Category: Games and Gaming

PlayStation Marks its 20th Anniversary By Bringing Out a Retro-Themed Limited Edition PS4 Console

This day marks the twentieth anniversary of the PlayStation, and Sony is celebrating this feat with the launch of a retro themed limited edition PS4 console. These limited edition PS4s are decked up in the same greyish attire similar to the original PlayStation. The grey coating PS4 will come bundled with matching controllers and even the same old school power cords.

For those of you who already own a PS4, or don’t fancy yourself to scoop one off the limited run, Sony has released a PSone theme for its current console. It comes with the original retro start up sound, all you need to do is just download the latest firmware update.

Sources indicate that only 12,300 units of these aanniversary edition consoles will go on sale, sometime during Christmas. As the company will be soon sharing information on how you get a dose of nostalgia in the form of these grey little beasts.

December 3, 2014
Next Assassin’s Creed Revealed in a Leak; Ubisoft Confirms Report

The next installment of the wildly popular Assassin’s Creed franchise has been leaked, and this time around the game is set in 19th century London during the Victorian era. According to internal sources, it’s called ‘Assassin’s Creed Victory’ for the time being, and will be coming to PS4, Xbox One and PC in fall 2015. Sources also indicate that Victory will apparently be developed by Ubisoft Quebec, and not Ubisoft Montreal.

This is what Ubisoft has to say after leaks were reported all over the web:

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It is always unfortunate when internal assets, not intended for public consumption, are leaked. And, while we certainly welcome anticipation for all of our upcoming titles, we’re disappointed for our fans, and our development team, that this conceptual asset is now public. The team in our Quebec studio has been hard at work on the particular game in question for the past few years, and we’re excited to officially unveil what the studio has been working on at a later date. In the meantime, our number one priority is enhancing the experience of Assassin’s Creed Unity for players.

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The leaks were apparently spotted by game-focused blog Kokatu, who also reported of seeing a seven minute ‘target gameplay footage’. The clip also notes that the footage was recorded using the new Anvil engine, which means that it was not pre-rendered.

The leaked footage shows an unnamed assassin in smoke-covered London, whose target is a Templar engaged in human trafficking of children. The assasin accepts the contract and is engaged in a battle on top of a moving vehicle. The fight then moves on to a train station where assassin gets on to a higher ground, swings using a grappling hook – a new gameplay mechanic, and takes out the target.

Sources also indicate that this will be the only Assassin’s Creed game next fall; unlike this year that saw two Assassin’s Creed titles launch – Assassin’s Creed Unity and Assassin’s Creed Rogue.

December 3, 2014
Arkham Knight Trailer Flaunts Wacky New Batmobile

The upcoming game in Rocksteady’s Arkham series, Arkham Knight, has a new trailer giving us fresh insights of what we can expect from the game. This sequel is set one year post the events of Batman: Arkham City where Batman is fending off Scarecrow, who has united Batman’s foes in a deadly plot to kill the Bat. The new trailer shows off the Batmobile with Batman leaping out of the vehicle to fight enemies.

In the trailer, we get to see some of the gameplay, especially how the Batmobile has been made an integral part of the game mechanics. It also shows some of the highly acclaimed combat and stealth mechanics that we saw in Arkham Asylum.

Batman: Arkham Knight marks the return of Rocksteady Studios. The last year’s Arkham Origins developed by Warner Bros. was a bit disappointment. The game also marks the return of the veteran voice actor Kevin Conroy as Batman with Scarecrow being the Dark Knight’s nemesis this time. In this explosive finale of the Arkham saga, Batman faces his arch nemesis Scarecrow, who has united Gotham’s top evil geniuses including Penguin, Two-Face and Harley Quinn to destroy the Dark Knight forever. The game will feature the intriguing Batmobile, which apparently will form an integral part of the gameplay for the first time in the franchise. A deadly combo of Batmobile and new gameplay mechanics should suffice hardcore Batman fanatics who have been longing for that complete Batman experience.

The game was expected to launch in October this year, but the date has now been pushed ahead. The official launch date for Batman: Arkham City is 2nd June for the PC, Xbox One and PS4. Check out the new trailer below:

November 27, 2014
Sony Reportedly Shifting its Focus to PlayStation From TVs and Smartphones

According to recent reports, Sony is in the process of shrinking down its TV and smartphone business to focus more on gaming consoles. With PS4 sales reaching a 13.5 million milestone, it’s apparently the only division that is generating profits for the company. Following a recent forecast that predicts 30 percent downfall in Sony’s mobile division by next spring, the Japanese giant is now making the PlayStation brand its utmost priority.

A recent report from Reuters revealed that Sony has devised a 3-year plan for a shift that will focus primarily to boost the sales of PlayStation division by 25 percent, while reducing support for its mobile and television divisions. Thanks to the PS4, the company has generated a $265 million profit which compensated for the loss from its television and mobile business.

The Japanese electronics giant has been posting yearly losses that have eventually resulted in the fall of its share price. The PlayStation 4 sales have been so strong that despite facing losses in other divisions, the company’s revenue grew by 7.2 percent. Let’s see how beneficial will this step be for the company.

November 27, 2014
Far Cry 4 Out Now, Here’s Everything You Need to Know

This time, it’s the Himalayas. Well, we are in Tibet for the fourth installment of the Far Cry series. The game has hit the shelves all over the world today, for all major consoles (except the Wii U) and PC. Just like the traditional Far Cry style, Far Cry 4 takes us to a serene, exotic location in the Himalayas called Kyrat and features a new cast.

As the game released recently, most of you might not be updated with what this installment has to offer. So, we decided to bring the details of all the juicy bits that you can expect from one of the biggest launches of this year.

If Far Cry 3 took us on an arduous tropical journey, its successor has cranked up the stakes and takes us to the Himalayas. You don the role of Ajay Ghale, who is caught up in a civil war created by the self-appointed king of the region called Pagan Min aka the bad guy.

So, expect more bad guys and a dose of variety of pristine landscapes. Far Cry 4 has upped the scale and it just gets bigger, better and badder.

VEHICLES

Making your way around the treacherous terrain, grappling hook allows you to navigate your way across the area in a slew of new ways. Gyrocopters have been introduced that will give a bird’s view of open world adventure, while white-knuckle jumpsuit lets you pounce on your enemy from the sky.

On the ground, Far Cry 4 has those faded yellow tuk-tuks which bring back nostalgia. To top it up, not only can you fire your weapon while driving, but you can also jump from one vehicle to another during chases, or if you’re in no mood for unnecessary fuss, you can finish the chase even before it starts by cutting the enemy’s break.

There will be animal rides as well, elephants for instance. You can charge into the battle on the back of one of these beasts while your sneaky avatar can strap a few C4s on the back and send them charging into the enemy territory.

CHARACTERS

Ajay Ghale is the hero in the game. However, it’s the blonde-haired Pagan Min, played by Troy Baker in his magenta outfit that stole the show at E3. Ubisoft has made sure that there goes some chemistry and depth to the characters, with Min dressed in a particular attire as a homage to his mother. So watch out before you make a mockery of his suit, which would mean you’re making fun of his mom and that surely would not be a good thing. Min took over Kyrat two decades ago, and now his face even appears on the local currency.

Meanwhile, Ajay’s family name is also well respected in the region, but apparently, he’s returning to a land he hasn’t seen since he was a kid.

MAPS

Ubisoft says that the map is exactly the same physical size we saw in the Far Cry 3, but it also happens to be a lot denser. The game takes around 35 hours to finish. There’s a lot more to do, traversing the treacherous mountain terrain with enhanced diversity in the flora and fauna. The diversity offered by Kyrat is something that fans of the franchise would never have witnessed before. Have a look at the Far Cry 4 map:

CO-OP SYSTEM

There’s some rather intriguing co-op elements in this franchise. The co-op mode is quite a big one, though only PlayStation owners get that extra bit. PS3 and PS4 owners of the game, along with the PlayStation Plus subscribers, will receive ten invites they can send to friends who don’t own a copy of the game. These friends can then get a taste of the free trial version of the Far Cry 4’s co-op mode.

Sadly, this functionality will not be offered to Xbox or the PC version of the game.

PC Requirements

Ubisoft has also confirmed that a 64-bit OS is needed to play the Far Cry 4 on the PC. Meanwhile, if your PC is running on a Nvidia card, you’ll have access to a few special features through Far Cry 4’s GameWorks integration. Check out the Far Cry 4 Nvidia trailer below:

Processor – Intel Core i5-750 @ 2.6 GHz or AMD Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.2 GHz
Memory – 4 GB
Video Card – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD5850 (1 GB VRAM), DirectX 11
Hard Drive – 30 GB available space

DLC and Season Pass

Additional content for single player, co-op and competitive multiplayer will be available in the game’s $30 season pass, which includes a monster-themed mission called ‘Valley of Yetis’. Players will also need to fend off and evade deadly nighttime attacks from a mysterious cult. Ubisoft adds that Ajay can also explore caves but need to ‘watch out for what lurks within’, most probably hinting at Yeti danger.

Weapons, Guns and more guns

Last but not the least, you all have a wide choice of arsenal at your disposal. You have the Vector .45, an ACP submachine gun, the MG42 machine gun, mortars to ‘lay wrath upon your enemies,’ a kukri (the Nepalese version of a machete) for one-on-one combat, the P416 assault-rifle along with a bait for attracting animals (throw some by an enemy and watch a tiger pounce). Finally, there will also be a flamethrower too and an auto-crossbow for those moments when stealth is your best ploy.

It won’t be just about guns to take down Pagan Min’s Royal Army; Ubisoft wants you to use your environment to your advantage such as yaks, snow leopards and elephants.

The game seems to have all the right ingredients from the story to weapons, vehicles, main characters, co-op, multiplayer and a proper take on mysticism with reference to modern-day battles. Far Cry veterans will be familiar with most of the game’s aspects, though it still has the potential for an exciting and intriguing open world experience.

You can buy the game in India via online retailers and other major stores. For those of you who have tried, do let us know your Far Cry 4 experience.

November 19, 2014
New Halo 5: Guardians is a Mix of All the Right Ingredients That Made Halo So Epic

One of the most awaited Xbox One exclusive – Halo: The Master Chief Collection will hit the stores today. The game will include four full campaigns and over 100 multiplayer maps including the debut of Halo 2: Anniversary. The upcoming Halo has enormous gameplay value this holiday season, though the whole package won’t be available at the launch. Microsoft and 343 Industries have confirmed that they are going to give everyone an access to the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta who buys a copy of The Master Chief Collection.

Meanwhile, a video footage of Halo 5 appeared online. The video was barely a few seconds, though it sent shock waves across the Internet community, especially Halo fanatics. Some Halo fans were expressing concern as the video reveals a player sprinting and aiming down sights, skills that were not included in the early Halo games. This disappointed Halo fans as they perceived that 343 Industries has buckled under the pressure of an evolving FPS ecosystem, however, Executive Producer at developer 343 Industries Josh Holmes took to Twitter to relieve his fans.

No penalty to hip fire in H5, no movement penalty when scoping/zooming, no flinch. Tune in for the beta gameplay reveal at #HaloFest Monday.

— Josh Holmes (@JoshingtonState) November 9, 2014

Halo fans got a chance to see how the Halo 5 multiplayer looks like during the HaloFest yesterday. The beta for the upcoming Halo 5: Guardians has all the elements that made Halo one of the biggest gaming franchises of all time. Some would argue that Halo 5: Guardians beta is actually a step backwards, but in our opinion, this is what made Halo one of the most popular games. Developers have done a great job by simplifying gameplay mechanics and fine tuning certain aspects. The beta feels like a perfect blend of what previous Halo games were known for.

The three-week Halo 5: Guardians beta kicks off from 29th December, delivering three maps and seven modes to a whole lot of Halo fans. Don’t miss out the world premiere of Halo 5 multiplayer gameplay below:

November 11, 2014
GTA V to have First-Person Mode, PS4 and Xbox One First to Receive Update

Rockstar Games, the owner of Grand Theft Auto franchise, unveiled a new footage of Grand Theft Auto from the version set for release on the PS4 and Xbox One on 18th November, and on PC on 27th January, 2015.

There are so many new things about this version, Grand Theft Auto V, but this time around, Rockstar has delivered more than a technical upgrade – it’s given players an entirely new way of playing the game. The GTA maker has added a mode to this version where you can play it out in the first-person. According to the company, this mode will be customisable, so you can play from a first-person perspective while walking around on foot and while driving, but not during a gunfight while hiding behind cover.

“It’s a very intense, in-your-face experience… literally,” says Rob Nelson, the GTA 5 Animation Director. “Obviously, we felt like one of the most compelling things you could do to make an experience people have had before feel different was the new first-person mode.”

This new perspective will also give you a better view of the amazing graphics all over the San Andreas, including pedestrian and traffic density, a farther draw distance, and more real weather effects. It also changes how you’ll experience the story, as events that take place in a mission happen around you rather than from the zoomed out view you got in the original.

Along with better graphics, Rockstar has thrown a bunch of little improvements into the world of Grand Theft Auto V. The developer has stated that there will be 20 new species of wildlife, 150 new songs, more random chatter from pedestrians and 32 new vehicles.

Ahead of the release of GTA V for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, Rockstar also announced the release of limited edition collection of the game’s music on both CD and Vinyl. Through a partnership with Mass Appeal Records, the soundtrack collection will go on sale in December.

November 5, 2014
Thanks to a New Compact Processor, Xbox One Might Get Cheaper

It is Microsoft’s policy to Y-cut the Xbox One’s price for the holidays, but there are hints that the gaming console may get a permanent price drop. Recent reports have hinted that Microsoft is planning for a potential smaller, cooler and cheaper Xbox One processor and how that could result in a thinner and cheaper Xbox One console.

Daniel McConnell, AMD’s Senior Physical Design Manager, had posted on his LinkedIn profile that he “successfully planned and executed the first APU for Microsoft’s Xbox One console in 28 nm technology and a cost-reduced derivative in 20 nm technology.” The entry containing the 20 nm processor has since been removed from McConnell’s profile.

Xbox One’s processor is fabricated at 28 nm, meaning each transistor measures 28 thousand-millionths of a meter. A 20 nm version would lower cost and power consumption, which would have a knock-on effect on cooling systems and, therefore, on casing design.

A 20 nm processor would lower the costs and power consumption, which would have a knock-on effect on cooling systems and therefore on casing design.

There aren’t any clues as to when this slim and affordable silicon will arrive, but recent AMD roadmap leaks suggest that its first CPU architecture based on the technology will ship in 2015. In other words, you could buy a cheaper Xbox by this time next year.

It is said that the new processor could be as much as 30 per cent more powerful while consuming 25 per cent less energy. And the small size means smaller cooling assembly and a thinner chassis to go along it, which ultimately translates to lower-priced device.

Xbox One has been struggling to break into the market like as it did in the past, but has been unsuccessful due to the soaring sales of PS4. The use of faster, slimmer and cheaper processor can help Microsoft step up its game and revive its old charm in the market.

November 3, 2014
Rovio Rolls Out Angry Birds Transformers for Android

As expected, Rovio Entertainment, makers of once-popular Angry Birds, has released Angry Birds Transformers for the Android platform. This means, the new Angry Birds game, about 129 MB in size, is now available for download via Google Play.

Announced back in June, this new mobile game is very different from the previous Angry Birds games, and features the popular Angry Birds characters running and using a range of different weapons hitting targets in the background including pigs, buildings and more.

In the latest title by Rovio, the birds and pigs have been transformed into ‘Autobirds’ and ‘Deceptihogs’ (inspired by Transformer’s Autobots and Decepticons), respectively. More of a run-and-gun shooting pastime, the game accomplishes what it sets out to do – provide Android users with an easy pick-up-and-play time killer. You control the attack of a chosen transformer which will blast the pigs in the background, as they balance on physics-based platforms.

The Angry Birds Transformers for Android is compatible with devices running on Android 4.0 and higher. The game also comes with in-app purchases. Last month, the company launched Angry Birds Stella globally, available on Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, BlackBerry 10 OS and NOOK platforms. In the Angry Birds Stella, Stella and friends try to save Golden Island from the villains, Gale and the wicked green pigs.

October 31, 2014
PS4 System Update 2.0 Release Date Revealed

Sony has officially confirmed via Twitter that PS4’s next Firmware update 2.0, is coming much sooner than we expected. It will be made available on 28th October.

The update codenamed ‘Masamune’, will have a slew of new features including theme support, improved voice commands, a USB music player which allows users to insert the USB stick into the PS4 and play their own music in the background while playing a game. Also, the new update will feature enhancements to live broadcasting, which will include dedicated app support for YouTube and the ability to upload gameplay footage directly to it.

PS4’s next software update, Masamune, will be available on 10/28. Includes Share Play, USB Music player, and more! pic.twitter.com/FjfgcY91Ki

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) October 23, 2014

Masamune will also bring the highly anticipated Share Play feature, which creates an online local co-op experience, by allowing users to invite friends to join a game – even if they don’t own a copy of the game. Users will be able to play along with a friend, or even ask them to temporarily take over game controls, as if they were sitting in the same room. This feature will only be available for PlayStation Plus members.

Meanwhile, the PlayStation App for smartphones and tablets is also set to receive an update to version 2.0 within the same launch window. The new app update will feature a new layout for tablets with a redesigned home screen for the app.

October 25, 2014
PlayStation Shows Off New Superhero-Detective Series, Powers

During the New York Comic-Con 2014, the audience got a chance to witness the first red-band trailer for Playstation’s Powers series. It is an adaption of the popular graphic novel that will be coming to the PlayStation Network this December.

Powers is set in an alternate world where superpowers have become a part of everyday life. Detective Christian Walker with a new partner Deena Pilgrim has just been assigned to the “Powers” Division of the Chicago Police Department. The first story arc from writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Avon Oeming, “Who Killed Retro Girl?” follows the lead detectives as they investigate the murder of a popular super heroine.

The series stars comedian Eddie Izzard, Susan Heyward, Olesya Rulin, and Noah Taylor among others. The show will be available for download and to stream on PlayStation devices starting this winter. Those who have a PlayStation Plus membership can view the whole series for free, although Sony hasn’t said how much it will cost for non-PlayStation Plus members.

According to a press release, the show asks: “What if the world was full of superheroes who aren’t actually heroic at all? What if all that power was just one more excuse for mischief, mayhem, murder, and endorsement deals?.”

Watch the trailer below:

October 13, 2014
Xbox One to Get Custom Themes and Backgrounds

One of the big requests from gamers has been custom user interface themes for their Xbox One. Now, Xbox Head Phil Spencer has confirmed that Xbox One owners will eventually be able to take in-game screenshots and customize the look of their console’s dashboard.

“I was told themes and background pics are something that we are working on and screenshots, you know people beat me up on screenshots,” Spencer said on a recent Inner Circle podcast episode (check out the full episode below). “The team has done a great job with the monthly updates, some of the things are just a prioritization and are a time in development.

“But I know that people like to customize the look of their dash,” he added. “And I think both themes, backgrounds and screenshots are things I know people want so we are going to deliver on them. But we can’t give a when yet.”

The talk about themes really kicked into high-gear when a concept video from YouTube user Prime Ghost Gaming posted the a promo piece for the Xbox One (Below).

Microsoft’s newest console has already received a number of monthly updates that have added a host of features that weren’t present at the console’s launch, including a new media player, better SmartGlass functionality, and external hard drive support.

October 9, 2014
Oculus Reveals New VR Headset Prototype Codenamed ‘Crescent Bay’

Unlike Google’s Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR, which use a smartphone, Facebook and Oculus VR are aiming at a much more sophisticated, independent and ultra-high-res experience with their new VR prototype codenamed as Crescent Bay.

The company revealed the new prototype, which is an upgraded version DK2 Headset, at the recent Oculus connect conference. “It’s as big of a leap as we made from DK1 to DK2,” says Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe, referring to the first two versions of the Rift development kit. The new headset comes with 360-degree tracking, letting the Rift’s external camera track the back of the headset as well as the front, making it easier for people to move without feeling constrained by staying in the camera’s range.

The first Oculus Rift VR headsets were shipped in the spring of 2013, but a consumer version has not yet been announced. According to the company so far, over 100,000 Rift development kits have been shipped to 130 countries, and the company is still filling pre-orders for its second-generation model. The Crescent Bay prototype follows “Crystal Cove,” which was first shown off at CES 2014 in January — the DK2, which is based on it, came out a couple of months later.

Oculus and Samsung announced their Gear VR mobile headset earlier this month, and it is believed mobile and desktop VR will ultimately complement each other in coming time. Oculus created its first real in-headset user interface for the Gear VR, and it’s now said that it will be releasing a mobile app for VR games.

September 22, 2014
Microsoft Bags Minecraft With the Mojang Acquisition

Microsoft yesterday released a press statement saying that it has acquired Mojang in a massive $2.5 Billion deal. The Stockholm-based game developer is known majorly for its virtual world creation game, Minecraft. This will be a new addition in the list of several big money acquisitions that we have seen this year.

There were many interested parties who wanted to get the gaming company, but Microsoft moved fast to score a victory. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will acquire Mojang for $2.5 billion. Microsoft expects to close the acquisition in late 2014 and to be break-even in FY15 on a GAAP basis.

The Game lets users make complex structures using lego-like blocks.

Minecraft was introduced in 2009 and since then has sold more than 50 million copies for PCs, smartphones and videogame consoles. The game has a huge fan following. YouTube is full of tutorials on Minecraft. There is also an upcoming movie based on the game and Lego also sells toys based on the game. This almost seems like a safe bet from Microsoft and hence they sound so optimistic of their acquisition.

“Gaming is a top activity spanning devices, from PCs and consoles to tablets and mobile, with billions of hours spent each year,” said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. “Minecraft is more than a great game franchise – it is an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care deeply about, and rich with new opportunities for that community and for Microsoft.”

The weird bit of this sale is that the creator of the game Markus Persson and other founders will not be coming to Microsoft. They have decided to undertake new adventures. On his personal website, Markus said, “Thank you for turning ‘Minecraft’ into what it has become, but there are too many of you, and I can’t be responsible for something this big.”

The game has a massive fan following who share tutorials all over the internet

Impressing the fans now would be a big task for Microsoft. Some of them have openly stated that a big corporation will ruin the game. Microsoft though said that it will do everything in its power to sustain the loyalties of the gamers.

The CEO of Mojang, Carl Manneh has this to say “The ‘Minecraft’ players have taken the game and turned it into something that surpassed all of our expectations. The acquisition by Microsoft brings a new chapter to the incredible story of ‘Minecraft.’ As the founders move on to start new projects, we believe the high level of creativity from the community will continue the game’s success far into the future. ”

Microsoft has said that more details about the deal will be published after the finalization of the acquisition. Microsoft is no stranger to gaming and is a market leader in gaming consoles. The innovation it brings to this game remains to be seen. Let’s hope Microsoft doesn’t make a Vista out of this one.

September 16, 2014
Destiny PS4, First Impressions, Hands on Gameplay

From the Creators of Halo and the company that brought you Call of Duty. In Destiny you are a Guardian of the last city on Earth, able to wield incredible power. Explore the ancient ruins of our solar system, from the red dunes of Mars to the lush jungles of Venus. Defeat Earth’s enemies. The Experience of startup gameplay is amazing and the graphics lead you to understand what an adventure lies ahead.

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September 16, 2014