Square Enix and United Front Games has today release a brand new Launch Trailer and few new images from SLEEPING DOGS: DEFINITIVE EDITION due for release tomorrow the 10th October in Europe and other PAL territories and on Tuesday 14th October in America for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
The major enhancements to ALL platforms including PC are:
+ Improved, higher resolution textures, improved lighting, and higher number of particle effects.
+ Higher detailed character models.
+ Volumetric fog (i.e. fog/smog/mist/steam is now present in the game world)
+ Increased pedestrians and traffic density.
+ Rebuilt sound engine to heighten realism.
+ More destructible objects in hand-to-hand fighting sequences.
+ All 24 DLC packs have been integrated into the main game.
Some of the story DLC is available from the main menu, others have been integrated into the game world itself (i.e. travel to a certain point in the city to access DLC missions / DLC outfits can now be accessed in the Night Market.
Sean spoke with indie video games developer Mike Bithell at the EuroGamer Expo about his upcoming title Volume.
Bithell is an awesome character himself so we spoke more about what makes him tick, his inspirations, favourite games and what titles he’s looking forward to.
Volume was available to play at the expo with several tutorial stages and the new gadgets to help you escape with the stolen goods.
Not only did HTC announced the Desire EYE, but it also a introduction of a device called RE, RE is a little camera.
“HTC has been setting the standard for smartphones for years – today we’re focused on redefining the concept of imaging forever,” said Peter Chou, CEO, HTC. “As a company we don’t stand still and our devotion to innovation has seen us take smart photography in a completely new direction for our business and our customers. Once people get a RE in their hands, they won’t want to put it down. This is everybody’s opportunity to get out from behind the lens and start living in the moment again.”
With a stunning yet minimalist cylindrical design, RE is made to be held, and fits naturally and comfortably in the palm of your hand. Never worry about missing a moment fumbling between modes, as RE’s built-in grip sensor instantly activates the camera as it’s picked up, eliminating the need for a power button. Its large, tactile shutter button captures photos with a single tap and videos with a longer press, making it fun and super-easy to capture high-quality, creative imagery or video.
For the moments that really matter, you want to be at the heart of the action, not peering through a lens. Thanks to RE and its high-resolution 16MP CMOS sensor, Full HD (1080p) video recording and a 146-degree wide-angle lens, the days of hiding behind a viewfinder whilst your child makes their acting debut in the school play or scores that game-winning goal are over.
RE also allows you to explore your creative side with simple slow-motion and time-lapse recording options. And if you want to capture great shots underwater, we have you covered. RE is waterproof out of the box1, without needing any additional casing or protection. You don’t need to be a professional to use RE – all you need is your imagination.
Share with a click
When photos and videos look this great, they shouldn’t be kept to yourself. RE interacts with your smartphone through the RE application, which syncs photos, videos and time-lapse recordings seamlessly over WiFi – meaning that you can relive and share your experiences at the touch of a button. Available on Android and iOS, there is no need to edit or sync to your PC, as the RE app backs up those precious memories to your phone or the cloud, working in harmony with the Zoe app to instantly create shareable video highlight reels that look professionally edited.
Making it even easier, you can also control the whole device remotely through the app and transform your smartphone into a remote viewfinder.
Limitless opportunities
RE is a new kind of camera, one that opens up a whole world of creative possibilities and one that will evolve over time. Adding another layer of flexibility and potential, the device and to social platforms like Tencent and Instagram. RE will soon offer real-time video streaming to YouTube, allowing you to live in the moment and share it live via your YouTube channel.
RE will be available in the US from late October priced at $199, with other markets following later not UK date yet.
Today HTC has introduced its new smartphone called the Desire EYE. The Desire EYE offers an nice design while also adding some unique features that you otherwise might expected in a flagship smartphone.
It has a 13 megapixel front facing camera in addition to a secondary 13 megapixel camera on the back of the device. It offers dual-LED flash on both ends, though during brief tests with the device we noticed that you had to manually toggle the front facing flash on and off when you want to use it. Both cameras shoot high quality photos, however, and it was certainly surprising seeing a selfie come out so good.
The phone is equipped with a large 5.2-inch 1080p screen that was crisp and, despite its size, relatively easy to navigate with one hand. The device is also built out of high quality plastic with a seamless body that makes the phone feel more premium and super sturdy. You won’t have to worry about getting it wet, either, as it has an IPX7 rating for water resistance.
HTC managed to sneak front-facing BoomSound speakers on the front of the phone just above and below the screen. You can hardly see them but they work really well and get nice and loud. There are also three microphones around the phone for voice clarity at all times.
The coral red with a white face version of the HTC Desire EYE is a timed exclusive until the end of December for the UK phone operator Three.
Under the hood, you’ll find a Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3GHz, certainly no slouch, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage that can be expanded with a microSD card slot (up to 128GB), NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 2,400mAh battery.
Ubisoft announced that an interactive comic book inspired by Valiant Hearts: The Great War, the puzzle-adventure game set during World War I, will be available on 6th November for free to all Valiant Hearts: The Great War purchasers on iOS devices.
This interactive comic book, set during the first years of World War 1, tells the story of Walt the dog and his sister. In this tale of heroism, both dogs of war are sent through the maze of trenches and across the Western Front, selfless in their missions to deliver important messages and rescue fallen soldiers. Through intuitive touch navigation, animated comic panels, music and sound effects, the comic book is brought to life and enhances the entire reading experience.
This comic book is based on Valiant Hearts: The Great War, the story of crossed destinies and a broken love in a world torn apart. It gives players the chance to live a touching yet comical adventure which focuses on the journey of four people as they brave the battles and difficulties of the Great War following their faithful canine companion. All of the main characters are inextricably drawn together, and friendship, love, sacrifice and tragedy befall each as they help each other to retain their humanity against the horrors of war.
Get ready to own more and be more with the Battlefield 4 Premium Edition. Packed with content, the Battlefield 4 Premium Edition includes an intense single-player campaign and the multiplayer experience found in Battlefield 4 that lets players experience the rush of all-out-warfare on land, air and sea. The Battlefield 4 Premium Edition also delivers fans a Battlefield 4 Premium membership which provides access to five themed digital expansion packs with tons of multiplayer content including 20 maps, game modes, a variety of weapons and vehicles and more.
The Battlefield 4 Premium Edition will be available on for PC starting 21st October priced at £39.99. From 24th October, it will be available in the UK via Digital Download on PlayStation 4, Xbox One (both priced at £54.99) and PlayStation 3 (priced at £39.99).
The Battlefield 4 Premium Edition includes all of the following:
Engage in all-out warfare with award-winning multiplayer, and intense single-player missions delivered in Battlefield 4
5 expansion packs featuring multiplayer maps and in-game content:
Battlefield 4 Second Assault
Battlefield 4 China Rising
Battlefield 4 Naval Strike
Battlefield 4 Dragon’s Teeth
Battlefield 4 Final Stand coming Fall 2014
Exclusive personalization options including camos, paints, emblems, dog tags and more
Priority position in server queues
12 bonus Battlefield 4 Gold Battlepacks
Battlefield 4 is an action-packed blockbuster with unrivaled team-based multiplayer, dynamic destructible environments and epic vehicular combat. Featuring best-in-class multiplayer and first-person shooter action, the Battlefield 4 Premium Edition lets players experience deep, rich content ranging from the majestic landscape in Battlefield 4 China Rising amphibious action in Battlefield 4 Naval Strike to urban combat in Battlefield 4 Dragon’s Teeth to the experimental high-tech warfare in the arctic landscape of Battlefield 4 Final Stand.
With the release of KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX drawing ever closer, today SQUARE ENIX Ltd launched a new trailer – “Introducing the Magic”- reacquainting fans with some of their favourite characters and showcasing the story of the beloved KINGDOM HEARTS series.
As the sequel to KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 ReMIX, the new trailer for KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX offers fans a whole host of timeless highlights, scenarios and gameplay from KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX and KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep FINAL MIX, as well as cinematics from KINGDOM HEARTS Re:coded.
All three games are re-rendered with HD graphics and new visual upgrades that bring these classic titles to life on the PlayStation 3.
Today Activision has announced that it will be offering a free digital upgrade program for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.
Activision official site states that if you buy the digital version of Advanced Warfare on PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, like you could do with Call of Duty: Ghosts last year.
You’ll be able to upgrade to the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One version, respectively, anytime before 31st March, 2015. The offer also extends to any Season Pass or DLC content, which has no deadline for upgrading. Any progress or upgrades you earn on the last-gen versions will transfer automatically to the new console once you upgrade. You can see full details along with download instructions here.
In addition, Sony has announced that the program will work the other way around as well, at least on PlayStation platforms. Advanced Warfare is being marked a cross-buy game, so if you buy the PS4 version, you also get the PS3 version. Microsoft has not yet announced if the Xbox version will offer a similar deal.
In the first Developer Diary, Executive Producer Scot Amos and members of his team discuss how tons of weapons, rings and amulets that grant abilities, puzzles that adjust to the number of players, and the occasional spike-pit sabotage turn Lara’s latest adventure into four player co-op mayhem.
Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris will release on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC on 12th December.
If you are waiting for the free version of DriveClub for PlayStation Plus subscribers has been delayed.
The DriveClub PlayStation Plus edition was originally due to be a launch title for the console last November.
With the US PlayStation Plus members were due to get the download yesterday but it never happened. With the game due to arrive in Europe today, will that happen now or not.
A blog post on the DriveClub’s official Facebook page, Paul “Rushy” Rustchynsky explained that the delay was an attempt to ensure a smoother server experience for players who already had the full game.
“With DriveClub, we are dedicated to delivering a dynamic and socially connected racing game that everyone can enjoy, and along the way we’re facing new challenges which we haven’t encountered as a development team before,” Rustchynsky explained.
“We are seeing a lot of activity and new social behaviours right now, but unfortunately this is pushing the servers to their absolute limits.
“In order to help all DriveClub players who have the game already, we’re temporarily holding back the PS Plus Edition and the My DriveClub app to ease the load and traffic to the servers. This should give players a better chance of connecting to the game servers and, once the servers are operating well, we’ll be sure to let you know when the PS Plus Edition and My DriveClub app will be available to download.
“To our PS Plus fans, we’re sorry you’re having to wait longer to play, but we want to ensure that when you come on board, you get the best experience possible. Rest assured, if you’ve pre-ordered the full game upgrade from the PS Plus Edition, you will still get the full version of DriveClub digitally, and if you can’t get online you’ll be able to get started offline like everybody else with single player mode as you start your DriveClub tour.
“You’ll still be able to earn fame, unlock cars and get to grips with all of the options for playing and creating your own events and challenges – and everything you do will be synchronised with the servers when you do get connected, so you can set-up a bunch of challenges to send out to your friends as soon as you are able to join each other online.
“We fully appreciate how frustrating this is for everyone. We want you to get online with your club because racing, challenging and having fun together is what the game is all about. We know that racing with your friends online is what you’ve been waiting for and we are doing everything we can to deliver that experience to you as soon as possible.
“Sorry again for the difficult start. We’ll keep you regularly updated on our progress as we work round the clock to improve connectivity.”
Get ready for the adrenaline fueled rides and the crazy wipeouts keep on coming with the latest Trials Fusion DLC. The Welcome to the Abyss pack was first revealed two weeks ago and now it’s ready to ride out across all of the game’s available platforms.
Welcome to the Abyss includes 10 new Trials tracks that head into undersea environments. The DLC also comes with 24 challenges, new track editor pieces, and five fresh achievements.
Trials Fusion Season Pass owners can download this DLC for no extra charge. Everyone else can pick it up for £3.99/$4.99
musterbrand has announced a new line of apparel and accessories based on Assassin’s Creed Unity by Ubisoft.
Set in a once-magnificent Paris, Assassin’s Creed Unity plunges into the terror of the 1789 French Revolution and features the most dense and immersive Assassin’s Creed city ever created. Through the streets of Paris, the starving inhabitants are set to take up arms for freedom and equality. In this time of chaos and brutality, a young man named Arno, wounded by the loss of those he loved, sets out on a deadly path of redemption. Arno’s pursuit throws him into the middle of a ruthless struggle for the fate of a nation and transforms him into a true Master Assassin.
The setting has been a major influence for musterbrand in creating the apparel line. All items in the collection feature elements hinting at the historical period, without being replicas of costumes from the game.
The range of items in the collection for Assassin’s Creed Unity encompasses coats, jackets, hoodies, knitwear, scarfs and bags, all individually designed and crafted, using only high-quality materials.
The flagship item for male gamers is the Arno Coat made from blue moleskin fabric and featuring a detachable hood, French Revolution–style collar and sleeves. The detachable decorative pieces are interchangeable, giving fans a chance to continuously vary the look of their cloak.
For the first time, musterbrand also introduces a high-end jacket specifically created for female fans: “La Liberté”. It is made from the finest moleskin fabric, with a tricolor lining and an elaborate logo stitching on the back.
The entire range of products will be released in mid-November and is available for pre-sale at www.musterbrand.com now.
Now that Ghosts is reaching the end of its intended life cycle, it’s time for the fourth and final DLC drop. Nemesis promises a conclusion to the episodic Extinction game mode and four new multiplayer maps; including a tongue in cheek dig at those (including myself) who complained regarding the overly large map sizes present in the initial release.
Yep, you can ride the minecarts
Goldrush is our first stop, set in an old abandoned gold mine; it’s probably the largest map in the pack and suited best for more competitive games of Domination. Its immediately notable features include two automated mine cart systems, as well as a fiendish area (housing the B Domination point) that periodically changes its elevation. Close games will rely upon players using their knowledge of this mechanic; on top of the winding map layouts to get the jump on their opponents. Once again, Field Orders are made with nostalgia in mind, with this maps unique reward being a pack of wolves, of which are scarily reminiscent of the K9 units of the past.
Subzero, an evacuated submarine base located in Canada, it plays host to the classic three lane design and is probably the most balanced map here in terms of engagements. Narrow, claustrophobic tunnels pave the way towards open areas that reward risks, meaning gunfights between different categories can and will occur at any point. Vantage points are fairly commonplace; lending those sneaky players a consistent advantage, however due to the more traditional layout, there’s fortunately, often a way out. Subzero’s Field Order certainly falls into the obscure category; once acquired, you’ll summon the ‘snow beasts’, ethereal monsters that wouldn’t look out of place in a snowy episode of Lost.
A familiar looking snow map
Dynasty is unfortunately the weak point of the pack, featuring a unique, if not a little bland, Chinese lakeside village. With most of the action centralised around the middle two buildings, flanking around the sides is your best bet for survival. Unfortunately, due to the colourisation of the surrounding walls, you’ll often find people propping up the fortifications; blending in surprisingly well in the process too. Much like the other DLC maps of late, Dynasty also has its unique Field Order throwback, this time paying homage to the harrier strikes of Call of Duty past.
Showtime is a map that Ghosts could have done with a long time ago. A reimagined version of the smallest map in Call of Duty history, the claustrophobic Shipment from the first Modern Warfare, Showtime will test both your reactions and your patience. Set up as a suspiciously staged combat arena, Showtime offers the kind of fast paced action that was often dubiously missing from Ghosts. There are still points to perch upon and overlook the map, alongside the outer perimeter which begs to be patrolled with an SMG. The central arena tempts you with the lure of shotguns, whilst reality offers silenced weapons. It’s easy to rack up the kills in Showtime, what’s more difficult, is keeping a streak going whilst being mindful of the incessant spawns that surround you.
You’ll be praying it’s this calm before too long
Exodus is the final stage in the Extinction saga; as with previous episodes, you’ll have to deal with just about every species so far, alongside the Ancestors, a new group of enemies that possess some pretty nifty mind control abilities. For those who’ve spent their time collecting the hidden secrets in the multiplayer maps, progressing through this final chapter will grant you a cheeky Extinction egg patch to show off in multiplayer.
Whilst it’s not the worst map pack in the franchise, I would have hoped for the final DLC pack for Ghosts would have ended with a more memorable bang. After starting so strong with the first two packs; including weapons, original killstreaks and interesting map designs, it’s a shame to end with a predictable bang. The maps Showtime and Subzero elevate the pack nicely and the Field Order rewards are a nice trip down nostalgia lane, yet unfortunately re-raise the ever present issue of Ghosts’ killstreaks.
As a pair, both Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light were surprise hits on the last gen, both sported great graphics, lighting and sound; whilst also encouraging its stealth and survival mechanics. They also told a great tale too, provided you were a little clued up on Dmitry Glukhovsky novels on which the games were based upon. Developers 4A Games have not only re-mastered both games, but also included all previous instances of DLC alongside rejigging some of the narrative aspects too. A lot of effort has clearly been put into this package, but has it paid off?
This isn’t going to end well…
Simply put, yes! The Metro has never looked so ambivalently bleak yet gorgeous, if you think it looked atmospheric before, you’ll still be shocked. Metro 2033, originally released in 2010, was a great, if not flawed, survival stealth game. Unfortunately, some of the problems that plagued the original still persist here too. The pacing of the game still seems a little off at points, with some sections dragging on a little too much; the enemies still have an inordinate amount of health to exasperate the stress of ammo worries; the AI can have its ‘moments’ too of course.
All of these points are quickly glazed over however, as the game immediately draws you into its thick atmosphere; not relenting until you’ve prised the controller from your sweaty paws. Venturing outside was, and still is, a nerve-racking affair. Not only is there the inherent threat of a mutant swarm attack, but also the ever present gas mask timer being a constant dilemma of either spending time scavenging for items, or sprinting for the finish, hoping what you have in reserves is enough to carry you through.
4A Games newest iteration of their engine fortunately eliminates many of the issues present in the original too. The frame rate is silky smooth without compromising the aesthetics, leaving you to pan the camera around like a developer showcasing demo, savouring the darkness before it envelops you.
At times like this, your gas mask should be the first priority
Whilst Metro 2033 was filled with survival horror elements, Metro: Last Light instead, focused on becoming more of a horror shooter. Ditching many, standardised HUD elements increased the level of atmosphere too, yet the game took a different route to ‘2033’ in that action took precedence. For those who felt that way, 4A Games have responded by letting you choose your desired playstyle. Upon starting the game, you can opt to play it in a more survival oriented way, where stealth and ammo conservation should be taken more into account. Or, in traditional shooter fashion, there’s Spartan mode, where you get to play with your toys and not worry so much about creeping in the dark. It’s a nice choice that lets players have a little more input in deciding how they wish to play the game.
With the addition of all the DLC crammed in, (such as the insanely useful firing range) you might have accepted that alone would have been enough to sell as a package. Yet once again, 4A Games have gone the extra mile; even extending areas and adding new sections of lore to help keep interest high as you explore the beautifully dystopian wastelands.
Metro can often be eerily pretty
Whilst Metro: Last Light was only released last year, it’s also still benefited from the next gen brush considerably. A fresh lick of paint ensures it looks as good, if not better, than several games out at the minute, all whilst maintaining a healthy 1080p on PS4.
In all, these are two games that may easily have passed you by; despite Metro 2033 showing its age slightly with some occasionally wonky facial animations and such, it’s still a fantastic package. Due to the style of play each game encourages, it’ll likely be a fresh experience too; it’s certainly a far cry from some of the modern shooters we’ve all come to know. If you failed to grab these on their first passing’s, you owe it to your PS4 to pick Metro Redux up, not only are they more accessible than before, but they’ll hopefully pave the way to a sequel.
