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Voice Actors announced for “Master of Orion”

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

-

Feb 18, 2016

Voice Actors announced for “Master of Orion”

WG Labs is raising the curtain with specific details about the Master of Orion voiceover cast. In addition to AAA graphics and updated gameplay, the renowned 4X strategy game delivers an amazing voice cast comprised of legendary actors from science fiction, horror and video games. This carefully selected ensemble of talented performers has been recruited to bring the iconic aliens, robots and celestial entities from Master of Orion to life. Early access to Master of Orion and this impressive celebrity lineup becomes available on 26th February with the purchase of the Collector’s Edition.

“The original Master of Orion captured the hearts of gamers with solid gameplay and a rich, diverse universe where every choice makes a difference,” stated Chris Keeling, Director of Product Vision at WG Labs. “Having some of the most iconic science fiction, horror and video game voice talent lending their skills to the game only helps us realize this amazing universe in even more exciting ways.”

Headlining the cast is Mark Hamill (Star Wars Saga) in addition to Alan Tudyk (Firefly), Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Kat Cressida (Haunted Mansion), John de Lancie (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street), John Kassir (Tales from the Crypt), Dwight Schultz (Babylon 5), Nolan North (Uncharted series) and Troy Baker (The Last of Us) among many others.

Even more exciting, explorers will be able to get a head-start on mastering Orion with Early Access by purchasing the Collector’s Edition of Master of Orion on 26th February via Steam and GOG.com, retailing at €45.99. The Master of Orion Collector’s Edition purchase points can be accessed at the www.masteroforion.eu

Included in this version are the first three legendary Master of Orion titles, retro pixel ship skins, a beautifully detailed digital art book, modernized orchestral soundtrack by the original composer of the Master of Orion series and an exclusive new race only available in the Collector’s Edition: the Terran Khanate.

The full Master of Orion voice over cast list in alphabetical order is below:

Troy Baker: Klackon Advisor, Psilon Emperor
J.B. Blanc: Bulrathi Advisor, Meklar Advisor, Meklar Emperor
Kat Cressida: Mrrshan Empress
John de Lancie: Human Emperor
Michael Dorn: Narrator
Robert Englund: Terran Emperor
Nika Futterman: Darlok Advisor, Mrrshan Advisor
Jean Gilpin: Klackon Emperor
Mark Hamill: Alkari Emperor
John Kassir: Alkari Advisor
Misty Lee:, Silicoid Advisor
Sumalee Montano: Terran Advisor
Nolan North: Darlok Emperor, Sakkra Emperor
Dwight Schultz: GNN Anchor
Roger Craig Smith: Sakkra Advisor
Fred Tatasciore: Bulrathi Emperor, Silicoid Emperor
Alan Tudyk: Psilon Advisor
Kari Wahlgren: Human Advisor, GNN Anchor

Pure presents the Evoke,C-D4,C-D6 and C-F6 models

Chris Hare

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Feb 18, 2016

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Pure presents the Evoke,C-D4,C-D6 and C-F6 models

Today Pure has presents a family of three all-in-one high-quality music systems, the Evoke C-D4, C-D6 and C-F6 first shown last year at IFA in Berlin. Each model, available in a sleek walnut finish comes with digital and FM radio, Bluetooth for wireless streaming and CD playback as standard.

The flagship model, the Evoke C-F6 also adds Internet radio, Spotify Connect and a large full colour display.

The new Evoke all-in-one range comes with an advanced amplifier design and has been hand-tuned for a first-class audio experience. Each model benefits from a large and easy to read display and has been designed to be a statement piece within any home.

Chris Moseley, Pure’s head of marketing, says: “We developed the new Evoke range of all-in-one music systems to cater for the whole family whether they want to listen to CD, radio or stream their playlists wirelessly. Each model has room-filling sound and has been designed to look fantastic in the home with a suitably stylish finish. This range reflects both our engineering and design expertise; we know our customers will love this extension to the iconic Evoke brand.”

Evoke C-D4 (SRP £199.99)

The Evoke C-D4 delivers a compact but substantial all-in-one audio experience thanks to clever speaker positioning and advanced DSP optimisation, which maximises the possible volume output.

Specially developed ‘Room EQ’ settings optimise the listening experience. Audio can be tailored for listening directly in front of the unit, or can be changed for when a user moves around a room.

Product features: Digital and FM radio, CD playback, Bluetooth, remote control, 20 presets and two alarms.

Evoke C-D6 (SRP £249.99)

The Evoke C-D6 packs a punch thanks to its acoustically matched stereo speakers, which deliver clarity and ample volume making it an ideal room-filling audio system. It features multiple user EQ settings and two independent ‘Room EQ’ modes to tailor the sound to the room.

Product features: Digital and FM radio, CD, Bluetooth, remote control, 20 presets, and two alarms.

Evoke C-F6 (SRP £349.99)

The Evoke C-F6 is Pure’s ultimate all-in-one music system with more than 25,000 global Internet radio stations at the press of a button, easy access to Spotify via Spotify Connect and Bluetooth, all delivered in luxurious stereo sound.

Product features: Digital, FM and Internet Radio, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth. Integrated, 2.8” TFT colour screen, stereo speakers and remote control for ease of use.

Benefitting from Pure’s heritage of British design and engineering, the Evoke C range is digital tick approved, with three years warranty as standard.

The new range is available from John Lewis. For more information, please visit www.pure.com.

Fingers crossed I will try and gets at least one of the new Evolve into review.

Review: Rocket League for Xbox One

Sean McCarthy

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Feb 18, 2016

0

Back in the summer of 2015 a game was released that just blew PlayStation 4 players away and started a craze that just took console gaming by storm. It was a simple idea, rocket-propelled cars on a pitch trying to smack a huge metal football into the opponent’s goal. It was chaos and mayhem with nitro and more competitive than days of old using jumpers for goal posts in the local park for a kick about. The day Xbox One gamers have long been waiting for has finally arrived. Rocket League has released on Xbox!

I was pleasantly surprised when Rocket League was made available as a free title thanks to PlayStation Plus in July 2015. I was not aware of it until then but after a few matches I was hooked, it was the video game version of the car football I found so entertaining when used on Top Gear but now I was playing it. It has been a solid seven months since the PS4 release and the patience of Xbox users has been rewarded with the launch on Xbox One. I was intrigued to see how it would port across and how developer Pysonix would make it up for the long wait.

For the asking price of £15.99, same price as on PSN, Xbox One players are getting quite a bit more than just the base game as all the DLC, bar the Back to the Future Delorian pack, is included as well. To make the pot just a little more sweet, some exclusive Xbox themed content has been created as well. This makes the Xbox One version of Rocket League the most complete version to date. Not a bad way to make up for the wait really.

Pleased to say that the transition into Xbox One is a very smooth and consistent one with lessons clearly learned during its time PS4 and PC. For those looking to practice skills offline the comprehensive Season mode makes for a great training option. In season mode you will face off against teams of bots in a typical league structure. Win enough games and you will go into the playoffs before battling for the Championship. The length of the season can be Determined by the player and can be a short run of nine weeks or up to thirty-nine weeks. The difficulty of the AI bots can selected as can the size of the team. This is the best way to practice the skills needed before going into the competitive online and you can start to unlock achievements and the customisation items.

Customisation is a big part of Rocket League and there are a huge number of cosmetic options now thanks to the inclusion of the three extra DLC packs available. The body of your car, its tires, jet trail and paint style are just the start of how you can personalise your car. For Xbox it includes the HALO Warthog and the Gears of War Armadillo as seen above, unlocked as after I completed a full season offline. You can even have a Sunset Overdrive inspired rocket trail made of Overcharge. The freedom to really personalise how your car looks is helped by how readily these items unlock.

Once you have practice offline, personalised your car how you like it is time to venture online and that is where Rocket League takes off. It takes seconds to find a match online with a matchmaking system that will search for available matches from Europe and the US, finding a match best suited to your skill level and regional location. You can choose the type of match just as you can in Season mode by selecting the team size. Going in solo will put in with other players very quickly and match turn around is fluid and fast. But the real power of Rocket League is in teaming up with friends online and that is for me the most fun you can have. It is rather joyous when in the thick of the action you make that vital save off the line, set up a friend to score or my own personal favourite, holding on to boost so your picks up enough speed to demolish an opponent resulting in a dust cloud spelling out BOOM!

The closeness of some matches can be nail-biting as you look to defend your lead or fight for that late winner as the match clock timer counts down the final seconds. There is a real satisfaction in having a fun match that winning or losing almost becomes unimportant. Luck really is as much a part of the gameplay as skill with some very fluke goals being scored from at times simply ridiculous angles as cars smash together sending the ball towards a goal with no chance of stopping it. This can lead to frustrating moments especially if you or one of your team scores an own goal or mistakenly sets up the opposing team score opportunity. Whilst playing solo you will encounter players who only want to score so will charge and boost around the pitch with no real thought to teamwork or strategy. The niggles are there as in any competitive mode requiring some amount of teamwork but the fun often outshines those problems and for every poor match I had I would then have three great ones.

Rocket League for Xbox One is a highly polished and potent version of the game that has retained all the gameplay that makes this game such a smash hit online experience. Whether just playing as a single player or teaming up with friends, Rocket League delivers a high-octane highly rewarding gameplay experience. Sadly for the £15.99 price tag that comes with the most included content for a version of the game yet, it does not have the same cross-platform feature that the PS4 and PC versions enjoy with concurrent plans to change this.

If you have already played Rocket League on other platforms you will easily get into the action instinctively. If you are playing for the first time you will soon be swept up in just what makes Rocket League a stand out online experience.

Ubisoft shows off Stone crafted PS4 and more for Far Cry Primal

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Feb 18, 2016

0

Ubisoft shows off Stone crafted PS4 and more for Far Cry Primal

Ubisoft has released a range of stunning photos of a hand-crafted Sony PlayStation 4 and DUAL SHOCK 4 controllers, to mark the upcoming launch of Far Cry Primal on 23rd February.

Working free-hand, accredited master carver and stone mason, Nick Roberson, was commissioned to intricately replicate these items from stone, to showcase the Stone Age era that the franchise moves to in the latest instalment.

In addition to the PS4 console and controllers, Nick Roberson was also commissioned to craft an entire gaming den from hand-carved finest Fletcher Band sandstone. The den was also kitted out with a stone television, pizza box, beer can and an impressive carved coffee table.

The result is a stunning image of a prehistoric take on the contemporary items of today, as regularly seen in modern gaming pads across the country.

“This project was undertaken to highlight the vast landscape and rich setting of the Stone Age era in Far Cry Primal,” comments Tom Goldberger, Senior PR Manager at Ubisoft. “Nick has managed to immortalize, in stone, the beautiful, elegant designs of these iconic items with unbelievable accuracy.

Stonemason, Nick Roberson, who has over 20 years of experience, which has seen him take on commissions for Hollywood movies, comments on his involvement on creating the man cave; “This project was a great challenge for me and I really enjoyed seeing the modern and techy items come together in this natural form. The buttons of the controllers were certainly tricky but I’m delighted with the final results and the fantastic way they’ve been collated for the shoot.”

Far Cry Primal is available to own on 23rd February on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and will be available on Windows PC on 1st March, 2016.

Linksys announces the Wireless AC1900 MU-MIMO Router

Chris Hare

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Feb 18, 2016

0

Linksys announces the Wireless AC1900 MU-MIMO Router

Linksys, has today announced the availability of its Linksys Max-Stream AC1900 MU-MIMO Gigabit Wi-Fi Router (EA7500). The new Linksys AC1900 MU-MIMO router leverages the 802.11ac Wave 2 MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output) technology, which helps ensure uninterrupted Wi-Fi connectivity to multiple devices in the home and functions as if multiple devices have their own dedicated router. With MU-MIMO, the whole household can enjoy 4K and HD TV streaming to multiple devices as well as play video games, listen to music, check email, shop, and more – all at the same time.

Perfect for families with multiple users with their own streaming devices, the Max-Stream AC1900 leverages MU-MIMO functionality which helps make Wi-Fi networks more efficient when delivering high bandwidth 4K streams to multiple devices at the same time. Market research firm DisplaySearch/IHS recently reported shipments of 4K Ultra HDTVs reached 6 million in North America in 2015 and forecasts to double to 12 Million in 2016.

“If you have or are planning to purchase a 4K TV you will need a Max-Stream router to ensure you have a seamless 4K online streaming experience,” said Justin Doucette, director product management, Linksys. “A single stream of 4K content takes a minimum of 20 Mbps to maintain a consistent stream, and when you combine that with multiple streams plus normal Wi-Fi use from gaming, internet surfing, IoT connectivity and music streaming, it adds up fast. Max-Stream will enable multiple streams of Wi-Fi to occur so users can have the ultimate 4K and networking experience.”

The Next-Gen Max-Stream AC1900 can provide users with combined speeds up to 1.9 Gbps and the range they need to connect all their devices in the home at the same time. Also included is Smart Wi-Fi technology which makes it easy to set up and control your home Wi-Fi from anywhere using the Smart Wi-Fi app on your mobile device.

The EA7500 features:

Next-Gen AC Wi-Fi – 802.11ac Wave 2 with MU-MIMO Technology for uninterrupted Wi-Fi connections to multiple devices at the same time
Qualcomm IPQ 1.4GHz Dual Core Processor
Dual-band AC1900 Wireless speeds up to 1300 Mbps 5 GHz + 600 Mbps 2.4GHz, which is a combined speed up to 1.9 Gbps
Four Gigabit LAN Ethernet ports One Gigabit WAN for wired speeds up to 10x faster than fast Ethernet
One USB 3.0 and One USB 2.0 ports for connecting printers, storage and more
Three external and adjustable antennas for maximum coverage
Manage and monitor your network and easily control Wi-Fi devices remotely on a smart phone with the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi app
Advanced WPA/WPA2 encryption and SPI firewall helps keep the network safe

The Linksys Max-Stream AC1900 MU-MIMO Gigabit Wi-Fi Router (EA7500) will be available from 24th February for £149.99.

Call of Duty Championship: First Series of Challenge Division Events Announced

Chris Hare

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Feb 17, 2016

0

Call of Duty Championship: First Series of Challenge Division Events Announced

Whether it’s at home with your friends, online with players around the world, or centre stage at the Call of Duty Championship—competition is part of Call of Duty’s DNA. This year with the start of the Call of Duty World League, Activision set out to take Call of Duty eSports to the next level with year-round competition, world-class online broadcasts, and a massive $3 million prize pool. However, we knew that the Call of Duty World League needed to be about more than just the pros—it needed to give fans and amateur players around the world a chance to compete at the highest level, which is why we’re excited announce the first series of events in the Call of Duty World League Challenge Division.

The Challenge Division will offer amateur players outside of the Pro Division a path to the Call of Duty Championship. At the end of the season, based on performance through the year, 80 teams worldwide will be invited to the Championship Qualifiers. In addition to the Call of Duty Championship Qualifiers, top performing teams in Challenge Division events in February and March can make it to the Stage 1 Relegation tournament, where they can take on Pro Division teams and earn their place in the CWL Pro Division and maybe their own guaranteed spot in the Call of Duty Championships.

With so much at stake, now is the time to sign-up for the first three European online events, each with $5,000 prize pools. All teams are welcome to compete, with players competing for World League points and their shot at the Call of Duty Championship:

In addition to the online tournaments, Europe will host its first live event ‘EGL Open’ at the Truman Brewery in London on the 5th & 6th March, with $25,000 in prize money and World League points up for grabs for competing teams.<

Rocket League is now out for Xbox One

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Feb 17, 2016

0

Xbox One owners are you ready as Psyonix, has announced today that its “soccer-meets-driving”, Rocket League, is now available on Xbox One for £15.99/$19.99.

Made possible by the ID(at)Xbox self-publishing program and co-developed by the talented team at Panic Button Games, the new Xbox One version of Rocket League is fully optimized for the all-in-one system with several high-value content upgrades already built-in; including two Xbox One-exclusive Battle-Cars: the Halo “HogSticker,” an alternate version of the famous Warthog Force Application Vehicle, and the Gears of War “Armadillo,” an Armoured Personnel Carrier.

For the equivalent price of the PS4 and PC versions, the Xbox One version also comes bundled with three previously-released DLC packs – Supersonic Fury, Revenge of the Battle-Cars, and Chaos Run – at no additional charge. Xbox One-exclusive Garage items based on Insomniac Games’ Sunset Overdrive and supplementary Halo and Gears of War-inspired wheels, antennas, and more, are also included.

The full list of Xbox One Rocket League exclusives include:

Battle-Cars

Exclusive Halo “HogSticker,” an alternate version of the Warthog
Exclusive Gears of War “Armadillo,” the famed Armored Personnel Carrier

Wheels

Gears of War – Armadillo
Gears of War – COG
Halo – Puma

Antennas

Gears of War – COG Symbol
Gears of War – COG Tag
Gears of War – Locust
Halo – Guilty Spark
Halo – Insurrection Rebels
Halo – New Mombasa Cavaliers
Halo – Swords of Sanghelios
Sunset Overdrive – Fizzie

Rocket Trails

Gears of War – Imulsion
Sunset Overdrive – OverCharge

Review: I am Bread

phillvine

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Feb 17, 2016

0

If you are having a nice day and feel the need for some reason to ruin that and stress yourself out there’s nothing better than a few rounds of Surgeon Simulator. It’s funny, ridiculous and frustrating all at the same time. Taking the ludicrous nature of Surgeon Simulator to whole new levels Bossa Studios brings you I am Bread. If you hadn’t already guessed you play as a slice of sentient bread trying to become what all bread dreams of – toast.

I have to admit I often haven’t tried to get into the motives of bread so who am I to argue? The controls are definitely more forgiving than Surgeon Simulator is on PC and consoles. For some reason your slice of bread can grip to surfaces like a pro and flip around, twirl and quite often fling itself unexpectedly across rooms. There is still that wonderful chaos that you would expect from never quite being able to get your slice to go where you want. There still needs to be that irritating handling that often screws you over otherwise this would just be any other game about a slice of bread with consciousness.

You certainly have more control than in Bossa’s other titles which goes a long way at staving off the irritation that often plagues these games. The pad crushing irritation in I am Bread is much easier going helped by slightly responsive controls and the fact that you have to laugh at the ludicrous sight before you. At least for a while.

There are darker motives at work motivating the bread too as they send the home owner mad. A few notes and letters here and there explain his decent into madness as he futilely tries to explain to people that his bread is alive. I suppose you could look at this game as a sort of public warning then really. If someone approaches you expressing problems they are having with living bread maybe you will pay a bit more attention. I’d probably just start moving their bread around the kitchen to be honest.

As a game I am Bread has very little to offer. OK so it’s pretty funny at least in concept. But that amusement quickly wears off and is forgotten. You’re main objective on your way to whatever appliance you’re using to become toast is to avoid the floor or other dirty surfaces. Spending time in them will reduce your ‘Edibility’ meter and too much will make you inedible and fail the mission. In another mode you play as a baguette which is immune to dirt and is tasked instead with destroying objects to reach a score rather than becoming toast. There is nothing outside of that concept and nothing any deeper mechanically or conceptually.

It’s a pretty shallow premise and honestly the magic is gone very quickly. Sure it’s a funny concept but it’s nowhere even close to funny enough to make an entire game. The quirky control games have pretty much lived out their potential now between Octodad and Surgeon Simulator. It’s very easy to become bored playing I am Bread although it does provide a little fun and distraction between playing full games. There’s little potential for I am Bread to become anything more so don’t expect anything ground breaking or new but it’s a good laugh for a short break. It strikes me as a bit of a cash maker with very little effort or creativity at work. My advice would be to watch your favourite YouTuber get annoyed with I am Bread instead – it’s more fun and it’s free.

Dark Souls III Season Pass and more announced

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Feb 17, 2016

0

Today BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe announced their exclusive digital pre-order programme with Xbox for DARK SOULS III. For a limited time, gamers who digitally pre-order DARK SOULS III on the Xbox One Store will receive the original DARK SOULS, which is playable now on Xbox 360, or on Xbox One later via Backward Compatibility.

The code for DARK SOULS will be delivered to their Xbox message center in 7-10 days.

Additionally, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe also announced a Season Pass programme for DARK SOULS III. “Artorias of the Abyss” (DARK SOULS) and the “The Lost Crowns” (DARK SOULS II) were known for expanding the experience of DARK SOULS in a meaningful way and the season pass for DARK SOULS III will carry on this tradition by supporting the game with exciting new content after launch.

The season pass will be available on all platforms along with a digital Deluxe Edition: which includes the main game, season pass, dynamic theme and official soundtrack. Further details will be revealed over the next few months.

Preregistration for Miitomo are now open for Nintendo first Mobile app

Chris Hare

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Feb 17, 2016

0

Preregistration for Miitomo are now open for Nintendo first Mobile app

Nintendo’s first-ever app for smart devices, Miitomo, launches next month, but now’s the time to sign up to receive a notification when the app is available for download. From now through launch day, anyone can preregister for Miitomo by signing up for the new Nintendo Account and be among the first to get in on the fun when Miitomo launches in March. Those who create their Nintendo Account before the launch of Miitomo will also receive Platinum Points for the new My Nintendo rewards programme, which will launch simultaneously with Miitomo.

Miitomo is a free-to-start social experience that uses Nintendo’s Mii characters and lets you spark conversations with your friends in a whole new way, which first debuted with the launch of Wii Sports in 2006. More than 200 million Mii characters exist across Nintendo systems worldwide. To get started, users can quickly create a Mii character to act as their social go-between, customising its facial features, eyes, hair, as well as voice and personality. Users can also use the camera of their smartphone or tablet to snap a photo that will be translated into Mii form, or they can simply import their Mii from the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS systems using a QR Code.

Once their Mii is ready, users can add friends in person, or through their existing Facebook or Twitter accounts. After that step is complete, it’s time to answer some questions. Miitomo creates conversations and turns discussions into a form of play by prompting users to answer all kinds of questions. Did you know that your best friend’s favourite food is pizza? Maybe, but did you know her favourite music genre is secretly polka? And that she believes in aliens? The answers get shared among friends, sparking interesting conversations – part of the fun is discovering surprising facts about your friends that you never knew before. When users hear how their friends responded to questions, they can give it a heart or a comment, either through text or with a picture.

Mii characters will travel around and visit others that users have added as friends in the app, so it’s important to look good. Users can set their own style with shorts, pants, socks, shirts, shoes, accessories, hats and more. If they want to go further in expressing themselves, they can even dress up in a variety of outlandish costumes, such as a bear costume, pirate costume, hot dog costume and more. As users experience Miitomo, they’ll earn Miitomo coins, which can be redeemed in the in-app shop to get all kinds of varied and interesting outfits. There is also the option to get more Miitomo coins via in-app purchases.

And if that’s not enough, users can try out the Miifoto feature, which lets them put their Mii characters in fun poses and use cool stamps, or combine their Mii image with photos they have taken themselves. These creations can then easily be posted to social media services like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Launching alongside Miitomo in March, My Nintendo aims to become much more than a traditional rewards program. It is a more comprehensive service that rewards users for interacting with Nintendo products and services in a variety of ways. Miitomo users with a Nintendo Account will be able to take advantage of My Nintendo to enhance their experience.

Bethedsa announces first add-ons for Fallout 4

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Feb 16, 2016

0

Bethedsa announces first add-ons for Fallout 4

Today Bethedsa has announced the first series of add-ons for Fallout 4: Automatron, Wasteland Workshop and Far Harbor, are you ready to go back into the wasteland of Fallout 4.

Automatron
Price: £7.99
Release: March 2016

The mysterious Mechanist has unleashed a horde of evil robots into the Commonwealth, including the devious Robobrain. Hunt them down and harvest their parts to build and mod your own custom robot companions. Choose from hundreds of mods; mixing limbs, armour, abilities, and weapons like the all-new lightning chain gun. Even customize their paint schemes and choose their voices!

Wasteland Workshop
Price: £3.99
Release: April 2016

With the Wasteland Workshop, design and set cages to capture live creatures – from raiders to Deathclaws! Tame them or have them face off in battle, even against your fellow settlers. The Wasteland Workshop also includes a suite of new design options for your settlements like nixi tube lighting, letter kits, taxidermy and more!

Far Harbor
Price: £19.99
Release: May 2016

A new case from Valentine’s Detective Agency leads you on a search for a young woman and a secret colony of synths. Travel off the coast of Maine to the mysterious island of Far Harbor, where higher levels of radiation have created a more feral world. Navigate through the growing conflict between the synths, the Children of Atom, and the local townspeople. Will you work towards bringing peace to Far Harbor, and at what cost? Far Harbor features the largest landmass for an add-on that we’ve ever created, filled with new faction quests, settlements, lethal creatures and dungeons. Become more powerful with new, higher-level armour and weapons. The choices are all yours.

Bethedsa has also revealed that there are plans for more content. “More than $60 worth of new Fallout adventures and features throughout 2016,” in fact.

As the DLC plans have got more ambitious, the price of the season pass will increase from the current $29.99 to $49.99 USD (£24.99 to £39.99 GBP; $49.95 to $79.95 AUD) on March 1, 2016. However, if you already purchased the season pass for $29.99, nothing changes. In addition, if you didn’t buy the season pass yet, there is still time: anyone who buys the Season Pass for $29.99 before March 1st will get all $60 worth of content.

In addition to the above, Bethedsa will be running closed betas for each of the add-ons for consoles and PC. You can sign up right now on Bethesda.net. In order to apply, you’ll need to create a registered Bethesda.net account. They’ll be selecting applicants in the upcoming weeks. Players accepted into the beta will receive a code to redeem the content. The beta is the full version (complete with achievements) and those participating will not have to purchase the add-on.

Beyond add-ons, Bethedsa will continue to offer free updates to the game, including new features like the recent weapon debris for PC, and increased draw distances for consoles, as well as more optimizations to gameplay and quests.

Review: WRC 5

phillvine

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Feb 16, 2016

0

The racing genre is a bit of a no go recently especially for those who can’t enjoy Forza Motorsport. Drive Club and a couple of Need for Speed titles are really all you’ve got to go with. So I openly welcomed WRC 5 hoping it would fill the racing void in my life. I’ve always enjoyed rally games with the challenging tracks and the seemingly impossible speeds at which you tackle them. Time trials also reduce the need for great AI and leave you to hone your skills to perfection and push every limit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQcz084Lf3Y

But rally games often go in what I consider the wrong direction heading towards NFS style cornering and sliding more than providing a sophisticated handling model for you to perfect. WRC follows the trend to a degree and where it can keeps away from anything simulation. The handling model does a pretty good job of finding a balance between the two making sure racing is fun and that you can get started quickly.

I found myself quite comfortably winning for a good while as I learned the tracks and cars before the difficulty ramped up and offered me a challenge. As it should the greatest challenge comes from the tracks and your ability to navigate them without rolling off the side in a fiery ball of death. On top of that you can continue racing your own times and improving bit by bit until you achieve your goals. The perfectionist in me was definitely encouraged by WRC giving me huge satisfaction once I could complete a stage smoothly.

I was let down somewhat by the limitations of WRC and it’s strange refusal to include anything that even approaches simulation. There’s a nice time based repair segment between races that reminded me strongly of the great Colin McRae Rally 4. It adds a much needed segment of strategy between the excitement of racing. The distraction is only brief but meaningful, simple and well designed.

Those seeking a deep career mode will be disappointed by WRC. I found that the ‘get in and play’ style imposed its limits far too much after a couple of hours of gameplay. There are no driver skills to upgrade, components to research or a team sponsor to please. WRC makes no attempt to sell itself as a simulator or racing manager but that shouldn’t mean that every single feature of a more serious racer has to be dropped.

However, both the tracks and the cars are faithful although even that also imposes its limits on WRC given the limits of the sport. There aren’t all that many cars to play around with from the world of rally and it would have been nice for them to have had more depth from an upgrading and research system. Something as simple as an arbitrary number assigned to each component that you could upgrade is better than nothing. No B class or vintage races are on offer and there aren’t even cars from recent history available.

It’s very difficult to get a sense of progression in WRC 5. Outside of the ability to get in and quickly enjoy some rally WRC has very little to offer. The tracks are there, the cars are there but there is little to no cohesive element to tie everything together. In this state WRC feels like an incomplete title that while providing exactly what it says it does takes no steps towards developing it into a fleshed out experience.

The other gapingly obvious issue with WRC is the fidelity and graphical hitches. Considering the size of the development team WRC looks very nice but sadly that doesn’t say much. Without the big budget available to most racing dev teams environments can look somewhat low resolution and repetitive. I don’t get the sense that one forest is much different from another or that the dirt tracks are made of different stuff in different regions. WRC just can’t offer that level of detail. I was surprised at how many times I lost frames too given the low fidelity on powerful current gen hardware.

The biggest problem with WRC 5 is that it feels too much like the rally segment of a full racing simulator and not enough like a full game. With no meaningful career mode or upgrade system it’s difficult to keep interested in WRC. As a racer the mechanics are solid and strike a balance between simulation and fun – although for my preference edges a little too close to arcade. It’s a shame there isn’t more content because WRC could have been a really great racer in a time when there are very few. But it misses the chance and maintains the franchise as competent but not spectacular.

PIXEL PIRACY boards your consoles today

News

Chris Hare

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Feb 16, 2016

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505 Games has announced that Pixel Piracy, the Steam indie hit, is now available on Xbox One and PS4.

Players lead the life of a pirate captain in this fun, swashbuckling RPG adventure game developed by Quadro Delta and presented by Re-Logic, the creators of Indie classic, Terraria.

Recruit a crew, outfit and customize your ship – then set sail on the open seas! Use any combination of aggression and trade to become the most infamous pirate crew around! Raid, pillage and plunder everything in your path, get what you want or trade for a quick buck. But be aware, danger and the chance of death is everywhere!

Hire Your Own Crew – Carefully choose the best sailors and swashbucklers you can afford. Equip them with weapons, armor and special items. Upgrade and specialize as they level up, increasing their stats and teaching them new skills.
Build Your Own Ship – Customize and upgrade your ship as you see fit. Utilize masts and sails for extra speed, weapons for combat, entertainment and food, training gear and decorations.
Randomly Generated Open World – The game plays differently every time– a vast over-world map full of danger, loot, and people to prey on awaits you!
Pirate RPG Management System – A comprehensive loot system that offers upgrade-able weapons and special & secret loot to deck out your sailors.
Plunder and Fighting – The basis of every Pirate’s breakfast! Board enemy ships on sea or search islands looking for hidden treasures and fugitives.

Brought to console by prestigious Dutch developer, Abstraction, who have helped bring PC hits such as Hotline Miami, Don’t Starve and Titan souls to home consoles & mobile platforms the console version offers many new features:

New tutorial to ease you into the world of piracy
Completely restructured skill tree & revamped RPG stat system
Overhauled AI
Fully integrated weather system and a ton of new weapons, items, skills, and bounties.
Also contains all new crew user interface, captain behavior, and character customization.

Pixel Piracy is available for digital download from today, 16th February 2016, on XBOX One via XBOX Live and PlayStation 4 via PS Store.

The Town of Light coming to Xbox One

News
Tech

Chris Hare

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Feb 16, 2016

0

Today LKA.it, an independent developer based in Florence, Italy, has announced that their first game, The Town of Light, will be released on Xbox One, during calendar year 2016.

The Town of Light is a first-person psychological thriller set in the Volterra Psychiatric Asylum. The asylum was shut down in the late 1970’s by a law from the Italian government which instructed all asylums to close completely and give back patients their civil rights.

The game, based on extensive research and real facts, will be played through the fictional eyes of Renée, an imaginary 16-year-old girl that suffers from the symptoms of mental illness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ-u4lgUD8k

She is looking to find back what’s happened to her and the player is the only one that can help (you can check Renee’s personal diary here).

“We are really excited to start working with Microsoft in bringing Renee’s story to the Xbox audience. Thanks to the amazing support id@XBOX is giving to us since we enrolled in the program we already working to deliver the best possible experience” said Luca Dalco, creative director of LKA.

“The Town of Light impressed us with the incredible research made to create such a realistic experience and strong narrative. We are really looking forward to bring the game on our platform and extend the offer id@Xbox have available this year” added Agostino Simonetta, id@XBOX regional lead – EMEA.