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Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 DLC & Free Content Detailed

Nathan Farrugia
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Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 DLC & Free Content Detailed

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Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 has been out for almost a month and as promised, new paid and free content is on the way including new character variations, outfits, skills and missions. These patches follow on from patch 1.02 and 1.03 which balanced a number of skills which were overpowered and drastically improved load times to a respectable 7 or so seconds. A large improvement over the previous 40 second waits I experienced in my original review of the game.

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Let’s start with what everyone gets for free.

  • New skill for SSGSS Goku: Awakened Skill Kaioken times 10!
  • New skill for Hit: Awakened Skill Pure Progress
  • 6 new costumes
  • 4 new attacks
  • A new event for everyone: Frieza’s Siege! Be ready to defend Conton City against Frieza’s Army, there are 10 new Jersey costumes to win!
  • A new Raid Quest featuring Evil Yamcha, with an exclusive title to win!
  • 5 new teachers: Future Gohan, Bardock, Cooler, Android 16, Whis
  • 20 new attacks taught by the new teachers (4 attacks per mentor)

That is a substantial amount of new content for a free update and many people will be excited to see new awakening skills for Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku and Hit. It is unclear what the new Frieza siege event will be exactly, whether it is new story content or simply additional missions but new content is welcome none the less.

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Now for those that have the season pass or purchased the Deluxe Edition this is what is coming in your first content pack.

  • 2 new playable characters: Cabbe (with his Super Saiyan transformation) and Frost (Final Form)
  • One new master: Hit
  • 5 new attacks
  • 3 new Parallel Quests
  • 2 new costumes
  • 5 Super Souls
  • 2 emotes

Surprisingly one would argue the DLC pack is less impressive than it’s free counterpart but you do get two completely new characters straight from the Universe 6 vs Universe 7 arc of Dragon Ball Super. Sadly it doesn’t seem DLC pack 1 will contain any additional story quests.

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All of this drops together on the 20th of December. While it isn’t made completely clear in the press release, it seems those in Europe and Australia may have to sign up to Bandai Namco’s online loyalty program called the VIP corner to gain access to some of these items. While that is annoying the program is completely free.

UPDATE: With the release of this DLC a new trailer was made available and it was also confirmed European/Australian users must sign up to the VIP corner. Follow this link to get your free mentor DLC pack.

TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION® EXPANSION II: SURVIVAL AVAILABLE TONIGHT ON XBOX ONE AND WINDOWS PC

Philip Federico
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TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION® EXPANSION II: SURVIVAL AVAILABLE TONIGHT ON XBOX ONE AND WINDOWS PC

Agents to face most extreme conditions and deadliest enemies

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – November 22, 2016 — The second expansion for Tom Clancy’s The Division, Survival, is available this evening at 7pm on Xbox One and Windows PC and will be released for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system on December 20. Survival is included in the game’s Season Pass but can also be purchased separately for $19.95.

 

As New York is hit by the snowstorm of the century, The Division’s agents receive intel about some powerful anti-virals left behind in the Dark Zone, that could help stem the spread of the pandemic. But before they manage to reach their destination, the agents’ chopper is taken down by the intensifying weather.

To survive and reach their objective, players face the most extreme conditions and have to manage cold, disease, hunger and thirst. Finding warm clothes, crafting supplies, scavenging for food, water, and medicine are key for agents to make their way to the antidote. But with 23 other players struggling to survive and to find the cure, resources are scarce. Competition between agents will lead many to fall on their way to the Dark Zone. Besides this hostile environment, another deadly threat is prowling in the Dark Zone and preying on The Division: the Hunter, a swift advanced enemy who displays proudly the watches of the agents he killed.

In Survival, players will be able to choose to enable either PvP or PvE. In PvP, while the Rogue mechanic does not apply, agents can fight against or cooperate with other players in every corner of New York, even outside of the Dark Zone. As PvP comes with additional risks, it also comes with additional rewards, in the form of a bonus multiplier to the total score. In PvE, players will be able to play in cooperation with other players, and PvP is disabled, even in the Dark Zone.

Free update 1.5 will include a new world tier for all activities, world tier 5, as well as 6 new high-end named gear pieces, 3 high-end named weapons and 12 new weapon types.

For more information about Tom Clancy’s The Division, please visit thedivisiongame.com.

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, Just Dance, Watch_Dogs, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman and Far Cry. 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 2015–16 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,394 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

© 2016 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Tom Clancy’s, The Division logo, the Soldier Icon, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.

The “PS” Family logo is a registered trademark and “PS4” is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Windows, the Windows Start button, Xbox, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and “Games for Windows” and the Windows Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft.

Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed Coming to VoD on December 15th

Jamie Laike Tsui
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Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed Coming to VoD on December 15th

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Mediajuice Studios will be releasing an 8-part documentary on the video game industry on December 15th. The wide ranging series will tackle all corners of the video game industry with the help of some celebrity hosts. The following hosts will be covering these topics:

Sean Astin – Video game design schools, video game journalism
Tom Arnold – Past, present, future of video games
Matt Walsh – Psychology of gaming
Penn Jillette – Modern game development
Michael Rooker – Motion capture technology and video games
Zelda Williams – Medical application of video games
Meghan “Strawburry 17” Camarena – eSports

The series will launch on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and Steam on December 15th as a series of eight 45 minute episodes. Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed is directed, written, and produced by Mediajuice Studios’ founder Jeremy Snead, executive produced by Sean Astin, Dusty Womble, Brett Womble, and also features William Shatner, Tony Hawk, Kevin Smith, and Jason Mewes as guest stars.

https://youtu.be/pYrlx4XEPHI

Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection Review

Dustin Spencer
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Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection Review

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Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4,Xbox One (Reviewed)
Release Date: November 15, 2016
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here $69.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

Assassin’s Creed has certainly left its mark on the industry during the past decade – seeing a new game release on a yearly basis. As with every title that sold in great numbers, Ubisoft have decided to lift the lid on yet another port for present platforms with Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection. Now, this is not the first time we have seen Ezio receive a re-release, but this version comes with “enhanced” visuals, as well as the lack of features that were no longer relevant such as multiplayer. How does this trio of titles perform? Let’s find out.

assassins-creed-the-ezio-collection-screenshot-05Story

It’s hard to delve deep into Assassin’s Creed’s story as even with just this collection, the three tales actually are quite convoluted. Luckily, The Ezio Collection features Ezio, who is by far the most charming and fascinating hero that the series has yet to recreate. From his humble start in Assassin’s Creed II to the much more riveting plots of Brotherhood and Revelations, it was awesome to get to revisit where I left with Assassin’s Creed on a positive note. I am not bashing the latter titles that came after Revelations (even though some are definitely duds), but the writing, voice acting, and overall production value for this trilogy simply shines – and despite some muddy areas with side plots, make this an excellent entry to a new fan to cut their teeth on before the big screen adaptation hits theaters.

assassins-creed-the-ezio-collection-screenshot-01Gameplay

For gameplay, we should of course start with Assassin’s Creed II. This title came right after the original and redefined the same mechanics to make the experience far more fluid and entertaining. Assassin’s Creed II is far from perfect though, as it now shows it age more than any other title in the trilogy, with the combat mechanics feeling dated and clunky, which have now been replaced with far more refined inputs that have made the games more accessible. That isn’t to say there isn’t fun to be had, as the second entry still has a greater sense of freedom for the player, as the game is less tied to the plot and has more of a sandbox feel overall due to lack of intense focus on Ezio as a character. He’s just an assassin here who takes contracts and kills. Sure, there is story – but Ezio never really got a lot of development until Brotherhood.

assassins-creed-the-ezio-collection-screenshot-04Speaking of Brotherhood, I have always had a major soft spot for the title that introduced me to one of my favorite multiplayer experiences of last generation. Sadly, that is not a part of this package – but the main game still has a lot more tricks and refined combat that its predecessor, with the ability to task other assassins to do the dirty work for you as you progress in Rome. Desmond’s segments however are more tedious than I remember and have reminded me why I used to have such angst to get back into Ezio’s attire due to the great amount of boredom that these areas inhabit.

assassins-creed-the-ezio-collection-screenshot-02Revelations is certainly the most ideal of the entire lot when it comes to gameplay. The hookblade makes travel quick, while the den defense provides a refreshing little tower defense experience to break the standard monotony of the game. It is a solid title that doesn’t feel a bit different from the time I had with it years ago, and that in itself is just fine. Players who snag up this collection will also receive some little short films to expand the universe slightly, as well as all of the single player DLC – which to be honest is not a ton, but it does make the package a bit more valuable overall.

Visuals and Audio

I guess this is where we go over all of the changes with all three titles in the collection, but there isn’t a ton to really speak of. A smooth coat of polish has been applied to the character models themselves – allowing for more fluid animations in a 1080p world. Now, I did have some visual hiccups on these models from time to time that I did not remember in the original versions, but these little hiccups mainly just hurt the faces of characters (only noticeable in Assassin’s Creed II) and not the actual gameplay.

The other thing to note is that a lot of the art in the games that once looked scrambled is more vivid and detailed. Sure, you will not notice it right away, but the improvement is there and definitely pushes the last two titles into the next gen, even though the push is slight. Lighting and other environmental changes have also occurred, but again – these adjustments are minor and may be a bit hard to pick up without a side by side perspective.

assassins-creed-the-ezio-collection-screenshot-03Audio wise, these three titles seem to be exactly as they were. The voice acting is still very well done and the soundtrack is also fitting and atmospheric for our hero. As good as the voice acting is, the animations do miss a beat from time to time, but I kind of chalk that up to the age of all three titles, as well as the fact that it probably wouldn’t be valuable to re-animate for titles that are now over five years old. Should Ubisoft have ironed this out? Yes, this game is full retail release and if there is no excuse the first time around for modern titles, a sixty dollar trio should certainly pull up its pants and try to put on the best show possible.

Overall

Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection is what it is. What we have here is Ubisoft re-releasing the best of the franchise right before a holiday, on the same year that they take a break from sticking another new title on shelves. While the latter part of that is noble and shows growth, we don’t need to continually see games from last generation shined up and hit newer platforms when the availability for older platforms is still there. That said, there is a bit of fan service tied in and die-hards will want to have this collection sitting on their shelves for years to come – so to those, I say the world is yours with this package…again.

Indie Gala Monday Motivation #9 Now Available

Jamie Laike Tsui
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Indie Gala Monday Motivation #9 Now Available

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Indie Gala’s Monday Motivation bundle is giving you a reason to be happy as you return to the grind of the work week! The bundle comes packed with eleven great indie games for one low price.

For a minimum purchase price of $0.99 USD, buyers will receive:

Constricting Cubes – A casual VR shooter that challenges players to destroy all the cubes before they crush you. Constricting Cubes also supports motion controllers and non-VR set ups.

Fiber Twig: Midnight Puzzle – Bring light to the darkness by connecting lamps with neon light streams to solve the puzzles.

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Space Beret – A top down shooter inspired by Starship Troopers and Crimsonland.

For a minimum purchase price of $2.99 USD during the first 24 hours of the sale, buyers will also receive:

LUXIS – Challenge your memory, reflexes, intuition, and problem solving in this puzzle game made with only symbols.

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Fly, Glowfly! – Solve each puzzle by guiding the glowfly through the level using blocks to direct its path.

Max Stern – Set in an alternate 19th century Victorian England, Max Stern has been stranded in a jungle in a colony where the Indigenous people and the Spanish colonists have been the victims of a horrific event.

Crazy Sapper 3D – A modern take on the classic game Minesweeper.

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Krampus – Someone was very naughty this year and has earned himself a visit from Krampus… will you survive?

Abode – A VR twist on the classic escape the room game.

Split – A minimalist puzzle game based on controlling a cube that can break itself into smaller pieces to solve the puzzles that stand between you and the door.

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Rescue Love Revenge – A three part spaghetti western platformer with sandbox elements.

The $2.99 USD price will only last for the first 24 hours of the sale, so be sure to grab your copy at Indie Gala today.

 

Yakuza 0’s Side Activities Introduced in Latest Trailer

Travis Bruno
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Yakuza 0’s Side Activities Introduced in Latest Trailer

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Just because you make your living on the shadier side of life doesn’t mean you can’t have fun like everyone else and Sega has released a new trailer for Yakuza 0 focusing on exactly that. The video, found below, introduces the various activities that players can take part in during the 1980s time period of the game.

This includes visiting karaoke bars to sing along to some 80s power ballads, tearing up the dance floor in a club, hitting up a batting cage, watching some female wrestling, or even trying out some (retro) games at the arcade. Yakuza 0 is currently set to be released on the PlayStation 4 in the West on January 24, 2017 and for those who are attending the PlayStation Experience 2016 event on December 3rd and December 4th the game will be available for trial on the show floor.

Nights of Azure 2 will Feature the Return of Arnice and Christophoros

Travis Bruno
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Nights of Azure 2 will Feature the Return of Arnice and Christophoros

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It looks like Nights of Azure 2 will feature the return of the protagonist from the first game in the series. The latest issue of Dengeki PlayStation (courtesy of Hachima) has revealed that Arnice and the masked demon Christophorus will be appearing in the second game in the series. The description of Arnice in the sequel portrays her as a character that has fallen to the darkness and will have an ominously transformed arm and heterochromic eyes, one blue and one red.

No images of this form have been revealed so far but currently Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon is set to be released by Koei Tecmo in Japan on December 22nd for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita and the company has already confirmed plans to localize the game for Western release.

Four Goddesses Online: Cyber Dimension Neptune to Include Goddess Forms as NPCs

Travis Bruno
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Four Goddesses Online: Cyber Dimension Neptune to Include Goddess Forms as NPCs

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The most recent issue of Dengeki PlayStation has given us a few new details about Four Goddesses Online: Cyber Dimension Neptune. The magazine has reveled (courtesy of Hachima) that the transformed versions of the four goddesses will be appearing in the game but they will not be playable. Instead Purple Heart, Black Heart, White Heart, and Green Heart are implemented into the title as being NPCs in the world of “Four Goddesses Online” the in-game world that Neptune and the rest of her friends are beta-testing.

These NPCs are simply based around the thoughts of the goddesses and may act differently than fans might expect due to this representation. Currently Four Goddesses Online: Cyber Dimension Neptune is set to be released on the PlayStation 4 in Japan on February 9th.

Final Fantasy XV Introduction Trailer

Travis Bruno
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Final Fantasy XV Introduction Trailer

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In a little over a week Final Fantasy XV will finally be released and in an effort to bring potential players up to speed with the game, Square Enix has released a new eight minute trailer for the game in an effort to introduce many of the game’s mechanics and characters ahead of the release date.

You can check out the video below and Square Enix has also revealed that the day one patch, called the “Crown Update” will add a number of improvements as well as fix various bugs in the game and the company has listed some of the enhancements below:

  • Improvements to the camera with new options to better assist and track the action in tight space and to improve visibility during battles
  • New event scenes and scenes from Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy and the “Omen” trailer have also been added to the game to make the story and timeline of events easier to follow for newcomers
  • The addition of an ability tree for the “Wait Mode” function which improves the strategic element of this feature
  • Players can obtain the “Beast Whistle” which can be used to call monsters to battle
  • A wider variety of recipes and fish with an addition of a gallery for completionist players who enjoy collecting items
  • Implementation of social media support, allowing the photos Prompto takes along your journey to be uploaded to Facebook and Twitter

Amazon Appstore Announces Champions of Fire Invitational – Esports Tournament for Casual Mobile Games

Philip Federico
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Amazon Appstore Announces Champions of Fire Invitational – Esports Tournament for Casual Mobile Games

16 of the World’s Most Popular Gaming Celebrities Set to Compete for Their Share of $100,000 USD in Las Vegas on December 2nd Event to be Streamed Live via Twitch and Televised Nationwide on CBS Sports Network

SEATTLE — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Nov 21, 2016 — (NASDAQ: AMZN) — Amazon today announced the Champions of Fire Invitational, the first-ever Amazon Appstore esports tournament dedicated to casual mobile game competition. This new tournament brings together 16 of the world’s biggest celebrity video game streamers who will battle across five popular casual mobile games for their share of a $100,000 cash prize. The one-day event will be held December 2 from 2 – 9 p.m. PT at Paris Las Vegas. Fans can visit www.championsoffire.com for more information on how to secure free tickets and follow the competition live online. CBS Sports Network will air a two-hour special featuring highlights from the event on December 12 at 7 p.m. PT.

“Competitive video gaming has seen huge growth, and we see tremendous customer value in expanding the tournament experience to include the casual mobile games played by millions of people today,” said Aaron Rubenson, Director, Amazon Appstore. “The Champions of Fire Invitational will see some of the top gaming pros square off in the same fun games our customers can download and enjoy today from the Amazon Appstore.”

The Champions of Fire Invitational stars some of the best-known gaming personalities on Twitch and other video platforms, including Boxbox, Professor Broman, Northernlion, lolRenaynay, Brian Kibler and more. These competitors will go head to head in a single-elimination tournament, competing across five of today’s top rated casual games: Disney Crossy Road, Pac-Man 256, Bloons TD Battles, 8 Ball Pool and the all new Fruit Ninja Tournament Edition. The competitors must show their supreme skills in all five games for a shot at the $30,000 Grand Prize, and with fast-paced matches taking only a few minutes apiece, every exciting round will be high-stakes.

Amazon has teamed with eSports Productions to put on the live tournament at Paris Las Vegas, and will stream the event live from 2 – 9 p.m. PT on December 2nd via Twitch (www.twitch.tv/amazonappstore), Amazon Fire TV, Amazon.com and other social media networks that offer live streaming. Tournament highlights will also be televised nationwide on CBS Sports Network, Monday, December 12 from 7 – 9 p.m. PT.

For more information about the tournament, or to request free tickets to attend in person, visit the Champions of Fire event page at www.championsoffire.com.

About Amazon

The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

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