Golden Spirit Bear Seen Mauling Poachers in Big Valley –Plus Bonus Club XP, Naturalist Discounts, and More
Keep your wits about you: the bodies of poachers have been found mauled by the massive Golden Spirit Bear in Big Valley. It is known for its thick, golden-blonde coat – captivating to the eye and prized by poachers alike. Talk to Harriet to launch the Sighting Mission but be forewarned: any encounter with this beast could turn fatal at a moment’s notice.
Sample or Kill the Golden Spirit Bear to receive an Offer for 50% off an Established or Higher Naturalist Item and bring its pelt back to Gus’ Trapper Store for a lush, custom coat made of the bear’s coveted fur.
While you are visiting Harriet, you may want to pick up the latest Vitalism Studies Pamphlet and start gathering Harrietum Officinalis to complete your transformation into a wild boar.
REWARDS
With your opportunity to earn all the rewards that the latest Wheeler Rawson & Co. Club and The Outlaw Pass No. 3 have to offer dwindling, all players will receive 5,000 Club XP simply by playing Red Dead Online anytime this week between October 6th and 12th.
BONUSES
Players can also earn twice the usual XP from Role Missions – including all Bounties, Trader and Moonshiner Sell Missions, Moonshiner Story and Bootlegger Missions, and Naturalist Sighting and Poaching Missions.
Free Roam Events, Showdowns, Races, A Land of Opportunities and Free Roam Missions are all doling out double XP until October 12th.
NATURALIST DISCOUNTS
Aspiring Naturalists can take 5 Gold Bars off the price of Harriet’s Animal Field Guide and 40% off all Naturalist Role Items – that should help them get their adventures in the wilderness started in earnest. Plus, those looking to visit Gus to purchase Trinkets can take 30% off the cost of assembly.
PRIME GAMING
Red Dead Online players who connect their Rockstar Games Social Club account to Prime Gaming will receive Rewards for:
5 Free Legendary Animal Pheromones
6,000 Naturalist XP
A free Wilderness Camp
A Free Katata Coat crafted from the Legendary Katata Elk hide
In addition, Prime Gaming members will receive Rewards for a free Bar Theme and Outfit, Accessory or Emote of their choice, plus 6,000 Club XP and 10X each of Gin, Brandy, Rum, Baked Beans and Jolly Jack’s, all through October 12th.
Season 2 The Aftermath Brings New Gameplay Content and Battle Pass
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA— October 7, 2020 — Today, Ubisoft® announced Hyper Scape™ Season 2: The Aftermath is now available on PC, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One family of consoles. Hyper Scape is an urban, fast-paced, free-to-play battle royale game developed by Ubisoft Montreal. Set in the virtual city of Neo-Arcadia, up to 100 players face each other to become champion of the Hyper Scape. Bringing a fresh take on the battle royale genre, Hyper Scape introduces innovative gameplay mechanics such as Hacks, the Fusion, the Decay, the Showdown and many more.
In Season 2: The Aftermath, Hyper Scape introduces new content including a hack, weapon, Hyper Scape Crowncast features, gameplay lore, a new Battle Pass, and customisation items.
NEW CONTENT COMING WITH SEASON 2
During this season, players will get the chance to discover a new district and try a new weapon, the Atrax, which bursts sticky explosives that detonate after a certain period of time. During the season will also come a new limited-time hack coming mid-season, Platform, which allows players to deploy a horizontal platform useful for navigation and offering new creative opportunities.
Over the course of Season 2 Hyper Scape will also offer several brand-new time-limited game modes, including Crown Rush Duo and Floor is Lava. The Platform hack will be key for Floor is Lava, where the ground is transformed into a deadly magma. On top of those new modes, Season 2 will also see the return of Crown Rush, Faction War and Turbo Mode, with more to be revealed later in the season.
The new Memorial district and landmark are located in the North of Neo-Arcadia, on top of Unity Hill where Mathieu Eiffel’s Season 1 secret lab was located. The Memorial landmark, build by Prisma Dimensions to honor the people hurt by the Blackout, is an impressive monument offering the same kind of loot density and conflict opportunities as the nine other Neo-Arcadia landmarks. As it’s located on top of a hill, it provides great sights on all districts of the virtual city.
Amongst the limited-time modes available during Season 2, Crown Rush solo will come back during the Season with a brand-new feature, Second Chance, allowing players who get eliminated early in the game to get reinserted and keep playing. The fan favorite Faction War will also come back in Season 2 as a limited time mode, including some changes to make it even more fun and accessible.
One big moment in Season 2 will be the launch of the Halloween event, starting October 20th and ending on November 3rd. During the event, the Crown Rush Squad game mode will be playable by night, as it will be the case for the limited-time modes Crown Rush Solo (Season 2 week 3) and Dark Haze Squad. The Halloween event will also feature a complete Halloween, spooky dress-up for Neo-Arcadia, the game hub and the lobby. Exclusive cosmetics will be available in the game’s store all along the event.
NEW UPDATES FOR THE HYPER SCAPE CROWNCAST EXTENSION
The Vote on Events feature, providing viewers real-time impact on battles, gets updated in Season 2 with a new Event Card called Infinite Slide. During an Infinite Slide event, players’ slides are much longer, almost infinite. However, they can still be interrupted by collisions or by player actions. In total, nine Event Cards are already available in the Hyper Scape Crowncast extension.
Hyper Scape’s first Season introduced a feature to its Crowncast Twitch extension: Kudos, a tool that allows stream viewers to support and react by producing in-game visual effects within a streamer’s match. Season 2 will introduce new Legendary Kudos, which can be purchased using Bits on Twitch.
NEW GAME FEATURES
New for Season 2, a ranking system will be available, giving players a way to see how they fare amongst other contenders. The rank will be formed based on the ten best matches of each player – Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond or Champion. Only matches played in Crown Rush Squad will count for the rank.
Starting with Season 2, players will get a Daily Gift every day they play Hyper Scape. The Daily Gift can include different items, such as Battle Points or cosmetics. They will also have access to their own and their squadmates’ player profiles, featuring information such as average damage dealt or K/D ratio.
SEASON 2 BATTLE PASS
Hyper Scape Season 2 also includes a new Free and Premium Battle Pass with 100 tiers of exclusive cosmetic items to unlock during the season. The Premium Battle Pass, available for 950 Bitcrowns, instantly unlocks the Mondragon Streetfighter Outfit. The Hyper Battle Pass, instantly unlocks the Mondragon Streetfighter, the Basilisk Rogue and the Ace Tsubame outfits as well as 25 Battle Pass Tiers, and will be available for 2,500 Bitcrowns. The Season 2 Premium Battle Pass includes exclusive items inspired by the Assassin’s Creed brand, including a Champion outfit and a deployment pod.
Players get Bitcrowns by simply playing the game, or by purchasing packs of Bitcrowns with real money on the Ubisoft or first-party stores. Viewers can progress their Battle Pass simply by watching Hyper Scape streams on Twitch with the Hyper Scape Crowncast extension enabled. Additional customization items including Emblems, Champions, Pods, Emotes, Ranged and Melee Weapons, and Weapon Skins will be available in the in-game store. Season 2 will also feature a brand-new Starter pack including Epic items and 2,875 Bitcrowns. PlayStation + members will get a new free Season 2 PS+ bundle including an exclusive Champion outfit and an exclusive weapon skin.
SEASON 2 STORY: THE MYSTERY OF HYPER SCAPE CONTINUES
In the aftermath of the Blackout, Dr.Tan – now the sole controller of Prisma Dimensions – positions her company as “too big to fail.” Nahari, a journalist, starts investigating the Blackout casualties and is contacted by Amandine Romée, who learned that her brother Simon is in a coma. Working together, the two of them begin deciphering clues when Amandine receives a mysterious message…
Every week, players can collect new Memory Shards to dive deeper into Season 2’s story and lore. Additionally, Amandine’s story will be featured in Issue 2 of the Hyper Scape Comics and will be released in chapters during Season 2.
For more information about Hyper Scape, please visit: hyperscape.com
About Hyper Scape
Hyper Scape is an urban, fast-paced, free-to-play battle royale game developed by Ubisoft Montreal. Set in the virtual city of Neo-Arcadia, up to 100 players face each other to become champion of the Hyper Scape. Bringing a fresh take on the battle royale genre, Hyper Scape is a fast-paced experience that introduces innovative gameplay mechanics such as Hacks, the Fusion, the Decay, the Showdown and many others. Through Hyper Scape Crowncast, a Twitch extension developed in partnership with Twitch, Hyper Scape offers a unique viewing experience, but also offers new tools for streamers to interact with their community. Hyper Scape is available on PC, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. It supports cross-progression across platforms.
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, 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 2019–20 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1,534 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
NBA 2K21 Delivers a Jaw-Dropping First Look at Next-Gen Gameplay
Next-Gen NBA 2K21 Reaches New Heights in Graphical Realism and Presentation
2K today unveiled the first true look at what gamers can expect on next-generation consoles this November, debuting a brand new NBA 2K21 gameplay video captured on PlayStation 5. Built from the ground-up to fully utilize the incredible power, speed and technology of the next-generation of consoles, NBA 2K21 will be available on November 10 for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S globally, November 12 for PlayStation®5 in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, and November 19 for PlayStation 5 in all other regions.
https://youtu.be/Jy00FgZNias
“Never before have we been able to deliver this level of visual fidelity and realism in a video game,” stated Greg Thomas, president of Visual Concepts. “NBA 2K21 is the standout title that best delivers the promise of next-gen: truly revolutionary graphics, lighting-fast load times and incredible new features and gameplay only possible on next-generation hardware.”
Today’s video features a raw look at next-gen gameplay for NBA 2K21, presenting an exhibition game between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks. Players are brought right up to the action on the hardwood – as if they suited up themselves – and the game is brought to life thanks to new AI systems that power every single person in the arena! From here, the new Rail Cam presents NBA 2K21 gameplay in a dynamic and visually stunning fashion, elevating the game to new immersive heights.
The next-gen version of NBA 2K21 is positioned to be an awesome leap forward and the largest game in franchise history. So much has been expanded and improved upon, including:
An eye-popping leap in graphical advancements: next-gen lighting, textures, physics, animations, and more that push NBA 2K21’s visual presentation to the bleeding edge;
Rebuilt player movement and player impact, driven by new on-court animation and collision engines that make for a smoother, tougher game;
The entire arena comes to life, with more than 150 unique AI-driven characters interacting seamlessly to create a ground-breaking Lower Bowl experience;
An expanded soundtrack with 202 songs at launch and more to come.
Today’s gameplay video is just the beginning with much more next-gen NBA 2K21 information coming soon. Beginning tomorrow, we’ll be breaking down all of the new next-gen gameplay-specific features across three Courtside Reports that cover core gameplay, new movement and the “Impact Engine,” as well as next-gen AI and major changes to the MyPLAYER Builder. Additionally, in the coming weeks, NBA 2K fans can look forward to learning about what’s new in MyCAREER, the WNBA, MyGM, and MyLEAGUE. And of course, fans will get an in-depth look into what will be the biggest expansion of NBA 2K’s online basketball community feature yet: the experience formerly known as the Neighbourhood.
WATCH DOGS®: LEGION RELEASES NEW STORY TRAILER AND UNVEILS POST-LAUNCH CONTENT
As Part of Post-Launch Content, The Online Mode of Watch Dogs: Legion Will Be Available December 3 Via Free Game Update
Sydney, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 7, 2020 – Ubisoft has released the story trailer for Watch Dogs: Legion that places the fate of London in players’ hands. Zero-Day, an unknown entity, has framed the secret underground resistance, DedSec, for the bombings that contributed to the fall of London. In Watch Dogs: Legion, players must fight to liberate London by building a resistance.
Led by Ubisoft Toronto*, Watch Dogs: Legion will release on October 29, 2020 on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and for Windows PC on Epic Games and Uplay. The game will also be available on UPLAY+**, Ubisoft’s subscription service. Watch Dogs®: Legion will also release on Xbox Series X | S on November 10 and digitally on PlayStation®5 alongside the console on November 12. The physical version of the game on PlayStation5 will be available on November 24.
Ubisoft also announced that the Online multiplayer mode of Watch Dogs: Legion will be available on December 3 as part of a free game update for all Watch Dogs: Legion players. Watch Dogs: Legion has a robust post-launch plan that will bring fresh content to the single-player mode, and introduce online multiplayer modes.
Click image below to view story trailer
The Online mode of Watch Dogs: Legion will include the following features as part of the December 3 free update:
Free-roam open-world co-op where players can team up with their friends for up to four-player co-op and explore the city of London and participate in side activities
New co-op missions for two-to-four players using new co-op gameplay mechanics and giving players the opportunity to recruit the perfect team
Four-player co-op Tactical Ops missions which will require teamwork and efficiency
The first available Player-vs-Player (PvP) mode, Spiderbot Arena, where four-to-eight players control armed spiderbots and compete in a high intensity free-for-all deathmatch
New free content for the single-player mode will be available in a future update in 2021, and will include:
New characters with new abilities
New mission content
A New Game Plus mode
Additionally, players who acquire the Season Pass of Watch Dogs: Legion will get access to Watch Dogs: Legion – Bloodline, a new storyline which includes Aiden Pearce from the original Watch Dogs game and Wrench from Watch Dogs 2, fully playable in the single player campaign and online, along with two other characters which were unveiled today:
Darcy, a member of the Assassin Order, thanks to a cross-over with Assassin’s Creed®
Mina, a subject of transhuman experiments, who possesses the ability to mind control individuals
In addition to the unique playable characters and Watch Dogs: Legion – Bloodline story expansion, the Season Pass will offer extra DedSec missions, the original Watch Dogs Complete Edition from 2014***, and more. The Season Pass of Watch Dogs: Legion is available for purchase as part of the Gold, Ultimate and Collector editions.
Built with a next-gen concept, Watch Dogs: Legion introduces “Play as Anyone,” a never-before-seen gameplay innovation created by Ubisoft Toronto**, the studio behind Watch Dogs: Legion. Play as Anyone gives players the entire city of London to choose their roster of resistance members from. Every single person in the open world can be recruited and played, is unique and has a backstory, personality and skillset. Watch Dogs: Legion will also support hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing on Xbox Series X and full ray-tracing support on Nvidia RTX-equipped PC devices, bringing real-time ray-tracing reflections to the streets of London. Players who purchase Watch Dogs: Legion on Xbox One or PlayStation4 will be able to upgrade their game to the next-gen version (Xbox Series X or PlayStation5) at no additional cost****.
In Watch Dogs: Legion, London is facing its downfall. Amidst the growing unrest of a restless London, an unknown entity named Zero-Day has framed secret underground resistance DedSec for coordinated bombings across London. In the aftermath, criminal opportunists from every corner of London took hold and filled the void left by a defeated government. As a member of DedSec, players will be going up against those criminal opportunists in Watch Dogs: Legion; sadists, mercenaries, cybercriminals, and more; they’ll have to be prepared for a variety of situations. Players must recruit members into their DedSec Resistance to take on these criminal opportunists, liberate London and uncover the identity of Zero-Day.
For the latest news on Watch Dogs: Legion and all of Ubisoft’s games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.
For more information about Watch Dogs: Legion, please visit watchdogs.com, and join the conversation by using #watchdogslegion.
*Associate studios are Ubisoft Montreal, Paris, Bucharest, Kiev, Newcastle and Massive Entertainment, a Ubisoft Studio.
**$19.95 per month. Cancel anytime. The Ultimate Edition (Excluding VIP status) will be available as part of a UPLAY+ subscription at game launch. More information at uplayplus.com.
*** Stadia players will be able to access Watch Dogs Complete Edition later this year, while all other platforms will have access in available territories when Watch Dogs: Legion launches.
****Watch Dogs: Legion leverages Smart Delivery allowing access to both the Xbox One title and Xbox Series X title when available. Watch Dogs: Legion PlayStation 4 Digital and Blu-Ray™ games gives access to the corresponding Watch Dogs: Legion PlayStation 5 Digital version at no additional cost, when available. Requires a PlayStation 5 or a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, the game disc (if owned on Blu-Ray™) must be kept inserted in the PlayStation 5 disc tray to play, a PlayStation™Network registration, additional storage & Broadband internet connection. May incur bandwidth usage fees.
ABOUT WATCH DOGS
Watch Dogs launched in 2014 as the video game industry’s best-selling new IP at launch. To-date, the award-winning franchise has sold more than 40 million games worldwide. The hacker series extends to other entertainment media, including books and comics. The next opus in the franchise, Watch Dogs: Legion, will release on October 29, 2020.
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, 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 2019–20 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1,534 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
The keyboard that started it all returns with a host of upgrades, including new DoubleShot ABS keycaps, improved key switches, media keys, and a refined chassis
Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the new BlackWidow V3 and BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless, continuing the legacy of the world’s first mechanical gaming keyboard, now updated with a plethora of new features and improvements to once again dominate the game.
Since its launch in 2010, the BlackWidow range of keyboards is the benchmark by which all other mechanical gaming keyboards are measured, and has been continuously upgraded and updated with new technologies to maintain its market leading position. With improved key switches, Doubleshot ABS keycaps, brighter Razer Chroma RGB lighting, dedicated media keys with digital roller, and an ergonomic wrist rest, the BlackWidow V3 represents the pinnacle of gaming keyboards.
“With the launch of the first BlackWidow, Razer created a whole new product category – the mechanical gaming keyboard,” said Alvin Cheung, Senior Vice President of Razer’s Peripherals Business Unit. “The new BlackWidow V3 now comes with a host of upgrades and improvements, whilst retaining the design and features gamers love, giving them a BlackWidow worthy of the legacy of its predecessors.”
At the heart of the new BlackWidow V3 are the Razer Mechanical Switches, available with either the precise, audible, and clicky actuation of the Razer Green Mechanical Switches, or with the smooth, silent, and linear feel of the Razer Yellow Switches, which now have silicon sound dampeners for an even quieter experience. With extra sidewalls for better switch stability, the Razer Mechanical Switches are extremely durable and reliable for up to 80 million keystrokes.
A further enhancement to the BlackWidow V3 comes with the inclusion of Doubleshot ABS keycaps*. Unlike traditional lit keycaps, which use printed lettering, the doubleshot molding process has the lettering molded into the structure of the keycap, meaning it will never wear away, even after thousands of hours of use. And for additional durability and stability, the Doubleshot ABS keycaps are molded with extra-thick walls, making them tough enough to withstand even the most heavy-handed of players.
Both switch types on the BlackWidow V3 now feature a new transparent housing, for brighter, more vibrant Razer Chroma RGB lighting. The clear casing allows the true brilliance of Razer Chroma RGB to shine through, from subtle customised hues and shading through to bold, energetic lighting effects. With Chroma RGB Lighting integrated into over 150 games, dynamic lighting and game immersion have never looked so good.
Rest easy with comfort and function
New to the BlackWidow V3 is the new Multi-function Digital Roller. The roller, along with the media key-set, can be used for volume controls, play, pause, and track skipping, or reprogrammed through Razer Synapse 3 for virtually any function, like page scrolling or lighting controls – the choice is entirely with the user.
The BlackWidow V3 now has an improved aluminum chassis, with built-in cable routing options. With the frame giving superior rigidity and stability even in intense gaming sessions, the hidden cable channels allow for easy cable routing, helping to keep the desktop tidy and free of tangles.
And completing the array of upgrades, the BlackWidow V3 is complemented by an ergonomic wrist rest, fitting perfectly across the full width of the keyboard, giving excellent wrist support for long play sessions with minimum wrist fatigue.
With improved Razer Mechanical Switches, brighter Razer Chroma RGB lighting, Doubleshot ABS keycaps, a Multi-function Digital Wheel and Media Keys, and an ergonomic wrist rest, the BlackWidow V3 has been updated with state of the art components and functions, to continue the legacy of the original gaming keyboard family.
The BlackWidow V3 is also available in the popular Quartz colour scheme (US keyboard layout only), joining the recently launched Viper Ultimate as part of an extensive range of Razer Quartz peripherals for gamers looking for more color in their battle stations.
*Doubleshot ABS keycaps available in the following layouts: US, German, Nordics, UK, French, Spanish, Russian, Japan, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Greek.
ABOUT THE RAZER BLACKWIDOW V3:
Razer™ Mechanical Switches designed for gaming
80 million keystroke lifespan
Razer Chroma™ RGB customisable backlighting with 16.8 million colour options
Doubleshot ABS Keycaps
Ergonomic wrist rest
Multi-function digital roller
Dedicated media key
Hybrid On-Board Memory and Cloud Storage – up to 5 profiles
Razer Synapse 3 enabled
Cable routing optionsN-key roll-over
Fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording
The BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless retains many of the features of the full-sized BlackWidow V3, but in a smaller form factor, ideal for gamers who prefer a more minimalist set-up or need a portable keyboard when traveling to tournaments.
Enjoying many of the upgrades found on the full-sized BlackWidow V3, the BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless is available with either Razer Green Mechanical Switches or Razer Yellow Mechanical Switches, and features the same built-in cable routing options within the chassis design.
Through Razer Synapse 3, the BlackWidow V3 Tenkeyless is fully programmable, allowing users to remap buttons, record and store macros and set custom lighting with Razer Chroma RGB, with the ability to create and save multiple profiles for the perfect, personal keyboard set-up.
ABOUT THE RAZER BLACKWIDOW V3 TENKEYLESS:
Razer™ Mechanical Switches designed for gaming
80 million keystroke lifespan
Razer Chroma™ RGB customisable backlighting with 16.8 million colour options
Doubleshot ABS Keycaps*
Razer Synapse 3 enabled
Cable routing options
N-key roll-over
Fully programmable keys with on-the-fly macro recording
Gaming mode option
1000 Hz Ultrapolling
Aluminium construction
*Doubleshot ABS keycaps available in the following layouts: US Layout (additional layouts coming soon)
Razer™ is the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.
The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognised logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.
Razer’s award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops.
Razer’s software platform, with over 100 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma RGB (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimiser and launcher).
In services, Razer Gold is one of the world’s largest virtual credit services for gamers, and Razer Fintech is one of the largest offline-to-online digital payment networks in SE Asia.
Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in Irvine (California) and Singapore, Razer has 17 offices worldwide and is recognised as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337).
Narrative driven games that focus on player choice have risen to prominence over the last decade and while one developer was keeping things mostly the same, another chose to keep things fresh by experimenting a bit with every new release. The latter developer happens to be Dontnod Entertainment and since their release of Life is Strange they have grown quite a following for telling unique tales while also offering new experiences at the same time. Their latest offering happens to be another experimental entry called Tell Me Why, featuring a pair of twins with some rather extraordinary circumstances.
Story
A pair of twins named Alyson and Tyler Ronan have been separated for ten years after a horrific event occurred during their childhood. While Alyson was able to stay in their hometown of Delos Crossing, Alaska and be adopted by a caring father figure Tyler was raised in a correctional facility as a result of said event. Despite this lengthy separation, the pair are eager to meet one with one another again even if it means that they are going to undertake a fairly traumatizing task of revisiting the site that the pair were last together and trying to sell it, their childhood home.
After visiting the home and finding that it has mostly been untouched over the past decade to the point that even their mother’s belongings and their childhood toys remain scattered throughout the rooms, the pair quickly realize that their special connection, a “bond,” that allows them to mentally speak with one another has returned and is in fact stronger than ever before. The pair find that their bond now allows them to revisit memories of the past as if they were seeing them as they happened, bringing new perspectives to what they may have once thought as fact. Through the use of their bond and a number of objects of their mother’s, the twins realize that there is more to the events of their childhood trauma than met the eye and begin to investigate what exactly happened that night and split the pair apart for a decade.
Tell Me Why kicks things off to a great start by immediately establishing that both Alyson and Tyler are a likable pair of characters and, despite being twins, couldn’t be more different from one another. While Tyler is eager to uncover the truth, a bit brash, and confident in himself Alyson is a more thoughtful person and tries to put others before herself making for a unique dynamic as the pair works together and deals with the various issues that are brought up as they dig deeper into the mysteries of their past and the town of Delos Crossing. The same cannot really be said unfortunately about a majority of the game’s side characters however as many are not given nearly as much depth as players would expect, especially given the major roles some eventually play in the story and how they interact with Tyler and Alyson.
Now, one of the key elements of Tell Me Why is the fact that Tyler is a transgender character and seeing how both the small townsfolk of Delos Crossing interact with him and treat him can make for an interesting experience. Rather than force any type of unusual abuse or stereotypical cliches on the character, Dontnod has gone to great lengths to make sure that Tyler was a character of his own and not ruled by his sexuality. There are some confrontations and a few uncomfortable moments but these are handled in a way that is fairly nuanced and serve as examples of how to handle these situations better.
The mystery itself starts out great as players will eagerly want to dig deeper into the past and find out what happened to the twins but while things move quickly through the first chapter, the second chapter feels like something of a stalling effort at times as the pace slows to a crawl outside of some great cliffhangers. It is also worth noting that, when the pace does begin to pick up once again, the mystery itself begins to fall flat as the more players reveal, the less interesting things becomes which is both rare and disappointing considering how deep the mystery seemingly was at the start only to boil down to what it eventually becomes.
Gameplay
As with most of Dontnod’s narrative games players will find that Tell Me Why has a fairly simplistic style of gameplay that focuses mostly on examining environments, talking to various characters, solving puzzles, and making choices during discussions that may or may not play a role in how various events will play out further down the line. One of the most notable aspects of Tell Me Why happens to be the memories that the twins are capable of recalling. For the most part recalling these memories are ways to expand upon the story but also can play a pivotal role in the story as, just as in real life, everyone’s memory is a bit different from others. This means that there are a number of times throughout the game that players can choose to remember a memory one way or another and this can play a major role in the twins’ relationship and how they handle things going forward. It is interesting to note that there are a couple of endings to Tell Me Why as well as a number of variations to these endings so players will want to note that their decisions do matter a bit, especially since the twins’ relationship plays a major role.
It is interesting to note that although players will find that Tell Me Why offers quite a few puzzles, there are ways around these as well. Most of the puzzles tend to revolve around deciphering clues hidden in a storybook created by the twins’ mother though a few others are mixed in as well but should the player want to skip trying to solve these puzzles, they usually can be solved through brute-force. This latter option can speed things up but does ruin certain aspects of the story as many puzzles end up revealing more about the mystery of the twins and their mother’s past once they are properly deciphered. Alongside these puzzles players will also come across a number of rather odd mini-games that really slow the pace of the game down and while they usually are implemented to try and make certain scenes a bit more impactful, they often fail in this regard and come off as more annoying than anything else.
Visuals & Audio
It is clear that every new game that Dontnod works on they are continuing to grow as a developer as their visual designs continue to impress with Tell Me Why as the rather unique setting of a small town in Alaska is brought out to the fullest thanks to some great environmental designs while the characters themselves are fittingly designed with plenty of great details and many of these details. This ends up being especially useful given how certain aspects of Tyler’s character and some of the world building is done through environmental clues and items players can examine than outright spoken about.
The voice work features an outstanding performance for both twins with Tyler’s voice actor really nailing the role of the character and Dontnod can be given a lot of credit for going the extra mile when it came to handling the voice talent in this regard. The soundtrack also features a wide variety of background tracks that fit perfectly given the setting and heavy mood swings the game can take from time to time.
Overall
Tell Me Why spins an engaging mystery with a small supernatural twist and takes on a cast of characters that avoid falling into stereotypes, creating a much stronger narrative as a result. This mature tale may lose its luster the longer the story progresses but the strong characters and interesting puzzles make for a game that players will want to experience and proves that Dontnod is as strong as ever even when taking risks with sensitive topics.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Insurgency: Sandstorm’s Massive Operation: Breakaway Update Adds New Map, Co-op Mode, Weapons, Cosmetics & More
PARIS — Oct. 6, 2020 — Today the smash-hit hardcore FPS Insurgency: Sandstorm celebrates the arrival of the massive Operation: Breakaway content update, available to download now for free. This time, Security forces have gone rogue and joined the Insurgents! Patch 1.8 introduces a new co-op mode, map, weapons, cosmetics, and more. And now’s the perfect time to dive in — Insurgency: Sandstorm is on sale for 50% off on Steam now until October 12.
Operation: Breakaway’s new co-op game mode is Outpost, designed for fast, fun and frenetic defensive action. You’ll start with limited equipment and gain more as you work through waves of increasingly difficult enemies. Losing an objective forces you to retreat to a new area to hold — but be careful: you can only fall back so much before it’s game.
There’s also new weapons and attachments to discover in today’s update. Security forces get the low-recoil AUG A3 assault rifle, while Insurgents have the high-fire rate FAMAS F1. Weapon customization has expanded, too, with six new weapon upgrades, including new underbarrel shotguns and foregrips for all classes.
Last but not least, Insurgency: Sandstorm’s new map — Tell — features a tight style of urban close-quarters combat that’s unique from the game’s other maps. It squeezes everyone together for more fast-paced action, where the new underbarrel shotguns can really come into play. But there’s still plenty of room for multiple flanking routes for more tactical and methodical players.
Today’s update also includes new cosmetics matching the rogue security theme. Enjoy free outfits on each side with rogue cop uniforms for Insurgents and internal affairs officers for Security. In addition, a Breakaway-themed bundle including four paid DLC packs is out now.
Insurgency: Sandstorm is developed by New World Interactive and published by Focus Home Interactive. For more information, visit https://insurgency-sandstorm.com.
Among the numerous massive games released every year there are also a number of simpler titles released that still exude a certain level of charm while delivering smaller adventures. In recent years NIS America has been diversifying their releases a bit and while last year saw the simpler Destiny Connect release, this time around the company has returned with Giraffe and Annika. With plenty of charm and designed to be more child friendly, Giraffe and Annika may not be something many would expect but it does offer something a bit unique these days.
Story
Players take on the role of Annika, a young girl that has awoken on the flourishing Spica island with seemingly no knowledge about who or where she is. After a bit of exploration, Annika finds out that while she has no memory of herself there are plenty of people who know her. One of these happens to be Giraffe, a boy that asks for Annika’s help as she is the last Felycan on the island and, as such, is the only one capable of unlocking the special ruins scattered throughout the island that hold special Star Fragments that he is seeking.
Hoping to learn more about herself, Annika undertakes this task and encounters the powerful Witch of the Forest named Lily who also is familiar with the young girl and seeks the star fragments herself. With Annika managing to fend off the witch, she absorbs the fragment and witnesses unique visions. In an effort to learn more about herself and help others, Annika continues her journey throughout the colorful Spica Island.
Giraffe and Annika keeps things as simple as they come. Players will find that the story is charming at its core and features a great cast of characters that players will encounter and while there are some enemies, none of them feel very threatening and even the boss battles carry little weight behind them. This leads to a light, albeit inconsequential, adventure that encourages players to explore various parts of the world and examine everything they come across in an effort to learn more about Spica Island and its inhabitants, which given the game’s short length, is something many may want to do.
Gameplay
It quickly becomes evident that Giraffe and Annika was designed for a simpler experience in mind as players will find that this “action adventure” style game doesn’t really offer much action at all outside of boss battles while the adventure aspect is kept to a minimum near the start as Annika doesn’t even possess the ability to jump, run, or even swim properly until she unlocks the ability by clearing dungeons.
There are enemies that Annika will have to deal with that mostly appear in dungeons and while they can hurt her a bit, she can easily regenerate health either through eating food or standing near healing crystals that are generously scattered throughout every area. When not conquering dungeons players will find that the various residents of Spica Island can give Annika extra tasks that generally involve tracking down items or restoring parts of the island with the rewards being simple cosmetic items or the ability to help out during the more gameplay focused mine cart portions of the game.
The majority of the actual conflict in the game comes during the boss battles against Lily as she will launch magical orbs at Annika who, through rhythm based gameplay, can catch them and send them back at her. These rhythm sections are fairly simple to learn and players have the option of selecting between Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty before every challenge in case they aren’t familiar with playing a rhythm game but those who are will want to bump the difficulty up to hard as playing on Normal still ends up being far too easy as players can hop left and right and catch individual notes and press-and-hold notes to survive. It is also worth noting that Annika doesn’t even need to deplete all of Lily’s energy to win a fight, players only need to survive long enough for most battles to come to a conclusion.
Likely due to the lax nature of the game as a whole, players will find that the control system is a bit too floaty for its own good. Annika moves extremely quickly while moving across almost any type of terrain and these slippery movements can make some of the more finnicky platforming sections a bit difficult, especially since some of the collectible “meowsterpieces” are hidden away in hard to reach locations. It is also worth noting that Giraffe and Annika features a day and night cycle that allows for certain events to only happen at certain times of day which is a bit of an odd choice considering these cycles do little to the actual gameplay besides encouraging players to try and find out how dungeons or certain parts of the island differ due to the time of day or forcing them to find a bed to sleep in in an effort to advance time and continue their journey.
Visuals & Audio
There is a certain level of charm to be found in Giraffe and Annika’s coloration and design work. The environments themselves are fairly standard for a game such as this one while the dungeons that players explore are enjoyable enough but aren’t memorable enough outside of the colorful boss battles that cap them off. The charm shines the best when it comes to the character designs and the simple but effective comic-style presentation used for story scenes.
As for the soundtrack, the game features a solid collection of light calming music that fits perfectly with the tone of the game’s child-like exploration while the boss battle music works nice for the rhythm game it is paired up with. It is worth noting that there is only a minimal level of voice work here as cutscenes are not voiced and only Annika makes small bits of noise while exploring and interacting with the world.
Overall
While there are still plenty of grand games out there for players to enjoy, Giraffe and Annika takes on a smaller role and offers a simpler experience that is both charming and something that even younger children can enjoy. This does mean that things are a bit too easy for most and the controls aren’t quite as tight as one would hope given the amount of emphasis put on exploration here. All in all, Giraffe and Annika is a light and enjoyable game that will put a smile on most faces as long as players don’t go into it expecting a serious or difficult challenge.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Releases Today into Early Access on PC, Mac & Google Stadia
The fate of the Forgotten Realms is on your party’s shoulders. Will you carry it to salvation, or descend with it to hell?
DUBLIN — Oct. 6, 2020 — Larian Studios is excited to announce that its long-awaited RPG Baldur’s Gate 3 has today released into early access for PC and Mac on Steam and GOG.com, as well as Google Stadia. Players all over the world can now enjoy the first act of the game, which spans roughly 25 hours of content, 46,000 lines of English dialogue, 600 NPCs, and 146 spells and actions. The game’s extensive character creation system lets players pick from 16 races and subraces as well as six different classes, each with their own subclasses.
Today’s release into early access marks the beginning of a long journey toward full launch. Working directly with the community, the team will continuously iterate and improve upon the game, adding new content along the way. RPGs this large, with so many permutations, thrive from feedback as new features and fixes are incrementally added to the game. Early access gives players a chance to participate in development and gives the team an opportunity to explore different game ideas with a live community.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is an expansive, cinematic, player-driven RPG based on 5e D&D. It features a rich character creation system where players can create an avatar based on 16 different D&D races and subraces, select their cantrips, skills and abilities, and enter a world where their actions truly define the story. With a parasite planted in their brains, players wake up aboard a burning Nautiloid ship racing across hell at the center of an epic fight between Mind Flayers and red dragons. And that’s just the very beginning of this journey. Players will encounter many challenges upon their return to the Forgotten Realms in a tale about fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival — and the lure of absolute power.
Baldur’s Gate 3 expands on Larian’s award-winning narrative gameplay through the advent of cinematic storytelling and with dice rolls for key decisions throughout the game, in and out of combat. Dialogue options often have multiple responses, some of which may require a dice roll to succeed, defined by both luck as well as the attributes of the player character, or the circumstances of the situation.
The Forgotten Realms are a vast, detailed and diverse world, and there are secrets to be discovered all around. Verticality is a vital part of exploration. Players can sneak, dip, shove, climb, and jump as they journey from the depths of the Underdark to the glittering rooftops of the Upper City. How you survive, and the mark you leave on the world, is up to you.
Major Features:
Online multiplayer for up to four players allows adventurers to join forces in combat and split their party to follow their own quests and agendas. Concoct the perfect plan together… or introduce an element of chaos when your friends least expect it!
Evolved, turn-based combat based on the D&D 5e ruleset. Team-based initiative, advantage and disadvantage, and roll modifiers join combat cameras, expanded environmental interactions, and a new fluidity in combat that rewards strategy and foresight.
Define the future of the Forgotten Realms through your choices and the roll of the dice. No matter who you play as or what you roll, the world and its inhabitants will react to your story.
Player-initiated turn-based mode allows players to pause the world around them at any time, even outside of combat, letting you set up a tactical advantage before combat begins, pull off a heist with pin-point precision, escape a fiendish trap and more. Split your party, prepare ambushes, sneak in the darkness — and create your own luck!
About Larian Studios
Founded in 1996 in Ghent, Belgium, Larian Studios has been creating games for 24 years. In 2014 we released the isometric CRPG Divinity: Original Sin to critical acclaim, establishing a reputation for the development and publication of expansive, player-driven RPG adventures with great depth. 2017 saw the release of Divinity: Original Sin 2, which launched with a 93 Metacritic rating, as well as over 160 awards (Including the BAFTA for Best Multiplayer Game) and counting. Larian launched DOS2 with a team of 120 people. Upon the release of Baldur’s Gate 3 into early access, Larian will have grown to 300 people internationally across five offices all over the world. Since DOS2, Larian has heavily invested in new departments and specialties to bring the isometric camera down and push the boundaries of emotion in an RPG while expanding on depth, player options, permutations and scale. Baldur’s Gate 3 will be the studio’s biggest and most ambitious game yet.
About Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., is an award-winning developer and publisher of tabletop and digital games that ignite a sense of adventure in passionate players around the globe. Best known for publishing groundbreaking fantasy franchises MAGIC: THE GATHERING® and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®, Wizards is dedicated to bringing together world-class talent to create unforgettable play experiences at its headquarters in Washington and studios in Austin and Montreal. Learn more at www.wizards.com.
Larian Studios brought the first act of Baldur’s Gate 3 to Steam Early Access today. The act contains 25 hours of content, six player classes, nine races/subraces, and multiplayer support for up to four players. The game is expected to have three acts in total. Larian Studios does not have an ETA when the full game will be released, but they are promising the $59.99 USD/$89.95 AUD price tag will not increase after the 1.0 launch.
Balduer’s Gate 3 is a turn based action RPG using the Dungeons & Dragons 5E rules. The world uses the Forgotten Realms setting where fantastical creatures and powerful deities mingle in an Earth-like world. Players will wake up in the midst of a battle between the Mind Flayers and red dragons as they struggle with a Mind Flayer parasite implanted in their mind. How they deal with the parasite and carve their place in the world is completely up to the player.
