It looks like that despite Activision trying to wait until May 1st to announce their next Call of Duty game and offering a vague teaser website until then, they can no longer deny the fact that Call of Duty: Ghosts exists.
Today a Twitter user discovered a Best Buy advertisement which not only lists the game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC but also the game’s release date of November 5th. To help add credit to these rumors, a poster was found at Gamestop also listing the game’s release date. Expect to hear much more about the title when it is officially announced tomorrow.
Today Konami announced when fans of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance can expect the next piece of DLC to drop for the game in North America and Europe. The Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Blade Wolf DLC pack will be hitting the digital marketplace on May 14th in North America on both consoles and while the 360 in Europe will receive it on the same day as North America, the PS3 version will be released on May 15th instead. The DLC will be sold at a price point of $6.99 or 560MSP depending on your console of choice.
As for the DLC itself, players will be playing as Blade Wolf, or LQ-84i as he was known before meeting Raiden. The company provided a brief story summary and a number of screenshots, both of which you can find below:
Reactivated by Desperado Enforcement’s leader Sundowner and serving under Mistral, the DLC reveals LQ-84i’s story prior to his battle and eventual partnership with Raiden, and his transformation into Blade Wolf. Players can battle countless enemies using an arsenal of weapons and abilities, culminating in an all-new boss battle.
Today a new update went out for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. The update adds a new Bonus Playlist mode, Arms Race Team Deathmatch that will give players 150 points per kill, which means faster “Scorestreaks.”
Also added is a connection quality survey and a number of multiplayer tweaks which are mostly bug fixes and a little bit of balancing. Check out the full, and long, list of fixes below:
Xbox 360 Updates
Feature Improvements
Added a limited time game mode to the Bonus Playlist, the Arms Race Team Deathmatch variant awards players 150 score per kill. Let the Scorestreak wars begin.
Added a post-match Connection Quality survey which will be presented to a sampling of players to assess online gameplay connection quality.
Multiplayer Issues Addressed
Fixed an issue reported by the community where players could get infinite ammo for the Death Machine and War Machine.
Addressed an issue reported by the community where players may not die when getting stuck with a Crossbow Bolt.
Fixed an issue reported by the community where the Hunter Killer drones will float around slowly when they miss a target from a certain angle.
Addressed an issue reported by the community where the frame rate may drop for other players when the host changes their audio settings during a match.
Addressed multiple issues on Magma where players were able to fall or dive-to-prone in certain lava areas and survive.
Players can now enter the crouched position while sprinting with the Riot Shield equipped.
Care packages now appear in blue and orange on the map when Color Blind Assist is enabled.
Resolved an issue where players and turrets could survive the water rush when in certain areas on Hydro.
Resolved a UI issue with Tactical Insertion button prompt placement in Split Screen after a Host Migration.
Resolved an inconsistency with Max Number of Players being displayed incorrectly when backing out of a Public Match search while it is searching.
Addressed an issue with the Respawn Delay counter overlapping with other on-screen graphics in Split Screen.
Addressed an issue with League Teams appearing incorrectly when they view another player’s League Team in the Leaderboards.
Fixed a formatting issue in Leagues Season Final text where the date the player was placed was wrapping incorrectly.
Overkill challenges will now progress if the player is using an alternate select fire mode.
Bots will no longer attempt to capture and destroy the Headquarters from outside of the Alien Set Van or the Castle.
The upper metal plate of a planted Assault Shield now appears in the proper position during a Killcam.
Fix for the Hellstorm Missile not defaulting to the center of the Vertigo map when it flies in.
Equipment, Turrets and Guardians are now destroyed when they are thrown or placed into the lava in some areas on Magma.
Addressed an issue with the Custom and Private Match change team scoreboard not updating in real time when the overlay is on screen.
Addressed a rapid scrolling issue in the Preset Class Menu.
Chopper Hunter Field Specialist challenge updated to Aircraft Hunter with a description that reflects the aircrafts that need to be destroyed to complete the challenge.
Text displayed for “Enemies forfeiting…” increased on Split-Screen to make it more legible.
Fixed an issue with the last player alive defusing the bomb in Search & Destroy not receiving any defuse points.
Resolved an issue with signing in and out while a film in loading in Theater.
The icon to distinguish a Search & Destroy bomb location is now visible to a Codcaster who is spectating the defending team.
Resolved an issue with attempting to sign into a Twitch account with Dual Play enabled.
Fixed an issue in the Combat Record where the images would disappear when scrolling off of and on to the Combat Record.
Fixed an issue in Offline System Link when the host leaves a lobby.
Gameplay Balancing
Reverted global spawn influencer change from previous game update due to undesirable side effects.
Zombies Mob of the Dead Issues Addressed
Addressed an issue reported by the community where players would collide with each other and die while riding the gondola.
Players can now board the plane once it’s been built.
Fixed an issue in Grief Mode where the Wolf head would freeze after round 5.
Addressed various zombie pathing issues throughout the map.
Fixed an issue where character conversations would overlap with each other.
Fixed an issue where players could not unlock the Juggernog machine that was locked down by Brutus.
Addressed several exploits involving zombie pathing and the zombie shield.
Resolved an issue where the game would not end if killed by the Acid Splat.
Fixed an issue where players could get stuck behind the Afterlife doors.
Resolved various pathing issues where zombies would not path to players behind open doors.
Addressed an issue with the electric chairs placing the players underneath the.
Addressed an issue where the prompt to build the plane would disappear while holding the Tomahawk.
Addressed an issue with the wins and loss data not updating in the Grief leaderboards.
PlayStation 3 Updates
Feature Improvements
Added a limited time game mode to the Bonus Playlist, the Arms Race Team Deathmatch variant awards players 150 score per kill. Let the Scorestreak wars begin.
Added a post-match Connection Quality survey which will be presented to a sampling of players to assess online gameplay connection quality.
Multiplayer Issues Addressed
Fixed an issue reported by the community where players could get infinite ammo for the Death Machine and War Machine.
Addressed an issue reported by the community where players may not die when getting stuck with a Crossbow Bolt.
Fixed an issue reported by the community where the Hunter Killer drones will float around slowly when they miss a target from a certain angle.
Addressed an issue reported by the community where the frame rate may drop for other players when the host changes their audio settings during a match.
Players can now enter the crouched position while sprinting with the Riot Shield equipped.
Care packages now appear in blue and orange on the map when Color Blind Assist is enabled.
Resolved an issue where players and turrets could survive the water rush when in certain areas on Hydro.
Resolved a UI issue with Tactical Insertion button prompt placement in Split Screen after a Host Migration.
Resolved an inconsistency with Max Number of Players being displayed incorrectly when backing out of a Public Match search while it is searching.
Addressed an issue with the Respawn Delay counter overlapping with other on-screen graphics in Split Screen.
Addressed an issue with League Teams appearing incorrectly when they view another player’s League Team in the Leaderboards.
Resolved an issue where other player’s Combat Records appeared greyed out the first time their Playercard was selected in the Leaderboards.
Fixed a formatting issue in Leagues Season Final text where the date the player was placed was wrapping incorrectly.
Overkill challenges will now progress if the player is using an alternate select fire mode.
The upper metal plate of a planted Assault Shield now appears in the proper position during a Killcam.
Addressed an issue with the Custom and Private Match change team scoreboard not updating in real time when the overlay is on screen.
Addressed a rapid scrolling issue in the Preset Class Menu.
Chopper Hunter Field Specialist challenge updated to Aircraft Hunter with a description that reflects the aircrafts that need to be destroyed to complete the challenge.
Text displayed for “Enemies forfeiting…” increased on Split-Screen to make it more legible.
Fixed an issue with the last player alive defusing the bomb in Search & Destroy not receiving any defuse points.
Resolved an issue with signing in and out while a film in loading in Theater.
The icon to distinguish a Search & Destroy bomb location is now visible to a Codcaster who is spectating the defending team.
Addressed an issue where the second player of a Split Screen match would flicker in and out of the stream.
Resolved an issue with attempting to sign into a Twitch account with Dual Play enabled.
Fixed an issue in the Combat Record where the images would disappear when scrolling off of and on to the Combat Record.
Fixed an issue in Offline System Link when the host leaves a lobby.
Gameplay Balancing
Reverted global spawn influencer change from previous game update due to undesirable side effects.
Today Killer is Dead received not only a new Japanese trailer from Kadokawa Games and Grasshopper Manufacture but a new English trailer by XSEED Games as well. These two trailers are practically identical but the Japanese trailer contains an extra bit focusing on Scarlett. Scarlett will be a character that is found in every level and offers players a chance to tackle various challenges that vary by the stage.
Outside of this extra focus, the trailer itself introduces the various girls that will be playing roles in Mondo’s life in Killer is Dead as well as some glimpses of the game’s combat system and even a trip to the moon. Currently Killer is Dead is set to be released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 sometime in Summer 2013, though the Japanese release date points towards a possible August release.
In celebration of the upcoming U.S. release of Marvel’s Iron Man 3 movie, in theaters May 3rd (out in Australia right now), Gazillion Entertainment will be kicking off a Marvel Heroes “Iron Man 3” Open Beta Weekend. It will commence on Saturday, May 4th at 12:00 PM AEST through Monday, May 7th at 3:00 AM AEST.
As part of the “Iron Man 3” Open Beta Weekend, new players who participate will be able to select an Avenger as their starting hero – including Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America and Black Widow. There are over 14 different Iron Man armours that will be available in Marvel Heroes spanning the Golden Avenger’s illustrious career in both the comics and movies (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, The Avengers).
In order to ensure access to the Marvel Heroes “Iron Man 3”Open Beta Weekend, players can register now at www.MarvelHeroes.com. As the weekend approaches, an email will be sent out with download instructions.
We have a gallery of screenshots directly below. Also check out the Villains Trailer embedded below that.
Three brand-new character trailers for the main protagonists of Grand Theft Auto V have just been released by Rockstar Games! Check them all out below or view the trio of trailers combined into one at the very bottom of the article.
Grand Theft Auto V: Michael
Grand Theft Auto V: Franklin
Grand Theft Auto V: Trevor
So, what’d you all think? Absolutely pumped for GTA V like I am. Well, the game comes out this September. Can’t wait to wreak havoc in the pursuit of the American dream. You can see the individual character posters in the gallery directly below.
The competition begins from April 30 – May 12 until 11.59pm and involves contestants outgunning mutants, raiders and 99ers in the Most Wanted: Rogue’s Gallery,as well as battling against other ark hunters in team-based PVP and Shadow War modes in the Most Wanted: Competitor.Registrants must successfully complete both in-game pursuits in order to win a chance to see their characters likeness be artistically portrayed in an upcoming episode of Defiance.
If you are new to the game and still want to enter the competition, check out MMO third person shooter gameplay experience on CC Impact’s episode of Defianceand a comprehensive review of Defiance for more information.
Based on the interrelated elements of the game and TV series, there is no doubt that there will be more transmedia events as new missions, pursuits and storylines are introduced in Defiance.
The next instalment in Frogwares’ Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes series Crimes & Punishments will be a little different from previous instalments (which by the way we reviewed). Mainly because developers Frogwares have swapped out it home-made engine for Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 to power the game.
The new engine allows the adventure game to hold bigger and more varied environments, with improved levels of detail such as dynamic lighting, shaders, post-processing effects, and more animations.
Frogwares has released a tech demo to showcase these new effects and graphics, viewable below. More videos on Crimes & Punishments’ gameplay features are set to be released over the coming weeks.
Crimes & Punishments is set to be released on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC this year.
Zeno Clash II Developer: ACE Team Publisher: Atlus Platform: PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Release Date: April 30th, 2013 Price: $19.99 USD – Available Here for PC
Overview
Zeno Clash II is the follow up to the hit indie first person brawler Zeno Clash. The story picks up soon after the events of the first game and features co-operative multiplayer.
Story
The hero of the first game Ghat has returned, continuing his lonesome path to defeat The Golem. After waking The Golem from its slumber and learning the truth about FatherMother in the first game, Ghat’s adoptive brothers and sisters abandon their family to seek out their biological parents. Only Rimat has remained, owing her loyalty to FatherMother. The Golem has imprisoned FatherMother for kidnapping children and provided information to the children about their biological parents. In the beginning of the game, Rimat convinces Ghat to join her in freeing FatherMother and joins Ghat on his quest to take down The Golem.
It is highly recommended for those who are new to Zeno Clash II to play the Prologue/Tutorial and simply sit and listen to Ghat recap the events of the first game. I attempted to learn the mechanics of the game while listening to the prologue and ended up tuning out most of it because I was focused on learning how to beat the tar out of my enemies. Playing Zeno Clash II without a solid grasp of the plot events of the first game can get extremely confusing at some points. I ended up pausing part way to read the Wikipedia summary so I could better understand the developing story.
The plot itself was well written. The twists in the story was interesting and explored themes of morality versus law and the meaning of civilization. Though a few lines could get a little corny, at times, Zeno Clash II managed to keep me interested in the story.
Gameplay
First Person Melee games is a difficult sub-genre to execute correctly. Unlike throwing punches in real life, judging distance on a 2d screen is a challenge. The original Zeno Clash earned praise for its melee combat system and Zeno Clash II continues the tradition. Players are able to perform a variety of combination moves to inflict damage while having access to a variety of defensive abilities to minimize incoming damage. High quality melee combat is the heart and soul of Zeno Clash II. There are a variety of ranged firearms and tools to assist Ghat and Rimat in their adventures, but firearms tended to become a rare accessory to help whittle down enemies before engaging in melee combat. The ranged tools on the other hand proved to be more helpful and often took starring roles in boss battles. These boss encounters encourage players to think a little more creatively with their tools than simply wading into the thick of a battle and pummeling the closest target’s face in with the fists. Boss battles have proved to be a hit or miss spot with many FPS games, but I feel Zeno Clash II did an excellent job to balance its core melee combat with some a little variety.
The game is a little linear, with a handful of chances to branch out from the main storyline and experience side quests. There are plenty of collectibles to hunt for, as skill points are accrued by finding special totems and there are plenty of other collectibles to find. I was able to get through the main story line and one or two side quests on normal difficulty in about ten hours of game time. Online leaderboards are available to encourage players to replay the campaign for a higher score by increasing damage output and reducing incoming damage.
Zeno Clash II introduces co-op support in the campaign. Although the first game supported co-op in its survival mode when it was released on Xbox, players will be able to bring a friend into their game to take on the role of Rimat. The game seems easier with two players. Each player’s difficulty level modifies their own health and the health of the enemy they fight, so one player can play on easy difficulty while their partner plays on hard difficulty. I appreciate this acknowledgement that not everyone’s skill level is the same and that there is no one difficulty challenges all. Players can easily drop in and drop out of games. The matching system seems to work well, providing players many opportunities to be matched up with random players.
For those who play co-op, one ally can be called into major brawls from time to time. Allies that are more powerful can be called upon with a higher leadership score. Solo players will have the option to call in Rimat and the ally separately for fights instead of having Rimat there all the time. I found this made combat in Zeno Clash II more challenging as random fights meant I would have to go at it alone while major fights would only allow Rimat to fight for a limited period of time. Thankfully, I did not find the normal difficulty to be too tough. I could get away with rolling with the punches, barely using the blocks and doges in favour of simply pummeling enemies to death.
Zeno Clash II’s controls were extremely intuitive. The player is provided with two attack buttons, one for each fist, a special ability button, a block/dodge key, a sprint key, and an enemy lock toggle for combat. From these keys, special combos and attacks can be triggered. Attacking and dodging felt extremely naturally and with a little practice I was executing special combos with a high degree of consistency.
I tried playing the game with my Xbox 360 controller and with the keyboard and mouse. I found the controls were slightly better suited for the keyboard and mouse. The dodge key is one of the most important buttons as the difficulty rises. All of the possible controller layouts bound dodge to a face key, forcing me to take my thumb off the right thumb stick to dodge. I would have preferred to see the dodge key replace the sprint function on the shoulder buttons.
Visuals
Zeno Clash II may be one of the most visually distinct games in a long time. Although the art style itself seems to lean towards realistic, the world Ace Team has designed is unique. The beings that populate Zenozoik draw inspiration from animals we see every day. The character and environmental design is distinctive. Ace Team demonstrates some imagination in designing Zenozoik.
Graphically, Zeno Clash II looks sharp and runs well. Ace Team passed over Zeno Clash’s Source Engine in favour of the Unreal Engine for Zeno Clash II. I ran the game on max settings with a GTX 670 and a Phenom II X4 965+ at 1920×1080 with no strange visual behaviour or slowdowns.
Audio
Zeno Clash II provides a good soundtrack and extremely satisfying sound effects. Being a melee game, the sound of fists being pounded into flesh is a large part of the experience. ACE Team provides an excellent variety of thumps, crunches, and smacks. The weakest sound effects I found were the firearms. They often sounded weak and underpowered.
There is a fair amount of voice acting in Zeno Clash II. For the most part, the actors delivered their lines well, though I found some minor characters were a little more wooden in their delivery than others. I did notice the volume of the voices at some points were significantly lower than the rest of the game. Ghat and Rimat’s lines were the worst offenders. I often found myself raising the volume temporarily during cut scenes and relying on subtitles to understand what was going on. I would have liked to see a separate volume slider to increase the volume of the voices.
Overall
Zeno Clash II is a fine example of a first person melee game. ACE Team combines a visually distinct world, an interesting story line, co-op multiplayer, and incredibly satisfying melee combat into one slick package.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Crocodile Entertainment‘s action-platformer Zack Zero has leapt across from PSN to PC and is now available on Steam. Not the type to settle on a simple port, Crocodile Entertainment has given Mac and PC players a good old fashioned lathering of extra goodies including integration with Steam Cloud.
Having already received one significant update, the game will continue to offer free update during its life cycle. Filling in the power gap between consoles and PCs has also been on the team’s agenda as this offering provides us with 1440p resolution in HS with parallax-mapping, as well as upgraded sound. Zack Zero has also taken the opportunity make the controls smother and the animations more slick.
If you want to get your elemental shape-shifting platformer on you can download the game here
