Latest update also details split-screen options, PC specs, and worldwide release timing
2K and Gearbox Software have announced several new details for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands®, the highly anticipated, fantasy-fuelled take on the looter shooter genre coming March 25, 2022. With launch just around the corner, today’s news takes a closer look at crossplay support, split-screen options, PC specs, and worldwide release timing, so you are fully prepared to dive right into the chaotic fantasy on day one.
Crossplay
As recently unveiled, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will support crossplay between Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, and PC via the Epic Games Store. Co-op is a thrilling way to experience the Wonderlands, with two options for determining how loot drops and enemies scale during multiplayer. Regardless of what platform you choose to play on, you’ll be able to party up with friends across platforms through SHiFT Matchmaking for an unforgettable, fantasy-fuelled adventure. Details on how to enable crossplay are available on the game’s official website.
Additionally, crossplay for Borderlands 3 will be coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 in the future, enabling you to play with your friends on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Mac, Stadia, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Split-Screen
You can also go questing with your buddies in-person with local split-screen multiplayer for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands on consoles. Those playing on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S can enjoy playing with up to four players in local split-screen, while PlayStation®4 and Xbox One will support two-player split-screen. All consoles will allow you to choose between a horizontal or vertical split-screen orientation in two-player co-op.
Release Timing
If you’re playing on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5 or PlayStation®4, the Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands release time will be dependent on your region, with most regions releasing at midnight local time. In Australia and New Zealand the game will be available on consoles beginning at 12.01 a.m. on March 25. On PC, the game will be available via the Epic Game Store in Australia at 10 a.m. on March 25 and in New Zealand at 12 p.m. on March 25. For a full rundown of release times by region, please visit the game’s official website.
PC Specs
With the right PC setup, you can take in all the gorgeous visual details of the Wonderlands and appreciate the finer points of your Fatemaker’s visage. To help you get the most out of your machine, here’s an overview of recommended specs for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, featuring AMD Ryzen and AMD Radeon hardware. Additionally, all the visual options available to you on PC can be found on the game’s official website.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will launch on March 25, 2022 across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, and PC via the Epic Games Store exclusively at launch, and on other PC digital storefronts later in 2022. Pre-orders are now available across all launch platforms, and players can also visit playwonderlands.com to register for the game’s newsletter.
Developed by Gearbox Entertainment, the ESRB rating for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is T for Teen.
Good morning, or good afternoon, or evening – wherever you are it’s a good day because we have the next round of games coming soon to Game Pass!
For some extra fun, be sure to tune into the /ID@Xbox Showcase tomorrow, March 16 at 10:00 a.m. PDT/March 17 at 4:00 a.m. AEDT for more awesome news and interviews from our friends at ID@Xbox. Who knows, there may or not be some surprises for Game Pass members (you know I’m writing this for a reason). Let’s jump into what’s coming soon!
Coming Soon
Shredders (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) ID@Xbox – March 17 Available on day one with Game Pass: Break into the snowboarding event of the year in the hope of scoring a wildcard entry to an exclusive invitational. To prove you’re up to the challenge, master the art of park riding, buttering rails, and massive kickers and earn your place in the world of snowboarding. Also jump in on Xbox One and other devices you already own with cloud gaming via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – March 17 Live an adventure filled with humor, surprises, and silly encounters as you step into the wacky heroic fantasy universe of TheDungeon of Naheulbeuk. Lead a team of unlikely and clumsy heroes in this epic and challenging tactical RPG.
Tainted Grail: Conquest (Console) ID@Xbox – March 22 Available now with PC Game Pass and coming soon to console! Explore the ever-changing maps, fight with deadly enemies, and learn what happened to the cursed island of Avalon in this unique, infinitely replayable, story-driven hybrid between a deck-building roguelike and an RPG game. Create your own combos out of hundreds of cards and learn how to survive in a dark, unforgiving world shrouded by a mysterious, deadly force known as the wyrdness.
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (Cloud, Console, and PC) – March 22 A group of strangers are kidnapped and forced to participate in a diabolical game of death. Who can be trusted? Tensions rise as the situation becomes increasingly dire. Can you find a way out of The Nonary Games? Or will you pay the ultimate price?
Norco (PC) ID@Xbox – March 24 Available on day one with PC Game Pass: Play the southern gothic point-and-click narrative adventure for yourself and explore the sinking suburbs and verdant industrial swamps of a distorted South Louisiana. Your brother Blake has gone missing in the aftermath of your mother’s death. In the hopes of finding him, you must follow a fugitive security android through the refineries, strip malls, and drainage ditches of suburban New Orleans.
F1 2021 (Console) EA Play – March 24 It’s lights out and away we go! EA Play and Game Pass Ultimate members can experience a gripping F1 story, hit the track with their own team and live every Formula 1 fan’s ultimate fantasy as F1 2021 joins a collection of racing games available to play on EA Play.
Crusader Kings III (Xbox Series X|S) ID@Xbox – March 29 Available now with PC Game Pass and coming soon to Xbox Series X|S! Live the life of a medieval ruler in Paradox Development Studio’s award-winning strategy role-playing game, Crusader Kings III! Assume the leadership of a medieval noble family, increasing its power and reputation through the generations. As one ruler dies, they are replaced by an heir who may have very different abilities or interests, forcing you to adjust your long-term plans.
Weird West (Cloud, Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – March 31 Available on day one with Game Pass: Weird West is a dark fantasy reimagining of the Wild West where lawmen and gunslingers share the frontier with fantastical creatures, each playing with their own rules and their own peculiar motives.
Xbox App on PC
Last month, we released a major update for game installation and management which allows you to choose a specific folder for game installation, better game management options, and ability to mod more games. We are continuing to make updates based on your feedback. The next wave of updates is available for all Xbox Insiders to test and provide feedback and will be available to everyone at the end of March.
App navigation updates: This is the first in an upcoming wave of changes to improve how you move around the app and access your games. For this initial release, all your navigation is in the sidebar and we’ve made Xbox Cloud Gaming easier to find.
Performance fit indicators: There is a new performance fit indicator to check and see if a game will run on your PC before installing
Later this month, you’ll be able to install and play Rainbow Six: Siege and Rainbow Six: Extraction right from the Xbox app.
To get early access to these new features and more, join the Xbox Insider program.
DLC/Game Updates
Genesis Noir: The Astronomy Update – Available now The Astronomy Update is available now, adding three new levels and an expanded universe so fans can explore the cosmos and venture into the past and future. Learn more about The Astronomy Update here!
Lawn Mowing Simulator: Dino Safari – Available now Game Pass members save 10%! Your Lawn Mowing business is starting to take off and you just landed your largest contract yet – Dino Safari, it’s going to be a mammoth task! Work your way around the T-Rex Paddock, Cretaceous Canyon, Herbivore Valley, and the Raptor Enclosure, ensure to maintain a high level of service as you go otherwise the Safari’s manager may have a bone to pick with you!
Xbox Touch Controls Added to Nine More Games
Ultimate members, we’ve added Xbox Touch Controls to nine more games ready to play from the cloud today! These games join our growing list of over 100 touch-enabled games with cloud gaming. Jump in on the Xbox app for Windows PCs, Xbox Game Pass mobile app on Android devices, or Xbox.com/play on your Windows PCs and Apple phones and tablets, no controller needed!
Among Us
Katamari Damacy Reroll
Lumines Remastered
Pupperazzi
Rubber Bandits
Spelunky 2
Telling Lies
Undungeon
Young Souls
Leaving Soon
It’s time to give a proper Game Pass farewell to the following games leaving soon. You still have time to make a dent in these games or wrap up where you left off before they go. As always, remember to use your Game Pass membership discount to save up to 20% on your purchase to keep them in your library.
Leaving March 31
Madden NFL 20 (Cloud, Console, and PC) EA Play
Narita Boy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Shadow Warrior 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Leaving April 11
Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Shadowkeep, and Forsaken (PC)
Alright friends, it’s time for me to start making popcorn for the /ID@Xbox Showcase tomorrow (it’s not too early to do that, right?). Be sure you’re following us on Twitter at @XboxGamePassPC and @XboxGamePass for updates. Catch you next time!
Updates include cross-platform play, new game mode, and more
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — March 16, 2022 — Today, Ubisoft announced the launch of For Honor Year 6 Season 1 Golden Age on March 17. The story begins with a relic, an ancient chalice, that takes players back to the Golden Age of Heathmoor to discover the origin of the Wardens through Lord Ramiel, the very first of their kind. Players can find out uncover more of the narrative during a new launch event, The Oath of Wyverndale. On top of the event, Phase 1 of For Honor’s cross-platform play deployment plan comes at season launch, unifying three player pools for matchmaking across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
For this season, cross-platform play will be available for all multiplayer modes, apart from co-op experiences such as Custom Match (only Phase 1), Arcade, Training Mode, and the campaign. Phase 2 will allow players to group up with cross-platform friends and will come later this year.
The Oath of Wyverndale includes a new game mode, free event pass, lootable weapons, and more. The game mode will take place on the Cathedral Map, where players will team up to challenge the Hero of the Golden Age, Lord Ramiel, in battle. The team that proves worthy of Ramiel’s ranks will get the chance to corner the enemy team and finish them off. Beginning in Year 6, a new feature allows players to apply Lord Ramiel’s Hero Skin, available at season launch for 25,000 Steel. The Battle Pass will also be available at launch with 100 tiers of different rewards reflecting the season’s theme.
With over 25 million players, For Honor is available on PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Windows PC, as well as on Ubisoft+, the Ubisoft subscription service. For Honor is also playable on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X | S through backward compatibility.
For the latest about For Honor and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.
About For Honor
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal in collaboration with other Ubisoft studios,** For Honor offers an engaging campaign and thrilling multiplayer modes. Players embody warriors of the four great factions – the bold Knights, the brutal Vikings, the deadly Samurai and the fearsome Wu Lin – fighting to the death on intense and believable melee battlefields. The Art of Battle, the game’s innovative combat system that puts players in total control of their warriors, allows them to utilize the unique skills and combat style of each hero to vanquish all enemies who stand in their way.
**Associate Ubisoft studios include Quebec, Toronto and Blue Byte. Additional development from Studio Gobo.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For Honor, Just Dance, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy’s video game series including Ghost Recon®, Rainbow Six and The Division. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
Demon Veil Arrives in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Siege; Free Week Begins March 18
Discover new Operator Azami and the new Emerald Plains map coming soon
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – March 16, 2022 – Today, Ubisoft announced that Demon Veil, the first season of Rainbow Six Siege’s Year 7, is now available on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, Windows PC including on Xbox Game Pass, Ubisoft+, Ubisoft’s subscription service. This new season brings new Japanese Operator Azami, a Team Deathmatch game mode, and a new map later in the season amongst other gameplay updates. Players can try out the Team Deathmatch mode alongside Rainbow Six Siege for free on PC and PlayStation from March 18 to March 25.*
In Demon Veil, players will discover a brand-new Defender: Azami. Equipped with the game-changing Kiba Barrier gadget, her throwable canisters deploy an expandable material that solidifies into a bulletproof surface, which allows her to quickly repair holes in walls and floors, providing a more mobile and versatile defensive approach. In addition, Emerald Plains will be the first new map added to Rainbow Six Siege in three years. Players can explore this map set in Ireland soon after season launch.
Demon Veil brings a new game mode, Team Deathmatch, created to explore the perfect environment for players to warm up before competitive matches, as well as offer a more casual gameplay experience within Rainbow Six Siege. Team Deathmatch is a permanent addition to Rainbow Six Siege and will be a great introduction for new players to get a feel for the Operators.
Additional updates coming with Demon Veil include:
Match Replay for console players
Phone number requirement to play Ranked
Goyo and Valkyrie balancing updates
Exclusive Elite skin for Nomad
Attacker Repick
New R6Fix Incentive Program
Until March 28, players can purchase the limited-time Year Pass for AU $44.95 or the Premium Year Pass for AU $89.95. The Year Pass unlocks the four seasonal Battle Passes – which includes a 14-day early access to new Operators when they launch – while the Premium Year Pass unlocks four Battle Passes, the early access to new Operators, exclusive Exotic weapon skins, R6 Credits, and more. Players who purchase the Premium Year Pass will also unlock 20 extra Tiers out of 100, receiving rewards quicker.
Alongside a thriving professional esports scene and a community of over 80 million registered players, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege puts players in the middle of a fast-paced, ever-evolving multiplayer experience grounded in the selection of unique Operators. Using the right mix of tactics and destruction, Rainbow Six teams engage their enemies in sieges, where both sides have exclusive skills and gadgets at their disposal. Defenders prepare by transforming the environments around them into modern strongholds, while attackers use recon drones to gain intel for carefully planning their assault. With access to dozens of Operators inspired by real world counter-intelligence agents from around the globe, players can choose exactly how they want to approach each challenge they encounter. Through the constant addition of new Operators and maps that add to the depth of both strategy and combat, the unpredictability of each round of Rainbow Six Siege sets a new bar for intensity and competition in gaming.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For Honor, Just Dance, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy’s video game series including Ghost Recon®, Rainbow Six and The Division. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
New parkour challenges are coming to Dying Light 2 Stay Human
With a teaser of something new…
Wrocław, Poland — 16 March 2022— Yesterday in Dying Light 2 Stay Human, the new parkour challenge Flying Scorpion arrived in The City, challenging all Pilgrims to show off their parkour skills all across the Central Loop. Did you pass the test? Perfect! New challenges will appear in the game this Thursday, ready for you to give them a whirl.
On Thursday, 17 March (CET) you will be able to face four new amazing trials specially prepared by Techland for every Pilgrim out there:
1. Suspension of Disbelief – This challenge will test your wall-running skills in the heart of Central Loop!
2. Grakour – This challenge in Old Villedor will check all your basic skills so don’t make any mistakes or you’ll be kissing the gold medal goodbye!
3. Stroll on the river – Ready to get soaked?
4. My Whole World is a Glider – Fly Pilgrim… Fly high over the chemical areas and try not to fall, or at least not too hard!
But this is not all! Techland have also prepared a new series, At The Fish Eye, which will focus on post-launch activities for Dying Light 2 Stay Human, the developers’ lives, and entertainment straight from The City. In the first episode, several Techland developers will face each other in four challenges to earn a prize and the title of the first Techland Nightrunner. Take a look at this teaser and meet us at the Fish Eye canteen this week!
Dying Light 2 Stay Human, published by Techland, is out now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a story-driven open-world action role-playing game, a sequel to the critically acclaimed Dying Light published in 2015, which has been played by over twenty five million people all over the world. This time players are visiting the City – mankind’s last stronghold in the fight against the virus. Developed parkour mechanics enable players to explore the vast open world and master tactical combat. This lost civilization, a world set in the modern dark ages, requires creative approaches to finding items and crafting gear. Gameplay shifts during a day and night cycle, so players can dare to plunder abandoned lairs of the infected at night and discover the dark secrets of those in power by day. Players must choose which side they want to take and write their own story.
About Techland
Founded in 1991 in Poland, Techland is a renowned independent game developer and distributor for all leading platforms, including PC, Sony PlayStation, and the Xbox family of devices. Techland is best known for the original Dead Island games, the Call of Juarez series, and the Dying Light franchise, a global phenomenon played by over 20 million unique players to date. To top that, Techland’s experienced teams allow the developer to work on two of its own AAA titles at the same time. Comprising over 400 professionals across three offices in Poland, the company is committed to delivering unforgettable experiences and using the latest technology for innovative entertainment, which includes the proprietary C-Engine. For more information about the company itself, visit the official website at: www.techland.net.
All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork, and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or copyright material of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
M. Bison, Akuma and Luke Joins the Epic Roster of Playable Street Fighter V Characters
LOS ANGELES – MAR. 15, 2022 – Today, Netmarble’s popular mobile action role-playing game THE KING OF FIGHTERS ALLSTARopens pre-registration for the highly-anticipated collaboration featuring iconic characters from Capcom’s Street Fighter V franchise.
In addition to fan-favorites Ryu and Chun-Li, several new fighters will join the roster of beloved Street Fighter characters including M. Bison, Akuma and Luke. While the fans who pre-register will receive a 500 Ruby Coupon, the Collab Fighters Summon Ticket will be also particularly delivered on the day of the update. To learn more about the collaboration fighters and event activities, please sign up now via the official site: https://kofallstar.netmarble.com/en/sfv/main.
THE KING OF FIGHTERS ALLSTAR boasts fast-paced fighting action as players battle through waves of enemies, giant bosses, and rival fighter teams. The excitement is paired with cutting edge graphics, bold colors, and lightning-fast animations. In addition, this game features all of KOF’s classic fighters from ’94 to XIV, with more than 130 fighters available to collect, along with more to come with seasonal events, collaborations with popular IP such as, SAMURAI SHODOWN, Seven Knights, and more.
THE KING OF FIGHTERS ALLSTAR is available to download on Google Play and the App Store in more than 175 countries and comes with support for English, Taiwanese, Indonesian, Thai, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, Russian, and German languages.
Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a top developer and publisher pushing the boundaries of the mobile gaming experience with highly innovative games including Seven Knights 2, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, MARVEL Future Revolution, Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade & Soul Revolution and MARVEL Future Fight. As a parent company of Kabam and SpinX Games, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble strives to entertain audiences around the world with a variety of mobile games based on its powerful franchises and collaborations with IP holders worldwide. More information can be found athttp://company.netmarble.com
Discover the fantastic and quirky world of Wobbledogs from developer Animal Uprising and publisher Secret Mode
Leamington Spa, United Kingdom – 15 March 2022. Developer Animal Uprising and publisher Secret Mode are thrilled to announce the launch of Wobbledogs on Steam today. After six years of development and a year in Early Access where it received Overwhelmingly Positive user reviews, players can today jump in and discover the weird and wonderful world of this colourful mutant pet simulator.
Launching today, Wobbledogs is a 3D pet simulation that allows players to manage their own kennel of mutating dogs, hatched from eggs and simulated in incredible detail all the way down to their wibbly-wobbly guts.
Wobbledogs is a casual and relaxed sandbox experience for players of all ages who want to care for their very own virtual pets in a surprising, unique, and stress-free environment. The dogs start out relatively normal but mutate and behave in unexpected ways as the game progresses and their evolutionary lines advance.
Wobbledogs is launching out of Early Accesswith a whole host of features including resizable decorations, customisable dog dens, an anti-gravity machine, ghostly hauntings and additional surprises. Like its colourful canine characters, Wobbledogs will continue to evolve with new content and game updates after launch.
“There’s nothing quite like Wobbledogs out there.” said James Schall, Director of Publishing at Secret Mode. “It allows gamers to simulate a dog living its best life, right down to its guts! With all the creative craziness going on in the game, we’re always thrilled to see the next generation of wobbly dogs out there as player share the madcap exploits that their newfound canine friends get up to.”
“Wobbledogs is by far the most ambitious project I’ve ever worked on,” said Tom Astle, founder of Animal Uprising. “I’m super proud of what it’s turned into and I’m incredibly grateful to the wonderful community that’s grown around it during its time in Early Access. I can’t wait for everyone who’s been looking forward to the full release to finally get their paws on it, and I hope you all enjoy!”
Wobbledogs launches today on Steam for $19.99 / €19.99 / £15.99. For more information visit Wobbledogs.com.
About Secret Mode Greetings from The Bunker! Secret Mode is the newly founded publishing wing of the award-winning Sumo Group Plc. Our goal is to publish internally developed projects from any of our 14 game development studios across the UK, US, Europe, and India, as well as third party independent game developers. We believe that games are for everyone, and that creativity has no limits. We believe quality and fun are everything.
Co-op kaiju beat-’em-up available now on all major platforms
Valencia, Calif. – March 15, 2022 – The cataclysmic clash of kaiju has begun! Independent game studio WayForward, in collaboration with developer 13AM Games, is thrilled to announce that the giant-monster beat-’em-up, Dawn of the Monsters, is now available on consoles and PC. Featuring four distinct, awe-inspiring playable titans, 35 missions of kaiju-crushing combat, a gripping storyline, and two-player local co-op action, Dawn of the Monsters can now be purchased digitally on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, in addition to the Stadia version which launched earlier this month. The game is priced at $29.99 (USD) and rated T by the ESRB.
Set in a near-future world where gigantic beasts known as Nephilim have invaded Earth, Dawn of the Monsters is a manga-inspired, side-scrolling action game that enlists players as members of DAWN (Defense Alliance Worldwide Network) and allows them to take control of four distinct colossal combatants: Megadon, the living volcano; Ganira, the colossal crustacean; Aegis Prime, a superhuman warrior; and Tempest Galahad, a massive mecha.
From their orbital space station, the warriors of DAWN deploy to Nephilim nests around the planet, battling the otherworldly creatures with an arsenal of moves and combos, including powerful Rage abilities (some of which inflict status ailments on foes), devastating Cataclysm Attacks, and savage Execution finishers. Abandoned vehicles and empty skyscrapers become weapons in destructible cityscapes, and DNA Augments earned after each mission let players customize their stats and unlock new perks.
The earth-shattering action is enhanced with an all-star roster of voice talent — including voiceovers by AmaLee (Attack on Titan), Cristina Valenzuela (Shantae and the Seven Sirens, RWBY), Xander Mobus (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate), and Patrick Seitz (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) — and art/design contributions from a who’s who of kaiju notables, such as renowned Godzilla character creator Shinji Nishikawa, acclaimed Godzilla comic book artist Matt Frank, and lauded illustrator EJ Su (Transformers, Rise of Ultraman).
Alongside the digital release of the game, physical versions of Dawn of the Monsters for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 are available at LimitedRunGames.com through April 3, 2022, both in a standard edition and a collector’s edition, which includes the physical game (plus a bonus digital game code), a soundtrack CD, trading cards, chibi figurines of all four playable characters, a battle backdrop, DAWN ID badges, a commemorative coin, a double-sided poster, and a VHS-style collector’s box adorned with artwork by kaiju legend Yuji Kaida. For the latest Dawn of the Monsters news, as well as information on other titles, please visit www.wayforward.com and www.13amgames.com, and follow @wayforward and @13amgames on social media.
Key Features
Four unique, monstrous playable characters: Megadon, Ganira, Aegis Prime, and Tempest Galahad!
Earth-shattering monster-against-monster one- or two-player co-op beat-’em-up action
Fully destructible cities based on real-world locations
Brutal Rage abilities, devastating Cataclysm Attacks, and merciless finishing moves
Fierce bosses and dozens of different enemy types
Customize your monsters with DNA Augments!
About WayForward
Based in Valencia, California, WayForward was founded in 1990 and has remained an independent game developer for more than 30 years. It is home to many talented individuals including programmers, environment artists, animators, modelers, illustrators, audio wizards, designers, and team leaders. With new avenues for distributing games directly to fans, they are finally able to make the games they have always wanted to.
About 13AM Games
13AM Games is an independent game studio based out of Toronto that crafts bold, stylish 2D games that challenge convention in order to surprise and delight. They started in 2014 and released their first game, Runbow, in 2015. Stay up to date by visiting www.13amgames.com and following them on Twitter and Discord
Update 11 has now launched for Elite Dangerous: Odyssey, adding interior environments to Drake-Class Carriers that players can explore on-foot for the very first time. It also brings a new Protect mission type to the game, offering additional first-person combat challenges to complete.
Players can now use Fleet Carriers as social hubs, enjoying the breathtaking first-person views of space while inside these mobile bases. These interiors offer Elite Dangerous: Odyssey players the variety of features and facilities they’re used to at a starport or outpost concourse, and owners can add familiar services on a modular basis: Pioneer Supplies, Vista Genomics and the Shipyard can all be made accessible to players while on-board.
The Bar will be of particular interest to Commanders. On Fleet Carriers, the Bartender will act as a fully player-driven trading post for all of the resources found while on-foot. The Fleet Carrier owner will be able to manage this service from anywhere in the galaxy, manipulating prices, creating or fulfilling demand, and directly influencing the game’s economy as a result. As a customer of a Bartender, players will find new avenues for money-making and obtaining hard-to-find items for upgrading their equipment, driven exclusively by other players.
Protect missions, meanwhile, are available from mission givers and mission boards in Elite Dangerous: Odyssey Update 11. Commanders will defend a specific objective at a given location, then collect a reward once the area is clear.
Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is available to purchase now on Steam, via the Epic Games Store, or via the Frontier Store. Elite Dangerous and Elite Dangerous: Horizons are available on Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, Epic Games and the Frontier Store.
Note: In order to play Elite Dangerous: Odyssey or Elite Dangerous: Horizons, players must also own a copy of the Elite Dangerous base game.
Follow the game on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and via the Frontier Forums. Visit the Elite Dangerous official website at www.elitedangerous.com
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About Elite Dangerous Take control of your own starship in a cutthroat galaxy. Some may know you as an ally; others will call you a pirate, a bounty hunter, a smuggler, an explorer, an assassin, a hero… Fly with friends, fight for a cause or go it alone. Your actions change the galaxy around you in an ever-unfolding story. Explore a detailed 1:1 model of our real galaxy, and be the first to discover one of 400 billion star systems. Start with a small starship and a handful of credits, and do whatever it takes to earn the skill, knowledge, wealth and power to stand among the ranks of the Elite.
About FrontierFrontier is a leading independent developer and publisher of videogames founded in 1994 by David Braben, co-author of the iconic Elite game. Based in Cambridge, Frontier uses its proprietary COBRA game development technology to create innovative genre-leading games, primarily for personal computers and videogame consoles. As well as self-publishing internally developed games, Frontier also publishes games developed by carefully selected partner studios under its Frontier Foundry games label.
Elite’, the Elite logo, the Elite Dangerous logo, ‘Frontier’, the Frontier logo,’ are registered trademarks of Frontier Developments plc. All rights reserved.
When someone thinks of a racing game, especially one focused more around simulation than anything else, the first name that usually springs to mind is Gran Turismo. The reason for this is while a number of other racing games have come and gone through the years or undergone a number of stylistic changes, Gran Turismo has held steadfast to its style ever since it was introduced in 1997. Now Gran Turismo 7 celebrates the series’ 25th anniversary by bringing the racing game to Sony’s most powerful console yet while also celebrating the history of racing and the automobile industry itself.
Gameplay
Rather than drop players who might be unfamiliar with racing games right into the mix of things, Gran Turismo 7 starts off slow and methodical by initially setting a calming tone featuring a lengthy cutscene highlighting the history of the automobile industry before transitioning directly into the game. Here players will find themselves presented with a basic hub world where they will be presented with their Garage, a Used Car dealer, and the central hub of the game’s single player progress, the Café.
In the Café players will be given “Menus” that serve as their next goals, ranging from obtaining three of a certain type of car to unlock additional race tracks or facilities, making use of the tune-up shop to purchase and upgrade your vehicle, and even simply washing your car or applying a new paint job to one at GT Auto. The Café’s rollout of features and mechanics may be a bit tiresome for longtime fans but it may be welcomed by those who may feel overwhelmed at first. That being said, it is within the Café as well as the Brand Central that players will find the majority of the game’s depth of history for the industry. Players can “talk” with generic faces at the Café and learn more about their current car or series of vehicles while the museum will go in-depth into a car manufacturer’s entire history, even if there only happens to be one car available from said manufacturer.
With things unlocked, players will find the world of Gran Turismo 7 mostly open to them as they will find a wide variety of 34 tracks, with over ninety total layouts, to race through with over four hundred cars to eventually collect and race from sixty different manufacturers. Nearly every single one of these cars can be poured over and customized to a fairly extreme level, adjusting the weight balance, distribution, quality and type of tires, brake kits, on-board computer, suspension, air filters, and much more to give “gearheads” as much freedom to take their favorite car and tune it however they like. Occasionally this may be done simply to meet the “PP” requirements of the next race either through upgrades or occasional restrictors but for the most part this customization is handled incredibly in-depth though doing so will cost quite a bit of Credits, something that Gran Turismo 7 has an issue with.
As players race through the game’s single player modes they will earn Credits for every race, earning more the better they do and even earning bonuses such as “Clean Driving” that adds an extra 50% to the total, however nearly every aspect of the game outside of the races requires Credits in some form. Be it applying a fancy paint job or new aesthetic changes to a car, purchasing parts to tune it up, and of course actually buying new cars themselves can cost quite a bit. It is worth noting that players will earn a large number of vehicles throughout the course of the game’s single player Café menus as well as from various rewards but a large number of cars, especially some more sought after brands, must be purchased.
The rate players actually earn these Credits is rather slow, especially compared to some of the cars that happen to be available for purchase in the game. Herein lies an issue with the Credits beyond their slow pace and that is Sony’s rather focused effort to “Top Up” on Credits through the PlayStation Store. Every time that the player wants to use Credits, even if it is for a small item, the game will offer this prompt and considering some cars in the game can require upwards of three million credits to purchase this can mean spending nearly forty dollars in PlayStation Store purchases to reach. While it is certainly possible to grind away at races over time, earning Credits as you go, especially since the option to sell duplicate cars or those players don’t wish to drive is no longer an option, this, plus a rotating series of cars that appear on one section of the map, is an egregious way to push players towards microtransactions they otherwise would avoid.
Now that all that doom and gloom is out of the way, how does Gran Turismo 7 actually feel once the rubber meets the road? With a combination of the series’ signature driving mechanics being so refined players will feel as if they are driving on the razor’s edge at times, where taking a corner too quickly might send them into the grass or truly feeling the road beneath their car thanks to the DualSense controller. Obviously, there are some assistants that players can use for some help that can show the optimal drive line and even the ability to turn on brake assist to make things a bit easier in some gameplay modes but those looking for the best feeling driving simulator will find that this game delivers.
As mentioned before, the DualSense is partially the reason for this thanks to the amount of haptic feedback that the company has put into the controller. Sure, there is also the option to steer using gyro controls but that is a bit rough. The true elements come from the adaptive triggers that deliver tension when hitting the brakes or trying to accelerate around a corner and even the feeling and noise that comes from losing control of the car for a brief moment.
As far as the online component goes, players will find that Gran Turismo 7 features some fairly solid offerings for now with the game offering multiplayer lobbies that they can either create or join, customizing the options such as race track, weather conditions, vehicle restrictions, and more as well as special Sport style events where they can sign up for a session and wait for a race to begin, testing their skills against other opponents that are rated fairly accurately towards the player’s skill level. It is worth noting that some elements of driving online are a bit rough around the edges, as the game discourages bumping and will punish the player for trying to pass too aggressively, something that is a bit too touchy for a competitive racing simulator. On the flip side of things, there is the downside that Gran Turismo 7 must be connected to the internet at all times to even try and race.
Should the console lose connection due to server problems or the slightest blip in the user’s internet the game will either not recognize the race that was just completed or will instantly kick players to the map with only a basic arcade race with a small number of cars, and the odd but enjoyable enough Music Rally that sees players race through a track to the beat of a small collection of songs accessible to them.
Visuals & Audio
There comes a point in time where someone may wonder just how much better a racing game can look and Polyphony Digital has proven that things can always be taken a step further. The level of detail presented in the hundreds of vehicles present in Gran Turismo 7 is outstanding and driving from either inside the cabin or whichever camera angle the player chooses can be a real delight. This is especially true during night and rain races as the glow of headlights and tail lights as well as the various reflections can truly show what the PlayStation 5 can handle here. It is also nice to note that, again while it may cost Credits, players can choose to paint their cars however they wish including taking designs created and uploaded by others if they so choose.
While the cars may be outstanding to look at, there remains the issue with past games that, for whatever reason, they are also unbreakable. No matter how aggressive a driver may be, including taking some impressively fast collisions into walls and other vehicles, the worst a car might suffer is a bit of paint chipping around a bumper. Considering these are meant to be races, including some that are a bit dirtier than others, having every car come out flawless is a bit of a letdown especially since we have seen far better from competitors in far older titles.
Oddly enough, while there are generic talking faces players will interact with at the Café and at certain race tracks, none of them are given any voice work nor are most of the histories described to players at the location. The soundtrack features a rather eclectic collection of tracks ranging from classic music to more modern music making it a little something for everyone but also something that may be a bit annoying should a track not to the player’s liking be chosen for any given race.
Overall
Gran Turismo 7 celebrates the history of the automobile industry while delivering some of the tightest driving mechanics that fans of racing simulators could ask for. Whether players are driving a classic car from the ’50s or an open wheel race-car, there is no other game that captures the feeling of these vehicles like Gran Turismo 7 does all while giving players plenty of ways to tune the vehicles to their liking. Unfortunately, aggressive microtransactions, barely any actual vehicle damage, and touchy online requirements are the ballasts that slow Gran Turismo 7 down on its race towards greatness.
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