVO Japan for knock-down drag-out bouts of high-level fighting game action. This made for the perfect time to share updates pertaining to two of BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment’s premiere fighting game franchises, starting off with…
TEKKEN 7 dropped details about a new Developer Diary featuring a behind the scenes look at the development of two of the game’s most electrifying new characters, Leroy Smith (Wing Chun style) and Fahkumram (Muay Thai style).
The TEKKEN team also shared details about Game Update 3.2 which will be released on January 28, 2020.
TEKKEN 7 Game Update 3.2 will include a new feature called “My Replay & Tips” which will enable players to watch replays of their matches and receive tips for how to improve their performance as well as Gameplay balance adjustments
SOULCALIBUR VI will welcome a new swordsman to the stage of history with the addition of “Haohmaru” from SNK’s Samurai Showdown franchise. The SOULCALIBUR franchise is known for having awesome crossover appearances and the addition of Haohmaru and his stage-of-battle will surely fire up SOULCALIBUR VI players. Check out the first look at Haohmaru and his stage in a brand new gameplay trailer
Deep Silver and 4A Games have revealed more details for Sam’s Story, the second major story DLC for Metro Exodus, and confirmed that it will release on 11 February 2020.
Sam’s Story follows former US Marine Sam, a Spartan Ranger who has worked under Colonel Miller since the nuclear war devastated Moscow, and followed Artyom in search of a world outside of the Metro. Sam had long dreamed of returning to his homeland, and perhaps even finding his father alive. The prospect seemed impossible in the darkened tunnels of the Metro, but when the Spartans discovered that Moscow was not the only city left alive after the war, holding out hope didn’t feel so foolish anymore.
Sam, determined to find a way back to the USA, departed from the Aurora to make his way through Vladivostok’s tsunami ravaged harbours, ruined industrial buildings, and crumbling residential districts. However, to complete his journey, Sam will discover that he needs every tactic he has learned so far to survive, as his surroundings prove to be far trickier than expected.
In this expansive ‘sandbox survival’ level, players will experience another gripping story line featuring new characters, weapons and mutant variants, in a huge, non-linear environment that offers hours of gameplay.
Sam’s Story will be available to purchase on 11 February 2020 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Stadia – links will be available from launch at https://www.metrothegame.com/buynow. It is included in the Metro Exodus Expansion Pass, which also entitles holders to the acclaimed DLC, The Two Colonels, which was released in August 2019.
Be the first to learn more about Metro Exodus by registering for updates at MetroTheGame.com, and follow on Twitter and Instagram @MetroVideoGame or on Facebook.
The blokes and sheilas at Convict Games, a collection of ex Remedy devs, musicians and filmmakers have just announced their NAVGTR award nominated and acclaimed debut interactive story STONE is out now on Xbox One and Xbox One X for $14,99 USD / 14,99 € / 1,750 ¥ / £12,49 / $18,95 AUD. STONE was planned to be out before Christmas on Xbox, but the team at Convict decided to postpone to fix more bugs and get more polish in for players.
STONE is a stoner noir adventure story game that follows a loveable, koala private investigator as he pieces together his fragmented memory of the debaucherous night before. As if his morning couldn’t get any more stressful, Stone receives an ominous call threatening to upheave his entire life, just as he realizes his “chookie” Alex, a lorikeet raver and artist, is nowhere to be found.
STONE unfolds as an interactive adventure game story featuring an eccentric cast of anthropomorphic characters and absolutely no frustratingly flow-killing esoteric puzzles . As Stone stumbles through Oldtown, a place teeming with bars, clubs, theaters and more, players can take a “Hard-Ass” or “Soft Touch” approach while interrogating a menagerie of talking animals with bad attitudes and a deep repertoire of Australian slang as he tries to understand what the fuck happened last night.
“STONE is an interactive story I’ve always wanted to tell and play. I wrote, direct, programmed, funded and produced the entire project, and it feels incredibly liberating to break free and to release STONE completely independently.”said writer, director and Chief Convict Greg Louden of Convict Games.
Players can give Stone a much-needed break during his journey by engaging with side activities including dancing to brick-in-a-washing machine techno, drinking beer or cocktails, making beats, taking a smoke break and even watching some public domain classic films.
“STONE may not be for everyone, but we hope it’s wild, artistic nature, and Australian influences resonate with those craving a narrative unafraid to ‘go there,’”said Louden. “For STONE, we’ve been tapping into the influential works of counterculture icons including Charles Bukowski, Hunter S. Thompson and Thomas Pynchon, classic stoner noir films such as The Big Lebowski and Inherent Vice, and other narrative-driven games including Firewatch and Grim Fandango.”
Music is also a huge inspiration for the Convict Games team, and STONE’s heavily-curated soundtrack features licensed tracks from several upcoming indie artists around the world. Each song was chosen to reflect the myriad moods in STONE’s story and explores diverse genres such as hip-hop, stoner metal, techno, house and more.
Last but not least, STONE supports English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese subtitles on Xbox One and Xbox One X on launch.
The Xbox One version brings their Aussie stoner noir to Xbox players and special support for Xbox One X with higher resolution and more.
The new set traces the roots of the UK’s games industry to the very early 1980s and includes four stamps that chart the evolution of the iconic Tomb Raider game.
The full set of 12 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £14.25.
How to enter to win
We have 10 sets of the Classic Video Games Stamps from the Royal Mail to give away, to be in with a chance to win, simply enter below:
Prepare for an all-new heist in Persona 5 Royal based in the universe of the award-winning series, Persona! The Phantom Thieves are back in Persona 5 Royal for the PlayStation 4 on March 31, 2020 with a Phantom Thieves Edition, Launch Edition, and special digital bundles, all available for pre-order today.
Digital pre-orders will come with an original Persona 5 Royal theme as a bonus and all the original Persona 5 DLC will be free for all Persona 5 Royal players.
Join the Phantom Thieves with the Persona 5 Royal Launch Edition
Launch Edition – $59.99
Limited edition SteelBook case
Dynamic PS4™ theme code
Or, add even more style to the Phantom Thieves with these digital bundles:
Persona 5 Royal Ultimate Edition $99.99
Includes the game and all DLC bundles plus 6 additional costume packs
Persona 5 Royal Deluxe Edition $69.99
Includes the game and the “Persona 5 Royal Kasumi Costume Bundle”
Persona 5 Royal DLC Bundles will be available for purchase, separately:
Kasumi Costume Bundle – $14.99
Battle Bundle – $9.99
Persona Bundle – $9.99
DLC Bundle – $59.99
Persona 5 Royal will release on March 31st 2020 for PlayStation 4.
Visit the official site and sign up for the Persona newsletter to get the most up-to-date information about Persona 5 Royal and other Persona series titles: http://atlus.com/P5R.
So far, no episode has managed to capture the same fresh and big ideas as the opening two-part ‘SpyFall’ which saw the return of The Master who claimed to be responsible for raising Gallefrey to the ground because he learned the lie that the Time Lords was founded on. Since then it has been rather dull episodes which sadly reflected far too much of the failings of Series 11 though last week’s ‘Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror’ was an enjoyable adventure. In the last few days however, social media for Doctor Who has been teasing that tonight’s episode could well hold a bigger surprise than The Master’s return, well…why else would the Judoon be in Gloucester!
What better way to mark the halfway point of Series 12 than by having The Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham race back to Earth in order to prevent The Judoon from doing too much damage to the cathedral city. We have not seen this fan favourite alien for a rather long time and was a nice surprise to see them teased in the Series 12 trailer but who are they looking for, and what did they do to incur the wrath of the Judoon?
One thing is very clear about tonight’s episode is that if Chris Chibnall name is credited as the writer, this time teaming with Vinay Patel, that the episode is going to be not just big, but series and show defining big. The tease that this episode was going to be bigger than the return of The Master was definitely not wrong and it was all hidden behind the illusion of a standard but fun Doctor Who story. I do have to start by saying that if the mundane nature of the last two episodes were all part of a cleverly conceived plan to misdirect the audience, than it certainly worked on me.
The episode begins by introducing us to Ruth Clayton on a typical Monday but its her Birthday, as she leaver for work as a Tour Guide for Gloucester Cathedral who appears to have a faily normal life. Ruth is married to Lee who comes across as a bit of a waste of space who seemed to even struggle to get the one thing Ruth had asked for on her birthday, a cake, right. We then see what a usual day for Ruth would be trying to offer her services to tourists who are not interested and goes to get a coffee from the local coffee shop with a server who clearly has romantic intentions for Ruth and claims that her husband Lee is up to no good, even has a file on him which is a little stalker behaviour but Ruth has a good humour about it.
The action then steps up as we then switch to view of a Judoon ship in orbit above Earth, tracking someone on the planet, the Captain then teleports squads of Judoon troops to areas around the city, scanning everyone for the person they are looking for. An old woman who was talking to Ruth earlier, argues and attempts to run but is destroyed by the Judoon shield around the city.
As this unfolds we find The Doctor on board the TARDIS, looking over the main console as Team TARDIS sit watching her noting that the Doctor is oblivious to their presence. It has been referenced how different the Doctor has been behaving ever since the revelations of Spyfall but this story goes further as we have Team TARDIS explaining that The Doctor seems distracted in her quiet moments, even learning that she often drops Team TARDIS back home and then returns to the ruins of Gallifrey alone. When questioned the Doctor is angry, even snapping at Yaz, Graham and Ryan. The Doctor is keeping a lot of things secret from them and they are starting to notice which is a nice clap-back to Series 11, something that I questioned in my reviews that Chibnall’s need to ignore old Who meant The Doctor had not explained who she was to her new companions….though I am still waiting for the 13th Doctor to have actual companions by name and not Team TARDIS>
There are a lot of themes running through this episode with more reveals about the impact Spyfall had on The Doctor to the almost playful nature of featuring fan favourite Judoon make their return. The writing and overall pacing of this episode is absolutely spot on with every scene and moment delicately placed in order to keep the big moments a surprise for everyone. So much happens in this one episode that it genuinely felt like a mid-series finale and I was half expecting to see a “To be Continued later in 2020” as the episode wrapped up. Spyfall needed two episodes to tell it’s story but so much happens in this that it really is mind boggling how the two very different story arcs managed to blend together without feeling rushed, something that Chibnall has gotten a lot better at now “Old Who” is no longer off limits to him.
The first huge surprise was the return of another fan favourite and one that I honestly had not seen coming at all so credit goes to all those at the BBC and Doctor Who production team who managed to keep this a complete secret from fans. That surprise was the return of Captain Jack Harkness who is trying to contact The Doctor, not knowing that The Doctor has regenerated ooh a couple of times since he last interacted with the 10th Doctor. On board a ship that he has stolen, he is using a teleport scoop to try and bring The Doctor to him but due to the protective shield the Judoon have put around the city, he first mistakenly grabs Graham, believing him to be the Doctor before later in the story attempting again and only pulling Yaz and Ryan to his ship. This feels slightly silly but is great fun seeing the same cheesiness of classic Jack interacting with Team TARDIS allowing for some funny moments, it also gave the story the excuse of removing Team TARDIS from the action so it could focus on The Doctor, so though again their roles were rather minor, it is great to have Jack back.
By back I do mean this does have the feeling that this is not the last time we might see Captain Jack this series, his final message he urged Team TARDIS to give The Doctor before he had to make his own escape, was both a message and a warning, “beware the lone Cyberman” which for fans could mean the threat of their return. Of course Ryan, Yaz and Graham have no clue who or what the Cybermen are but before Jack promises he will return when The Doctor needs him most, he tells them that they are a fallen empire but could return if The Doctor fails to heed his warning.
The rest of the story focuses on this fugitive that the Judoon have been contracted to find which brings Ruth and Lee back into the mix. Once again the writing is very clever and full of misdirection as its hinted that Lee is the fugitive when the woman who contracted the Judoon called Gat arrives on the scene and toys with him about his stupidity in having a keepsake that enabled him to be tracked down finally. Gat refers to him as “companion” which instantly gave me the notion that perhaps the fugitive, was a version of The Master, which going by what happens next I feel I can be forgiven for as a final text from Lee to Ruth triggers something in her that despite being surrounded by a squad of Judoon and their Captain, she is able to disarm the Captain with relative ease, alerting The Doctor and setting into motion a chain of events that will change everything we thought we knew about Doctor Who.
I had first thought that Chris Chibnall had gone big in Spyfall, for the first time he had not only used “Old Who” but was actually going to be taking steps to have his own spin on Doctor Who lore by not only bringing back The Master as a foe for the 13th Doctor but also in pretty much, destroying Gallifrey with The Master claiming responsibility after discovering what he thought was the lie that Time Lord civilisation was founded on. But I could never have imagined just where that story arc would lead and it is fair to say, Chibnall has gone beyond big with his series 12 plans.
What is revealed is that Ruth is indeed the fugitive, but not The Master as I first suspected, but in an outstanding performance by both Jodie Whittaker and Jo Martin as Ruth but also…The Doctor. That is right, we now have two Doctor’s with neither remembering the other but thanks to the 13th Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver, confirmed that they are the same Time Lord. This new Doctor has no memory of the 13th, suggesting that our Doctor is from her future but our Doctor has no memory of this “Past” Doctor nor of Gat, a Gallifreyan who for some reason is hunting down this other Doctor. Both Doctors have similarities and mannerisms, even saying the same things at the same time, but Jodie and Jo are so amazing at making them feel very different but believable.
The story ends with this mysterious Doctor leaving The Doctor back at her TARDIS and going on her way, leaving nothing but questions for her and us as the audience and this is all before Team TARDIS finally deliver Captain Jack’s message of another threat in the Cybermen. These really are some of my favourite moments for the 13th Doctor and my request from Series 11 that Jodie be giving some real meaty Doctor Who material to work with has finally come true. I have no idea where this is all possibly leading but it feels huge and whilst I do not feel that Chibnall has earned the right to play with the very fundamental nature of Doctor Who lore, the way in which he is dropping in these huge moments is very impressive. I still feel it would be nice if his focus was not just on delivering his own episodes with such impact but in making sure the other episodes have the same tone if not groundbreaking story elements but just in keeping the same freshness rather then letting the problems with series 11 episodes creep in.
But Series 12 is huge, it is certainly doing far more in this half series point than most of Peter Capaldi’s early series as the 12th Doctor but also that right now, I have no idea what to expect going forward and I like this feeling. Having a big series story arc to work to allows for the episodes to have such moments as tonight making any episode a must watch…as long as Chris Chibnall is credited as the writer though it appears. Series 12 is doing brave things, things which some life long fans might struggle to accept right now because they are massive but having Gallifrey and Time Lords once again the focus of a series story arc is exciting but at the same time rather scary.
Hoping the momentum is kept going into next week’s episode rather than the complete dropping of the ball following Spyfall but what we saw tonight opens so many possibilities, now to see if Chris Chibnall has his eyes on more than just his episodes!
Royal Mail have released a set of 12 stamps that celebrate the UK’s contribution to video games.
The new set traces the roots of the UK’s games industry to the very early 1980s and includes four stamps that chart the evolution of the iconic Tomb Raider® game.
The Tomb Raider® franchise has sold over 74 million copies worldwide. The franchise’s popularity has exploded into a series of blockbuster films based on the original Tomb Raider® game and 2013 reboot. Its protagonist Lara Croft has been a contemporary global icon for over two decades. The most recent release in the world-famous franchise, Shadow of the Tomb Raider™, is the remarkable conclusion to Lara Croft’s origin story
Since her first appearance in 1996 in the original Tomb Raider from Core® Design, Lara Croft has trekked more than 25 countries and revolutionised the way the gaming community perceives lead characters in video games. Lara is an intrepid, empowered adventurer who must rely on her skills and intelligence not only to unravel ancient mysteries but also to survive in the most treacherous environments.
Eight further games complete the set: Elite; Dizzy; Populous; Lemmings; Micro Machines; Sensible Soccer; WipeOut and Worms.
Elite (1984) – was a pioneering space-trading game originally made for BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. Made by Cambridge based duo, David Braben and Ian Bell, the game is legendary and arguably changed the face of computer gaming. Using a tiny amount of memory, this was the first genuine 3D game where players navigated a spaceship through galaxies. It is regularly listed among the most important video games ever created.
Dizzy (1987) – was devised and created by the Oliver twins and published by Codemasters. It went on to become one of the most successful British game franchises of the era. Originally created for the Amstrad CPC, it quickly converted to ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and other computers and consoles. The game’s main character is an adventuring egg that runs and tumbles around a fantasy world solving puzzles by collecting interesting objects.
Populous (1989) – was the first civilisation building game and one of the most successful games for PC ever produced. A real-time strategy game, it has won numerous awards and has been voted among one of the most important games of all time. It was created by Bullfrog Productions.
Lemmings (1991) – was created by Dundee based DMA, and was one of the best received games of the 1990s. The objective is to save lemmings, and apply abilities to individuals to aid their escape.
Micro Machines (1991) – a ground-breaking race game developed by Codemasters, where players race miniature toy vehicles. Influential and immensely popular; the game is regarded as a classic.
Sensible Soccer (1992) – is considered by many to be the father of digital football games, and still retains a following. It was listed as one of the 10 most important video games of all time by a committee of US games experts.
WipeOut (1995) – was developed in Liverpool by Sony’s Psygnosis studio. WipeOut was a revolutionary futuristic racing game for the new PlayStation that became a cult hit. It featured original music by Orbital and The Chemical Brothers.
Worms (1995) – was published by Team 17 and featured cartoon-style warfare between worms. The series went on to become an international success story, helping Wakefield-based, Team 17, to become a leading international games publisher.
Philip Parker, Royal Mail said: “The UK has been at the forefront of the video games industry for decades. In the 1980s and 90s young designers grappled with coding on the new microcomputers and set the template for the industry with iconic games. We celebrate some of their landmark creations on stamps.”
Dr Jo Twist, OBE, CEO of Ukie, said: “This collection celebrates a selection of the great British video games that have helped define both the national and global development scene over decades. Video games are a key part of our cultural footprint and we’re pleased to see their contribution recognised in such memorable style.”
The full set of 12 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £14.25.
The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now at www.royalmail.com/videogames and by phone on 03457 641 641.
Keyblade wielders can jump back into their epic journey with Sora and friends as the Re Mind DLC for the award-winning RPG, KINGDOM HEARTS III, is now available via digital download on the PlayStation 4.
In Re Mind, players who have completed KINGDOM HEARTS III can journey through a new playable episode with Sora as he experiences battles through his friends’ perspective and uncovers new truths along the way. Players can also take on multiple powerful boss battles, including 13 boss battles in the Limitcut episode and a boss battle in the Secret Episode, experience the new Data Greeting mode, and try the slideshow features and a new “Premium Menu” mode that includes diverse difficulty settings and gameplay challenges.
SQUARE ENIX also teased details of all-new KINGDOM HEARTS content coming to mobile devices. An original story, centered around the mysterious Young Xehanort, is now in development. More information will be available on the official Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ProjectXehanort
The KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind DLC package is available now for the PlayStation®4 system for $29.99. The KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind + Concert Video package, which includes all KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind content as well as footage from the KINGDOM HEARTS – World of Tres – Orchestra concert recorded in Osaka, Japan on Nov. 30, 2019 is available for $39.99.
The KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind DLC will be available for the Xbox One family of devices on Feb. 25, 2020.
