The Division Delayed to Q2 of 2015

Chris Hare
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The Division Delayed to Q2 of 2015

Today Ubisoft has announced that Tom Clancy’s The Division will be released in 2015, Ubisoft said the project’s milestones have been extended for quality purposes. Last year, the corporation’s chief executive, Yves Guillemot, claimed the game would be released in the “second half of 2014”.

Ubisoft announced the update on the game’s development via the studio’s blog.

It also cites just three platforms for release: PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

“Working on The Division is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us at Massive, Reflections, and Red Storm Entertainment,” the studio said.

“We are creating something we are really proud of and we don’t want to compromise on quality. We are going to release the game when it’s ready.”

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“Working on The Division is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us at Massive, Reflections, and Red Storm Entertainment,” the studio said.

“We are creating something we are really proud of and we don’t want to compromise on quality. We are going to release the game when it’s ready.”

More on The Division will be shown at E3 in June.

To be released on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Ubisoft Announces Far Cry 4 Coming This November

Chris Hare
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Ubisoft Announces Far Cry 4 Coming This November

Ubisoft has announced that Far Cry4, an open-world, first-person shooter that delivers the most expansive and immersive Far Cry experience ever. Far Cry 4 will be available 21st November in the UK for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Windows PC.

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Development on Far Cry 4 is being led by Ubisoft Montreal in collaboration with Ubisoft’s Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Shanghai, and Ubisoft Kiev.

In Far Cry4, players find themselves in Kyrat, a breathtaking, perilous and wild region of the Himalayas struggling under the regime of a despotic self-appointed king.  Using a vast array of weapons, vehicles, and animals, players will write their own story across an exotic open-world landscape.

“Following the success of Far Cry 3, we wanted to take the franchise to the next level and create a game that will surprise players and exceed fans’ expectations,” said Dan Hay, Executive Producer.  “Given the unique setting, we feel Far Cry 4 will stand out as a top first-person shooter and we’re eager to reveal more about the game in the coming months.”

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Customers who pre-order Far Cry 4 will receive the Limited Edition which includes Hurk’s Redemption, a series of three action-packed single-player missions featuring the popular character Hurk from Far Cry 3’s DLC.  The Limited Edition also includes Hurk’s signature harpoon gun called “The Impaler”. The pre-order is now available at all major retailers.

Fans can tune into Ubisoft’s Media Briefing at E3 for an exclusive first look at Far Cry 4.

Watch Wolfenstein: The New Order launch Trailer

Chris Hare
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Watch Wolfenstein: The New Order launch Trailer

In this final trailer for Wolfenstein: The New Order, titled ‘House of the Rising Sun’, B.J. Blazkowicz andhis group of resistance fighters unite to take on the powerful Nazi legions, and rewrite history. You can download the newly released trailer via the below links.

Set to release next week on , 20th May in North America, Europe and Australia, Wolfenstein: The New Order -the first-person action-adventure shooter developed by MachineGames – reignites the franchise widely recognized for pioneering the first-person shooter genre. Set in the 1960s, the monstrous Nazi regime has used mysterious advanced technology to win World War II. They now rule the globe with an iron fist. With the help of a small group of resistance fighters, Wolfenstein: The New Order sends you across Europe on a harrowing mission to bring down the Nazi war machine that has conquered Earth – and beyond.

Wolfenstein will be available on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. As an added bonus, everyone pre-ordering the gamewill be invited to access the DOOM beta with their copy of Wolfenstein.For more information on the DOOM beta access pre-order bonus

Lego The Hobbit adds three new DLC packs

Chris Hare
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Lego The Hobbit adds three new DLC packs

The next stage of your LEGO The Hobbit, adventure with three new content packs now available for download on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network! With two new character packs and an awesome new item pack, players going through Middle-earth will have access to more recognizable characters, cool new weapons and tons of new side quests.

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The Big Little Character Pack – Strike a little fear and terror into the hearts of your foes with Baby Smaug, or enjoy a cameo appearance of Baby Gimli from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The LEGO big figure Snow Troll is sure to shake things up and you’ll also have the chance to play as Bandobras “Bullroarer” Took or a Stone Dwarf from Erebor.

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The  Side Quest Character Pack – Take command of a LEGO big figures River Troll or Girion, the last Lord of Dale. The noble Elk will offer you transport wherever you desire, or you can charge into battle with the fearless Dwarf soldier.

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The Battle Pack – Destroy Morgul LEGO with the Shadow Sword, equip yourself with Jeweled Mithril Armor of the finest Dwarven craftsmanship, or activate the Light Orb Shield for the ultimate protection. The Axe Guitar, Orc Cleaver and Orc Bow will make short work of your opponents, while a pair of Lake-town Boots and Smaug’s Feet will keep you adventuring in style! The Buddy-up Gloves allow you to smash through Buddy-up cracks solo, while Smaug’s Headdress and the Dwarf King Wig will ensure your presence is majestic at all times.

LEGO The Hobbit,  is now available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS and Windows PC.

 

Thomas Was Alone now available on the iPad

Andrew Edney
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Thomas Was Alone now available on the iPad

Bossa Studios and Indie Developer Mike Bithell have released the award-winning indie hit Thomas Was Alone for the iPad today.

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The game was previously released for PC and PSVita to international critical acclaim.

Thomas Was Alone for iPad brings the gentle geometric adventures of a group of quirky quadrilaterals to a whole new audience of players, with the controls lovingly re-designed to provide a fully optimized touch–screen experience.

With its minimalist, old-school aesthetic, Thomas Was Alone encourages players to invest themselves in an emotional experience, inviting them on a journey filled with heroes, villains, master-minds and lovers! An adventure that lingers long in the memory, Mike Bithell’s creation is given a compelling narration via Danny Wallace’s BAFTA-award winning voice-over, and is accompanied by a magnificent electronic soundtrack composed by David Housden.

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Thomas Was Alone received additional BAFTA nominations for Best Story and Best Music, and following the overwhelming critical and commercial reception on Steam and PlayStation Vita, Bossa Studios stepped in to help realize the anticipated release on iPad and Mac.

“I’m honestly still a bit surprised that Thomas Was Alone has found the audience and critical reception it has,” explains Mike Bithell, the game’s creator. “I’m really happy to be releasing a solid version of the game on iPad with the help of the talented folk at Bossa Studios.”

“I’m proud that Bossa is bringing this immense indie success to millions of new fans on the iPad” adds Imre Jele, co-founder at Bossa Studios. “Thomas Was Alone genuinely feels more personal and intimate on a touch-screen device. There’s now an instant connection between you and the lovingly crafted characters of Mike’s powerful narrative.”

Thomas Was Alone is available for £5.99 / $8.99 / €7.99 from the App Store on iPad or at; www.AppStore.com/ThomasWasAlone

On the Red Carpet at the European Premiere of Godzilla

Andrew Edney
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On the Red Carpet at the European Premiere of Godzilla

Last Sunday was the European Premiere of Godzilla and we were on the red carpet.

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The world’s most revered monster will be reborn this summer as Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures unleash the epic action adventure “Godzilla.” From visionary new director Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”) comes a powerful story of human courage and reconciliation in the face of titanic forces of nature, when the awe-inspiring Godzilla rises to restore balance as humanity stands defenseless.

Gareth Edwards directs “Godzilla,” which stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Kick-Ass”), Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai,” “Inception”), Elizabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene”), Oscar winner Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient,” “Cosmopolis”), and Sally Hawkins (“Blue Jasmine”), with Oscar nominee David Strathairn (“Good Night, and Good Luck,” “The Bourne Legacy”) and Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Bryan Cranston (“Argo,” TV’s “Breaking Bad”).

Edwards directs from a screenplay by Max Borenstein, story by David Callaham, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by TOHO CO., LTD. Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing with Mary Parent and Brian Rogers. Patricia Whitcher and Alex Garcia are serving as executive producers, alongside Yoshimitsu Banno and Kenji Okuhira.

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We also got a few words with Bryan Cranston on the red carpet:

Godzilla is released Friday May 16th in the cinema. And check out our review of Godzilla here.

Godzilla Review

Sean Labode
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Godzilla Review

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Whilst I was growing up the only experience of Godzilla I had was the cartoon show followed by the 1998 blockbuster film. Other than that I really didn’t know much else about the lore and origins of such a following. But one thing I couldn’t quite understand was why this beast was so awesome and regarded as such an icon amongst his adoring fans. I couldn’t understand why from watching from the kids TV show (which also featured the miniature Godzuki) that this towering reptile became stuff of legends. And after seeing the 1998 American film that portrays Godzilla as a 60-meter tall foe I was then lost as to why there was a fan base for a villain. How Godzilla is depicted in various cultures and countries varies from what I’ve gathered and the latest film shows off and taught me about this creature being the greatest weapon man could ever have on our side.

From the start of the film we’re introduced to the history of Godzilla whilst the opening credits reveals the names of the cast amongst redacted documents honing in on the theme of government and conspiracies. The cast included from the start features researchers played by Ken Watanabe (Inception) and Sally Hawkins (Happy-go-lucky) and scientists Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and his on screen wife Juliette Binoche (The English Patient) setting an eerie atmosphere from the discovery of an unhatched life form living deep underground and how it relates to strange seismic activities picked up by the scientists. Causing an unnatural disaster and the loss of many lives, the emergency evacuation features great performances from the actors and sets the standard of what Dolby’s new Atmos Mix can generate for intense cinema sound.

The film really gets into it’s stride when Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass) and onscreen wife Elizabeth Olsen (Oldboy) appear 15 years later after the accident whilst the unhatched egg begins to draw attention to the researchers as it replicates the same seismic activity. Director Gareth Edwards (Monsters) leads us through suspense as we still have no idea what was dormant, now active within. From here on the real movie begins and we’re thrown into a film where a new foe tears through cities nicknamed a MUTO as the army calls it. Amongst the destruction and wide spread chaos Taylor-Johnson’s military character Ford aims to help the army lure the enemy away from the various cities and make it back to family.

The introduction of Godzilla is the most awaited part of the film and is certainly the most exhilarating scene stealing moment when that retro screech an rumbling roar stops your heart in it’s tracks for a few moments. I honestly felt very satisfied with what is now a sky-scraping creature, taller than any incarnation I’ve every experienced before. Even though every cinema goer will be primarily attending to see the beast you won’t be disappointed with the downtime segments with Ford’s role which other blockbuster films sometimes fail at with balancing and pacing. Being a bomb specialist Ford makes it his goal to assist the troops with keeping the radiation tanks away from the hungry MUTO creature who needs it to feed it’s even larger queen. You get an incredible contrast of man verses monster with these scenes as we see the human’s having to fend off these attacks from the electric magnetic pulse charged monsters that disrupt all things electrical.

At times the film will feel like it doesn’t want you to see Godzilla surfacing from the water to fight these other creatures as it’ll frequently lead you away from the action. I personally think it works well this way and that you shouldn’t threat too much from this as it helps focus on the more serious matters at hand: humanity’s survival. Whether it be rescuing the innocent or showing us another man verses monster plan to bring the collateral damage down you’ll be eventually rewarded with the beast brawling that doesn’t disappoint. Having a structure set out like this reminds us of the importance of the individual players within a disaster movie, what unforgettable and important roles they play and the importance of setting aside all differences to come together to fight a bigger foe.

I loved this film for what it did differently compared to the other Godzilla films and other similar movies out there. It was the importance of the human characters that could have been disregarded or them not being important amongst the towering enemies which was executed correctly. The fact that the film was perfectly paced, nothing was rushed and the reveals were spectacularly well timed so that we wouldn’t get bored in the 123 minute feature. The attention to detail in the sound design with the Dolby Atmos Mix locking you into the emersion of buildings crumbling around you as the monsters roar overhead. And finally the casting and performances weren’t overdone and it was great to see these actors not being upstaged by Godzilla himself. I can honestly say I left the cinema with a new sky-scraping hero that certainly knows how to pack quite a mean punch.

New trailer released for TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION

Andrew Edney
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New trailer released for TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION

A new trailer have been released for TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION.

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A new chapter in the Transformers universe, “TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION” stars an all new live action cast lead by Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Li Bingbing , Kelsey Grammer, Sophia Myles, T. J. Miller, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor and Titus Welliver.

“TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION” begins after an epic battle that left a great city torn, but with the world saved. As humanity picks up the pieces, a shadowy group reveals itself in an attempt to control the direction of history… while an ancient, powerful new menace sets Earth in its crosshairs.

With help from a new cast of humans, Optimus Prime and the Autobots rise to meet their most fearsome challenge yet. In an incredible adventure, they are swept up in a war of good and evil, ultimately leading to a climactic battle across the world.

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION is released July 10th.

Are you going to see it? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Call of Duty: Ghosts adds new mode called Reinforce

Chris Hare
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Call of Duty: Ghosts adds new mode called Reinforce
Today Call of Duty: Ghosts developer Infinity Ward has released a multi-format update, the main update is a new game called Reinforce.
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The new mode Reinfoce will allow teams to win the match by killing the other squad, capturing three flags, or gaining control of two objective points.
The big twist to this mode is no respawn on death.

Here’s are the patch list:

Spawns

Improved FFA spawn logic.
Improved TDM/KC/Cranked spawning logic.
Updated Blitz spawn logic for online matches.
Weapon Balance

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Reduced headshot multiplier: No longer allow for 1 body, 1 head shot kills.
Max and Min damage range reduced.
Slight increase to kick.

VeprAim down sight time faster. Now in line with other SMGs.

CBJMSMax and Min damage range reduced.

IEDDamage reduction always applied when the player is jumping, crouched or prone. Removed IED position check relative to player.
Thermobaric GrenadesNow do 1/2 max health in hardcore modes.

Killstreak BalanceSquad Mate – Reduced Accuracy & Fire Rate. Swapped Weapon to mp443.

eSportsUpdate to DOM to allow 2, 5 minute rounds for eSports playlist, and with eSports mode in Private Match and System Link.

Anti-CheatOverall anti-cheat improvements.
Fixed elite clan tag spoofing issue.

Additional FixesFixed an issue where the Tracked Operations and Progressed Operations loadout builder would not properly select items.
Added popup message if a user tries to join on a blocked user from the recently met player list.
Fixed an issue where the New Icons for heads/uniforms/etc would appear in private match.
Fixed new icon to only appear on the “Heads” button when you have new heads of the gender you’re using.
Improvements to map voting.
Fix In Game Store Image Stuttering when moving between images.
Fixes hardcore audio alias for kill confirmed.
Adds proper friendly alias for blitz friendly scoring.
New FeaturesNew Game Mode – Reinforce:

Reinforce is a competitive round based game mode. When a player is killed that player will stay out of the game until someone on his team captures a control point. There are multiple ways to win. Capture and hold 2 control points, wipe out the enemy team, or capture all 3 flags for an instant victory.

Gun GameFinal kill now requires a throwing knife kill.
Players can scavenge throwing knives.

ExtinctionReduced the usability window of other items when deploying the Riot Shield.
Drill logic improvements.
Grenade Turret adjustments.

Xbox One Specific Update
(In addition to the Title Update)Fixed issue that allowed access to friends list in offline menus.

PlayStation 4 Specific Update
(In addition to the Title Update)Fixed the Out of Memory 12 issue.
Fixed issue with 2nd controller being unable to join a different Clan after accepting a Clan invitation.

Titanfall ‘Expedition’ DLC released date announced

Chris Hare
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Titanfall ‘Expedition’ DLC released date announced

Titanfall’s ‘Expedition’ DLC will be released later this week, Electronic Arts has announced. The DLC will add ‘War Games’, ‘Swampland’ and ‘Runoff’ maps, Titanfall’s first expansion pack debuts on Xbox One and PC tomorrow the 15th May.

‘Expedition’ is expected to make its Xbox 360 debut in June.

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Titanfall Expedition map called “War Games”
The map pack can be downloaded for $9.99 individually (UK prices to be confirmed), or as part of the Titanfall season pass.

It launches alongside a new update, which introduces deeper loadout customisation, match summary details and additional settings for private matches.

Valiant Hearts The Great War Exclusive Interview

Andrew Edney
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Valiant Hearts The Great War Exclusive Interview

Valiant Hearts: The Great War is the story of crossed destinies and broken love in a world torn apart by war, and we got to sit down with Ubisoft to talk about it.

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The emotional journey follows four characters inextricably drawn together over the course of the game as they brave the battles and difficulties of the Great War alongside their faithful canine companion. Friendship, love, sacrifice and tragedy befall each as they help each other to retain their humanity against the horrors brought on by war.

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I sat down with both Gregory Hermittant and Guillaume Cerda, who are both Associate Producers on Valiant Hearts: The Great War to talk about the influences on the game, the characters and story and much more. It’s quite a long interview and there is some new gameplay footage in there too:

The game will be available for download on Xbox LIVE for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, on the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and PC Digital on June 25th.

Review: Bound by Flame

phillvine
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Review: Bound by Flame

Despite the limited choice of titles available on the PS4 we still don’t have a fully fledged RPG. Bound by Flame aims to change that with it’s focus directly on combat and character progression, which is a good plan. There’s a lot that can be forgiven in an RPG provided it has a strong combat system and meaningful characters. First thing’s first, character customization.

Or in this case the complete lack of character customization. Setting up a character is one of the best parts of an RPG for me. Painstakingly getting everything just right whilst trying to remain at least slightly unique. It’s one of those ‘sit back and relax’ moments that usually only occur in RPG’s. I say this without trying to be cruel but I don’t know why Bound by Flame bothered having customization. I decided to set up a female character and changed her name. I know, how adventurous.

There really isn’t anything else to change apart from hairstyles, and there’s only about 6 of those. But very soon into the game I raised an eyebrow as a character called me Vulcan, which is the default name. They also insisted on referring to my character as if she was a man which I can’t imagine would please her at all. My advice is don’t change any of the few choices you have for character customization, the rest of the game simply isn’t made to handle them and there’s not much choice anyway. Stick with a guy called Vulcan and you won’t get annoyed every time someone refers to you by the wrong name – or gender.

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After that you are presented with a reasonably short cutscene that introduces the main characters and plot of Bound by Flame. Character animations are not great. There’s a reliance on exaggerated hand and arm movements the likes of which you might expect from early PS3 games, and that’s being generous. Character’s torsos are fixed in place firmly like lifeless tree trunks as they talk waving their arms as if practicing semaphore without the flags.

And to accompany that there’s some equally overacted voices. Every bit of speech sounds like it’s being read from a script. There’s little emotion in the words and no fluidity to conversations. The joking and banter between characters is at best not funny and at it’s worst just plain embarrassing. And to further compound things the lip syncing varies between poor and hilarious. On more than a few occasions I was reminded of moments from Kung Pow. I’m not expecting The Last Of Us but when a character literally starts speaking several, very noticeable, seconds before his lips start moving it’s difficult to ignore.

And so Bound by Flame makes a very bad first impression. It seems to start the game by using all the things that aren’t what you would call its strengths. The introductory scenes don’t take long but a little combat right at the start would have helped players see past some of these problems. Instead the first thing Bound by Flame does is barrage you with all the things it’s not so good at. But striving on you soon find yourself in the games tutorial.

Which has definitely been well thought through. It’s about the right length, covers everything you need to know and doesn’t patronise. A few words appear in the form of a pop-up and then you’re allowed to try your new skills on a conveniently spawned enemy. I was never left wandering aimlessly for hours only to realise I just needed to push ‘x’ or something else the game decided I didn’t need to know but at the same time Bound by Flame shows no intent on holding your hand.

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And after everybody shuts up and lets you go do some fighting it becomes more than obvious that combat is where Bound by Flame is comfortable. There are three stances available to you, the ‘Ranger’, the ‘Warrior’ and not much later the ‘Pyromancer’. The Ranger specialises in using daggers and has a dodge ability rather than the Warriors block and counter. The Warrior wields an impressive claymore and relies more on hitting things very hard on the head with a big sword than speed and grace. The Pyromancer class allows you to use spells and abilities based around fire and is available to either class without switching roles – which can be done at the press of a button during battle.

There’s nothing intrinsically complex about the combat but it is satisfying. In between hacking away at your foes you’ll need to time your blocks/dodges to avoid taking big damage and winding up dead. Enemies hit pretty hard even quite early in the game and death is a real possibility even in standard fights if you get sloppy which helps keep things interesting. We’re not talking Dark Souls but still you need to pay attention when engaging the enemy.

Unless you can’t see them. As an example very early in the game you will need to make your way through a swamp. There are trees and wildlife everywhere and everything either shoots some sort of organic death barb at you or just flies at you to ruin your day and generally make life hard. When the camera goes tight and three giant mosquito things wall bang you the fun soon wares off. Add to that the one that’s now off screen and therefore impossible to dodge and you’ve got yourself a pretty annoying situation that soon gets diffused by your death. It’s not a regular thing but I found myself being overly cautious and sometimes kiting enemies so it didn’t happen.

Upgrades are well thought out and balanced so that you feel the constant need to progress but don’t become a demigod within the first 10 minutes. Reading through the list of potential upgrades and abilities can seem disappointing but once you’re a few hours in you start to notice those small chance increases and minor changes to moves have made a real difference.

But ironically the decisions that your character faces make little to no difference on what happens. You’re basic choices are to follow the instructions of the demon that inhabits you or to defy it and help humanity. But in all honesty these moments have little effect on the gameplay and in come cases you will play the same quests regardless of what you choose. It’s not the linearity that bothers me but the illusion of choice.

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In one respect Bound by Flame’s reliance on combat and upgrades is a success. They haven’t reinvented the wheel but there are strong mechanics that are satisfying and rewarding. But honestly the good elements just aren’t good enough to make up for Bound by Flame’s lack of characterization, poor voice acting and script writing and lack of imaginative plot. The visuals are distinctly average and the rigid character movements are ever-present. There’s some good music and definitely some RPG combat fun but it’s just not enough to make up for everything else.

New IMAX trailer released for Edge of Tomorrow

Andrew Edney
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0
New IMAX trailer released for Edge of Tomorrow

Warner Bros have released a new IMXAX trailer for their forthcoming film Edge of Tomorrow.

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Oscar nominee Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt star in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ sci-fi thriller “Edge of Tomorrow,” under the direction of Doug Liman.

The epic action of “Edge of Tomorrow” unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world.

Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission.  Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop—forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again…and again.
But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt).  And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

Here is the new IMAX trailer:

The international cast also includes Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Noah Taylor, Kick Gurry, Dragomir Mrsic, Charlotte Riley, Jonas Armstrong, Franz Drameh, Masayoshi Haneda and Tony Way.
Liman directed “Edge of Tomorrow” from a screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie and Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth, based on the novel entitled All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka.  Erwin Stoff produced, along with Tom Lassally, Jeffrey Silver, Gregory Jacobs and Jason Hoffs.  The executive producers are Doug Liman, David Bartis, Joby Harold, Hidemi Fukuhara and Bruce Berman, with Tim Lewis and Kim Winther serving as co-producers.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a 3 Arts Production, in association with Viz Productions, a Doug Liman Film, “Edge of Tomorrow.”  Opening domestically on June 6, 2014, the film will be distributed in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow.
EDGE OF TOMORROW is released in UK cinemas and IMAX on May 30, 2014

Parrot Announces Bebop Drone, Successor to AR Drone 2.0

Jim McCarthy
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Parrot Announces Bebop Drone, Successor to AR Drone 2.0

Parrot has announced the successor to the AR Drone 2.0, the Bebop Drone.  Read on for details!

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Parrot has announced the successor to the AR Drone 2.0, the Bebop Drone.  Bebop sports a 1080P camera and uses a fisheye lens and fancy firmware to deliver a stable picture.  Smaller than AR Drone 2.0 and with about 12 minutes of flight time, Bebop also has integrated GPS and can be programmed to fly unattended from your smart phone or tablet.  Parrot also announced a controller that supports VR using Oculus Rift, a nice addition to piloting options.  Bebop is due in Q4 2014 and MSRP is TBD.

Check out this launch trailer.

Here is the press release.

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Take aerial video and pictures like a pro!

Parrot Bebop Drone, the ultra-light drone with a full HD camera digitally stabilized on its 3-axis!

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With Bebop Drone, Parrot demonstrates its technological expertise and confirms its commitment to the civil drone market. The Bebop Drone is a super-high-tech leisure quadricopter with features of a professional one!

 

Equipped with a 14 mega pixels fish-eye camera, the Parrot Bebop Drone takes video and pictures of the world in a 180° field with remarkable image quality. Endowed with a fully digital technology of image stabilization, the Bebop Drone captures video despite the movements inherent in aerial footage.  The combination of numerous sensors gives it impressive stability and great maneuverability when piloting with a smartphone or a tablet.   The use of the latest Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO and of four ceramic antennas 2.4GHz and 5GHz ensures an unequalled reach.  For extreme sensations, the Parrot Bebop Drone can be piloted with an optional controller compatible with FPV glasses.  Parrot extends its range of leisure drones with the Bebop Drone that takes professional-quality images.

 A 180° vision

Parrot Bebop Drone is equipped with a 14 megapixels « fisheye-lens » front-facing camera that records video in Full HD (1080p x 1920p) and streams live immersive views of the flight on the screen of the piloting Smartphone or tablet.

The pilot can control the angle of the camera simply with his thumb, directly from the piloting application. The shifting on a 180° angle is fully digital.

Thanks to algorithms developed by Parrot engineers, the Bebop Drone benefits from an exclusive 3-axis image stabilization system that maintains a fixed angle of the view, regardless of the inclination of the drone and movement caused by turbulence.

The camera of the Parrot Bebop Drone is mounted on an ingenious structure with rubber shock absorbers that cushion vibrations.

The images taken by the Bebop Drone are digitally treated thanks to the Parrot P7 Dual core processor, its GPU and a proprietary Image Signal Processor.

The landscapes are captured on the 8 GB flash memory of the Parrot Bebop Drone with a gripping precision and sharpness.

After the landing of the drone, videos (MP4 format) and photos (JPEG and DNG formats) can be transferred onto the piloting device or a computer via Wi-Fi or via the embedded micro-USB connector.

An astounding stability

The Parrot Bebop Drone is piloted via Wi-Fi through a free application available for iOS and Android Smartphone and tablets.

To guarantee optimal stability of the quadricopter, without compromising maneuverability, the Bebop Drone integrates data coming from numerous sensors:

  • One 3-axis accelerometer
  • One 3-axis gyroscope
  • One 3-axis magnetometer
  • One ultrasound with a reach up to 8 meters
  • One pressure sensor
  • One vertical camera

A  MIMO Wi-Fi connection

The Parrot Bebop Drone is equipped with 4 Wi-Fi antennas so it can manage the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies in MIMO (Multiple Inputs Multiple Outputs) format.

The Wi-Fi liaison uses the latest Wi-Fi 802.11ac.  Depending on network interference, the pilot can select the frequency of his choice.

The Parrot Bebop Drone integrates a GNSS chipset that associates the GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO data. The Bebop Drone is capable of autonomous flight and automatic return to the take-off position.

The Bebop Drone automatically records the data of each flight on Parrot cloud: “Pilot Academy”.

A featherweight of high technologies

About 50 engineers, specializing in digital signal processing, aeronautics, Wi-Fi radio and industrial design, worked on the development of the Parrot Bebop Drone, a highly performing high-tech jewel weighting 380 g without its hull (400 g with the hull) and enabling indoor and outdoor flights without the risks linked to the weight of more imposing drones.

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01. Mother board (Parrot P7 dual core CPU and quad core GPU – 8Gb flash memory – All are fixed on a magnesium shelf that acts as electromagnetic shielding and as a radiator.)

02. Fisheye lens (6 optical elements – 14 Mega pixels sensor)

03. Brushless out runner engines

04. Glass fiber reinforced (15%) ABS structure

05. Three-blade propellers in Polycarbonate with fast disassembly system

06. Inertial measurement unit (GPS+Glonass+Galileo – 3-axis accelerometer – 3-axis gyroscope – 3-axis magnetometer – pressure sensor)

07. Wi-Fi MIMO antennas (2 double-set of ceramic antennas for 2.4 and 5 GHz)

08. Vertical stabilization camera (Every 16 milliseconds, an image of the ground is taken and compared to the previous one to determine the speed of the Bebop Drone)

Ultrasound sensor (Analyzes the flight altitude up to 8 meters)

09. Hull in EPP (Clip and unclip easily to adapt to indoor and outdoor flight – Protects the propellers against potential bumps – Can be removed to reduce wind factor )

10. Anti-vibration Bumpers

FreeFlight 3.0: An ultra-intuitive application

The Parrot Bebop Drone comes with a free piloting application, FreeFlight 3.0, for iOS and Android Smartphones and tablets.

The ergonomics of the application have been developed to offer a perfect ease-of-use and to let the pilot focus on the pleasure of flying.

On the welcome screen, the pilot accesses the ground functionalities: Piloting, photos/videos, flight plan, Cloud ‘Pilot Academy’.).

When the ‘take off’ button is touched, the Parrot Bebop Drone starts its engines, takes off, stabilizes and awaits the pilot’s instructions.

The left thumb activates a virtual joystick that enables control of the altitude of the drone, its rotation and movements while tilting the smartphone/tablet, to indicate the direction: forward, backward, left, right.

The right thumb enables control of the angle of tilt of the front camera while flying.

A ‘flight plan’ piloting mode enables the pilot to program an autonomous flight, using the functionalities of the GNSS chipset.

When the ‘landing’ button is touched, the Parrot Bebop Drone lands smoothly.

A ‘Return Home’ button makes the Bebop Drone come back to its take-off position, guided by GPS.

Skycontroller: fly further, higher*

To benefit from a more powerful Wi-Fi connection, Parrot will offer the  Skycontroller as an option.

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Equipped with an amplified Wi-Fi radio and with 4 antennas, the Parrot Skycontroller extend the Wi-Fi range up to 2 kms.

The piloting Smartphone or tablet is fixed on a shelf that is compatible with the vast majority of the tablets available in the market.

The pilot takes the helm of the drone via 2 joysticks.

For extreme sensations, it is possible to connect FPV (First Person View) glasses to the Parrot Skycontroller with the HDMI plug. Then, leaning the head will position the camera of the Bebop Drone!

*Expert pilots and beginners should take the helm of leisure drones in a responsible manner and in respect of the local rules and regulations.

***

Parrot Bebop Drone technical data

  • CPU Dual core A9
  • Linux
  • Open source SDK
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
  • Wi-Fi MIMO 2.4 and 5GHz
  • 26dBM
  • GNSS : GPS+Glonass+Galileo
  • Inertial unit: Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Altimeter, Ultrasound, Vertical camera
  • Battery : Lithium Polymere 1200mAh
  • Flight time: Around 12 minutes
  • Compatibility: iOS and Android Smartphones/tablets
  • Weight: 380g without the hull – 400g with the hull

Dimensions:

  • 28x32x3.6 cm without the hull
  • 33x38x3.6 cm with the hull

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Parrot Skycontroller technical data

  • Android 4.2
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n up to 36dBm
  • Antennas directives range up to 2km
  • Wi-Fi MIMO 2.4 and 5GHz
  • Second chipset Wi-Fi to connect to a  tablet
  • GPS
  • USB, HDMI extensions
  • Sun-visor included
  • Weight: 450g

This looks like a nice update to the AR Drone 2.0.  I wish we were talking about more than 12 minutes of flight time, but integrated GPS and mission planning on your mobile device out of the box is a nice touch.  As I hear about details on pricing and release date, I’ll be sure to let you know.

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