The Story Behind the Cancelled Christopher Nolan Batman Game

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A Batman: The Dark Knight tie-in game never made its way to store shelves and this investigative video explains all of the problems that led to the game’s inevitable cancellation.

Only a few years ago, it was nearly impossible for a blockbuster action film to launch without a companion licensed video game. This was especially the case with superhero flicks and e veryone from Spider-Man to Wolverinelaunched films with video game counterparts of varying quality. Despite the plans of Electronic Arts, that wasn’t the case for Christopher Nolan’s Batman: The Dark Knight in 2008. After nearly a decade, the community finally has some answers as to why the game never made it out of development hell.

Although the game was never finished, Pandemic was hard at work on tests and designs for the tie-in title before the team had ever seen a frame of the flick. The previous movie’s tie-in was developed by Electronic Arts and despite launching to mediocre reviews ( especially compared to some other Batman games), it did have an impressive voice cast including Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, and Katie Holmes to give it some credibility.

Unseen64created a detailed video that follows the game’s development from inception (Nolan pun intended) all the way through cancellation. For fans interested in how things look behind the scenes, this is a great learning experience about how things can quickly take a turn for the worse…

After all was said and done, it seems like the game was never meant to be thanks to a buggy engine and some questionable decisions by management. The studio behind a game like Star Wars Battlefront seemed like the perfect team to bring Batman back to consoles, but things just didn’t come together that way. The film went on to be the highest-grossing movie of the year in 2008, so it’s hard not to think that a lot of money was left on the table by neglecting to release a companion video game.

That said, the cancellation did (in a roundabout way) lead to the move away from movie tie-ins and towards a new line of game’s that became Rocksteady’s Arkham series. The first installment, Arkham Asylum , launched just a year after The Dark Knight hit theaters and was the first of multiple critically adored installments in the franchise, including last year’s Arkham Knight . Regardless of the community’s love for the Batman series that ended up arriving, it is still a shame to think about the employees who lost their jobs when Pandemic’s Brisbane offices closed down due to the cancellation.

What do you think of the story behind the cancelled Batman: The Dark Knight tie-in game? Let us know in the comments.

Source: YouTube

Rumor Patrol: Xbox One Getting Smaller Model in 2016

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A new rumor claims Microsoft is working on a smaller, digital-only Xbox One model that would release in late 2016 and cost less than the current Xbox One price of $350.

While we already know Microsoft is gearing up for a big year for Xbox games in 2016, it looks like the tech company may also be planning to release a new, smaller Xbox One model. According to Microsoft blogger, Brad Sams, Microsoft is looking at releasing a new “lightweight Xbox One” toward the end of next year.

Sams claims the information comes from internal sources at Microsoft, though he didn’t provide any details about who the sources might be. Apparently, the new Xbox Onemodel would only allow for digital downloads and would face off with other devices outside gaming consoles. According to Sams:

“I have heard from internal sources that the company is considering plans for a lightweight Xbox One that may only be for Windows store games and would compete with the Apple TV. But it’s not clear if these plans have been scrapped.”

The idea of a smaller, digital games-only Xbox One isn’t too wild an idea, considering rumors circled about such a device when the original Xbox One released in 2013. At the time, those plans were reportedly put on hold, so it’s possible Microsoft is looking to revive the idea.

When Microsoft first announced the Xbox One, the company revealed they were looking to provide a digital-only console. Quick backlash from gamers caused Microsoft to change course, releasing the Xbox One as we now know it, with a disc drive in place. However, as digital downloads have become more popular among gamers, the idea of a digital-only Xbox One console is no longer a cursed idea.

In fact, Sams seems to think the new console would come at a “much lower” price than the current Xbox One price of $350. If that’s the case, there may be many gamers interested in picking up the new device, despite having to purchase games via digital download.

It’s also interesting that, according to Sams, Microsoft is looking to take on Apple TVand other home entertainment devices. From the beginning, Microsoft has touted the Xbox One as the ultimate home entertainment device, marketing it as far more than just a gaming console. If it turns out Microsoft is looking to challenge Apple TV, we may see a new type of controller launch with the device, making it easier for non-gaming owners to use.

This, of course, is all speculation, as Microsoft has not yet confirmed the existence of the new Xbox One model. But if Sams is correct in his predictions, chances are gamers can expect Microsoft to officially announce the device in the coming months.

What do you think about this rumor? Do you believe Microsoft is working on a smaller Xbox One model? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Petri

The Witness Player Beats Game in 25 Minutes

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A speed runner memorizes every puzzle in The Witness and destroys in the game in just over twenty-five minutes during a stream.

and destroys in the game in just over twenty-five minutes during a stream. Watch the full video now.

Although the first play through of any puzzle game is all about mystery and slowly uncovering secrets and strategies, it doesn’t take long for hardcore gamers to master a new system and start shaving hours off of their completion times. The Witness offers upwards of 40 hours worth of puzzles for most players on the first time through, but speed runners are already mastering the beautiful PC and PS4 puzzle gameand flying through the experience in no time at all. The latest speed run clocks in at under 30 minutes and is likely the record holder for fastest run yet.

YouTuber Azoraebreezes throughin just 25 minutes and 53 seconds. The player clearly has memorized every puzzle in the game, but that doesn’t make the incredibly fast run any less impressive. Some players spent nearly 100 hours making it through The Witness on the first time through and others are still working on breaking through the game’s most challenging puzzles. Azorae clearly has reached the next level of puzzle solving skill.

The following video shows his entire run, so obviously spoilers are contained in the video. The Witness is a game best experienced with a fresh set of eyes, so we recommend skipping the video if you haven’t already tackled the game and are still planning to. If you find yourself stuck and need some help, check out our game guides for The Witness .

Azorae isn’t new to speed runs or puzzle games and his viewers have already seen him crush records in games like Portal 2 and The Talos Principle . The YouTuber has already participated in multiple Games Done Quick marathonsand perhaps he will highlight his skills in The Witness during the next charity event.

The speed run was so impressive that even the game’s designer, Jonathan Blow, took a minute to acknowledge Azorae’s still…

The Witness speed run in 25:53
(Big spoilers!!) https://t.co/x6oofmLnHj— Jonathan Blow (@Jonathan_Blow) February 1, 2016

One of the most interesting things about The Witness has been the game’s popularity on Twitch and YouTube. Although the puzzle game is probably best consumed first-hand, a staggering amount of gamers have enjoyed watching the experience through a streaming service. Combine that with the high number of pirated versionsof the game and it’s hard not to worry about the bottom line. Hopefully enough copies were legitimately sold to prove the game as the financial success that it deserves to be.

What do you think of the speed run? How long did it take you to beat The Witness ? Let us know in the comments.

The Witness is out now for PC and PS4.

Source: YouTube

Game Rant’s Nintendo NX Predictions

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Nintendo isn’t ready to reveal any secrets about the NX just yet, but that won’t stop us from predicting the console’s features, launch lineup, and gimmicks.

Although many months have passed since Nintendo announced that the company was working on new hardwarethat would be out within a year, very few details are actually known about the console codenamed Nintendo NX . Subsequent Nintendo Directs have all focused on 3DS or Wii U properties and the company has avoided sharing any details about the console.

As the gaming community might expect, that hasn’t stopped the industry from making some guesses. Multiple patent purchases and industry analyst reports have led gamers to believe that they may know what the controller will look likeor what the launch window will be like. The most recent reports even support earlier rumors that the console will contain both a mobile and an at-home component.

Until Nintendo makes things official, we’re taking all of those leaks and reports with a serious grain of salt. That said, we here at Game Rant have quite a few predictions for what the Nintendo NX will be like…

Denny Connolly – “The Nintendo NX will be an Amiibo machine.”

Nintendo’s Wii U may not have been the raging success that the company hoped for (or that the original Wii was), but it certainly hasn’t stopped Nintendo from raking in the dough in the last year or two. Between the continued success of the 3DS and the insane Amiibo following, Nintendo has plenty of popular ideas to lean on. And that is exactly what I expect them to do.

Although I think it will be a major risk, considering that toys-to-life still feels like a bit of a fad, I expect to see Amiibo play a major role in the Nintendo NX’s launch. I do not think that gamers will be forced to use Amiibo with every game, but I expect the console to have a built-in base and I expect the launch bundle to include Amiibo that function with the launch game (likely a 3D Mario title).

The primary obstacle that Nintendo will have to overcome with this continued focus on Amiibo is solving the serious distribution issues. The company can get away with releasing only a handful of first-party titles every year if players are dropping hundreds of extra dollars on Amiibo, but that only works if stores can keep the little pieces of plastic in stock.

The Nintendo NX will be an Amiibo machine. It’s not the console that Nintendo fans have asked for… But it’s the one that we’ve proven we’ll drop loads of cash on.

In addition to the focus on Amiibo, I fully expect the console to launch with ports of the Wii U’s most popular games. Super Smash Bros., Splatoon, Star Fox , and The Legend of Zelda should all be available on day one (assuming Star Fox and The Legend of Zelda have been released). With a lineup that strong, I would expect many gamers who skipped the Wii U generation to get back on the Nintendo hype train.

Riley Little – “A significant release every month of the year.”

As someone who has owned every Nintendo console since the SNES, there’s no denying that I have an affinity for the company and the properties at its disposal. With the Nintendo NX platform still shrouded in mystery, and a myriad of rumors somewhat expectedly surfacing in the wake of uncertainty, there are a handful of expectations that consumers probably have about the hardware. Based on reports, it’s safe to say that the platform will be both a home and portable gaming device, but it’s going to take a lot more than that to help the platform(s) flourish in today’s market.

First and foremost, the Big N is going to need a killer software lineup to keep consumers engaged. Fortunately, a dual handheld/home console allows for just that. With games that can be played on both platforms, it’s possible that consumers could anticipate a significant release every month of the year given Nintendo’s release patterns. Sure, the likes of a handheld Pokemon title may look a little dumbed down when being displayed on a television, but it’s still something for couch aficionados to enjoy.

As for titles likely to launch on the console, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the confirmed Pikmin 4 arrive as a day one title, but predicting core releases at this point all comes down to whether or not Nintendo’s dual platform initiative launches with both its handheld and home portions simultaneously – something that it’s not currently rumored to do. At this point, a new 3D Mario title (ala Super Mario Galaxy 3 ) seems like a likely candidate, as does a port of The Legend of Zelda for Wii U and even a possible revamp of Super Smash Bros. 4 . Only time will tell, but it’ll be interesting to see what Ninty has up its sleeve.

Weston Albert – “No waggling Wiimotes. No touchpads. No gimmicks.”

This prediction for the Nintendo NX is all about what I hope it will be and what I think would make it successful… Rather than what I actually expect Nintendo to do. Graphics and online capability as good or better than PS4 and Xbox One. No waggling Wiimotes. No touchpads. No gimmicks. NX will have a traditional console controller. Please Nintendo, not this. NX will launch with Wii U’s The Legend of Zelda , remade for NX (it won’t come to Wii U) and a new Mario game. Nintendo will announce that a Metroid game is coming. Full catalogue of Virtual Console games available at launch. It will retail for $299.

Nintendo needs to bank on their strengths: the nostalgia of their franchises and the solid foundation of their games. No more gimmicks. NX needs to be first and foremost a Nintendo game delivery system. The company should make its past catalogue (up to what is currently available on Virtual Console) accessible through the NX and continue pushing out new entries in our favorite Nintendo franchises.

If Nintendo has paid attention to Xbox One’s launch failures they should have learned this lesson: Gamers want a great gaming experience. Go back to the Gamecube and make an evolution from that. Forget the Wii and Wii U happened. Time for Nintendo to trim the fat, focus on their amazing franchises, and give us exactly what Nintendo fans want — a true next-gen Nintendo experience.

Honorable Mentions

One of the other major ideas that Nintendo hinted at over a year ago was the focus on products that promoted a healthy lifestyle. Obviously the company isn’t going to release its own equivalent of a Fitbit and call it a console, but there is still a chance that the NX will have some kind of focus on exercise or diet tracking.

When Nintendo makes its official announcement, there’s a good chance that all of us will be wrong and the company will blow us away with something brand new that we could never have predicted. But if we were right, you can bet that we’ll be rushing back to this post to quote ourselves and feel special.

What is your prediction for the Nintendo NX ? Let us know in the comments.

Thieves Steal $75,000 Worth of Magic: The Gathering Cards

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Thieves rob a hobby store in Austin, Texas by ripping the door off of the hinges and making off with over $75,000 worth of rare Magic: The Gathering cards from the store’s collection.

Anyone who has ever played Magic: The Gathering knows that the game can quickly become an expensive hobby. Competitive decks consisting of only the newest cards can sometimes cost between $500-$1000 and if players want to play in tournaments that allow cards back from the game’s early days, that entry point skyrockets up to around $5000. Considering the value of those collections, it’s no surprise that ahobby store would make for a major score if it was ever robbed.

Unfortunately, a gaming store in Austin, Texas just lost over $75,000 in product after thieves made off with a bulk of the store’s MTG collection. Pat’s Gamesis proud to call itself “the premier store for Magic: The Gathering” in the area, so it is no surprise that the store was fully loaded with staples for all of the game’s formats.

The thieves made off with cards were valued up to $5000, so it sounds like the store likely had at least a few pieces of the coveted Power Nine. The nine most powerful cards from the game’s earliest sets haven’t been reprinted in over twenty years and sell for thousands of dollars a piece. The rare lands from the early sets are also on the no reprint list and sell for hundreds (or thousands) of dollars a piece depending on their condition. It’s a safe bet that these were some of the stolen cards.

Break in video - mp4 format

Here is the video showing the break in Sunday morning. Any help will be greatly appreciated.Posted by Pat's Gameson Tuesday, January 26, 2016

The robbery took place at 1am on Sunday morning and the store reports that 200 valuable cards are missing. This suggests that the thieves knew what they were looking for and went straight for the highest value case. The criminals ripped the front door off of its hinges and were in and out of the store in under 30 seconds.

The Austin P.D. is on the job and the unit has even assigned an investigator who is familiar with the game to the case to gain an insider’s perspective. Crime isn’t new to the MTG sceneand serious players often guard their backpacks at tournaments by tying them to their own legs while they are playing. This isn’t a fool proof crime deterrent though, as thieves often bring knives and cut the straps off of backpacks to steal them without lifting the chair legs.

One of the perks of the MTG community is that it is a small world. A person can’t exactly steal a collection including alpha and beta cards and then turn around and sell them online without the vigilant Reddit community of players taking notice. The thieves can sit on the collection for a while if they are being careful, but trying to resell them or even take them to a tournament seems like a risky move. Hopefully the police will locate the collection and return it to Pat’s as soon as possible.

Do you own any high value Magic: The Gathering cards? Do you enjoy the card game? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Gamespot

Sony Combines All PlayStation Divisions into Sony Interactive Entertainment

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Sony announces that, starting in April, its hardware, software, and networking divisions are combining into one new company called Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Big structural changes have been announced at Sony, which should shake up the way that both hardware and software are developed for the company going forward. In a surprise announcement, the company reveals that all of the PlayStation divisions are being combined under the single umbrella of Sony Interactive Entertainment .

This new structure means that Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainmentboth now fall under the new Sony Interactive Entertainment division. The change will mean that all hardware, software, and network divisions are a part of the same group. The new paradigm becomes official on April 1 and the new company will be headquartered in San Mateo, California.

Sony Interactive Entertainment’s president and Global CEO, Andrew House, released a statement highlighting the benefits and opportunities that come along with the massive restructuring…

“By integrating the strengths of PlayStation’s hardware, software, content and network operations, SIE will become an even stronger entity, with a clear objective to further accelerate the growth of the PlayStation business… Along with our business partners, SIE will develop pioneering services and products that will continue to inspire consumers’ imaginations and lead the market.”

It sounds like the goal is to give each individual unit more focus by uniting them under a common company with clear objectives. By working together from the get-go, the hardware and software units should now be able to deliver an even more cohesive gaming experience.

In theory, consumers won’t feel the impact of this shift at all and Sony will continue producing and delivering high quality hardware, software, and services. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like this change is going to lead to any major layoffs or cancellations of projects at this point. A few of Sony’s top dogs have been fielding questions on Twitter about how the chain of command is going to change and who they report to now.

Sony fans who are excited for the company’s VR projectscan rest assured that the hardware is now under development at SIE. It seems safe to assume that all major existing projects are still underway and the company will begin to announce any new ventures in upcoming press releases. As the new structure finds its footing, it wouldn’t be surprising it we don’t hear any major new announcements about new hardware or software until this summer at E3 2016.

What do you think of the big changes at Sony? Let us know in the comments.

Source: IGN

Fallout 4 Mod Lets You Create Infinite Baby Shauns

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Fallout 4’s latest mod allows players to craft infinite baby Shaun’s at workbenches and place them throughout the wasteland or use them as junk jet ammo.

One of the problems with a game that provides as much as freedom as Fallout 4 is that players can easily lose track of the driving narrative. While off collecting bobbleheads, building settlements, and leveling up; it’s easy to forget that we’re supposed to be tracking down our missing child. A newmod offers the opportunity to keep baby Sean’s memory and likeness nearby throughout the entire game…

A number of mods have used the assets associated with each player’s unique baby Shaun to create some chaos, including the creation of a baby-launching weapon, but the latest Shaun mod is one of the best yet. The mod, aptly named notShaun, allows players to create infinite wooden replicas of little Shaun at any chem workbench.

Once players have started amassing a collection of animated baby notShauns, they can start placing them around the Commonwealth wherever they want. Obviously the responsible thing to do is find cribs to place the babies in, but players can also just scatter them around on the ground everywhere they go. If the visual gag of seeing Shaun everywhere you go starts to lose its novelty, don’t worry; there’s a practical (and more violent) use of the babies, as well.

Much like in previous mods, baby Shaun can once again become a projectile weapon. Unlike the previous mod that turned Shaun into a mini-nuke, this time around the notShauns can be loaded into the junk jet and launched at enemies. The resulting shootouts aren’t quite as explosive as in the mini-nuke mod, but it is still plenty violent. If you’re opposed to random video game baby violence, then this might be another mod that you’ll want to skip.

The original build of the mod didn’t include the projectile feature, but the creator added it after user requests…

“They have no havok setting (because I’m too lazy and unskilled with Nifskope to make the custom mesh that it needs) so they just kinda float where you drop them, thankfully I also made them junk items so you can fire them using a certain weapon.”

Luckily, the Fallout 4 modding community is active and diverse enough to provide mods for just about every kind of gamer. From graphics enhancements that introduce new weatherto bizarre Thomas the Train tributes, the list of iconic Fallout 4 mods is growing every week. The game hasn’t reached Skyrim’s level of mod quality and quantity yet, but it is definitely on the same path just a few month’s after its launch.

Will you be adding notShaun to your list of installed mods? Let us know in the comments.

Fallout 4 is now available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Source: Nexus Mods

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India Review

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Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India makes some vast improvements over its predecessor in terms of style and gameplay while providing challenging 2D puzzles, but still lacks an engaging narrative.

The Assassin’s Creed 2D-esque spin-off trilogy series got off to a somewhat rocky start with its first installment, but Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India makes a valiant effort to get the side-scroller back on the right track. The stealth puzzler isn’t nearly as big or sprawling as the installments in the main franchise, but tough puzzles and solid parkour mechanics make Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India worthwhile for fans of the franchise.

For gamers unfamiliar with the latest series of Assassin’s Creed spin-offs, this trilogy takes on the identity of a 2.5D side-scrollerwith some 3D aspects. Each installment takes players to a different location and puts them in control of a brand new protagonist. This time around the protagonist is Arbaaz Mir and the assassin is dodging patrols and zip-lining around India.

The game’s setting is the first of many features that help this follow-up stand out from its predecessor. While Chronicles: China was dark and lacked much in the way of aesthetic appeal, Chronicles: India is gorgeous and every backdrop and foreground pops with life and color. The game does an amazing job at making the 2.5D setting feel alive and brilliant. Colonial India is a fantastic setting that is beautiful to stare at while trying to crack the trick to each puzzle.

The game’s mechanics are built around stealth, parkour, and combat. Players control Mir as he attempts to navigate his way passed armed patrols, guard animals, and other prying eyes as a political romance plays out. The game’s narrative isn’t the best that the franchise has to offer, but the sparse use of cut scenes ensures that the subpar story doesn’t drag players out of the game’s world very often. Players can still learn more details about the world by picking up and investigating items during their adventure, similar to the main Assassin’s Creed franchise, but this is unlikely to be of much interest to players who aren’t history buffs or lore fanatics.

The meat of the game comes from the puzzles that Mir is presented with. Players repeatedly need to use a combination of stealth skills and parkour to dodge patrols and stay out of site while exploring the world. Unlike the main series, players are railroaded towards each encounter in Chronicles and must study patrol patterns and line of sight before making a move. New skills and items become available as the game progresses and eventually the whole arsenal of tactics will be needed to clear the more difficult screens.

The game’s puzzles are surprisingly challenging, but frequent auto saves help ensure that failures aren’t more frustrating than they need to be. Mir can’t take many hits or be seen for very long before the mission is failed and players are sent back to the last checkpoint, so players who rush in headstrong won’t find much success. The use of parkour to stay out of sight is very well done, but as new skills are learned it’s possible that some players may start to feel overwhelmed. Buttons take on different functions depending on what position the player is in, so things are a little confusing until players sync with the rhythm of the game.

Although Asssassin’s Creed Chronicles: India highly discourages combat, sometimes Mir has to thrown down to make it passed an obstacle. It’s a shame that the game emphasizes and rewards the pacifism technique, because the combat system is actually very slick. Much like the parkour, players need to find a rhythm, but once that is achieved the simple dodge, light attack, heavy attack combat feels very fluid and exciting.

One of the benefits of the mostly 2D setting is that players don’t run into some of the frustrating awkwardness that comes along with the usual Assassin’s Creed open-world experience in terms of parkour and combat. There’s no accidentally running up a building when you are trying to run through an alley in Chronicles and it’s always clear which goon you are about to land a strike on. The simple side-scrolling layout makes the action crisp and clear and eliminates the confusion that so often leaves Assassin’s Creed players screaming at the television.

In terms of 2.5D stealth games, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India may not live up to recent titles like Stealth Inc. , but the game definitely offers enough challenging puzzles to be worth the $9.99 price tag. Dedicated fans of the Assassin’s Creed franchise will get more out of the title thanks to the lore, but it’s worth a play-through for anyone who likes to solve a good stealth puzzle.

Trailer

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Game Rant was provided a PS4 code for this review.

Amplitude Review

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Amplitude is a throwback to old school rhythm games and connects with the nostalgic audience, but may lack the universal appeal of games like Rock Band or Guitar Hero .

For many gamers, the rhythm genre consists solely of Guitar Hero , Rock Band , and maybe Donkey Konga . However, players with a little more experience are likely aware that those plastic instrument-based gamesare just the tip of the iceberg; he genre was around for years before the mass audience took any interest. Harmonix’s Amplitude is a throwback to those old days, in more ways than one.

In case anyone is unfamiliar,is a Kickstarter funded reboot of the 2003 PS2 game of the same name. The original and its predecessor Frequency was (also) developed by Harmonix and was wildly popular among fans of the emerging rhythm genre. Years later, Harmonix was ready to revisit the series and went to Kickstarter to pull in over $844,000 for the project. The game recently launched on PS3 and PS4 after a few delays and fans can now enjoy over 30 tracks for $20.

Amplitude leans on some of the same tools that most rhythm games do, but also introduces a few unique twists into the mix. Players hit notes scrolling down the screen using three different buttons (L1, R1, and R2). Unlike many other games in the genre, though, there are multiple tracks for players to keep an eye on this time around. Each track of music represents a different musical element and in order to keep that part of the song alive, players must nail streaks and jump back and forth between the different tracks using the d-pad.

The jumping between tracks and instruments mechanic not only offers a unique challenge to Amplitude , but it also gives players far more control than they would usually have over the music that is being played. Players decide whether to kick the song off on the drum track, or the synth, or when to pull in the vocals. The unique soundtrack is very spacey and the music works incredibly well for these kind of experimental remixes. This bit of control offers a welcome opportunity for creativity that is often lacking in music games.

The game has a few modes to keep players busy including a campaign, free play mode, and multiplayer. The campaign is the most engaging mode and can be used to unlock additional tracks for the secondary modes. Players can rack up high scores and compete for a spot on the leaderboards by stringing together long chains of notes and nailing instrument transitions. Playing on higher difficulties allows for higher scores because there are more notes up for grabs.

The game attempts to guide players through the tracklist with a plot about exploring the brain of a comatose patient, but the narrative isn’t very engaging or important. Players who connect with Amplitude will do so because they are addicted to getting a perfect score on a track or want to get good enough to play on the highest difficulty, not because they want to see if the mystery patient ever wakes up. The narrative doesn’t hurt the gaming experience, but it isn’t helping much either.

The game’s lack of engaging narrative and experimental soundtrack are likely to alienate some of the more casual gamers who would give Amplitude a shot. The $20 price tag is a nice selling point, but this feels like the kind of game that has been specially made for music lovers and old school rhythm game addicts. The lack of mass appeal isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though, as the game’s Kickstarter suggested that the project was a labor of love for fans who have been clamoring for a return to the PS2 game’s world.

A major perk over the Rock Bands of the world is the lack of peripherals and external hardware. This game doesn’t require anything more than a console and a standard controller, but still manages to make players feel like they are in control of a full band. The title seems like a perfect fit for the PS Vita, so we hope to see a port over to the handheld at some point. A slight downside of playing on the big screen, which will only impacts some gamers, is that the swirling backgrounds are very likely to make some people feel dizzy or disoriented.

Amplitude may not be for everyone, but the game is sure to offer at least a few hours of psychedelic entertainment for fans of unique music, old school rhythm games, and affordable price tags.

Amplitude is now available on PS3 and PS4. Game Rant was provided a PS4 code for this review.

Naughty Dog Wants To Make You Laugh and Cry With Uncharted 4

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Naughty Dog releases the last video for its ‘Making Of’ series for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End , revealing that developers want its game to make fans laugh and cry.

After releasing several behind-the-scenes developer diaries featuring Naughty Dog ‘s team discussing of the evolution of its Nathan Drake-centric series as well as explicating its plans to have Uncharted 4 push technical boundaries on the PS4, the studio has now released the fourth and final installment in its run of “Making Of” clips on YouTube. Titled “In the End,” the cast and crew for Naughty Dogtalk about the experiences shared on the Uncharted franchise, and the impact the games have had on the studio over the course of the past decade.

More specifically, Naughty Dog developers elaborate on how each of Uncharted 4 ‘s characters  including Nathan Drake, Elena Fisher, and Sam Drake, have become so hyper-realistic that there’s a high probability that fans will connect with the roles on a much deeper level than in previous efforts. Of course, since Uncharted 4 is expected to be the last game in the series with Nathan Drake as the protagonist, but perhaps not his final adventure, it makes sense for the studio to have poured as much emotion into the narrative as possible.

As found in the clip below, Naughty Dog designers and artists talk about how hard it is to say goodbye to a character that has been such a huge part of everyone’s lives for so many years, for not only has the studio’s team put tons of effort into bringing Drake to life, but also a lot of the developers are some of his biggest fans. As a matter of fact, Uncharted 4 ‘s lead artist Tate Mosesian expresses a strong sense of attachment to all of the title’s personalities, saying:

“As you play through the series, you do begin to develop an affinity for the characters and an understanding of what motivates them. I hope that this game brings that all to a nice crescendo. I hope people cry when they play it, and I hope they laugh when they play it.”

With Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End having just gone goldabout a couple of weeks ago, fans and developers alike can now undoubtedly look back on how long of a journey it’s been for the action-adventure title and breathe a large sigh of relief. After numerous release date delaysleading up to where we are today, it was certainly frustrating for a lot of gamers eagerly anticipating the title to discover time after time that its availability was pushed back.

Now that the base materials for Uncharted 4 have been completed, though, it’s safe to presume Naughty Dog is currently hard at work putting together the title’s single-player DLC. Naturally, with this being the first instance in the history of the franchise for a story-driven expansion to make its way into the series, the studio is surely intent on delivering a high-quality product in a timely manner in order to justify the occasion.

At any rate, if Uncharted 4 ‘s narrative doesn’t perfectly resonate with fans, its giant game sizeshould at least provide them with lots of action, as Naughty Dog has exclaimed the title to be the biggest and most detailed entry in the franchise. Taking all of this into consideration, it’s a safe bet that the studio will be sending Nathan Drake off with plenty of style and grace.

Naughty Dog ‘s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is set to release on May 10, 2016, exclusively for PlayStation 4.

Source: PlayStation – YouTube(via GameSpot)

DC Universe Online is Coming to Xbox One

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The five-year-old superhero MMO DC Universe Online is finally coming to a Microsoft console this year with a free-to-play spring release on the Xbox One.

Although many gamers may have forgotten about Daydreak Game Company’s MMO version of the comics world, the DC Universe Online MMO is still alive and well five years after its initial release. The superhero-themed role-playing game has been available on PS3, PS4, and PC for years, but Microsoft console gamers are about to finally join in on the action.

Although World of Warcraft can still get away with charging subscribers$15 per month,is one of the many MMOs to take the free-to-play route in an effort to keep players active. The game’s active player count jumped up over 100,000 when it made the transition to free-to-play years ago and there should be another spike in activity when the game is finally released on a Microsoft console this spring.

Rumors that DC Universe Online would be ported to Xbox One started circulating last year when one of the developers tweeted about their interest in a Microsoft port, but a new tweet from the game’s official account has finally confirmed that the game will arrive on the Xbox One in 2016…

It's official! We're coming to #XboxOnethis Spring! @Xbox #DCUO5Years

— DC Universe Online (@DCUO) January 11, 2016

The developer also confirmed the project on its own Twitter account, but there have not been any specific details released about the game. It will still be free-to-playand will almost certainly introduce new servers to the game specifically for Xbox One players. Even though the game is free-to-play, we’ll be curious to see if the publisher offers any special bonus to play on Xbox One, such as unique in-game items or skins.

DC Universe Online isn’t the most popular or relevant MMO, but it is still exciting to see another game of this scale arrive on the Xbox One. The Elder Scrolls Online left many gamers a little disappointed after a series of launch problemsand fans of the MMO genre are still hoping to see the new console generation fully embrace the genre. Although a brand new MMO would obviously be ideal, DC Universe Online may be enough to hold fans over. The price tag is certainly a great selling point.

Even though the game is five years old, there is likely a large market of players on the Xbox One who have never tried it before. The game has been incredibly popular on the Sony consoles and back in the summer of 2014 it was the number one revenue generating free-to-play game on the PS3 and PS4. There is definitely some money to be made on the Microsoft console and we look forward to seeing what kind of special events or promotions are offered to win hesitant gamers over.

Do you plan to give the game a try when it launched on the Xbox One? Let us know in the comments.

DC Universe Online is currently available for PC, PS3, and PS4. No date for the Xbox One release has been announced.

Source: Twitter

Uncharted 4 Trailer Shows Nathan Drake’s Home Life

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From spending time at home with Elena to stamping papers in a 9-to-5 job, the latest Uncharted 4 trailer shows glimpses of Nathan Drake living a normal life.

After a multitude of delays, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End has officially finished developmentand is on track to release May 10. That means that the promotion train is hurtling along, bringing new trailers all the time.

The latesttrailer, entitled “Heads or Tails,” is a 30-second CG feature that has Drake asking if all the adventures experienced over the past three games has been worth it.

Much of the footage of Drake carrying on a normal life comes from trailers that have been released already. It appears that this is the state of Drake’s life following the events of Uncharted 3 – working a normal job pushing papers and spending time at home with his wife Elena. That is, until his brother Samreappears in Uncharted 4 and pulls Drake in for one last job, it seems.

This trailer, like all the glimpses of the game’s story seen so far, appear to take on a more emotional weight – although Naughty Dog has promised Uncharted 4 is still the summer blockbuster fun fans expect it to be. Naughty Dog has also said this will be Drake’s last adventure, and it appears that it is also Naughty Dog’s last entry in the Uncharted seriesas well (not that the franchise couldn’t live on in the future).

Whether Drake meets his endalong with the franchise is something fans will have to wait and see when the game comes out, but no matter what, Uncharted 4 appears to be the biggest game Naughty Dog has ever made. Naughty Dog has previously said that the game features explorable spaces ten times the sizeof anything seen in the previous three entries of the Uncharted series.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End promises to be the best looking game in the franchise, pushing the PlayStation 4’s technical capabilities to its limits.  While the developer says that the new open spaces and dialogue trees give the players more options to choose how they want to approach each encounter, it doesn’t mean the game has lost its linear nature. In fact, Naughty Dog says it has added extra layers of gameplay mechanicson, but have tried to do it in an elegant way that makes everything feel like it fits in the gameplay fans have experienced over the franchise’s history.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End releases exclusively on PlayStation 4 on May 10th.

Source: GameSpot

Uncharted 4 ‘Pushing Technical Boundaries’ of the PS4 in Newest Trailer

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Sony releases a brand new dev diary showcasing how the team at Naughty Dog plans on ‘pushing technical boundaries’ of the PlayStation 4 with Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End .

Admittedly, aside from major releases like, PlayStation 4 owners haven’t been treated to much in the form of exclusive games. With that said, it won’t be long before this oversight is addressed, as Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will soon be in the hands of dedicated fans of the franchise and casual players alike. There’s little question that it’s been a long wait for Nathan Drake’s latest, and (judging by the gameplay trailersreleased thus far) it looks like it will be pushing Sony’s current-gen hardware to its limits.

Of course, since that’s a very marketable point, Naughty Dog has made just such claims about, which it backs up in the latest dev diary for the forthcoming title. With such visual peeks behind the curtain coming forth, it’s obvious why Naughty Dog just recently pushed back the game’s releasein order to ensure a quality experience. Admittedly, as disappointing as that announcement was, it does appear that the final game will end up being worth it.

Those hoping to catch a glimpse of Naughty Dog working on Uncharted 4 can do so below.

Having a look into the development of a triple-A game series like Uncharted is a rather fascinating way of bringing fans into the loop in terms of what they can look forward to from the finished product. Particularly, the vehicle-centric missions and the newfound A.I./cover-based mechanics that will occupy the bulk of the experience – both of which appear to work rather fluidity. In developer diary videos like this, however, gamers really do get an amazing look behind the scenes of their favorite games and it’s something that more developers should do in order to familiarize gamers with the efforts required to make a title like A Thief’s End .

With Uncharted 4 going goldjust recently, the excitement amongst fans of the IP is almost palpable. This game has been one of the most anticipated pieces of software for several years now, which is exactly why it’ll be such a relief to see it realized on store shelves. Of course, whether or not this installment will be the last we see of Nathan Drakeremains to be seen (despite claims from Sony and Naughty Dog that it wraps up the iconic character’s story), but it’s safe to say that it will at least be his most technically impressive.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will arrive exclusively for the PlayStation 4 on May 10, 2016.

Uncharted 4 Has Gone Gold; Drake’s Last Adventure is Complete

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Developer Naughty Dog officially completes development on its long-awaited video game, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End , as the action-adventure title goes gold.

After having been pushed back numerous times, with the final release date delaygiving the game a launch day of May 10, 2016, Naughty Dog has finally announced that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End has gone gold. For those unaware, the developer’s proclamation means development for all of the title’s base materials have been completed, and that the physical discs forare being manufactured for shipment as we speak.

As found in the tweet below, the news of Uncharted 4 going gold was shared by Naughty Dog on its official Twitter account, as the studio congratulated the team for a job well done. The action-adventure release’s director, Neil Druckmann, also weighed in on the matter with a tweet of his own, by showing off what appears to be one of the first discs to contain the full game.

Very glad to say #Uncharted4has gone gold today!
Congrats to the team!!! pic.twitter.com/fcqYLNyIKb— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) March 19, 2016

Every journey must come to an end. #gold #uncharted4 pic.twitter.com/hdEF50hj3E— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) March 19, 2016

Furthermore, Uncharted 4 ‘s co-director, Bruce Straley, used the social media platform to say that he believes Nathan Drake’s last game and final adventureis the “most visually stunning game ever created.” Of course, considering the fact that Straley undoubtedly poured countless hours of time and effort into the release during its development, his stance on the title’s graphics are bound to be impartial.

However, that’s not to say Uncharted 4 doesn’t look great. Most of the gameplay footagerevealed to the public throughout the production process has shown Naughty Dog’s careful attention to the details of character designs, environment renders, as well as overall aesthetics. Plus, it’s also important to note that the game will have a stable frame rate of 60 FPS with a 1080p resolution on the PS4. With all of that in mind, Uncharted 4 is certainly poised to be one of the best-looking games of it’s generation.

With Uncharted 4 having been described as an “end of an era” by Naughty Dog, long time fans of the franchise ought to not only expect plenty of exciting gameplay, but also meaningful, worthwhile storytelling, as the studio is prepared to share the last chapter of one of its most endearing characters with the world. But even though Uncharted 4 is set to provide Nathan Drake with his last lead role in the series, it’s safe to assume that Naughty Dog will give him the heartfelt send off he deserves.

Excited about Naughty Dog’s announcement for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End going gold? If so, are you planning on getting the standard version or the one of collector’s editionsonce it becomes available? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is set to release on May 10, 2016 exclusively for the PlayStation 4.

Source: Naughty Dog – Twitter, Neil Druckmann – Twitter(via GameSpot)

Uncharted 4 Director Discusses Recent Delay

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Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End director Neil Druckmann discusses the game’s recent delay, saying that waiting an additional two weeks will be beneficial for everyone.

After Naughty Dog and Sony announced yesterday that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will have its release date delayed again, many fans were understandably disappointed, but the title’s director, Neil Druckmann, took to his official Twitter account to assure folks that the wait will be “worth it in the end”. After thanking the game’s fans for their patience, the long-time creator for Naughty Dog echoed the sentiments of PlayStation president Shawn Layden, who said that the delay was due in part to the publisher’s need for more time to manufacture game discs to meet demand, with Druckmann stating the delay would help promote a “smooth worldwide launch”.

Uncharted 4: A Thief ‘s End was originally slated to be released in 2015, but was later pushed back to March 2016 in order to boost its quality to meet fans’ expectations, then to April 2016 for additional polishing, and now here we are with its availability set for May of this year. Although Uncharted 4 has been a long time coming, as seen in Druckmann’s tweet below, the director promises the final product will be everything that fans want out of Nathan Drake’s last game.

This'll make for a smooth worldwide launch. Thanks for your patience... It'll be worth it at the end. Promise. https://t.co/UZwCjFEDIW— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) March 2, 2016

While an extra two weeks’ wait has been tacked on to the previous release date for Uncharted 4 , fans shouldn’t be too upset, for they can at least experience what the title’s multiplayer component has to offer this weekend with the action-adventure game’s open betalasting from March 4 through March 6. For those unaware, Naughty Dog is describing the event as a stress test, and the developer has confirmed that a PlayStation Plus membership is not required in order to take part.

Considering that Uncharted 4 is being touted as the final game in the series, it makes plenty of sense for Druckmann to want to take his time with its development to make sure that the franchise goes out with a bang, at least under his watch. Plus, with him having developed for the Uncharted games since their inception — Druckmann was a game designer on Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune — fans can probably rest easy by heeding his assurance that the delay is necessary to ensure a solid, if not stellar release.

However, taking into account the fact that Uncharted 4 ‘s release has encountered multiple hindrances since its debut trailer at E3 2014, it wouldn’t be completely surprising if yet another delay is announced after the most recent one, especially with expectations for the game being so high. After all, many folks are calling it one of the most anticipated games of 2016. Even Microsoft’s Xbox boss Phil Spencer came out to say that he thought it was going to be a great title. With any luck, though, Uncharted 4 ‘s availability for May will be the last schedule change for the game.

What do you think about Neil Druckmann’s take on the most recent delay of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End ? Should we take him at his word, or do you believe its best to digest his explanation with a grain of salt? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is currently set to release on May 10, 2016, exclusively for PlayStation 4.

Source: Neil Druckmann – Twitter(via GameSpot)

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Open Beta Leaked

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A leaked Sony PlayStation marketplace listing confirms the existence of a pending Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End multiplayer open beta, running March 4-6.

As everyone already knows, the Internet never forgets.  If a publisher accidentally publishes a story or announcement and quickly pulls it down, the Internet remembers. Of course, publishers probably know this, so maybe they’re dropping leaks for marketing purposes? Either way, today’s culprit is the Sony marketplace, who dropped a listing for an as-yet–unannounced Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End multiplayer beta – another opportunity to try the game before April.

Listed as a free download, the upcomingmultiplayer beta seems to be of the open variety. That is to say, all PlayStation 4 owners will be able to download and play this beta. That, of course, is dependent on this rumor being real. Several people were able to download the beta and begin exploring what was within, even creating loadouts in preparation for the beta’s launch. Speaking of launch, according to the listing the beta will begin on March 4 and end on March 6.

Players suspect that this beta will include a third map – one that was not featured Uncharted 4 ‘s previous beta. During a Naughty Dog livestreamshowcasing their game’s multiplayer, they gave a brief (and unintended) teaser regarding an unreleased map, which featured a mountain-side coastal city as dusk approached. Lighted windows peppered the opposing hillside and boats move in the bay, and now screenshot from this new leaked beta shows a similar scene in the daylight.

What’s curious about today’s Uncharted 4 beta leak is that Naughty Dog has previously said they have no plans to release an open beta. After the December closed beta, which was unlocked for owners of the Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection for the PlayStation 4, Naughty Dog insisted no further beta plans had been made. Looking back, however, it’s likely they said that so closed beta participants would feel adequately rewarded for their support of the franchise.

Since the closed beta, Uncharted 4 has had an additional short delay, perhaps pushing Naughty Dog and Sony into agreeing that an additional beta would benefit the game’s marketing going into launch. These types of open betas are growing increasingly common for major publisher launches, as they encourage players to pre-order directly from the publisher. And so take in a higher percentage of the game’s sales price.

As much as some consider Uncharted 4 ‘s multiplayeran unnecessary addition to what should be an entirely single-player focused game, there’s no arguing that it provides extra value to the average consumer. And an open beta just a couple months before the game’s launch may persuade some who have a hard time justifying $60 on a single-player game. Even if it’s one of the best single-player gamesto grace the generation, just going off of previous titles in the franchise.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is a PlayStation 4 exclusive and will launch on April 26.

Source: Twitter, NeoGAF

Uncharted 4 Delayed Yet Again, But Only Two Weeks

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Naughty Dog is delaying Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End once again, now scheduling the Nathan Drake saga’s conclusion for May 10 — a delay of just over two weeks.

Earlier today Naught Dog and Sony announced a multiplayer stress test this next weekend for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End . It was a surprise reveal. That is, the leak yesterday madeit not particularly surprising, but rather the fact that Naughty Dog would be running an open beta after previously saying they wouldn’t. A second announcement made within the past few hours shows why Naughty Dog might want to cheer Uncharted fans up a bit, ashas been delayed yet again.

Uncharted 4 has unfortunately been the victim of several delays up to now, including multiple short delays pushing the game further into spring. The latest is just a small delay – two weeks in total – and pushes the release date from April 26 to May 10. That shouldn’t be too painstaking of a wait for most Uncharted fans, but the more the game gets delayed, the more players are wondering if there’s an issue worth worrying about.

Sony Computer Entertainment of America CEO and President Shawn Layden decided to announce the delay to fans, and also apologize directly:

“We know this news might be disappointing, and we are sorry to have to make you wait a little longer to play Naughty Dog’s latest. The good news is that the game is phenomenal — we are fully confident that it will be worth the wait and the team at Naughty Dog is eager as ever for you to experience Nathan Drake’s final adventure.”

Layden explains that the delay will provide extra “manufacturing time,” meaning the game is not being held back for development issues. Sony’s simply taking the time to prepare the biggest exclusive to-date.

Delays this close to release typically have little to do with the development of the game. There isn’t not much a studio, even one as notable as Naughty Dog, can do in two weeks. In all likelihood Uncharted 4 is probably as finished as a game goes without going gold.

What’s the real cause of the delay then? “Manufacturing” is such a nebulous topic, not to mention unbelievable considering that it’d be difficult to find another game delayed for “manufacturing” issues in recent years. What’s more likely is any of a handful of other delay causesthat happen so late in development. Issues that may include strategic positioning, marketing campaigns, online server infrastructure, or — and this is hardly even worth considering — turnover within the company.

The safest bets would be on either server infrastructure or marketing issues. The Uncharted 4 multiplayer betathis weekend shows that Naughty Dog is still hard at work on that part of the game.

April 26 was actually a solid release date, with no other major release scheduled aside from Dark Souls III on April 12. Moving into May, however, will put it right up against the launches of Battleborn , Doom , and Homefront: The Revolution .

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will launch exclusively on the PlayStation 4 starting March 10, delayed 2 weeks past its previous April 26 release date. For more information on the upcoming open stress test, head over to the PlayStation Blog.

Microsoft’s Phil Spencer Says Uncharted 4 Will Be A Great Game

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Xbox boss Phil Spencer discusses the releases he’s looking forward to this year, and says that Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will be among the best.

While engaging with folks on his official Twitter account, Microsoft’s head of its Xbox division, Phil Spencer, was asked by a user which game he’s most excited for in 2016, which prompted the executive to immediately say thatis his top pick. However, Spencer then went on to say that he believed Ubisoft’s open beta for The Division was “good,” that he enjoyed Quantum Break ‘s narrative, and that Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4 “will be a great game.”

After Spencer gave props to the developers at Naughty Dog by praising, some rather myopic gamers responded with comments saying that it was shameful for the Xbox boss to have admitted to the PlayStation 4 exclusive title being among his choices for the most anticipated video games of 2016. Interestingly enough, Spencer spoke honestly and directly to those unfairly criticizing him for giving his true opinion on the matter, as seen in the tweets below.

@IRISHGAMER1461Gears. I thought Division beta was very good. People will block me but UC4 will be a great game I'm sure. Love the QB Story.— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) March 1, 2016

@wrath93We should all applaud when a team does something special. Those who hope for team to fail due to platform aren't real gamers.— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) March 1, 2016

When speaking to the press, or in any forum for that matter, Phil Spencer rarely minces words, and is candid with his views for the most part, so it should come as no surprise that the Xbox boss crossed company lines to say that he expects Uncharted 4 to be a great release. As it happens, during a live interview at the 2015 GeekWire Summit, rather than blindly praise Microsoft’s current generation console, Phil Spencer said that he was unsure if Xbox One could beat PS4’s commanding sales lead, admitting to mistakes prior to the launch of the system that led to it falling behind financially.

Furthermore, in regards to Spencer’s above comments about what it means to be a real fan, the Xbox boss’ recent remarks on Twitter are just the latest example of him being open about how much he loves video games, regardless of platform. Several months ago, in fact, he commended the success of all current console-gen systemsfor Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony, showing that it’s important to support others within one’s same field, despite competition, as it creates good will and furthers innovation.

There will always be fans who have their preferred platforms. It’s inevitable. But to disparage another gamer because they play on this or that console, on their computer, or even on mobile devices does nothing but create useless enmity between people who, on the whole, have a huge commonality of interest for the wonderful world of video games. With that said, instead of futilely carrying on with the silly pettiness of the console wars, let’s try to embrace Phil Spencer’s attitude and simply enjoy gaming for the art form that it is.

What do you think about Phil Spencer’s assurance that Uncharted 4 will be a great game upon its release? Since he’s an executive at Microsoft, do you believe he should have only hyped Xbox One titles, or do you agree with his stance about what it means to be a real gaming fan? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is set to release on April 22, 2016 exclusively for PlayStation 4.

Source: Phil Spencer – Twitter 1,(via IGN)

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August 27th, 2014

Xbox One Outsold PS4 During E3 2015 Week

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Earlier this week, the latest report form analyst group NPD revealed that the PS4 outsold the Xbox One in the United States during the month of June.

in the United States during the month of June. This is the 16th month (out of 19) that the PS4 has held the title since the Sony and Microsoft consoles launched back in November 2013.

This PS4 win can largely be attributed to‘s PS4 exclusive content (the Scarecrow Nightmare DLC) as well as the sale of PS4/ Arkham Knight bundles. Given that Batman: Arkham Knight is also the second-best selling game of the year, this is understandable.

It would also be understandable if Microsoft was left feeling disappointed, as the company has been trying hard to beat the PS4 by extending the Xbox One’s holiday price promotionpast its initial January end date. However, the company isn’t taking this lying down at all, and instead, Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg has pointed out that the Xbox One actually outsold the PS4 during E3 week.

Good June #NPD #XboxOnesales +51% YOY & proud we were #1 selling console the week of E3 +79% WOW, but Batman ps4 bundles strong as expected

— Aaron Greenberg (@aarongreenberg) July 16, 2015

Via the above tweet Greenberg reveals that not only was the Xbox One the “#1 selling console the week of E3” but also that sales of the console had risen by 79% when compared to E3 last year. Xbox One sales for the month of June 2015 had also risen by 51% in comparison to June 2014.

The sales increase year over year likely has a lot to do with those aforementioned price cuts, which have been huge for Microsoft in the last six months or so. Meanwhile, the win during E3 week is likely because of Microsoft’s huge Xbox backwards compatibilityannouncement.

While we wouldn’t go so far as to say that Sony’s huge E3 2015 surprises, including the announcement ofand the game demos ofand, just weren’t enough, these sales stats are sure to have gamers talking. One of the biggest criticisms of Sony’s press conference was the fact that, although the aforementioned games were exciting, the company has very little to release during holiday 2015 – something which Sony is well aware of.

So, if the Xbox One was able to be the best selling console because of a successful E3 press conference, then Microsoft could be eyeing another sales improvement when the backward compatibility feature goes live later this year. Plus, the Xbox One will also be getting (Xbox exclusives)and, which should also help the console rocket to the top of the sales charts. No wonder Microsoft is expecting to sell millions of Xbox Onesover the holiday season.

Do you think that the Xbox One can carry this momentum forward? What else does Microsoft need to do to improve the Xbox One’s sales? Leave a comment and let us know.

Source: Aaron Greenberg

Bethesda Designed a Fallout 4 Multiplayer Mode, But Scrapped It

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Bethesda’s biggest franchises, The Elder Scrolls and Fallout , have received praise over the years from critics and fans alike for the solid single-player, open-world game adventures they provide.

, have received praise over the years from critics and fans alike for the solid single-player, open-world game adventures they provide. While the single-player experiences are responsible for making household names of these two series, Bethesda has shown that they’re not afraid to convert their single-player games into a multiplayer experience either, introducingin 2014.

While Bethesda hasn’t announced a similar MMO for the Fallout series, it turns out that they aren’t completely against the idea of a Fallout multiplayer game. In fact, early on in development. the team behind Fallout 4 considered the possibility of including a multiplayer mode in the game.

According to an interview between Mashableand Bethesda Executive Producer Todd Howard, the development team working on Fallout 4created initial design plans for a multiplayer mode early on in development. Surprisingly, Fallout 4 isn’t the first game that they’ve considered creating a multiplayer mode for:

“Believe it or not, every time we do a game we design a multiplayer mode just to see what we would do.”

However, Fallout 4 (and evidently Fallout 3, The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, and The Elder Scrolls : Skyrim) didn’t get past the pre-production stageswith their multiplayer modes intact. Todd states that pre-production is the best time to discuss these possibilities, and while they thought that a multiplayer function was an “awesome idea,” including one would take the focus away from making Fallout 4 the best single-player game it could be.

While some gamers might be bummed to know that any plans for a Fallout 4 multiplayer mode were scrapped, it’s easy to understand why Bethesda made this decision. In addition to being able to put all of their focus on just one style of play, certain mainstays of the Fallout serieswouldn’t necessarily translate well to multiplayer games. V.A.T.S., for example, works great with a single player, but having more than one player would make the slow-motion aiming effect of V.A.T.S.quite awkward, or require overhauling the system entirely.

The idea of a Fallout multiplayer game sounds like it could potentially be a lot of fun, but Bethesda has probably made the right choice in not changing Fallout 4 into a multiplayer experience. Fans have already had mixed reactions to changes from Fallout 3, like the player character having a voice. Most players will probably be perfectly happy just having a new solo adventure through the Boston wasteland, as that’s what most fans enjoyed about the Fallout series to begin with.

Fallout 4 will be released on November 10, 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: Mashable

Watch the XCOM 2 Official Gameplay Video From E3 2015

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XCOM 2 was only announced three weeks ago , with the revelation that the canon storyline saw Earth submit to the will of the invasive alien force.

, with the revelation that the canon storyline saw Earth submit to the will of the invasive alien force. Twenty years later, humans are more-or-less brainwashed into thanking their alien rulers as benevolent benefactors, and celebrations for ‘Unification Day’ are underway in the beginning of the game.

Firaxis Games showed a 10 minute long gameplay demonstration at E3 2015, which showed a guerrilla force ofoperatives embark on a sabotage mission. The full video has now been made public for all to see, and without the previously included live commentaries, allows for gamers to focus on the new features like turret hacking, stealth movements and dynamic skyranger drops. Whilst most of these elements were already revealed by XCOM developers, there were a few notable surprises and confirmations in the above video.

The man giving the ceremonial speech in the beginning cinematic could potentially be an evolution of the Thin Men from the first game. As he gives his speech he gives a clear view of his neck, which has the same telltale skin markings from the uncanny-alley humanoid thin men. Like them, he also uses glasses to mask his eyes, so we wouldn’t be surprised to find out that this character – who may play an important role as the face of a puppet human faction – is actually an evolved Thin Man.

The video shows the first look at the actual process of hacking within the game, and it wasn’t just on a random terminal – it looks like stationary turrets will be a constant threat to XCOM , but much like the Drones of the first game, they can be hacked to fight for your side instead. The system looks like it will pit your Specialist’s skillset against that of the hackable object, and if successful, players can either disable the turret, control the turret, or even control the turret whilst granting it increased aim and critical hit chances. In the case of the above video, the latter won out, which also revealed that turrets have the ability to take more than one shot per turn.

The largest change to gameplay is the huge improvement to the Overwatch ability, which previously saw every soldier unload on the same target if they saw it at once. The new system is sequential, meaning soldiers fired upon different targets in a more logical manner, allowing for much more effective ambushes which spread the damage across multiple targets. It’s likely that units will fire upon the enemies closest to them, though the actual logic behind the new overwatch system hasn’t been confirmed by Firaxis Games.

The environment also interacted with XCOM soldiers, as digital displays adopted a 3D image of one of the soldiers who happened to run beside it, activating a holographic version of a wanted poster. Members of the squad also appeared to have special voiced moments which were activated as they traversed sections of the map, like when one squadmate mentioned that the statue target ‘looked bigger on television’. It’s a nice touch that should add to the immersion to the game, especially with the improved accents that the squad demonstrated.

The video also confirmed that the Viper’s melee grab attack has an impressive range, but to counterattack this, the XCOM Ranger was also able to melee attack at great distance. It was also revealed that the infamous ‘Central’ command is indeed Office Bradford, who led the battle from home base in the first game. His scarred appearances shows that the last twenty years haven’t been easy on him, though his new voice is due only to a recasting of the voice actor.

The mission looked great, though it was more scripted than we would’ve liked – especially given the procedural generation abilities of the game enginewhich will be the backbone of the game when it comes out. Still, the mission demonstrated a good look at the new combat system, which is set to take XCOM on a more smash-and-grab approach than ever before.

XCOM 2 will release this November, exclusively for PC.

E3 2015 Game Critic Award Nominees Revealed; Fallout Gets 4 Noms

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The Game Critics Awards nominees are in for E3 2015, with Star Wars Battlefront leading the pack with five nominations, including Best of Show.

leading the pack with five nominations, including Best of Show. The list of winners will be revealed on Tuesday, July 7th.

Star Wars Battlefront wasn’t the only one to garner a ton of attention from the Game Critics Association, either.and Horizon Zero Dawn nabbed four nominations each, and both are also in contention for Best of Show.

We’ll quickly note that some of the most highly-anticipated games of E3 aren’t included in the list, since they were not playable during the event, which is a requirement to be considered for an award. Sorryandfans.

Best of Show
– Fallout 4 (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda)
– Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games/SCE)
– Oculus Touch (Oculus VR)
– Star Wars Battlefront (DICE/EA)
– Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/SCE)

Best Original Game
– Abzu (Giant Squid/505 Games)
– Cuphead (Studio MDHR)
– Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games/SCE)
– The Last Guardian (GenDesign/SCE Japan/SCE)
– Unravel (Coldwood Interactive/EA)

Best Console Game
– Fallout 4 (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda)
– Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games/SCE)
– Star Wars Battlefront (DICE/EA)
– Super Mario Maker (Nintendo)
– Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/SCE)

Best Handheld Game
– Fallout Shelter (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda)
– Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (AlphaDream/Nintendo)
– Persona 4 Dancing All Night (Atlus)
– The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (Nintendo)

Best PC Game
– DOOM (id Software/Bethesda)
– Fallout 4 (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda)
– Just Cause 3 (Avalanche Studios/Square-Enix)
– Star Wars Battlefront (DICE/EA)
– Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)

Best Hardware
– Microsoft HoloLens (Microsoft)
– Oculus Rift (Oculus VR)
– Oculus Touch (Oculus VR)
– Project Morpheus (Sony Computer Entertainment)
– Xbox Elite Wireless Controller (Microsoft)

Best Action Game
– DOOM (id Software/Bethesda)
– Halo 5: Guardians (343/Microsoft Studios)
– Just Cause 3 (Avalanche Studios/Square-Enix)
– Star Wars Battlefront (DICE/EA)
– Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)

Best Action/Adventure Game
– Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games/SCE)
– Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Kojima Productions/Konami)
– Rise of the Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics/Microsoft Studios)
– The Last Guardian (GenDesign/SCE Japan/SCE)
– Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (Naughty Dog/SCE)

Best RPG
– Dark Souls 3 (From Software/Bandai-Namco Games)
– Fallout 4 (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda)
– Fire Emblem Fates (Intelligent Systems/Nintendo)
– Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (AlphaDream/Nintendo)
– Sword Coast Legends (n-Space/Digital Extremes/Wizards of the Coast)

Best Racing Game
– Forza Motorsport 6 (Turn 10/Microsoft Studios)
– Need for Speed (Ghost Games/EA)
– Trackmania Turbo (Nadeo/Ubisoft)

Best Sports Game
– FIFA 16 (EA Canada/EA)
– NHL 16 (EA Canada/EA)
– Madden NFL 16 (Tiburon/EA)
– Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 (Konami)
– Rory McIlroy PGA Tour (EA Tiburon/EA)

Best Family/Social Game
– Disney Infinity 3.0 (Avalanche Software/Disney Interactive)
– Guitar Hero Live (FreeStyleGames/Activision)
– LEGO Dimensions (TT Games/WBIE)
– Rock Band 4 (Harmonix)
– Super Mario Maker (Nintendo)

Best Online Multiplayer
– Call of Duty: Black Ops III (TreyArch/Activision)
– Halo 5: Guardians (343/Microsoft Studios)
– Star Wars Battlefront (DICE/EA)
– Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft)
– Tom Clancy’s The Division (Massive/Ubisoft)

Best Indie
– Abzu (Giant Squid/505)
– Below (Capy Games)
– Cuphead (Studio MDHR)
– No Man’s Sky (Hello Games/SCE)
– Wattam (Funomena)

Naturally, the award that will gain the most attention is Best of Show, which this year has one piece of hardware and four games vying for the crown. It will be interesting to see how well Guerrilla Games’ new IP,, will do against proven franchises like Fallout , Uncharted , and Battlefront . However, the simple fact that it’s among the choices for Best of Show should give gamers a good idea of the game’s quality – at least the quality that was playable at E3.

Interestingly, Oculus Touch, the creative new controllers for the Oculus Rift VR headset, are in contention for Best of Show. Oculus has been a standout of nearly every E3 for the past few years, so it’s no surprise to see the VR tech make an appearance yet again.

As we mentioned, the E3 2015 Game Critic Awards winners will be selected Tuesday, at which point we will post another article congratulating the lucky games and developers.

Which games were your favorite from this year’s E3? Which one do you predict will win Best of Show? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Game Critics Awards