Saturday, August 31, 2019
These Control Combat Tips Will Make You the Best Director the FBC Has Ever Seen
Astral Chain Could Mark a New Era for PlatinumGames
You almost always know what you’re going to get with a Platinum game. With very few exceptions, titles made in the developer’s 10-year history are action games, built with cinematic pacing, a focus on highly skill-based input, and very little to do outside of the combat. All of which is why Astral Chain is so surprising.
Yes, the Switch exclusive is primarily an action game, but it’s a very different kind of action game for Platinum. Where the likes of Bayonetta or The Wonderful 101 thrive on fighting game-like button pressing prowess, Astral Chain is more interested in movement and positioning. Controlling two characters at once, not to mention utilising the titular chain that binds them, turns the game’s combat into more of a dance than a punch-up; less fury, more elegance.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Homeworld 3 Announced from Gearbox and Blackbird Interactive
Gearbox Publishing and Blackbird Interactive have announced Homeworld 3, a true sequel to 2003's space-faring RTS Homeworld 2.
Homeworld 3 is currently a few months into pre-production and is currently on Fig.com, which allows fans to pledge/invest in the development of this new title. As of this writing, Homeworld 3's money raised is at $137,380 with 30 days to go.
This move allows backers to "snag a backstage pass to impact the game's development and prove that the fanbase still craves Homeworld 3." From features to priorities to what's in the collector's edition, backers will have their voice heard.
Gearbox Just Answered 9 of Your Borderlands 3 Questions
As our IGN First month of exclusive editorial coverage on Borderlands 3 winds down (catch up on anything you've missed here), we gave you a chance to ask the developers at Gearbox anything you'd like. And now they've answered!
Check out Gearbox's answers below, and look for Borderlands 3 in retail and digital storefronts on September 13.
Yes, you can matchmake on a ‘per mode’ basis. If you want to specifically search for a Proving Grounds or Circle of Slaughter game, you can do that. – Chris Brock, Executive Producer
From the start of the “customization talk” on Borderlands 3, I wanted to push the aesthetics further and more dramatic than we ever have. It was important to get crazier with heads and skins, to support that gamut between really “cool” and really “silly.” I feel like we hit that goal. We have crazy heads, animated skins, and even the option to change the colors on any skins in the game! That said, I love the idea of unique body swaps. As we look to the future, it makes more sense to support an idea like that on something down the road. Great idea! - Scott Kester, Art Director
Borderlands 3 Diamond Loot Chest Super Deluxe Edition Unboxing - IGN First
Our IGN First game for August 2019 is Borderlands 3, and as the month draws to an end, we're giving you one more look at the awesomeness of Borderlands 3 with an unboxing of its amazing Diamond Loot Chest Super Deluxe Edition.
To see all the real-life loot included inside, check out the video above.
The month of August brought us an onslaught of exciting Borderlands 3 first looks, including the first 14 minutes of Borderlands 3, a look at how Gearbox made true on its promise of Borderlands' 1 billion guns, and plenty more.
The Strangest Lightsabers in the Star Wars Universe
The lightsaber is undoubtedly one of the coolest (albeit sadly nonexistent) weapons in all of pop culture. What's not to love about a laser sword that can cut through anything yet easily stow away in your pocket when not in use? Though as we've seen many times in the Star Wars universe, some Jedi and Sith aren't content to stick to the traditional lightsaber design. Dark Side Rey and her bizarre switchblade lightsaber is just the latest example.
King of Fighters and Burger Time Arcade1up Cabinets Coming to TGS2019
Tokyo Game Show 2019 attendees will be able to get their hands on two new cabinets from Arcade1up, according to the company's official Japanese website.
Arcade classics BurgerTime and SNK's King of Fighters are joining the Arcade1up line-up of 3/4 scale replica arcade cabinets. From the photos on the site itself, the Burger Time cabinet includes Data East arcade classics Burger Time, Karate Champ, Caveman Ninja and Bad Dudes.
The King of Fighters cabinet shown on the website has a special-edition riser and comes with King of Fighters '94, King of Fighters '96 and King of Fighters '98.
Additionally, a new Taito countercade, designed to operate like a normal Arcade1up cabinet sitting on a counter top or table, is also being teased.
6.6 Million Custom Maps Copied to Halo: MCC from Halo 3, 4, and Reach
Over 6.6 million player-created maps from Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 were successfully copied over for future access in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
Revealed on Halo's Twitter, these maps followed the 2.6 million player-created game types from Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4 that were copied from the original Xbox 360 games earlier in August 2019.
All transferred maps and game types were from players who had previously uploaded their creations to each specific game's file share.
Borderlands 3 Writer Wants To Pen Tales From The Borderlands Season 2
One of the lead writers behind Borderlands 3, Sam Winkler, has said he'd like to write a second season of Tales From The Borderlands.
Speaking to Comicbook.com, Winkler said, "I would love to pickup where Tales from the Borderlands Season 1 left off. There's so many unsolved threads there, and even though we brought some characters into Borderlands 3, there's still a lot of question marks.
"I am a die-hard fan of Tales, and I inserted some winks and nods that are probably going to drive some fan wiki articles,” he added.
Tales From The Borderlands was created by Telltale Games before the studio's closure in 2018. Despite being dramatically different in gameplay to the main series and only ever releasing one season, its plot is canon in the Borderlands universe.
CD Projekt Red Now 'Dual-Franchise' Studio With The Witcher And Cyberpunk
CD Projekt Red's latest financial report has revealed the studio is moving towards a "dual-franchise" business model supported by huge interest in The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077.
In a statement the developer said, "Managing two separate major franchises (The Witcher and Cyberpunk), along with several independent development teams, enables the Company to conduct parallel work on several projects and smoothens its long-term release schedule."
In other words, it seems the studio is planning to expand on the Cyberpunk franchise beyond 2077 giving it equal weight to The Witcher series.
"This migration towards a dual-franchise model supported by several independent product lines also permits optimization of manufacturing and financial activities, mitigates important risk factors and makes it easier for Company employees to seek professional fulfillment," it added.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Check out These Beautiful Shots from the Yakuza 7 Trailer
SEGA threw Yakuza fans for a loop this week with the reveal of Yakuza 7 in a gorgeous new reveal trailer. The new title, called Yakuza: Like a Dragon in the West, is due out in 2020 on PS4.
The new trailer shows off the newest protagonist Ichiban Kasuga and follows his story in Isezaki Ijin, Yokohama. In the trailer, he appears to turn himself into police, serve some time in prison, and is released 18 years later. The trailer, of course, has its emotional moments, but also shows off some of the quirkiness Yakuza is known for. Check out our favorite stills in the gallery below.
This iteration of Yakuza is a bit of an outlier, however, from what long-time fans might know the game to be. This Yakuza is steering away from its brawler roots to a turn-based combat system.
The Switch Lite Is Literally Pocket-Sized Without Feeling Too Small
Welcooome to Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's Nintendo show! This week, Seth Macy joins the NVC crew to discuss his hands-on time with the Switch Lite. Then, could an Amazon posting for an Overwatch Switch case mean that Blizzard’s popular team shooter is heading to Switch? The panel also discusses Mario Kart Tour’s upcoming release, the classic Lion King and Aladdin remasters, new Shovel Knight details, and more!
Yakuza 7 Announced With Some Major Series Changes
Sega has officially unveiled the next chapter in the Yakuza series, which takes combat in a different direction to its predecessors.
Its full Japanese title is Ryu ga Gotoku 7, which roughly translates to Yakuza 7: Whereabouts of Light and Darkness - though its name in the West will be Yakuza: Like a Dragon - is headlined by an all-new main character, Ichiban Kasuga, but the biggest shake up is its approach to how fighting plays out. The brawling action of past games is being swapped out for turn-based combat.
Gematsu has translated the Japanese press release which describes how the game uses a ""live command RPG battle" system that combines the series’ signature action with an RPG-style command system. It has evolved into a system in which anyone can easily enjoy exhilarating battles. In this completely new battle system, Ichiban Kasuga and his party will fight by selecting techniques with various effects such as attack, recovery, support, and more."
Man of Medan Sequel, Little Hope, Teased For 2020
The next game in The Dark Pictures Anthology and sequel to Man of Medan has been announced. Revealed in a teaser trailer after the Man of Medan credits, the next game is called Little Hope and will be released in 2020.
The trailer features Bandersnatch and Midsommar’s Will Poulter as Andrew, and appears to be set in a creepy town called Little Hope. A young girl with a creepy doll can be seen dancing around a fire, and Andrew’s friend Angela is shown to be in trouble. Beyond that, the trailer offers very little indication as to what Little Hope’s story is.
As an anthology series, The Dark Pictures presents each game as a standalone experience, rather than as a ‘sequel’ to the games before it. As far as we know there is no connection between Man of Medan and Little Hope in narrative or characters, but we wouldn’t be surprised if there are hints or Easter eggs littered around the games.
New Resident Evil Project Teased by Capcom for Tokyo Game Show
Capcom is teasing a new Resident Evil project, which it will reveal at Tokyo Game Show this September.
The tease comes in the form of a website titled Project Resistance. The R and E in the title are shown in red among other white letters, making it fairly clear that the game is a Resident Evil title.
The website explains that the teaser trailer for the new project will be shown on September 9 at 3:00PM UTC (8am PT, 4pm UK, 1am AEST), and suggests people stay tuned for future updates.
Project Resistance will then be shown at Capcom’s booth at Tokyo Games Show, in which gameplay is promised. The game will be on stage on September 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Astral Chain Might Be the Best-Looking Game on Switch
I'm increasingly convinced that Astral Chain is the most beautiful game on Switch. Breath of the Wild is a gorgeous pastel-pastoral, Super Mario Odyssey still has that sheer cartoon charm, and the likes of Thumper and Ape Out drip with expressive style. But only PlatinumGames' latest has caused me to run out of room on my SD card through sheer weight of screenshots.
Its cyberpunk island-city setting, The Ark, is a blanketing haze of neon, either buzzing down from buildings, or reflected back up at you from rainfall-slick streets. Its characters feel like they’ve sprung into 3D from an anime, a grab-bag of pink hair, eyepatches and over-the-top animations. Even its frenetic, two-tone combat is an exercise in visual flair, the titular chain whipping across the battlefield, as both player and Legion (your semi-AI controlled living weapon) dance their way through combat.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Get Drone Strike Force Free with IGN Prime
IGN Prime brings you Drone Strike Force. Join the challenging online shooter with three-dimensional gameplay for competitive, skill-based combat with drones.
Fly and shoot at high velocity while using the environment and your drone’s agile capabilities to outmaneuver enemies and give your team the win. Choose from a number of unique drones, weapons, perks and abilities to customize each loadout to your own personal playstyle.
Drone Strike Force is challenging the standard online shooter with the introduction of the z (vertical) axis in a competitive, skill based environment. Use the Q, E and F keys along with your weapons to dominate your enemies, while ramping up your situational awareness and maneuverability skills to the 3rd Dimension!
What Telltale’s ‘Revival’ Could Mean for Future Games
Telltale Games is alive (in some form) again following a buyout by a Malibu, California-based company called LCG Entertainment. But news of Telltale’s revival isn’t as clear-cut as headlines would suggest, especially considering Telltale’s complicated history leading to its closure in 2018.
Telltale Games Is Back, Sort Of
This morning, it was reported by Polygon that Malibu-based game company, LCG Entertainment, purchased Telltale Games and its assets for an undisclosed amount. The new heads of Telltale Games are Jamie Ottilie and Brian Waddle, game industry veterans with no prior history at Telltale Games.
Blizzard Suing Mobile Dev for 'Massive' Warcraft Copyright Infringement
Blizzard Entertainment has filed a lawsuit in California against Sina Games, stating that its free-to-play Glorious Saga has "almost entirely copied from the Warcraft games and related products."
As reported by Polygon, the lawsuit was filed on August 16, 2019, and Blizzard is "seeking a court order to stop the infringement and maximum damages for the "serious and irreparable harm to Blizzard and its business.""
Night In The Woods Studio Cancels Next Game Following Sexual Assault Allegations
Infinite Fall, the developers behind Night In The Woods, announced on Twitter that it will cut ties with Alec Holowka following allegations of sexual assault against him. Holowka was a designer, programmer, and composer on Night In The Woods.
“This week, allegations of past abuse have come to light regarding Alec Holowka, who was coder, composer, and co-designer on Night In The Woods,” the official Night In The Woods Twitter account writes. “We take such allegations seriously as a team. As a result and after some agonizing consideration, we are cutting ties with Alec.”
PlayStation Plus Games for September Revealed
Sony has revealed that the PlayStation Plus games for September are Batman: Arkham Knight and Darksiders III, and both will be available from September 3 through September 30.
Announced by PlayStation.Blog, these two titles follow August's PlayStation Plus games that are currently Wipeout Omega Collection, which includes Wipeout 2048, Wipeout HD, and Wipeout HD Fury, and Sniper Elite 4.
Batman: Arkham Knight was the third entry in Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham series and was originally released in 2015. In our review of Batman: Arkham Knight, we said that it "is an impressive game on almost every level, with non-stop variety and great action."
The Best Games of 2019 So Far
With the end-of-year rush on the horizon, we're pausing to look back at the best games of 2019 so far. We've already covered the best games on each system — PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC — but this list encompasses all platforms to provide a more complete look at this year's top reviewed games. Below you'll find all 35 games released in 2019 that received a review score of 8.5 or higher from IGN. Note that, despite their qualifying scores, expansions (e.g. Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers) and ports (e.g. Cuphead and Unravel 2 on Switch) aren't included. Remakes (e.g. Resident Evil 2) are, however, since they are effectively new games rather than remasters.
GreedFall: 13 Minutes of New Gameplay
GreedFall looks more and more intriguing every time we see it, and this latest video only makes that more true. Take a look at the 13-minute video above, featuring new gameplay (no spoilers!) from the upcoming fantasy RPG.
GreedFall is set in a fantastical 17th century, where colonialism is fueled by a need to cure a ravenous disease. It is being developed by Spiders, makers of Bound by Flame (here's the IGN review).
GreedFall is due to be released on September 10.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.
Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King Is Up for Preorder
Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King is set to release for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on October 29. Made by Digital Eclipse, the company behind Mega Man Legacy Collection and Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, it contains various versions of two games in the title.
It will have the SNES, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy versions of The Lion King, as well as the Genesis and Game Boy versions of Aladdin, among other tidbits. On top of that, it will also include things like quick saves, 15-second rewind, watch mode, display options, art gallery, and a music player with the full game soundtracks.
If you're ready to secure a copy of this retro collection for yourself, you can do so right now at the following retailers.
The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan Review
I like my decisions to come with consequences, and The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan presents some strong ones, including one that determines whether or not I get to see Shawn Ashmore speared through the chest with a rusty spike. Unlike developer Supermassive Games’ greatest horror hit to date, the cheesy Until Dawn, Man of Medan is a serious and brooding horror game that starts off too slow but maintains a welcome sense of dread in its latter half. A meaningful choice-and-consequence system makes a second or even third five-hour playthrough alluring, particularly when playing online co-op, where you each control one character and independently make decisions with the potential to screw each other over.
Battlefield V Players And Developers Are Confused Over Game's Roadmap
Confusion over Battlefield V's content roadmap seems to have spilled over into the development team, where designers are "frustrated" by inaccurate chapter roadmaps promising in-game vehicles and gear that don't yet exist.
A Reddit thread asked DICE to elaborate on when fans could expect the vehicles and gadgets advertised in a previously-released chapter rewards image, but that hadn't yet dropped. Battlefield community manager Jeff Braddock replied admitting that the game's roadmap is currently in flux.
Where to Preorder the Yakuza Remastered Physical Edition
One of the biggest surprises out of Gamescom 2019 was the announcement of the Yakuza Remastered Collection, an updated release of Yakuzas 3, 4 and 5. In fact, Yakuza 3 was made available digitally at the same time the announcement was made, meaning you can revisit, or play for the first time, right now on PS4.
If you want to wait until February and get your hands on the Day 1 physical edition, you can preorder your right now and ensure you get all the Yakuza-y goodness on February 11.
Classic 16-bit Disney Games Aladdin, Lion King Returning to Stores
The re-release collection featuring of Disney's Aladdin and The Lion King has been confirmed. Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King (a mouthful of a name!) will be getting boxed retail versions for consoles in addition to digital versions.
Previously rumoured for release, we now have concrete details, including the Nintendo Switch version box art. Physical releases on Xbox and PS4 are also planned:
Borderlands 3 Preorder Bonus: Get $10 Credit with Amazon Prime
Borderlands 3 is almost here; it releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on September 13. The game will mark the return of many characters from the previous installments (including Tales from the Borderlands), like Lilith, Mordecai, Brick, Tiny Tina, Moxxi, Claptrap, Vaughn, Rhys, and more. It will take place on multiple worlds rather than just Pandora. And to mollify anyone worried it might stray from its loot-shooter roots, Gearbox also says the game will contain over a billion guns.
If you're ready to preorder Borderlands 3, you'll want to know what editions are available, what preorder bonuses to expect, and where you can buy it. We have you covered below.
Preorder Borderlands 3 Standard Edition
The Best Nintendo Switch Deal We've Seen Is Back
The refurbished Nintendo Switch deal at Walmart is back and it's the absolute best deal on a Nintendo Switch. In an otherwise unremarkable landscape of Nintendo Switch deals, it's a nice way to get your hands on one on the cheap.
You can easily preorder a Nintendo Switch Lite in your choice of color, and after having gone hands-on with it, I recommend it if you plan to play in handheld mode.
Here are the best deals on Nintendo Switch consoles right now:
Nintendo Switch Neon Red/Blue (Refurbished) Deal for $229.99
Steam Is 'Unrealistic' For Developers, Says Ubisoft Executive
Ubisoft's vice president for partnerships and revenue, Chris Early, has said that Steam's business model is impractical in 2019.
Speaking to the New York Times, Early said Ubisoft decided to stop selling its latest blockbuster games on Steam because Valve will not budge on its revenue sharing model, where Steam keeps 30 percent of a game's sale price.
“It’s unrealistic, the current business model that they have,” he said. “It doesn’t reflect where the world is today in terms of game distribution.” Early explained that the decision to not sell The Division 2 on Valve's platform was made as part of a larger business discussion at Ubisoft in regards to releasing games on Steam.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Ninja Signs Adidas Sponsorship Deal
The ever popular streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, has signed a sponsorship deal with Adidas.
Ninja announced the deal on his Twitter account saying "I’m humbled, and excited, to officially announce my partnership with @adidasoriginals." The tweet was then shared from the Adidas Originals account welcoming him to the family.
No shortcuts. Only long days. Never let anyone tell you that you can’t catch your dreams.
Classic 16-bit Disney Games Aladdin, Lion King Allegedly Returning to Stores
The beloved and beautiful SEGA 1993 Genesis game, Disney’s Aladdin, might be joining the perhaps slightly less beloved, but no less beautiful, The Lion King (1994) in a collection allegedly coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One. The two will reportedly be getting boxed retail versions for consoles this year.
As confirmed in an image sent to GameXplain and first noted by Twitter user @wolverinefactor from the GameStop managers convention, the collection was shown off to attendees. It will allegedly include Genesis and SNES versions of these games and include original soundtracks.
World of Warcraft Director Explains Why Classic Server Queues Are Still So Long
World of Warcraft Classic servers are now live, and as expected, players are crowding to get in. Unfortunately, servers are still pretty packed leading to long queues for some of the more popular servers. World of Warcraft director has now issued some clarification on Blizzard’s plans to alleviate the long queues in the near future.
In a post on the Blizzard forums (via USG), WoW director Ion Hazzikostas was asked why Blizzard is hesitating on opening up new servers when queues to enter World of Warcraft classic can grow into the tens of thousands. The reason, Hazzikostas says, is because Blizzard is prioritizing the long-term health of World of Warcraft Classic over quick fixes.
Cuphead Releases Official Sheet Music And Invites School Bands To Learn
The studio behind indie sensation Cuphead has released official sheet music for the game's jazzy soundtrack.
Available here, prices range from a couple of dollars for the Barbershop Quartet arrangements of "Don't Deal With the Devil" and "A Quick Break", to $50 for the scores and parts to seven tunes at professional standard. Each music pack contains the sheet music in PDF form.
The decision to share the sheets opens up possibilities for video game music to be played more widely in schools and concert halls around the world. Cuphead's developers MDHR have bundled the scores into difficulty levels ranging from high school to professional to ensure there's a song for everyone.
Kojima Confirms Parts of Death Stranding Will Be First Person
Hideo Kojima has taken to Twitter to clear up how player perspective works in Death Stranding - but in typical fashion the answer is enigmatic.
"Since I get this question alot, DEATH STRANDING is different from stealth game," he tweeted. "You can enjoy First Person View but not a First Person Shooter game. It's brand new game genre that adapted the concept of strand that we call Action Game, Strand Game (Social Strand System)."
Since I get this question alot, DEATH STRANDING is different from stealth game. You can enjoy First Person View but not a First Person Shooter game. It's brand new game genre that adapted the concept of strand that we call Action Game, Strand Game (Social Strand System). pic.twitter.com/W1oWfvO7B5
Borderlands' Claptrap, Psycho and Pandora Rift Zones Arrive in Fortnite
Fortnite and Borderlands have collided as Claptrap, Psycho, Pandora Rift Zones, and more have entered the world of Fortnite in its Fortnite X Mayhem event in celebration of the upcoming release of Borderlands 3.
Announced by Fortnite, the Fortnite X Mayhem even runs from today through September 10 and allows players to "shoot and loot your way through the Pandora Rift Zone, take on themed Challenges for free rewards, and pick up the Psycho Bundle from the shop."
Mayhem has come to Fortnite. #FortniteXMayhem
Monday, August 26, 2019
Fire Emblem Three Houses: Unlock Paralogue Missions With These Characters
Cyberpunk 2077 Official Hi-Res Wallpaper Released by CD Projekt Red
CD Projekt Red has released a ton of hi-res desktop wallpaper from Cyberpunk 2077, giving us another look at the much-anticipated title.
We've created a slideshow with all the Cyberpunk 2077 hi-res desktop wallpaper below from Cyberpunk.net for your to download for yourselves!
Cyberpunk 2077's Hi-Res Desktop Wallpaper
The wallpaper featured showcase many characters from the world of Cyberpunk 2077, including player-character V, Placide, Brigitte, Jackie Welles, and, perhaps most importantly, Keanu Reeves' Johnny Silverhand.
We also get to see various locations in Night City, where players will get to fully explore and make a name for themselves when Cyberpunk 2077 is released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16, 2020. Google Stadia will also be getting Cyberpunk 2077, although possibly at a later date.
Fortnite Appears to Be Teasing a Borderlands Crossover
Fortnite and Borderlands may be getting ready for a crossover, as a recent Tweet by Fortnite included a photo that has a hidden Psycho mask from Borderlands in it.
Fortnite's Tweet further teases the crossover as it says "when you see it..." and uses #FortniteXMayhem.
This is most interesting as the Borderlands Twitter account frequently uses #LetsMakeSomeMayhem, which also features a Psycho mask emoji at the end of the hashtag.
Mario Kart Tour Release Date Annonuced
Mario Kart Tour will be released on iOS and Android devices on September 25, 2019.
Announced by Nintendo, it asks fans to follow @MarioKartTourEN for "more information heading into the game's release."
Pre-orders are now live on iOS, and the game's page gives further details as to what Mario Kart fans can expect when they play Nintendo's beloved racing franchise on mobile devices.
Ion Fury Devs Take Back Decision to Remove Homophobic Content
Update: In a new post on Steam from Terminx – lead developer on Ion Fury – a joint statement was shared from both Voidpoint and 3D Realms, stating they will not be removing any homophobic content from Ion Fury, counteracting what was vocalized previously after the developers made transphobic and sexist remarks in their Discord channel.
The statement can be read below:
"Joint statement from Voidpoint and 3D Realms:
We’ve caused a recent controversy suggesting Ion Fury game content was to be censored.
We will absolutely NOT be censoring Ion Fury or any of our other games, now or in the future, including but not limited to by removing gags such as gaming’s most controversial facial wash.
New Tool Reunites Long Lost World of Warcraft Friends in Classic
Much has changed since World of Warcraft debuted in 2004: Azeroth's map has quadrupled in size; Deathwing twisted the landscape in Cataclysm; Arthas perished in Wrath of the Lich King; and Illidan has been introduced, killed, resurrected, and exiled again. But for players that have stuck it out for all 14 years, there is no better measurement of the passage of time than the memories of all the people you used to know. 2004 was pre-Facebook, pre-Twitter, and pre-Discord, which meant that a whole generation of internet friendships lived and died on World of Warcraft. We would only learn later how fraught that was, that those connections could be severed completely. Once they're gone, they're gone. Ask any Warcraft veteran: We've all lost people. If only we had the foresight to ask for their full names during those endless Dire Maul runs. You know, just in case the unthinkable happened.
Control Review
I wish Remedy could make even more games, because Control reminded me of this studio’s knack for crafting engrossing, oddball worlds with an incredible sense of place. Control is perhaps Remedy’s weirdest yet, with the talking upside pyramid who’s also your boss being about the sixth-strangest part. But thanks to sharp writing, a set of awesome and varied psychic combat abilities, and an impressively thought-out world, it was easy to wrap my head around what made this adventure tick.
Infiltrating the Federal Bureau of Control as Jesse Faden and her blue wavy spirit buddy, I found myself fascinated. The Bureau’s headquarters seems like a drab, nondescript office building at first, and Jesse’s search for answers to events in her past was equally mundane at first. But Control quickly reveals what lies behind those concrete walls: within the first chapter I became both the janitor’s assistant and the new acting director of the Bureau.
Astral Chain Review
PlatinumGames has a reputation for making action games that are both incredibly stylish and delightfully weird. Its latest, the Switch-exclusive Astral Chain, wholeheartedly embraces this tradition and pushes each aspect to the max. This is Platinum at its finest - its innovative combat system cleverly manages to make controlling two characters at once feel intuitive and deeply rewarding. Equally as impressive, the non-combat sequences charmingly bring this peculiar world and the characters who inhabit it to life.
The setup is a fairly typical one: after Earth became uninhabitable due to alien pollution, humanity migrated to the Ark, a futuristic metropolis filled with neon lights and, surprise(!), an alien invasion problem of its own.You know, the usual. You play as one of the two Howard twins - male or female - who is a part of an anti-alien task force that fights using robot allies called Legions. That’s where the eponymous Astral Chain comes in - it’s the tether between you and your Legion and lets you see the aliens, which are called Chimeras.
Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey Review
When our distant ape ancestors got together and decided one day, roughly 10 million years ago, that they should evolve into humans, did they have an instruction manual that told them which two things to rub together to get there? No! They had to put pretty much everything they encountered into their mouths, one at a time, to figure out which was tasty and which was deadly poison. There was a lot of hard work, repetition, and death that turned out to be completely unnecessary in hindsight. Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey does its very best to recreate much of that maddening blindness and futility and some of the associated sense of discovery in a beautiful prehistoric world, becoming an apt metaphor in the process.
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Check Out Over 100 Screenshots from Marvel's Avengers A-Day Gameplay Demo
Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics finally released the nearly 19-minute Marvel's Avengers A-Day demo that was previously shown at E3 2019 and San Diego Comic-Con.
We've compiled over 100 of the best screenshots from the demo for you to flip through in the gallery below, and it includes our best look yet at Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, The Hulk, Taskmaster, and so much more.
If these screenshots aren't enough, we've also put together 53 brand new details about Marvel's Avengers gameplay, characters, gear, and more.
GreedFall's Flexible Combat Feels Fantastic to Play
GreedFall has quietly flown under my radar since it’s announcement back in 2017, but finally caught my eye by chance when I saw a giant, tree-like monster fighting the main character on one of our displays at the office after E3 this year Magic, swords, and monsters are up-my-alley--so I was excited to play a hands-on demo with developer Spiders at Gamescom 2019. I went in a bit skeptical, but left with GreedFall as one of my most anticipated games this year.
GreedFall is a big historical-fantasy RPG with plenty of systems to dive into and things to get side-tracked by while exploring. You can read a great overview of what GreedFall is here, and watch this developer interview with gameplay below to learn more. Here’s a quick rundown before we get into how it feels to play, which is, spoiler: fun.
Exclusive: Monster Hunter Brachydios Hunt and Decorating Gameplay
During our IGN Gamescom 2019 live show, we hosted some Monster Hunter legends: executive director Kaname Fujioka, producer Ryozo Tsujimoto, and director Daisuke Ichihara to tour us through an exclusive look at Brachydios - a returning monster to the series that's new to Monster Hunter: World.
In addition, we got the chance for a look at the extensive customization options in "your Hunter's room" in Seliana - the hub world in Monster Hunter: Iceborne. They walked us through all the gameplay changes made to Brachydios, plus how to unlock all of these options in your hunter's house. Be sure to check out the video above - you can find the customization of "your room" starting at 9:22 and Brachydios appears at 17:40 in the video below!
Death Stranding: You Can't See Norman Reedus' Penis, Kojima Confirms
Hideo Kojima premiered brand new Death Stranding gameplay footage during tonight’s Gamescom Opening Night Live press conference. One ability Sam (Norman Reedus) has in Death Stranding, apparently, is relieving himself when he needs to. But don’t worry, Kojima confirmed players won’t accidentally see Sam’s penis in Death Stranding.
Speaking on stage during the Opening Night Live show hosted by Geoff Keighley, Kojima spoke through a translator about the urinating mechanic seen in the new Death Stranding gameplay footage.
“About the urine part, I have to say. It’s late enough to discuss about that, right?” Kojima began. “If you try to move the camera and try to see what he’s doing, Sam will move away so you’ll never see, actually, what he’s doing,” Kojima confirmed. Presumably this means if you try to move the camera and angle it to see Sam in the act of urinating, he will purposefully turn away from you.
Marvel's Avengers: 11 Epic DLC Characters We Want
Marvel's Avengers will give players the chance to take direct control of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Or some of them, anyway. The game looks to be focusing on a core cast that includes Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and Black Widow. That barely scratches the surface of Marvel heroes who have served as Avengers over the decades. Fortunately, we know developer Crystal Dynamics will be releasing new characters as free DLC post-release.
While there are literally hundreds of characters to choose from, we assume Crystal Dynamics will be sticking to characters with similar powers and abilities as that main cast of five. After all, they can't risk breaking the balance of a game with a significant online component. With that in mind, here are the Marvel heroes we want to see as playable DLC.
UK Daily Deals: Preorder FIFA 20 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC from £24.99
Saturday, August 24, 2019
UK Daily Deals: Preorder FIFA 20 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC from £24.99
Friday, August 23, 2019
Oninaki Review
It can be a lot of fun beating up mean ghosts while possessed by helpful ghosts to eventually free wayward ghosts from their earthly attachments, as I discovered in Oninaki’s stylish action RPG world. Some of the basics of combat feel a bit too clunky and repetitive for it to ascend all the way to the heavens, but the mature storytelling, captivating art, and excellent music had me wanting to stick around like an unfulfilled spectre.
While Oninaki’s art style comes across as almost childlike, it works in service of a story that explores lots of deep, dark questions about death, uncertainty, and how we cope with those things. You play as a Watcher, a sort of morally ambiguous ghost cop responsible for making sure departed souls re-enter the cycle of reincarnation rather than hanging around as shadows of their former selves in the spirit world. Sometimes this means going as far as executing someone who can’t let go of the deceased so they can both be at peace, setting a clear tone early on that your journey is going to take you to some disturbing, thought-provoking places.
Every Fire Emblem: Three Houses Character Ranked by Dateability
The characters of Fire Emblem: Three Houses are probably the most important factor of the game, and the tea parties you have with them certainly one of the most popular. Rather than argue like uncivilized co-workers, we held a tea party of our own to rank every character in Fire Emblem: Three Houses by dateability! Watch the video above to see exactly why we rated each character the way we did and which house won the honor of being most dateable, or click through the slide-show for a quick run down.
Want to see the full, uncut version of this video? It's embedded below! You can also download the audio of the full, uncut version of the Fire Emblem: Three Houses Tea Party Dateability Discussion here.
Streets of Rage 4: 7-Minutes of Gameplay For New Character, Cherry Hunter
IGN has 7-minutes of Streets of Rage 4 gameplay featuring the newly announced fighter, Cherry Hunter. Check out the video above to see the two fighters use their fists (and sometimes guitar) to fight their way through martial artists and street punks.
Streets of Rage 4 Playable Characters
Streets of Rage 4 is the newest game in the Streets of Rage series. Set 10 years after the events of Streets of Rage 3, Streets of Rage 4 features a cast of new and returning characters. Unfortunately, the developers have not revealed the full roster of characters just yet.
The only fighters announced for Streets of Rage 4 so far are:
Wasteland 3's Giant Car is My Favorite Party Member
Trading in the dusty barrens of Arizona and the like for the snow-swept passages of Colorado, Wasteland 3's apocalyptic vision may not be the prettiest looking role-playing tactical game out there, but it is looking a whole lot sleeker and more detailed than its predecessor. Instead of moving a dot on a line across a barren map, I was able to snowplow an armored transport vehicle through winding sleet-heavy roads before finding the target of my objective: an old resort turned into a base filled with drugged up psychopaths. My job was to find their leader - Victory Buchanan - and take him out.
In my first combat experience going hands-on with Wasteland 3's demo that went out to backers this week (the full experience should arrive sometime in Spring 2020), I was given four different characters to control: My main character, Banshee the sniper, Doc Nails the medic, and Scotchmo the shotgun-toting alcoholic. Each had a specialized role to fill that made them instantly unique from the others, like Scotchmo's shotgun displaying a large cone of fire instead of targeting single opponents. The overhead view of the arena seamlessly transitioned from exploration into a grid-based map featuring a much more slick and streamlined interface than we've seen in Wasteland 2. I was a bit sloppy entering the fight, and had to rush to find cover after taking fire that felt very reminiscent of X-COM's tactical battles (even featuring their own version of ambushing overwatch strikes that could activate during an enemy's movement). I appreciated all the clever visual cues - like being able to see my movement range with different colored borders marking how far I could run and still have action points leftover to shoot. I was also happy to find that you could swap between characters on the fly during your turn, rather than having to fully complete a character's action one after other, which meant new strategic opportunities for setting up attacks.
Watch SpongBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated Gameplay
THQ Nordic has unveiled the first in-depth look at its upcoming remake SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated at Gamescom 2019.
Watch the gameplay video aboveto see the Rehydrated title in action, including some of SpongBob's platforming prowess, his combat abilities, and a showdown with King Jellyfish. The footage is from a pre-alpha demo build of the game, so details and design are subject to change.
You can also check out some screenshot stills from the demo below.
THQ Nordic announced SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated just ahead of E3 2019, revealing that a new horde multiplayer mode will be added to the remake. And content cut from the original game has been restored and brought into the remake, like the Robo Squidward boss battle.
FIFA 20: 11-Minutes of the New, Stylish Volta Story Mode
FIFA 20 is shaking things up this year by introducing Volta, and we have 11-minutes of gameplay from the Volta Story Mode straight from Gamescom.
You can watch the beginning of the Volta story mode in the video above and see how an ambitious young squad comes together in a quest to become street football champions.
What is Volta?
Volta is a new mode in FIFA 20 set in the streets. This isn’t FIFA Street, however. Instead, EA is looking to approach the staples of street football with a realistic approach. So, while there won’t be any arcade-like elements, Volta will have a faster pace, stylish goals, and better fashion.
Gears 5: Sarah Connor from Terminator: Dark Fate Horde Gameplay Revealed
At Gamescom 2019, the first Gears 5 Horde gameplay of Terminator: Dark Fate's Sarah Connor was revealed and showcases her skills in seven minutes of PC gameplay running at 4K 60fps.
Sarah Connor is part of the Terminator: Dark Fate character pack that also includes the Terminator T-800 Endoskeleton and was revealed back at E3 2019. The pack will be made available for free on November 1, 2019, as either a pre-order bonus or for Xbox Game Pass members who have played Gears 5 by September 16.
The gameplay clip shows Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor wielding Gears 5's iconic Lancer and also gives another look at the new Horde mode that now has features fan favorite characters that are able to utilize Ultimate abilities.
Changing the Genesis Mini Language Options Also Changes the ROMs
I've been messing around with the Sega Genesis Mini for a little while now, and so far I'm impressed. Going into it, I expected to find the level of polish M2 is famous for, and I wasn't disappointed. However, I was expecting just a little something more than the already-charming interface of the Sega Genesis Mini, and true to form, M2 delivered with the language options menu.
You've no doubt encountered language options in menus for countless software applications. It's a great way to mess with your friends: turn the language from English to something their wholly unfamiliar with, and see if they can navigate their way back without resorting to a factory reset. For every language menu I've ever encountered, the selection just... changes the language of the menu options. Standard, expected behavior. The Sega Genesis Mini goes further. See it all in action in the video at the top of the article.
Disintegration: Watch 7 Minutes of Halo Co-Creator's New Shooter
Straight out of Gamescom, we’ve got a look at 7 minutes of PvP gameplay from Disintegration, an upcoming shooter from Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto.
Watch the video above to see Disintegration in action, or flip through the slideshow below to see over 50 screenshots from the game:
First revealed earlier this week, Disintegration is a first-person shooter with a full single-player campaign in addition to the PvP shown above. And while it is an FPS, it’s mixed with a bit of RTS as you’re actually piloting a hoverbike from the skies while simultaneously giving orders to a squad of troops on the ground.
Minecraft's New Bee Mobs Are Aces
Potential Minecraft apiarists can begin keeping their own bees as part of Minecraft Java Edition 1.15 snapshot 19w34a.
Bees in Minecraft behave much like bees in real life: they go about their business peacefully, making honey, buzzing, and enjoying life to the fullest.
Also like real-life bees, Minecraft's newest mobs will leave you alone if you leave them alone. However, just like an action movie protagonist or real-world bees, if you push them too far, they will rain down upon you a world of pain.
Angered Minecraft bees' eyes turn red, (the surest sign of anger), and multiple angry bees swarm you and fill your character with harmful poisons if provoked. Unlike normal bees, Minecraft bees are gigantic, measuring 0.6 blocks as adults and 0.3 as baby bees.
CD Projekt Red Will Reveal 15-Minutes of Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay Next Week
Anyone hoping for more Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay won’t have to wait long. CD Projekt Red has announced it will be showing off 15-minutes of edited gameplay on August 30 at 11 AM PT/2 PM ET/7 PM BST.
In a blog post, CD Projekt Red says the gameplay stream will be a 15-minute edit of the Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay the developers have been showing journalists and attendees at Gamescom.
The stream will also include an interview with the developers with additional information about the gameplay that will be shown off. “Expect a lot of insight into the thought process behind creative decisions, information about Pacifica – one of the districts of Night City – and TONS of stuff on playstyles you’ll be able to adopt when you launch Cyberpunk 2077 next year,” CD Projekt Red writes.
Every Death Stranding Trailer and Cinematic So Far
What started as a mysterious project headed by visionary game developer Hideo Kojima has blossomed into one of the weirdest video game promotional campaigns we have ever, and may ever, see. A few times a year, Kojima comes out of hiding/development to give us an update on how Death Stranding's going – typically followed by a trailer or cinematic to show something new from the game. The trailers have become notorious for being beautiful, long, and incredibly vague. They typically dredge up more questions than they answer, but to some anticipating Death Stranding – that's the appeal.
Borderlands 3: 21 Hilarious NPC Death Dialogue Lines
The Borderlands series is famous for its sense of humor, and Borderlands 3 doesn't miss a comedy-beat, absolutely oozing with jokes. The laugh-out-loud hilarity of the Borderlands series colors every part of the game, from its gun names, to character dialogue, and basically everything in between.
Even the NPCs can't resist a hilarious quip when they're knocking on the doors of death. When you take out a bandit or other NPC in the game, their last living words are often a hilarious phrase or lobbed insult. Check out the video above to see (and hear) 21 hilarious death-dialogue lines from Borderlands 3.
Borderlands 3 is our IGN First game of August 2019, and we've been bringing you first looks and previews of Gearbox's upcoming looter shooter. From the first 14 minutes of Borderlands 3 to the process behind creating literally 1 billion Borderlands guns, we've got the goods all month on what's likely to be September's biggest release.
Marvel's Avengers: 53 New Details About Gameplay, DLC, and More
Marvel’s Avengers is shaping up to be one of 2020’s biggest games for PS4, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC, and we finally got hands-on time (and gameplay video) from at Gamescom 2019. The demo of Marvel’s Avengers is exactly what was shown off during Square-Enix’s E3 2019 press conference, but there were many Marvel's Avengers details revealed at Gamescom 2019 that gave us some insight into what to expect from Marvel’s Avengers’ story, character customization, gear, multiplayer, DLC, and more.
Marvel’s Avengers Setting
- The game takes place five years after the cinematic trailer that we saw during E3, where the Avengers were blamed for a tragedy that struck the San Francisco Bay Area. Your task is to reassemble each of Earth’s mightiest heroes.
Wreckfest Review
After a generation jam-packed with realistic racers that have made it their mission to teach us to drive clean and race fair, Wreckfest arrives like a sharp but needed kick in the shins. Forget driving etiquette; this is the automotive equivalent of a bar brawl, and it’s absolutely outstanding. Assembled by Finnish destruction racing specialists Bugbear, Wreckfest rekindles the door-slamming spirit of their original FlatOut games and brings it back to life inside the best demolition derby game in over a decade.
Don’t be deceived by Wreckfest’s overt focus on wildly exaggerated, metal-rending mayhem. This isn’t a strictly arcade smash-’em-up carved from the Burnout block; it’s a true successor to the likes of Destruction Derby, the original FlatOut, and the criminally underrated Test Drive: Eve of Destruction (known as Driven to Destruction to those of us outside North America).
Heads Up: Yakuza Remastered Collection Day 1 Physical Edition Now Available for Preorder
One of the biggest surprises out of Gamescom 2019 was the announcement of the Yakuza Remastered Collection, an updated release of Yakuzas 3, 4 and 5. In fact, Yakuza 3 was made available digitally at the same time the announcement was made, meaning you can revisit, or play for the first time, right now on PS4.
If you want to wait until February and get your hands on the Day 1 physical edition, you can preorder your right now and ensure you get all the Yakuza-y goodness on February 11.
Marvel's Avengers Villains A.I.M. Explained
With Gamescom 2019 giving us a wealth of fresh details on Marvel’s Avengers, we're digging into one of the most significant pieces of new information: the main villains plaguing our heroes will be none other than the malicious scientific organization known as Advanced Idea Mechanics, or A.I.M. Easily identifiable by their yellow jumpsuits, these goons have been a part of Marvel Comics since the 1960s and have made appearances in Marvel games, movies, and shows.
Here’s everything you need to know about the villainous group before they take on Marvel’s Avengers.
The Debut of AIM in Marvel Comics
The Cycle Marks the Start of Post-Battle Royale
Like all phenomena, battle royale can only last so long. The genre is in no danger of dying, but its position at the very top of the video games food chain only has so much breath left in it. Developers are already searching for the next big thing, and Gamescom 2019 suggests that it could well be PvEvP; games that blend classic co-op elements with competitive mechanics. The Cycle, from Spec-Ops: The Line developer Yager, is one such game, and it looks like it could be the first ‘post-battle royale’ that ushers in a new trend.
The Cycle is described by Yager as a ‘competitive quester’. That may sound alien, but it’s actually an easy concept to grasp: twenty players split into solos, duos, or four-person squads drop-pod onto an island, and they must complete a variety of fairly simple PvE missions in order to earn points. These quests involve objectives such as mining for minerals, hunting down monsters, or defending structures from waves of attackers. The team who has the most points at the end of the 20 minute match is the victor.
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Gears POP! Gameplay Showcases Marcus Fenix, Cole Train, and Chainsaws
Gears POP! is now available on iOS, Android, and PC and merges together Gears of War and Funko Pop! in a multiplayer PvP battle arena-style game, and we have nearly ten minutes of gameplay for you to see the game in action for yourself.
Gears POP! is a free-to-play game that features over 30 characters from throughout the Gears of War universe with a Funko Pop! design, including Marcus Fenix, Augustus "Cole Train" Cole, General Raam, Kait Diaz, and many more.
New characters are unlocked from Gear Packs and allow players to mix and match their favorite COG and Locust units into one epic team.
Gears POP! players can also utilize Ultimate abilities like the Emergence Hole that "floods the battlefield with Wretches."
Riot Games Settles Class Action Lawsuit Over Gender Discrimination
Riot Games has reportedly settled the class action lawsuit for gender discrimination, according to a new statement from the Riot Walkout group.
“Settling this class action is a victory for women in games,” a representative from Riot Walkout said in a statement today. “We believe that the policy changes Riot agreed to make will continue the progress toward equality that we’ve made over the last year.”
An explosive investigation by Kotaku uncovered widespread discrimination and harassment at Riot Games. Following the report, a class action lawsuit was filed against the developer accusing it of gender-based discrimination and violating the California Equal Pay Act.
Dark Crystal Offers Solid Tactics Game But May Release Too Late
The Dark Crystal was one of my favorite childhood movies - even though it was objectively terrifying - so it should come as no surprise that the news of the Netflix series was a joyous occasion. During the E3 announcement for BonusXP’s tactics game, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, I was one of (maybe) two people in our office who audibly WHOO’d when Aughra showed up during the Nintendo press conference.
18 Things We Learned About Google Stadia This Week
During this week's Google Stadia Connect and Gamescom 2019, we learned a ton more about Google's newest gaming platform, including the reveal that Cyberpunk 2077 would also be arriving on the new streaming service.
Cyberpunk 2077 and All The New Games Announced
At Google Stadia Connect, eight new games were confirmed for Stadia, including new, old, and even exclusive games.
- Cyberpunk 2077
Maneater Lets You Sadistically Leave Humans Alive After Biting Their Limbs Off
While the Gamescom demo of Maneater was the same as the E3 demo, we learned some new details about the shark-forward open-world game. Let’s sink our teeth in, courtesy of Maneater’s QA Lead Brian Lord.
There Are Several Areas Populated by Apex Predators
“Population control is all about that apex predator we met. Each region has an apex predator and they have a favorite food group. If you eat it, they're going to get angry.”
These are the Announced Apex Predators so Far:
Rosie the Alligator
“So, as we met Rosie earlier she was in a tunnel, she was hanging out. She loves catfish. If we went into her region and ate a lot of her catfish, obviously Rosie would come out and pick a fight with us.”
A Close-Up Look at the Nintendo Switch Lite at Gamescom 2019
At Gamescom 2019, Nintendo had the Grey, Turquoise, and Yellow models of the Nintendo Switch Lite available for attendees to get up close and check out the newest hardware from Nintendo.
IGN's Brian Altano and Max Scoville were able to see the new Nintendo Switch Lite in person and were even able to compare the new model to the base Nintendo Switch.
We've gathered 14 new photos of each model of the Nintendo Switch Lite that you can see below, which will hopefully help with the wait until Nintendo is ready to release this new Switch on September 20, 2019.
The Nintendo Switch Lite was revealed last month and arrives over two years after the release of the original Nintendo Switch on March 3, 2017.
Vampire Bloodlines 2: 28-minute Gameplay Demo Shown at Gamescom
28 new minutes of Vampire: The Masquerade -- Bloodlines 2 gameplay was shown this week at Gamescom, giving us a closer look at combat, traversal, dialogue, mission structure, and Hardsuit Labs' take on nightlife in a vampire-ridden Seattle.
The demo, which you can watch in full above, covers the same area seen during E3, but with a few diversions, different choices, and different ways to kill. As noted in the video, the gameplay is from a pre-alpha build.
It begins in the playable character's apartment, which features a massive cork board covered with Seattle-area news and sticky notes. From there, the demo takes us through the streets of Seattle at night to begin a mission to find a thinblood vampire deep in an "underground jungle" of sewer passages full of enemies. Along the way, we're introduced to a few side characters, notable locations, abilities, and combat options.
Yes, Microsoft Contractors Listened To Your Xbox Voice Commands
Microsoft did indeed have humans listen in on the occasional Xbox voice commands, according to a new report. This was done to improve the voice recognition software in Microsoft products, but sometimes this practice led to some game-specific recordings contractors would need to sift through.
Contractors who worked at Microsoft to listen to audio recorded from voice recognition and AI software revealed that this included audio from Xbox consoles. Audio from Xbox was collected from both the Kinect and later when Xbox integrated Microsoft’s Cortana AI.
11 Kinda Crazy Locations Perfect for the Avengers Game
Crystal Dynamics' superhero action game Marvel's Avengers is getting a big push at Gamescom 2019. Attendees have been able to go hands-on with the Marvel superhero game, in addition to releasing a 19-minute Avengers gameplay demo.
While we've been able to get a much closer glimpse of this long-awaited game over the past week, we can't help but wonder what other surprises Marvel's Avengers might have in store for hardcore comic book nerds. With that in mind, here are 11 iconic Marvel locales we'd love to explore in the game, from Asgard to Wakanda to the Savage Land. Check out our slideshow below or scroll down for more.
Ask Gearbox Anything About Borderlands 3
As our IGN First month of exclusive editorial coverage on Borderlands 3 winds down (catch up on anything you've missed here), we wanted to give you a chance to ask the developers at Gearbox anything you'd like.
Leave your question in the Comments below, and we'll take the best questions and submit them to Gearbox. And then next week, we'll post their responses. For an idea of what this looks like, take a look at when we did this last month for Remedy's Control and the month before with Gears 5.
The Sony-Disney Spider-Man Divorce – Should Gamers Be Worried?
The timing couldn’t have been much worse for Spider-Man fans. The very next day after Sony proudly announced its acquisition of decorated studio and longtime collaborator Insomniac Games – makers of 2018’s award-winning PlayStation 4 exclusive Marvel’s Spider-Man – and that Spider-Man: Far From Home was Sony Pictures’s highest-grossing movie ever, news broke out of Hollywood that Disney and Sony Pictures failed to come to terms on an agreement to keep Spider-Man in the MCU. While there are safeguards in place to prevent Insomniac’s series from suffering as a result, there are still a couple of reasons to worry.
Where to Find Loot Carriers in Fortnite Season 10 (X) - Smash and Grab Challenges
GTA Online: Get the Vulcar Nebula Turbo, Double Race Series Rewards
Windjammers 2 Remains Gaming's Greatest Fake Sport
I’m of the mind that the 1994's Windjammers is a perfect game. I also think it's gaming's greatest made-up sport, an absurd kind of frisbee-battle-tennis, decked in Global Hypercolor and built with fighting game nous. The original is the epitome of ‘easy to learn, hard to master’ design, a constant rush of lightning-fast rallies, clutch saves and big, stupid effects. It begs the question - how do you make a sequel to that? The answer, at least according to developer DotEmu, is to tweak, not overhaul.
You might be forgiven for thinking the French dev had gone for the latter option - Windjammers 2 drops the original’s pixel art in favour of a ‘90s cartoon aesthetic, inspired by the likes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s a big change, and not one I was entirely enthralled with at first. There’s a reason ‘pixel-perfect’ is a gaming cliche, and it’s because games like Windjammers exemplified the idea that you could play better by learning the game at a micro level - where an opponent’s finger is pointing, whether you can place a power lob outside of their reach by the merest dots on an old CRT.
Hearthstone Pros on the Improvements Coming to Grandmasters
I caught up with a number of Hearthstone Grandmasters during Masters Tour Seoul over the weekend, and quizzed them about how they liked season one of the Grandmasters program and what they think about moving away from the Specialist format and into a modified version of Conquest for season two. I’ve compiled their responses below, but bear in mind I spoke to Orange on his own, Viper and Tyler together, and then had a group chat with Feno, justsaiyan, FroStee and Fr0zen, so that’s why there’s some back in forth in some sections but not others.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Cyberpunk 2077 Multiplayer Still Being Researched, But Not Guaranteed
While Cyberpunk 2077 is a single-player game, CD Projekt Red does have a team "messing around with a multiplayer portion," although its addition to the much anticipated title is not guaranteed.
Speaking to Tom Phillips at Eurogamer during Gamescom 2019, CD Projekt Red senior concept artist Marthe Jonkers discussed how there is a small team testing out different types of multiplayer in R&D, but "there was no pressure to force something which did not feel right."
"We are doing R&D into multiplayer but we're focusing on single-player experience, and that's what you'll get in 2020," Jonkers said. "It doesn't mean we're saying no multiplayer, but it doesn't mean we're saying yes either. It's still an R&D phase."
No, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, We Happy Few Are Not Banned in Australia
Contrary to reports earlier this week, Warhorse Studios’ Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Compulsion Games’ We Happy Few do not appear to have been officially refused classification in Australia.
IGN has been in contact with the Australian Classification Board and is awaiting more background on the matter but, since yesterday, the automated International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) game classification tool generated RC ratings for Kingdom Come: Deliverance and We Happy Few have both been amended and now reflect the same R18+ ratings that were earlier applied by the Classification Board itself.
Phil Spencer Hints at New Xbox Scarlett Standard
On this week's Xbox show, new talent takes over Halo Infinite, Phil Spencer gives an idea of what to expect performance-wise from Xbox Scarlett, Gears 5 comes out swinging at Gamescom, PUBG does an awesome thing, and more!
Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, or grab an MP3 download of this week's episode. For more awesome content, check out the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered, featuring a career-spanning interview with longtime Remedy writer Sam Lake – he of Max Payne, Alan Wake, Quantum Break, and Control fame. Watch it below:
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.
Minecraft RTX Trailer Highlights a Shiny Makeover
Nvidia has revealed Minecraft awash in a coat of new pretty paint, with a new trailer on Monday that shows the before and after effects of Nvidia's raytracing capabilities, with thoughts on the update by Minecraft's development team.
Watch the trailer above to see all sorts of locales get the RTX treatment on Windows 10, including vibrant homes, glistening lakes, darkened tunnels full of glowing lava, and expansive caves with light filtering in from cracks above. We went hands-on to experience the improvements with Minecraft using RTX, and felt that it looks like an entirely new game. You can hear more of IGN's thoughts in the video below.
The raytracing will include enhanced lighting, reflections, and shadows across the world, putting more depth and quality into the classic blocks that retain the same assets, but with better looking textures all around. Nvidia also mentioned that everything will be moddable to benefit players, which is a spot of good news after it was announced that the Super Duper Graphics Pack has been cancelled.
Marvel's Avengers Aims to Balance Comics History and Originality
With Marvel's Avengers, developer Crystal Dynamics had the difficult task of balancing the old with the new. Marvel Comics is celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2019, giving the developer a rich history of character and story to draw from. But, according to Crystal Dynamics studio head Scot Amos, the development team wasn't interested in simply retelling old tales: With encouragement from Marvel, Crystal is blending that history with original storylines, costumes, and abilities.
This week's Gamescom provided the closest look at Marvel's Avengers yet; Crystal allowed attendees to go hands on with the Marvel superhero game, in addition to releasing a 19-minute Avengers gameplay demo. During the show, IGN sat down with Amos to discuss the aforementioned balancing act, hero customization, games as a service, and more. You can watch the full interview above.
Need For Speed Heat: 16 New Details from Gamescom 2019
At Gamescom 2019, Need for Speed Heat's creative director Riley Cooper discussed some new details on the newest entry in the Need For Speed franchise that will be released on November 8, 2019, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
We've broken down 16 of those most interesting things we learned about Need For Speed Heat from IGN's Destin Legarie's discussion with Cooper from IGN Gamescom Now.
1 - Need For Speed Heat Studio is a companion app to Need For Speed Heat that will allow players to customize cars that they can then use in Heat. New cars will be released each week leading up to Heat's release and all cars featured in the game will be available in the app by launch on November 8, 2019.
Preorder Final Fantasy VII Remake for $49.95 Right Now
The Final Fantasy VII Remake is coming sooner than you might have thought: it's set to release on March 3, 2020 as a PS4 exclusive. While it only encompasses the Midgar portion of the story, it's still a massive enough game that it will be split over two Blu-ray discs. Along with the graphics, the combat has gotten a major overhaul, letting you play in a mixture of turn-based and real-time combat. If you're ready to lock down a copy for yourself right now, you can. We have all the information you need below.
Preorder Final Fantasy VII Remake
Preorder Watch Dogs: Legion for $49.94 (PS4, Xbox One)
Watch Dogs: Legion is set to release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on March 6, 2020. The third installment in the futuristic tech-focused franchise is headed up by Clint Hocking, the creative director of Far Cry 2, and is set in an open-world version of London. When you need a specialist in your fight against the overbearing government, you can recruit (and play as) any NPC in the world, from hardened criminals to... (checks notes)... grannies?
If you're ready to lock in your preorder for Watch Dogs: Legion, you're going to want to know what comes in each edition, how much it costs, and where you can get it. Let's get to it, shall we?
Watch Dogs: Legion Standard Edition
Crea-ture Studios Reveals 4K Session Gameplay, Shows Off Kick Flips, Grinds
Crea-ture Studios revealed 4K gameplay for their upcoming skateboarding game, Session, which many originally called the "spiritual successor" to Skate 3.
The 4K gameplay in Session shows off the rider doing lines through a city environment, while hitting rails, grinding ledges, and throwing down 360-kick flips – among various other tricks.
Session, as described by Crea-ture, was inspired by the, "golden era of skateboarding." Its main focus is about creativity and culture, not competitions and having the gnarliest trick on a mega ramp – which players could experience in past skateboarding games like the Skate series.
Where to Get the Limited Darksiders Genesis Nephilim Edition
Darksiders Genesis is a top-down action-RPG set to release for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, and Stadia sometime in 2019. It's a prequel to the original Darksiders series, and it focuses on Strife, the gunslinging fourth (and final) Horseman of the Apocalypse. You'll also be able to take control of War, and play through the game in two-player co-op mode.
If you're interested in preordering Darksiders Genesis, you'll probably want to know what comes in each edition of the game. We have all the information below.
Preorder Darksiders Genesis: Nephilim Edition
Get it from Amazon:
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Is Also Getting a Crossover With Horizon Zero Dawn
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is once again teaming up with Aloy in a second Horizon Zero Dawn collaboration. This one is specifically centered around Aloy’s Frozen Wilds DLC, since both of them are ice themed.
Capcom released a new trailer for the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne x Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds collaboration today during Gamescom. The trailer shows Aloy wearing her Frozen Wilds armor, as she readies up to venture into icy new Monster Hunter area. You can watch the new trailer above.
When Monster Hunter: World was first released, Capcom and Guerrilla Games announced a limited-time Horizon Zero Dawn event where you could play as Aloy and user her bow and armor set. The Iceborne and The Frozen Wilds collaboration looks to be similar to the previous one, except players can probably expect to wear Aloy’s Frozen Wilds armor set, and instead of a bow you can user her bowgun as a weapon.
Kerbal Creative Director Talks KSP 2, Community, and Rocket Engines That Shoot Nuclear Bombs
Kerbal Space Program is passionately loved by an incredible fanbase, with an extremely positive and supportive community, a rich mod scene, and cumulative explosions numbering in the billions.
We sat down with Nate Simpson, Creative Director at Star Theory Games, to talk about the recently announced Kerbal Space Program 2, the KSP community, and what fans can expect from the upcoming sequel.
They Want You to Keep Crashing and Burning
There's a fear the sequel to KSP could have a little too much polish, given the iterative design process of the original game. But Simpson said the Kerbals themselves help keep the game from going too far into the realm of straight simulation.
Catherine: Full Body - Here's What Comes in Each Edition
Catherine: Full Body is a PlayStation 4 exclusive that's set to release on September 3. A souped-up remaster of the PS3 original, the game puts you in the shoes of a troubled man named Vincent who's caught between two love interests: Katherine and Catherine. This new version adds a third character named Rin to spice things up even more.
When he's not busy tying his love life in knots, Vincent has to solve surreal block-climbing puzzles. Full Body doubles the number of puzzles in the original, adds over 20 new animated cutscenes, and offers a "safety mode" that removes the puzzles so you can focus on the story, among other things. You can find more details in our Catherine: Full Body preview. Read on to find out what comes in each edition and where you can preorder it.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's Cell Saga Revealed
At Gamescom 2019, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot fans got their first look at the Cell Saga in action alongside the news that Trunks will be playable and the Goku and Piccolo's driver's lessons/car driving will be included.
Speaking to IGN's Max Scoville during IGN Gamescom Live, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot producer Ryosuke Hara discussed and showed gameplay of the Cell Saga that features the epic battle between Gohan and Cell.
Hara-san also confirmed that Trunks and his sword will be a playable character in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, joinnig such other characters as Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo.
New Shenmue 3 Trailer Shows Off Kung Fu and Minigames
Deep Silver and Ys Net have shown off a new Shenmue 3 trailer featuring a glimpse into the life of Ryo Hazuki and many of the various activities and fights you can participate in.
Watch the trailer above to see Ryo interact with the townsfolk, head to the local arcade and show off various minigames, and of course, demonstrate his martial arts prowess in the ring against all kinds of fighters. If you're wondering how it all feels like to play the game when it arrives in November, IGN went hands-on with Shenmue at E3 2019 to see how its living up to its predecessors.
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Playing Super Mario 3D All-Stars? Don't miss these classic secret stars in Super Mario 64.
