The long awaited winter update for the popular FPS Battlefield 4 (reviewed here), has been released today for all platforms, designed to improve the multiplayer gaming experience for all players. Details have been released on the official website by a DICE member of staff.
Firstly, a large number of improvements have been made to the netcode designed for a smoother online connection experience. Notable adjustments include network prioritisation (health and damage are prioritised above everything else), collision improvements between vehicles and better long range target acquisition due to a larger range cone being implemented. Due to the high frequency update players with slower connections will notice a significant improvement in their experience as the bandwidth required for online play has been effectively halved.
A new game mode has also been introduced called Squad Obliteration. Two teams composed of five squad members will race to destroy two out of three bases to win the round. There are no parachutes or vehicles available to players in this mode.
Finally, Quickmatch has been changed slightly. Separate servers will be available to players under the rank of 10, so that players who are new to the game will play members of a similar level. Premium playlists are also now accessible using a combination of maps from DLC expansions and the base game.
Frozenbyte Games has announced that their action-platformer series will be receiving a third installment. Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power has been announced to be in production for a release this year.
The new title looks to be following the same gameplay formula as it’s predecessors. In Trine 3 the player will be able to switch between three different characters at will. This is necessary in order to use their different abilities to solve various puzzles.
Few details have been announced for Trine 3 besides a vague release date of sometimes in 2015 and that it will be coming to PC. If it’s anything like previous titles then Trine 3 will be released on other systems. Look for more details for this sequel following the GDC.
Devil Survivor 2 will be released on Blu-ray for $59.99 AUD. The set will feature 12 episodes across two discs and will contain the textless opening and ending animation as on-disc extras.
The other three releases are box-sets of previously released titles, all of which have a suggested retail price of $79.99 AUD. Accel World will be re-released as a four disc box-set on DVD and Blu-ray and both Case Closed and Medaka Box will be re-released as eight disc box-sets. Case Closed will be released on DVD only, but both DVD and Blu-ray sets will be available for Medaka Box.
Team17 and Modern Dream have announced that the 70’s cop-themed shooter LA Cops will be officially released for the Xbox One and PC on March 13th. LA Cops is a top-down shooter featuring a unique stylized design and tactical action.
In LA Cops the player selects their choices of six different cops to play as, all with different personalities. The player controls two different characters at a time, using both in each of it’s 13 levels. LA Cops also features a number of upgradable weapons.
LA Cops looks to carry with it a lot of charm with it’s 70’s themed looks and sounds. It’s also worth noting that Team17 has released and partnered with a number of policeofficer related games lately, so if this one isn’t to your taste, check out another one of their recent titles.
The upcoming sequel to Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods is releasing in Japan next month and one of the big mysteries the film promises to unveil was Frieza’s new form which would allow him to take on the likes of Goku and Vegeta even though their power levels easily surpass his own at the end of the Z arc. The form is pictured below and there is even an awesome brand new trailer that features the form in action along with a cameo appearance from Jaco the Galactic Patrolman, one of Akira Toriyama’s latest manga works that takes place within the Dragon Ball Universe.
Obvious spoilers here so anyone that doesn’t wish to see Frieza’s new form or the trailer leave now and check out all the latest Dragon Ball Z news on the site, from more news on Revival of F to our review of the new game Dragon Ball Xenoverse. The new image of Frieza’s final form and video can be found below this poster. If you do check it out, be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below.
Rockstar released a huge cache of screenshots today of Grand Theft Auto V for PC. The screenshots show off the major visual overhaul the game has received ahead of the PC release.
Rockstar promises that this is the first piece of a large amount of information that will be revealed leading up to the game’s April 14th, 2015 release date.
To much disappointment, the PC version was not launched alongside the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One version of Grand Theft Auto V to allow for additional testing and bug stomping. The PC version has been delayed three times so far.
Rockstar Games is rewarding those who pre-order the game in-stores or online with $1,200,000 cash for Grand Theft Auto Online and an extra $300,000 for those who pre-order before March 31st.
Indie Gala and Capsule Computers is inching closer to the 50th Every Monday Bundle this week. Indie Gala Every Monday Bundle #49 comes with six indie games for $1.99 for the first 24 hours of the sale.
King Arthur’s Gold – From the creators of one of the best 2D competitive shooters, King Arthur’s Gold is a competitive 2D action title about building and destroying castles.
Master Reboot – Players will explore other people’s memories that have been preserved forever in the Soul Cloud in this intriguing adventure title.
X-note – Essi was left with an encrypted USB drive known as X-note upon Essi’s mother’s death. A murder and a disappearance at the Xen Institute may be the key Essi has been looking for to unlock the X-note.
Depths of Peril – An action RPG blended with a city simulator, players will need to destroy the monsters that lurk outside the town walls and manage their city’s political intrigue to prove they are worthy of leading the city.
Secrets of Raetikon – A beautiful adventure set in the Alps, players will control a bird as it rebuilds the ancient machines to discover the secrets of the ancient culture that once inhabited the mountains.
Solar Struggle -An arcade shooter featuring an 11 mission campaign and a skirmish mode.
For the first 24 hours of the sale, the bundle is only $1.99, so grab your copy at Indie Gala before the price rises.
Media releases are coming thick and fast for the Final Fantasy series, as the release date of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD fast approaches and Final Fantasy XV gains momentum. The last week has been no exception with Square Enix UK uploading two videos (which can be seen below) detailing gameplay and the different wildlife that we will find in Final Fantasy XV.
The first video originates from a playable demo (titled EPISODE DUSCAE) that showcases a dungeon segment. The video shows four characters entering and proceeding through a dungeon, where they are ambushed by a group of goblins. Combat mechanics are demonstrated as well as a combat music track.
Shifting away from the dungeons, a second video illustrates some of the wildlife we can expect to see in the different locales. The video uses the real time graphic engine and boasts some superb visuals.
Final Fantasy XV currently has no solid release date for either PlayStation 4 or Xbox One platforms, but a playable demo will be included in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD.
Dungeon Gameplay Video: FINAL FANTASY XV –EPISODE DUSCAE- Playable Demo
Curve Digital are excited to announce that Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones, will be available on PlayStation, Xbox and PC in April.
Curve Managing Director Jason Perkins commented: “The best thing about making a sequel is the opportunity to look at the all the reviews and comments about the original game and ask ‘What can we do better this time around?’. With Stealth Inc 2, we’ve not only made a much larger game, we’ve spent a lot of time adding depth to the experience and balancing the difficulty and pacing of the game.”
Following the success of Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark, comes the next level of insanely challenging puzzles in the highly anticipated sequel. Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones introduces players to a metroidvania style overworld, hidden secrets, customisable clones with a wide range of silly hats and brand new gadgets and equipment to play with.
With all the best features from the original game, (the sarcastic messages and wonderful puns!), players won’t be able to get enough of Stealth Inc 2. The puzzler is currently available on Nintendo Wii U, and is set for release on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One and PC early next month.
Evolve from Turtle Rock Studios was one of this year’s more highly anticipated games. Asynchronous gaming where not everybody is doing the same thing is becoming a bigger and bigger, and the unique 5 v 1 multiplayer aspect of the game had everyone hooked from its first announcement. Well the wait is finally over and while Evolve is no doubt a solid game, it suffers from a few problems like bugs and connectivity issues that considering its status as a multiplayer-focused title, really let it down.
Gameplay
Asynchronous gameplay is the hip, emerging thing in this day and age and now Turtle Rock are trying to tap into it with Evolve. Gameplay is pretty simple; four players operate as a team of hunters who are tasked with taking down a monstrous beast. The fifth player controls said beast, and their aim is to grow stronger and devour the hunters. Simple concept, tricky execution seems to be the case here as Evolve offers some really new ideas, but a lot of them get muddled up and lost in the confusion.
There are four monsters (only three playable unless you preordered the game) and each moves and attacks differently. For example the Goiliath moves a lot like a gorilla, climbing up walls and leaping long distances, while also smashing down with its fists, and breathing fire at its enemies. In contract the Kraken can fly and shoot blasts of electrical energy to zone and pick off the hunters. The variations between the monsters is impressive and allows you to play to your own strengths as a gamer. The hunters themselves have a similar variety in their characters, all of which have to work together to fell the giant beasts. The game features two support classes Medic and Support, and two combat-specific classes Trapper and Hunter. Once the team starts losing its soldiers, then it grows weaker and weaker.
With the hunters separated into two attacking and two support classes, it is simple for the monster to wipe out the team by simply eliminating the support characters first. Without a medic the team is unable to heal downed players, and without support they lose their shielding. With those two gone it is a matter of just steamrolling the two attacking units and the monster would emerge victorious. There is a lot of team work required from the hunters and sometimes it is beyond the capabilities of four random strangers on the internet. Not only that, but the classes themselves feel like watered down versions of the old Team Fortress classes, which makes the whole game feel a lot less unique than it outta be.
So I don’t think this will come as a shock to anybody, but Evolve is a mostly online, multiplayer experience. While the single player campaign is present, it is far from the focus. This puts Evolve squarely up against some series competition with the Call of Duty’s and Battlefields out there. However, Evolve suffers from a very similar problem that the Halo: Master Chief Collection had, and that is the fact that online connectivity is tedious, and downright broken in parts. I shouldn’t have to wait 5-10 minutes in between round while the server tries to find me another game to join. More than once this issue took me straight out of the mood to even keep playing, being forced to sit and just wait for almost as long as I was playing does not lead itself well to holding my attention.
When I actually managed to get a round going, I actually enjoyed myself. Playing as a monster offers those who are less than stellar at FPS games to have a good go of it (and probably even win a few rounds) while those who are more classic CoD or Team Fortress players will find themselves right at home as a hunter. The problem with all of this comes down to the variance. Each round felt completely different and while that was an amazing and refreshing feeling at the start, being unable to plan or coordinate made everyone look and feel like headless chickens running around (except that one player was a much larger chicken). Admittedly though, a lot of the confusion and variance is eliminated if you are playing with people you know as opposed to strangers on the internet, and if that is the case then you will likely be having an absolute blast of a time.
Visuals & Audio
Credit where it is absolutely due – Evolve is a beautiful video game. The monsters are all incredible detailed and look like horror-movie creatures come to life. The character models on the hunters all look as equally impressive, with little things like facial hair and movement animations really standing out. I was legitimately impressed with just about everything I saw in Evolve.
When it comes to the game’s presentation, it is the little things that matter. The Goliath’s fire-breath attack is one of the most impressive depictions of fire that I have ever seen in a video game. The way that it erupts from the beast’s mouth and bends and twists through the air on the way to its targets is amazing. However for every bit of good, there is some bad, as some of the game’s textures look a little flat or pixellated. It is hard to tell if these are the cause of bugs, connection issue causing textures to lag or just poor rendering times, but on more than one occasion I found myself staring at a rocky outcrop that was blurry or impossible to make out correctly.
Audio-wise, Evolve is very toned down, allowing you to get into the zone and the feel of the game without being bogged down by large musical numbers or over the top sound effects. What there is though is sublime, the monsters all have their own individual growls and snarls that serve not only to make the player feel powerful, but to alert the hunters as to how close their prey is. The vice versa is also true, as the sounds of a hunter’s rifle or talking too loud over Kinect can alert the monster to its victims.
Overall
There is one thing I want to really touch on with regards to Evolve, and that is the way that the game has been marketed and distributed. We live in a time where there are two distinct types of games – full priced games, and free to play titles that feature in-app purchases and microtransactions to account for the lost revenue. Sadly, Evolve tries to fit itself right in the middle of the two business models, and is a $100 game that still locks out some of the content unless you pay. Sure, more of the content are cosmetic changes, but there are some character classes that are completely locked away behind a pay wall. Not only that, but some of the game’s skins are exclusive to those who buy the season pass and the Behemoth monster class is reserved only for those who pre-order the game meaning that 1/4 of the game’s monsters are simply blocked off from the majority of players (until a later date). This is a frightening precedent for full-priced games and is a business practice that absolutely should not be allowed to grow. As of publishing, Evolve has 54 pieces of DLC available on the Xbox Live store, and this is a game that has been out for just under three weeks.
Frightening business decisions aside, Evolve is a solid game. While not necessarily reaching the heights of excitement, it differs enough from the regular FPS-shooters out there. However, while its differences are novel, they aren’t exactly memorable and the lack of consistency in gameplay sadly works to the game’s disadvantage more often than it works in its favor.
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