Events

Toshiba announces Trio of Excite Tablets

Chris Hare

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Jun 4, 2013

Toshiba announces Trio of Excite Tablets

Toshiba has refreshed its Excite range of tablets with the launch of three new slates. The Excite Pro spearheads the line, offering an Nvidia Tegra 4 processor with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

Toshiba’s Excite Pro Tablet

The high-end device also features a 10-inch display with a whopping 2,560 x 1,600 pixels, an 8-megapixel camera on the rear and HDMI support.

Toshiba’s Excite Write is almost identical to the Excite Pro in terms of specs and design, but this model comes bundled with a large pen stylus.

The Excite Pure is a budget alternative to the other tablets, powered by a Tegra 3 chip and 1GB of RAM and featuring a 1,280 x 800-pixel screen of 10 inches.

All three tablets will be available from Currys and PC World this summer, with the Excite Write costing £499, the Excite Pro £349 and the Excite Pure £299.

App Update: Gmail for iPhone and iPad version 2.3.14159 released with new notifications options

Apple

Andrew Edney

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Jun 4, 2013

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Google have updated their Gmail app for iOS.

Get the official Gmail app for your iPhone or iPad. The newly redesigned app brings the best of Gmail with real-time notifications, multiple account support and search across your entire inbox. With the Gmail app, you can:

● Switch between up to 5 accounts
● Get notified of new mail fast, with notification center, badge and lock screen options
● Search through all your mail quickly – now with predictions as you type
● See profile pictures as part of the conversation
● Read your mail with threaded conversations
● Auto-complete contact names as you type from your Google contacts or your phone
● Respond to Google Calendar invites right from the app
● Read and respond to interactive Google+ posts right from the app
● Organize your mail by archiving, labeling, starring, deleting and reporting spam
● Send and receive attachments
● Customize emails with custom scribbles

What’s New in Version 2.3.14159

– New notifications options: Get notified for all messages, only important messages, or none at all, on a per account basis. Customize these settings from the in-app settings page.

– Meet the new inbox: If you’ve enabled the new inbox, your mail is now grouped into categories so that you can see what’s new at a glance and decide which emails you want to read when. Primary mail is shown first and it’s easy to access and keep track of email in other categories by opening the menu. Configure this feature by going to Gmail.com on your computer.

Download now from the Apple App Store

Playing Rocksmith really is the fastest way to learn the guitar

Andrew Edney

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Jun 4, 2013

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Today, Ubisoft announced that a new national study by the Research Strategy Group, has found that Rocksmith is the fastest way to learn how to play the guitar. The study was conducted with hundreds of participants across greater New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas.

The new research supports earlier findings from a consumer survey by Toluna Group, that reported 95% of Rocksmith players say it improved their guitar skills.

“We’re thrilled with the results,” said Tony Key, US senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. “These studies confirm our view that Rocksmith is a huge success at teaching players real guitar skills that are highly effective, enjoyable, and will last them a lifetime.”

Ubisoft also revealed that the Rocksmith series has sold 1.4 million copies worldwide since its initial release in October 2011. An additional 3 million songs have been downloaded from the title’s library of 143 DLC tracks. Altogether, players have played an estimated 112 billion notes and developed an estimated 1.6 million blisters on their fingers!

Stay tuned for exciting Rocksmith news to be revealed at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2013.

And here is the video we made back in September with Clare from RockSchool:

Have you played Rocksmith? Let us know what you think and what your favourite song is by leaving a comment below.

PES 2014 Detailed and Screen Shots

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Jun 4, 2013

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Today Konami has revealed that PES 2014 will mark a ‘new beginning’ thanks to it’s all new Fox Engine.

“All the materials we’re releasing are taken from current platforms and fully in-game, which is at about 70 per cent completion,” said Kei Masuda, creative producer at the PES Productions Team of the new screens released today.

“We want fans to get a true feeling of the actual product they’ll be playing on the consoles most own this year, not some marketing dream.
“Our new engine and systems are dedicated to the current generation of platforms, which will continue to be dominant in the market, but are fully scalable for future versions.”

According to the publisher the game will include six new key areas which will rework every element of play and improve the graphics.
The first of these areas mentioned was TrueBall Tech, which lets players trap or knock on a pass using the analogue stick with “detailed barycentric physics” determining the weight shift of the player and the height and speed of the pass.

Next is M.A.S.S., which stands for Motion Animation Stability System, which is used to stimulate “the bodily contact” between multiple players within bespoke animations.
Heart gives each player has mental attributes that can be adversely affected when having a poor game, although if a player isn’t playing well, his team mates can rally round and support him. Other areas mentioned include a newly improved PES ID system and Team Play. Other improvements come under PES Core, which incorporates all other improvements to the engine.

“Thinking outside the box on an annual series such as PES is not easy, but the Fox Engine has allowed us to develop such a level of freedom that we are constantly realising ways of making PES 2014 a true representation of football.

“From the moment football fans pick up the controller and experiment with the close control, player movement and get to know how teams work and move, we are confident that they will see a game no longer limited by technology, but capable of growing with them and constantly surprising with the breath-taking quality they have to come to expect from the real thing.”

PES 2014 is out later this year for PS3, PSP, Xbox 360 and PC. No mention has been made of a PS Vita version or Next Gen versions.

Company of Heroes 2 Open Beta begins today

Gaming
News

Andrew Edney

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Jun 4, 2013

0

Relic Entertainment today announced that the Open Beta for its eagerly anticipated real time strategy game, Company of Heroes 2 will launch later today and run until 18^th June.

Featuring the title’s critically acclaimed multiplayer mode, the Open Beta will allow players to experience competitive and co-operative gameplay on six of the game’s maps. The Open Beta will also allow gamers to test out the first 45 levels of the game’s progression and bulletin system.

As an added incentive players who participate in the Open beta will get to retain all progression and unlocks earned during this period, if they purchase the game within the first 60 days of launch and play it on the same Steam account as the beta.

Greg Wilson, Producer of Company of Heroes 2 commented: “We have been working hard since the Closed Beta balancing and improving all areas of the game as well as adding new matchmaking servers. COH2 has had one of the most successful Beta programs we’ve ever run at Relic and the support of the fans has been a critical factor in making the game more balanced and stable for launch.”

Underpinned by the cutting-edge Essence 3.0 Engine, Company of Heroes 2 brings tactical strategy to life like never before, thanks to the realistic ColdTech weather system, the revolutionary dynamic line of sight system TrueSight, and realistic destructibility.

Company of Heroes 2 will be available for PC on June 25^th 2013. For more information check www.companyofheroes.com,

And check out our interview with Quinn Duffy from the Eurogamer Expo last year:

What do you think of Company of Heroes 2? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

MURDERED: SOUL SUSPECT Announcement Trailer released

Andrew Edney

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Jun 4, 2013

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MURDERED: SOUL SUSPECT takes players into a whole new realm of mystery where the case is personal and the clues just out of reach. A new take on the action/adventure genre, MURDERED: SOUL SUSPECT challenges players to solve possibly the hardest case of all… their own murder.

MURDERED: SOUL SUSPECT sees players take the role of Ronan O’Connor, a detective with a checkered past, whose life is brought to an untimely end by a brutal and relentless killer. Unable to move on and stuck in the limbo world of Dusk, he won’t find peace until he can bring his killer to justice from the afterlife.

Using his new-found supernatural abilities, Ronan is free to explore the town of Salem, Massachusetts, from his shadowy afterlife. Unable to communicate with the detectives on his case, Ronan must read the minds of the living, influencing their thoughts and actions. As part of his investigation, he must interrogate the ghosts of Salem’s past citizens to piece together the puzzle, while battling demonic spirits to save his soul and uncover the shocking truth about who is responsible for his death.

Here is the trailer:

What do you think of the game? There will be lots more news on MURDERED: SOUL SUSPECT next week at E3 so stay tuned for some exclusive content.

‘Fantasia: Music Evolved’ coming to Xbox One and Xbox 360

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Jun 4, 2013

0

‘Fantasia: Music Evolved’ coming to Xbox One and Xbox 360

Fantasia: Music Evolved has been announced for Xbox One and Xbox 360. A collaboration between Disney Interactive and Rock Band and Dance Central developer Harmonix, the Kinect title is a reimagining of the 1940 animated movie.

The Shoal area features coral and underwater creatures that play musical notes.

Players will become Yen Sid’s apprentice, and must explore themed worlds, perform songs and create remixes.

Players will become Yen Sid’s apprentice in Fantasia: Music Evolved, and can visit his workshop.

Over 25 tracks will feature, many of which are contemporary songs, including ‘Some Nights’ by fun., ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen and ‘Locked Out of Heaven’ by Bruno Mars, as well as orchestral tracks reminiscent of the original Fantasia.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq0_dGKx4Os?feature=player_embedded%5D

Worlds can be explored by using a hand-controlled cursor with Kinect, that tracks X, Y and Z movement by waving and pushing the hand towards the screen.

One world shown was an underwater area named ‘The Shoal’. You are brushing over coral and sea horses to create procedural sounds with the cursor, solving a basic puzzle will open up ‘performance portals’ to play songs.

During a performance, the player must wave or push their arms in the direction of arrows that appear on the screen in time with the music.

At certain points the track can be remixed by being given the choice of additional instrument types – such as acoustic, classical, bluegrass and 8-Bit – which are subsequently layered over the existing track.

Fantasia: Music Evolved will be available in 2014 and will be playable at the E3 gaming expo next week.

Halo: Spartan Assault Launches on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 in July

Andrew Edney

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Jun 4, 2013

0

The award-winning “Halo” franchise continues with “Halo: Spartan Assault.” Available in July for $6.99 ERP, only for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.

“Halo: Spartan Assault” brings “Halo’s” rich storytelling and best-in-class action, audio and graphics to touch-based devices for the first time in franchise history.

“With ‘Halo: Spartan Assault,’ we wanted to take ‘Halo’ out of the living room and create a brand new experience that was built specifically for a different screen,” said Dan Ayoub, Executive Producer on “Halo: Spartan Assault.” “This is an opportunity for us to define what makes ‘Halo’ unique on mobile platforms and really raise the bar for what is possible.”

Developed by 343 Industries in conjunction with Vanguard Games, “Halo: Spartan Assault” is a top-down, action shooter that provides an accessible, pick-up-and-play experience for “Halo” fans and newcomers. It uses an intuitive and simple control scheme that combines touch with console-like controls, and there’s also the flexibility to use a mouse and keyboard on Windows 8 PCs and tablets.

“We went through multiple control scheme iterations before arriving at something that we felt was perfect,” said Ayoub. “We designed a system that is adaptive and helps bring that old-school flavor of fast and frenzied twin-stick shooting to life.”

Set between “Halo 3” and “Halo 4,” “Halo: Spartan Assault” gives you control of either Commander Sarah Palmer or Spartan Davis on 25, action-packed single-player missions featuring battles never before seen in the “Halo” universe.

“This is Palmer’s first Spartan Op,” said Ayoub. “The story follows her first major mission after her transformation from an ODST to a Spartan-IV and gives more insight into the character that fans got to know in ‘Halo 4.’”

Equipment load outs can be customized with “Halo’s” iconic arsenal of armor abilities and weapons, including the Magnum, Assault Rifle, Spartan Laser and more. Fan-favorite vehicles, such as the Wraith, Scorpion, Ghost and Grizzly, can also be commandeered to even the odds against the Covenant onslaught.

“Halo: Spartan Assault’s” campaign is developed for replayability, with competitive leaderboards, weekly challenges, difficulty modifier Skulls, and more than 40 earnable in-game Achievements and Medals. You can even progress your Spartan Career in “Halo 4” by playing “Halo: Spartan Assault” to gain experience points (XP), all-new Achievements and emblems, and more integration features will become available after launch.

If you’re still hungry for more, 343 Industries has you covered. Not only will be additional in-game content be available through the Microsoft Store in the months following launch, but 343 Industries has also teamed up with Dark Horse Comics to create a separate, three-part comic series, “Halo: Initiation.” “Halo: Initiation” reveals how Commander Sarah Palmer became a Spartan-IV and connects directly with the events of “Halo: Spartan Assault.”

Mirror’s Edge 2 Domains Switched to EA Servers

News

Chris Hare

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Jun 4, 2013

0

Mirror’s Edge 2 Domains Switched to EA Servers

EA has switched the domain names for Mirror’s Edge 2 and 3 to its own servers, making it seem even more likely that we’ll see a sequel at E3.
The domains were actually created in 2008, however the namesevers were switched over to EA in May 2013.

Mirror’s Edge has already been spotted on EA’s help website, while quite a few retailers have also listed the game up for pre-order. Many are suggesting that it’ll be an Xbox One exclusive, although time will tell.

Lionhead teasing remake of original Fable (Updated with Screen Shots)

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

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Jun 4, 2013

0

Lionhead teasing remake of original Fable (Updated with Screen Shots)

Lionhead has now announced Fable Anniversary for release later this year on Xbox 360.

Check out the new screens and press release:

Nearly a decade ago, Microsoft and Lionhead Studios took the gaming world by storm with Fable, a unique, fantasy role-playing game that gave players unprecedented freedom to make meaningful choices with permanent consequences.

Now, Lionhead Studios invites you to relive the magic with Fable Anniversary for Xbox 360, a modern remastering of the best-selling Xbox classic featuring stunning graphics, almost instant loading times, an all-new interface, Achievements, Xbox SmartGlass support and more.

“We’re really excited to bring Fable to Xbox 360,” said Ted Timmins, Lead Designer on Fable Anniversary. “It’s the game that the Fable community has been asking for, so we wanted to make sure Fable Anniversary delivered the definitive Fable experience for both long-time fans and newcomers to the franchise.”
In Fable Anniversary, you play as The Hero, an orphan whose destiny you shape through in-game decisions that influence not only his development as a hero, but the fate of the entire realm. In addition to Fable’s original storyline, Fable: Anniversary includes the expansion pack, Fable: The Lost Chapters.

Fable Anniversary uses the power Xbox 360 to bring Fable to life like never before. The graphics are substantially updated with new lighting, textures, models, facial and cut scene animations, and more, all in 1080p HD resolution. In addition, Fable Anniversary includes a new interface, save system and nearly non-existent loading times, making the immersive journey through the dangerous and mysterious world of Albion even more seamless.

Fable Anniversary also brings Achievements to Fable for the first time. “We’re doing something that’s not been done before,” said Timmins. “Fable has always been about choices and consequences, so we’re trying to put that into our Achievements.”

While Fable Anniversary introduces modern improvements, Timmins emphasized each one was designed to enhance a gameplay experience that remains true to its roots.

“It’s probably the hardest part of the job. We needed to keep Fable the same, but also make it different,” said Timmins. “It was a case of playing through the game over and over and writing down a list of the things we wanted to address in order to bring Fable to a 360 quality level that people expect.”
And of course you can still punt chickens.

Original Xbox Version Vs. the New Fable Anniversary Edition for the Xbox 360

“There’s now a leaderboard for this,” explained Timmins. “So you can actually find out who the best chicken kicker in Albion is.”

Fable Anniversary launches only on Xbox 360 this holiday season.

Original Post

Lionhead is teasing a remake of the original Fable. The game originally appeared on Xbox, although never made the jump to Xbox 360.

In the teaser below we see Fable villain Jack of Blades, while also getting more than a few looks at all of the requests for a remake. Why would we get this video without a remake? It’s happening and by the looks of things on Xbox 360.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EhswZYju0s?feature=player_detailpage%5D

The original Fable was released on Xbox in 2004, and was followed up by an extended version Fable: The Lost Chapters on PC in 2005.

It was followed by sequels Fable 2 and Fable 3 on Xbox 360 in 2008 and 2010.