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‘Rare Replay’ Requires A 50GB Installation

by The_aczJuly 22, 2015

Rare Replay is only 13 days away from it’s August 4th release and it seems like all Xbox One owners (me included) are eager to get their hands on the game. While everything is all fine and dandy for the people getting the physical version, it seems people wanting to digitally download the game will have to clear up some space. According to the official Xbox store, the initial download for Rare Replay will clock in at around 11.26GB. However, after the initial download, the 360 titles in the collection will be added to your download queue which will require an extra 38GB. These 360 titles include: all 3 Banjo games, Jetpac Re-fueled, both Perfect Dark games, both Viva Piñata games, and Kameo: Elements of Power. While that is a big file size to ask for, don’t let that deter you from picking the game up. It’s still an amazing collection at an amazing value. For more on rare replay, check out the preview coverage of it that I did for Comic-Con.

Gameplay: (Courtesy of IGN)

SDCC 2015: We Go Hands-On With ‘Cuphead’!

by The_aczJuly 20, 2015

Throughout all their successes with first and third party titles for the 360 and One, Microsoft has never been able to fully embrace indie gaming. Sure, they own and heavily support Minecraft, one of gaming’s most popular indie titles of all time, but can that still be classified as an indie game; knowing how big of a development team actually works on it now?

Fear not indie fans, because for the past two years Phil Spencer and company have been trying to make it up to fans with their new indie service simply titled ID @ Xbox. This year at E3, Microsoft showed off many new and interesting ID @ Xbox titles, but one of them stood out more than the others.

Enter Cuphead, a quirky platforming shooter game that’s stylized as if it was a cartoon that came straight out of the 1930’s. Developed by just two brothers, Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, Cuphead is the brother’s first venture into the indie games scene with their studio, Studio MDHR. I had the honor of being able to try the game out at the Xbox Lounge at Comic-Con (When the insanely long line allowed it.) It seems like Microsoft has a lot of faith and confidence in Cuphead, but is there more to the game than just its old timey art style? Thankfully, I can say without a doubt, Cuphead not only has a lot more charm than just its art style, but it’s sincerely one of the most fun indie games I’ve ever played.

Story and Gameplay

The story is very simple, but kind of twisted. Two anthropomorphic characters, Cuphead and Mugman, decided to play a game of dice with the Devil. They end up gambling their lives, and in a cruel twist of fate – lose. The Devil agrees to let them live; on one condition. They must do his bidding from now on. So, now it’s up to our ‘heroes’ to destroy whoever the Devil tells them to in order to gain their freedom back.

From there, you’re given the chance to access a quick tutorial level and then about 3 actual levels. For the sake of keeping the line moving, I decided to play with a second player and only play one level which was the garden. In this level, you must defeat both a giant potato that shoots dirt clods and worms at you and a giant psychic carrot with three eyes that shoots carrot missiles at you. If that sounds crazy to you, that’s because it is. The controls are super simple and very responsive. You have your standard jump and attack buttons, but you also have a dash button and a change weapon button so you can experiment and see what kind of projectile works best on that enemy.

It should be said that Cuphead might not be what some people are expecting it to be. For starters, yes it’s a platforming shooter, but there aren’t really any “levels” per say. This game is more akin to what you would find in a boss rush mode of a game. While that may sound intimidating to some newcomers, don’t let that dampen your experience. Even if you aren’t the best at modes like that, the developers have made it very accessible for newcomers. One way they do this is by making the attack patterns of the first couple of bosses you play very repetitive, so that it’s easier to remember their attacks.

Closing thoughts

At the end of the day, I can’t say enough good things about how amazing Cuphead is. From an amazing art style to its very easy pick up and play controls, Cuphead is looking to be one of my all-time favorite indie titles right next to Shovel Knight and The Binding of Isaac. Cuphead will be released on Xbox One and PC sometime in 2016.

Aerosmith, Paramore, Ozzy Osbourne And More Added To The ‘Rock Band 4’ Set List!

by Josh JacksonJuly 20, 2015

Harmonix has announced nearly a dozen new songs that are set to launch on disc with Rock Band 4. As expected, these songs span generations of music that we can’t wait to rock out with.

Check out the new songs below:

Aerosmith – “Toys in the Attic”
The Cure – “Friday I’m In Love”
Dream Theater – “Metropolis – Part 1 “The Miracle And The Sleeper””
Foo Fighters – “The Feast and the Famine”
Judas Priest – “Halls Of Valhalla”
Live – “All Over You”
The Outfield – “Your Love”
Ozzy Osbourne – “Miracle Man”
Paramore – “Still Into You”
St. Vincent – “Birth In Reverse”
Van Morrison – “Brown Eyed Girl”

These songs join tracks from Jack White, Elvis Presley, Queens of the Stone Age, The Killers and many many more, on top of the hundreds of downloadable songs already available from previous games. With current gen versions supporting our old instruments, it just might be time to dust them off and get the band back together.

Want to sample some of the tracks and get that singing voice ready? Check out the official Spotify playlist now! Until then, join us in counting the days until Rock Band 4 returns on October 6th for PS4 and Xbox One.

SDCC 2015: We Go Hands-On With ‘Rare Replay’!

by The_aczJuly 19, 2015

This year’s San Diego Comic-Con may be over, but that doesn’t mean coverage on it has to stop (seriously, we just saw so much). Last week, I had the chance of visiting the Xbox Gaming Lounge to spend some time with Rare’s new anniversary collection, Rare Replay. For those who don’t know, Rare Replay is a 30th anniversary title that celebrates the company’s 30 years of being in the industry. 30 years, 30 games, 30 dollars, what a deal, huh?

The game collection on this pack is massive, ranging from spectrum games like Jetpac and Sabreman, to some of their newest outings like Viva Piñata and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

The collection as a whole includes: Jet Pac , Atic Atac, Lunar Jetman, Sabre Wulf, UnderWurlde, Knight Lore, Gunfright, Slalom, R.C. Pro-Am, Cobra Triangle, Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, Digger T. Rock, Solar Jetman, Battletoads, , R.C. Pro-Am II, Battletoads Arcade, Killer Instinct Gold, Blast Corp, Banjo Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, Perfect Dark, Banjo Tooie, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Grabbed By The Ghoulies, Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo: Elements of Power, Viva Piñata, Jetpac Refueled, Viva Piñata: Trouble In Paradise, and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. It’s really quite the list.

For the sake of the demo, I only tried out Nuts & Bolts and Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, so other people would have a chance of trying the title out. Both games functioned as they should and were just as fun as when they came out. Although, the controls for Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll felt a little odd due to using a control stick on an isometric view. While Nuts & Bolts was fun for a first time playing it, the game was suffering from framerate issues in some areas, specifically when you’re in the main overworld, Showdown Town. They let me know that they were still working on debugging and fixing most of their 360 titles, so hopefully framerate issues on a far more powerful console won’t make it to the final release.

Sure, the collection of games is amazing, but knowing Rare, they always love going one step beyond. Not only is the game collection only 1/3rd of the actual game, but there’s also 2 other fully fleshed out features in the title. This includes a snapshot challenge mode where you’re tasked with completing specific challenges from old games in order to earn stamps (infinite Battletoads turbo tunnel anyone). Once you’ve earned enough stamps, you’ll be able to access the last part of the game titled Rare Revealed, where you can access developer diaries and interviews.

All in all, Rare Replay is shaping up to be an amazing game and certainly one that Xbox One and Rare fans don’t want to miss out on. For Rare fans, it’s a must buy, and for non-Rare fans, this is the perfect time to jump in and see what this company is all about. Rare Replay will be released in North America August 4th, Japan August 6th, and the U.K August 7th.

SDCC 2015: Release Date And Details Announced For ‘Disney Infinity 3.0’

by Josh JacksonJuly 15, 2015

Disney Interactive has announced that their upcoming Star Wars themed Toys to Life title, Disney Infinity 3.0, will hit stores on August 30th. Aside from the game itself, the studio plans to release close to a dozen new figures to go with it, so we hope the next month is enough time to get your cash together!

Aside from the Starter Pack, (which includes the Twilight of the Republic Play Set, Anakin Skywalker and Ashoka Tano,) day one will see the release of Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi’s standalone figures, Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, Sabine Wren, and Zeb Orrelios from Star Wars Rebels, and a set of Star Wars Power Discs. Of course, if you want even more goodness from a galaxy far far away, Playstation owners can also purchase the Star Wars Saga Starter Pack, which gives them early access to Luke, Leia, the Twilight of the Empire Play Set, and Boba Fett.

Outside of the Jedi, Disney won’t leave themselves in the dust. In addition, the Inside Out Play Set will release on day one as well, (which is bundled with Joy and Anger,) with Sadness, Disgust and Fear releasing as standalone toys. If you want your Toy Box characters outside of the Play Sets, Disney also has you covered with the releases of Mickey, Minnie, Mulan, Olaf, Sam Flynn and Quorra, alongside a Tomorrowland power disc pack to customize your Toy Box with.

I know, this is already a huge amount of toys to buy on day one, but the last release can be free of charge! If you pre-order, each person who does walks away with early access to the Toy Box Takeover, a multiplayer expansion normally priced at $19.99. Serving as an action adventure mode supporting 2 players locally and 4 players online, players will be able to take any toy from the previous or current game and travel across multiple Disney, Marvel and Star Wars worlds in their quest to stop Syndrome. Later this Fall, Toy Box Speedway, a Kart racing expansion, will also release, but you’ll have to pay for that one.

Here’s the full press release:

Disney Interactive Announces North American Release Date for Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition,

Offers Toy Box Takeover Expansion Game as Pre-Order Incentive

New Information and Assets Released for Toy Box Expansion Games

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – (July 8, 2015) Disney Interactive today announced that the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack, featuring the Star Wars™ Twilight of the Republic Play Set, will be available in North America on August 30, 2015. The following will also be available at launch:

Star Wars™ Twilight of the Republic Play Set (Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano figures included) for players who choose to digitally download the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Software; additional standalone figures (Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Power Disc Pack

Star Wars Rebels™ figures (Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, Sabine Wren, and Zeb Orrelios)

Star Wars™ Saga Starter Pack

Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out Play Set (Joy and Anger figures included) and additional standalone figures (Sadness, Disgust and Fear)

Disney figures (Mickey, Minnie, Mulan, Olaf, Sam Flynn and Quorra)

Tomorrowland Power Disc Pack

Additional Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Play Sets and figures will be available throughout the fall.

Fans who pre-order a Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack at participating retail stores will receive an early copy of the Toy Box Expansion Game, Toy Box Takeover, an action-adventure valued at $19.99, featuring multiplayer gameplay allowing players to use all of their favorite Disney Infinity characters across Star Wars™, Marvel, Disney and Disney•Pixar.

Toy Box Takeover is one of two new Toy Box Expansion Games available to play in Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition. The second will be Toy Box Speedway, a kart-racing game, also set for release this fall. Toy Box Expansion Games unlock additional hours of gameplay inside Toy Box 3.0. Players place a Toy Box Expansion Game Piece on the Disney Infinity Base to unlock pre-built games that instantly take them into the action, mixing and matching characters from across The Walt Disney Company and using unlocked toys and gadgets to complete missions.

Toy Box Expansion Game Overviews:

Toy Box Takeover

When Syndrome gets his hands on Merlin’s magic wand, it’s up to the player to stop him. Using their favorite characters in Disney Infinity, they must battle across multiple worlds, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Marvel’s Upper Manhattan, The Old West, or The Incredibles Volcano Lair to defeat the bad guys before they ruin the Toy Box forever. Players can complete missions with family and friends via two-player local co-op or four-player online.

Toy Box Speedway

Players can join their favorite Disney, Disney•Pixar, Marvel’s and Star Wars characters and vehicles in an action-packed kart-racer. With nine franchise-themed tracks to choose from – Sugar Rush, Frozen, Tatooine, a classic Star Wars location, San Fransokyo, Agrabah, Monsters Inc., Halloween Town, Gravity Falls or Marvel’s Knowhere – they can choose from three different game modes including Time Trial mode, Race mode and Combat mode. Players put their driving skills to the test as they attack opponents with gadgets and weapons and earn trophies across three challenge cups.

Rated E10+ by the ESRB, the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack available in North America on August 30, 2015 for $64.99, includes the Star Wars™ Twilight of the Republic Play Set, the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Base, Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker character figures, and a web code card that unlocks content for PC and mobile devices.

Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Video Game and Base are required to play the Toy Box Expansion Games. Toy Box Takeover and Toy Box Speedway will be sold separately at the suggested retail price of $19.99 each later this fall.

All figures and Power Discs from the 1.0 and 2.0 editions of Disney Infinity will be compatible with Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition in the enhanced Toy Box 3.0.

We were lucky enough to try out the Play Sets and the Toy Box Speedway between E3 and Comic Con, which you’ll be able to read about really soon! Until then, let us know if Disney has you hooked and what content you’re planning on buying! And don’t forget, follow our Twitter feeds @geekscapedotnet and @geekscapegames to find out how to win a Darth Vader figure in advance!

SDCC 2015: Hands-On with Halo 5’s Warzone!

by jake108July 14, 2015

By now, hardcore fans everywhere have seen the videos. Warzone promises to be the next step into large-scale multiplayer combat. Before this, Halo‘s biggest multiplayer mode was Big Team Battle, which pit two teams of 8 against each other. Warzone is similar in concept, but it pushes out to be bigger than anything fans have experienced before. Warzone is everything you see; it’s new, it’s big, it’s fast, and it’s fun.

From the time the match started, until the time it ended, I couldn’t help but think how fun this mode is going to be with friends. As you’ve previously seen, each game starts with retaking your base from enemies. In this particular map, the base is overrun by Prometheans. Surprisingly, these enemies aren’t as easy to take down as you’d think and I wholeheartedly prefer it this way. It’ll take your entire team to eliminate enemies in your base effectively and quick. But once your base is free and clear, you and your team are then thrust into the large map against an opposing team.

Throughout the match, each team is vying to reach 1,000 points before the other. Points are of course given when you kill the opposing team and capture bases placed around the map. Teams that are down by a ton of points should not be discouraged. If your team is able to rally, and if you are able to destroy the enemy’s core in their own base, your team will win the game.

What makes Warzone stand out from previous Halo multiplayer modes is the inclusion of enemy AI, and not just at the start of the match. Throughout Warzone, players will also have to battle against more Promotheans, Covenant, and opposing team Marines. Marines will keep watch over captured bases and will communicate with each other in an attempt to take down enemy spartans. It usually doesn’t go well.

During the match, announcements will be made making players aware of the presence of enemy AI bosses. These bosses will sometimes spawn, near bases or even in vehicles. Taking them down will reward the assassin with a large sum of points. Because of this, the AI bosses will sometimes act as a nexus and attract a larger battle between the boss and his friends, red team, and blue team. I also noticed that no two matches are the same. The game will change according to how each player plays, reacts, and decides what they want to do. One player may focus on capturing bases while another may want to hunt down enemy AI to secure some big points. Some players may want to hang back and snipe while others may want to spend points on purchasing large vehicles and comb the map.

As points are earned, players are also treated to a new requisition system. For those of you familiar with Gears of War‘s Beast Mode, this will be simple. Players accumulate points in which they can spend during the respond screen so that they are able to spawn with a variety of weapons. Essentially, you are spending points to create your own custom loadout in real time. This creates an added layer of strategic thinking. Depending on how the enemy team is playing, you may want to spend your points on certain weapons. However, points spending is not limited to just weapons.

Players will also be able to spend points on vehicles. The choice is always yours, and with team communication, one team can dominate another team with poor communication. One thing about Warzone that everyone needs to realize is that the match cannot be one by just a couple of spartans. It’s going to take the team. So far, Warzone looks to be the mode I’ll dive into right after campaign.

Halo 5: Guardians is set to release October 27th, 2015

SDCC 2015: ‘Doctor Who’ Season 9 Trailer (and More Goodies!)

by Gabriel von GrünbaumJuly 9, 2015

(better read with a British accent)

One of the brilliant things about San Diego Comic-Con is that it’s making life aces even if you’re not jammy enough to be there getting gobsmacked directly.

Sure, if you’re at the Con you can pick up the exclusive Doctor Who comic (covers’ art by Alice X. Zhang) and you’re likely jolly well delighted to be the first to get the scrummy scoop first-hand on the Whovian chapter of LEGO Dimensions. . . Let us pause to reflect on the trailer:

However, you’re no damp squib if you’re not arse over elbow with the makeuped and costumed in Southern California—you’ll just need a smidge of patience for your fix.

If, like me, you’ve been suffering doldrums waiting yonks for the good Doctor’s return to the telly then it may please you to hear the announcement out of SDCC 2015 that we only have to make it a bit further—September 19, Doctor Who returns! While the news of Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams’s appearance is now officially confirmed, showrunner Steven Moffat isn’t dropping much in the way of more clues. (Judging only by the cracking trailer, I’m going to guess she’s Zorro.)

Fancy a dekko at the series 9 trailer?—it’ll put the colour back in your cheeks.

Blinding! Not enough? Feast your hungry little skull orbs on these highlights from the panel. Pip pip now, off you pop.

Telltale’s ‘Minecraft: Story Mode’ Just Got This Swanky New Trailer!

by Shane O'HareJuly 4, 2015

Way back at the end of 2014 Telltale and Mojang announced a brand new partnership. Telltale would be putting their own creative spin on the Minecraft universe. Today we finally have a look at what we can expect with Minecraft: Story Mode.

Players will control protagonist Jesse throughout the season, as portrayed by actor Patton Oswalt. Jesse and his group of friends revere the legendary Order of the Stone; four adventurers who slayed an Ender Dragon. The Order are the very best at what they do: Warrior, Redstone Engineer, Griefer, and Architect. While at EnderCon, Jesse and his friends discover that something is wrong… something dreadful. Terror is unleashed, and they must set out on a journey to find The Order of the Stone if they are to save their world from oblivion.

The season will feature Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, Ashley Johnson, Scott Porter, Martha Plimpton, Dave Fennoy, Corey Feldman, Billy West, and Paul Reubens. Additional casting details for the season are yet to be announced.

Though a bit on the cheesy side, I find the trailer to be endearing. Each of the characters obviously are embodying the different kinds of players you’d run into playing Minecraft online.

It will be very interesting to see what Telltale does with a property that is fairly thin with existing narrative.

Minecraft: Story Mode will be released sometime in 2015 on ALL platforms.

Check Out This Amazing Leaked Alpha Footage Of ‘Star Wars Battlefront III’

by Shane O'HareJuly 2, 2015

DICE and EA are gonna be PISSED that this stuff leaked, or it is all a clever ruse to pump out some Alpha Test footage and get the hype train going at full steam. Check out what our friends over at All Games Beta have curated.

۞ by AGB-Videos

It is really comforting to see the quality in game matches what we saw at E3 this year, and that even though the game size has been nerfed (20 vs 20), the battles seem to be very intense.

Star Wars Battlefront III hits stores this November 17th on PC, PS4, Xbox One

E3 2015: ‘The Taken King’ Aims To Deliver A Bigger, Better ‘Destiny’

by Josh JacksonJune 26, 2015

It’s well documented that back when Destiny launched in September, the ambitious first person shooter looked to create a universe that grew as time went on, while connecting players in ways that hadn’t been seen on a console before. Yet, many reviewers and gamers alike felt like the game in its base state had under delivered on its promises, with repetitive missions and limited multiplayer functionality. As we approach the first year of the game’s life, its subsequent updates and add-ons have improved the game substantially, but Activision is hoping that The Taken King, Destiny‘s first full fledged expansion, will serve as the bridge between bringing back old players while recruiting new ones. Based on what we’ve seen so far, it might have enough content to do just that.

Hoping to feature a much stronger narrative compared to the main game, The Taken King revolves around Oryx, a god like being who looks to destroy the guardians with his army of Taken, reanimated and corrupted versions of the dead. On top of Taken versions of returning enemies, you’ll also have to square off with other Guardians who were killed in action, forcing you to go against enemies with your abilities.

Luckily for us Guardians who didn’t suck enough to get killed, the expansion will give us an extra advantage thanks to the new weapons and sub classes that are being added. With gear that now goes up to level 30, we’ll need to be armed to the teeth if we hope to take down Oryx. In addition, Titans, Hunters and Warloks each get new classes to expand their abilities. First, Sunbreakers will give Titans a flaming hammer that lets them take out surrounding enemies with ease. Nightstalkers allow Hunters to live up to their namesake, granting them an energy bow for long range kills. Lastly, the Stormcaller class brings rains down lightning on the Taken, courtesy of the Warlocks and their newfound ability to manipulate electricity. Then again, if all you want to do is shoot stuff, there will be two new weapon types for you to go to town with!

From the brief footage we saw of The Taken King in action, it’s not hard to see why this might be what converts doubters into faithful Guardians in no time. With a deeper story, more raids, stronger weapons and armor, sub classes that expand on the standard abilities, and new enemies to test your mettle, it’ll be interesting to see how the expansion changes the game when its released in September.

What are your thoughts on The Taken King so far? Sound off below, and check back in with us for more E3 coverage as its released!

E3 2015: ‘Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4’ Is As Over The Top, (And Over Dramatic,) As Ever!

by Josh JacksonJune 24, 2015

So as you may or may not know, the main Naruto series wrapped up late last year. With the story coming to fruition, that leaves the video games wide open, with the ability to feature a full roster, expanded abilities, and some of the craziest jutsu’s you’ll likely ever see. Considering the Ultimate Ninja Storm series always manages to take things to an even higher level than its source material, and I knew that Storm 4, the upcoming title that looks to explore the finale of the Fourth Great Ninja War, would not disappoint. As expected, the E3 demo had more of everything when it came to its five playable characters. More moves, more awakenings, more flashbacks, more angst… It’s what we’ve all come to know and love about the Naruto franchise!

Having the option of fighting with up to two partners for support, Storm 4 doesn’t veer far from the game play of the previous games. Starting battles in a more dynamic way, with each team clashing at the center of the stage before the fight starts, each ninja will be able to mix up normal attacks, special attacks, substitution counters, and Ultimate Techniques to take out their opposition. Using techniques from the final chapters of the manga, characters like Obito debuts in his Six Paths form, while Edo Madara and Sasuke can each fight as or unleash their Susano ability, which results in some wildly over the top scenes. Even Sakura got a significant update, mirroring her crowning achievement in the final chapters. What adds an even more authentic touch, is like in previous games, defeating enemies with an ultimate jutsu results in a flashback, with the winning character delivering some inspirational, sometimes angsty internal dialogue. Just wait until they start crying blood!

Now that I mentioned it, fighting AS Susano is pretty great. As veterans might have figured, this is Madara and Sasuke’s Awakening ability, which is a powerful transformation that’s triggered when low on health and after the super meter is charged beyond capacity. Not allowing the Uchiha clan to have all the fun, Naruto can go full Nine Tails mode, firing off Bijuu Bombs like nobody’s business. Sakura’s chakra release reveals her full strength, with each landing blow resulting in an earth shaking pause. I have to say, watching Awakened Sakura in action was the highlight of my time, since the game finally captured how much of a badass she can be. Then again, it took almost 700 chapters for the manga to realize it, so the game gets a pass.

If you’ve played a Storm game before, you know what to expect, only now, with a bigger, better roster and move set. If you’ve never played them before, these games just might be the mindless, button mashing fun you’ve been looking for. Considering I’m still having so much fun with the game after I’ve played every one in the series since it debuted, it shows how much fun summoning a giant fox on top of ninjas can be.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 wraps up the series this fall, for PS4 and Xbox One.

E3 2015: Changing The Game With ‘Call Of Duty: Black Ops III’

by Josh JacksonJune 23, 2015

Is it safe to say we can add one thing to the things that are guaranteed in life? Along with death and taxes, an annual Call Of Duty is essentially a given at this point. When approaching an annual franchise such as this, the question that surely comes up is how to make it different from its predecessors while keeping the foundation of the wildly popular title intact. In Call Of Duty: Black Ops III, Treyarch seems up to the challenge, integrating some futuristic tech and insane, new abilities to the battlefield. At E3, we checked out the combat in the campaign to find out how much war has changed this year.

While the Black Ops sub series has typically focused on past wars like Vietnam while the main series shifted from WWII to more futuristic settings, this third game decided to play catch up. Taking place in a ruined future, your squad consists of a cybernetic team of enhanced soldiers with some powerful abilities to combat the army you’re up against. Featuring both split screen and online co-op play, each character can be fully customizable, including character creation options in campaign. Once the appearance is set, the load outs and abilities determine their offensive capabilities, which obviously affect how you approach battles.

On that subject, battle felt so much different compared to past games, Most COD games revolve around shooting, taking cover for about five seconds until your bullet wounds self heal, then pop out of cover to do it all again, with the occasional gadget or heavy weapon to mix things up. In Black Ops III, the team is looking to change that mentality, thanks to what’s being called the Cyber Core. This function allows players to change their abilities, tools and attacks on the fly, some of which are so crazy, you’ll wonder if you’re still playing Call Of Duty! From what we saw, soldiers will be able to remotely hack turrets and drones, point at enemies and make them explode Frieza style, ride mechs, destroy mechs, summon insects to tear enemies apart, sprint across the map to punch people out at high speed, and even drop a spiked disc on foes to rip them to shreds! What game is this again?

With friends being able to join your story combined with all of these new powers, the game had to evolve to compensate as well. One of the most noticeable changes was how big the campaign map on display was. Enemies were pouring out from all sides, making it easy to become overwhelmed. Abusing your new tools is a must, since the fights just seemed to flow so much better when the entire team was pulling their weight. Much more preferable over the typically useless AI, Black Ops III has a real chance of being the game to play with all your friends.

While this is one of the last things I expected coming in, I left feeling like this year’s Call Of Duty has a chance to be one of the biggest surprises of the year. It’s not every day that a long standing franchise changes its features up to such an extent, but I’m hoping that the risk pays off for the folks at Treyarch. Combining the campaign with the return of Zombie Mode and the online multiplayer that we’ve come to expect, and it looks like even the most seasoned soldiers will have to stay on their toes when Black Ops III releases this holiday.

E3 2015: We Bro Up With ‘Super Dungeon Bros.’

by Josh JacksonJune 23, 2015

Any game that allows four player couch co-op is always welcome. Say what you will about online gaming, but there’s nothing like being able to settle in with your bros, (and bro-ettes?), grab a bunch of controllers, and go crazy. With local team ups becoming more and more rare, it’s always exciting to see a game get the full, team up treatment. In Super Dungeon Bros., both online and local “bro-op” are supported, allowing four players to rock out in this rock-and-roll inspired hack and slash. We sat down with the game at E3 to check in on how the game is coming along so far.

Tasked as choosing between Axl, Lars, Ozzie or Freddie, four knights with distinct personalities to match with their bright colored armor, game play relies less on who you choose, and more on what you choose! Each bro can choose a variety of weapons, including swords, bows and hammers. Aside from the typical differences between attacks, such as speed, damage and range, each one also has their own, unique abilities that help the team clear enemies from each room. For example, the sword unlocks what’s called the “Bronado,” where its user activates a prolonged spin attack, while stacking the partners he makes contact with on top of him, resulting in a spinning tower of pain for their enemies.

On that subject, stacking is important when progressing through the dungeons. A co-op game in every sense of the word, progression often requires partners to team up. Whether that means stacking and throwing bros over gaps, activating multi person switches, or opening distant doors for the rest of the team to go through, working together is key to advancing. With that in mind, the team has to make sure to be on the same page, since taking too long results in larger waves of enemies respawning. Taking too long to enjoy the scenery can result in a tougher dungeon, so you’ll always want to be moving. Then again, don’t move TOO much, since dodge rolling consecutively leads to your bro getting dizzy. It’s all a balance, you see.

Like a Call Of Duty E3 presentation, Super Dungeon Bros is bro from head to toe. Including plenty of co-op abilities, four player local and online modes, awesome music, unique abilities and characters with their own sets of wisecracks, and a fast paced play style, and you get what’s shaping up to be a very enjoyable multiplayer experience. With cross play between the Xbox One and Windows 10, or PS4 to PC, you’ll have plenty of ways to team up with your friends and rock out when the game is released late this year.

E3 2015: We Check Out Lady’s Playable Debut In ‘Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition’

by Josh JacksonJune 22, 2015

One of the most exciting aspects of the upcoming Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition when it was announced was the expanded list of playable characters. Joining Dante and Nero are Trish, Dante’s original partner and unlockable protagonist in the first and second games, Virgil, Dante’s brother and antagonist of Devil May Cry 3, who made his playable debut in that game’s special edition as well as returning in DmC: Devil May Cry, and Lady, the explosive bayonet wielding demon hunter who Dante befriended in the third game. Yet, despite appearing in two games, Lady has never appeared in a playable role. You would think being a demon killing human with a giant gun in a world filled with monsters would be the perfect character to play with. Apparently, the people at Capcom agreed, since she is finally making her playable debut, which is why we couldn’t help but try her out at E3 to see if the wait is worth it.

Usable in both the main campaign and the Bloody Palace survival mode, it’s immediately clear that Lady requires players to be much more methodical in their approach to building combos. With her main weapon, she is able to fire off explosives at long range, while using the bayonet blade to cut up opponents up close. With three different firearms as sub weapons, switching to each one at key points is vital to keep the combos flowing, especially since her main attacks are relatively slow.

Lacking any kind of dash makes it harder for her to close in on faraway enemies, Lady makes up for it with her grappling hook. With a quick tap, she can latch onto enemies and pull herself towards them, pull them to her, or launch into the air by using her foes as a target. Being able to master this grappling technique in combination with her firearms, melee attacks and special moves make getting high stylish scores much different compared to the rest of the cast, but when you start seeing those S ranks pop up in battle, the effort is definitely worth it.

While completely unique compared to the rest of the cast, Lady’s learning curve might put off some at first. With that said, her unique approach to battles separates her from the existing cast, adding more variety to an already deep action game. Want to play with Lady, Dante, Nero, and the rest of the cast? PS4, Xbox One and PC owners will get to try them for themselves when Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition releases digitally on June 23rd.

E3 2015: MGS5 ‘Metal Gear V: The Phantom Pain’

by Megan HaleyJune 19, 2015

Konami seems to be the center of consistent controversy in the gaming world over the last few years. Fans were shocked when the news broke all the way back in 2013 of the creative decision to pick Keifer Sutherland as the new voice of Big Boss over the classic Snake/Big Boss actor since the debut of the Solid series, David Hayter. Along with the announcement and whirlwind cancellation of the highly anticipated Silent Hills coupled with Hideo Kojima’s abrupt release from the production company, hardcore fans’ confidence on the future of their beloved Konami franchises have been shaken. What does the future hold for the beloved franchise with creator Hideo Kojima off of future projects? Well, we didn’t get a hands on at the show with what seems to be his final game with Konami, but from what we saw of the live gameplay demo, things are actually looking pretty “solid.”

If you weren’t a big fan of Ground Zeroes, you are in for some disappointment, unfortunately. Even the presenter during the live demo confirmed it will be much of the same. There is a main base referred to as the ACC, or Arial Command Center, where you prepare for a number of different assignments. From here, you can customize your weapons to a minute amount of detail with “practically limitless” possibilities. You can also look at pictures of your teammate, Quiet, (among other things), which are pinned to the wall, or look through your missions and collected arsenal. The game is an open world map with mission-based objectives which can be completed in any order. One new feature of the game is to bring along a side-kick character. We were introduced to D-Horse and D-Dog which could be taken onto the field to assist Boss with completing his mission objectives. You also have the choice of a vehicle to bring with you. We were shown a tank and a jeep, the latter of which was ultimately chosen alongside the D-dog and a morning drop.

Speaking of, when you set off for a mission, you will have the option of a drop time. You can choose to be dropped right that moment in in-game time, a morning drop, or a night drop, which will ultimately affect your mission. While you are out on the field, realistic weather conditions, including sandstorms, can limit visibility while altering the way you will play at random and in real-time.

When Boss was shown driving in the jeep, it was seamless and smooth. The landscape had gorgeous detail and you could really feel the heat of the desert area where the player was dropped. Once the mission target was reached, there was some dialogue that occurred on how to best complete the mission objective for that location. Verbal cues would trigger when objectives were met and advice was given from your base as the mission progressed. D-Dog had the ability to locate enemies from a distance and attack and stun enemies without alerting them to Boss’ presence. Combining this with the extremely dynamic combat, the audio and visual qualities and the return of the classic “CQC” take-down ability makes defeating enemies a truly satisfying experience.

The Fulton Device originally introduced in MGS: Peace Walker also makes a return. In the demo that was shown, the player was tasked with capturing a Russian interpreter to be taken back to base and tasked with translation of enemy conversations. Mission objectives and targets of interest will be mapped and marked by your HUD as they are discovered. Occasionally, you might come across a friendly in peril, and you have the option to rescue them and Fulton them out of harms way and back to base.

One feature includes collectible music recordings that you may find throughout the open world. During the demo, one such cassette was found after using a stealth take down on an enemy soldier and nabbing it from his radio. A la GTA, you can play the tunes you discover at will during your mission. From what we have been shown, they include a few fairly well-known songs.

The wait is almost over, Metal Gear fans. The game will be available for retail release worldwide on September 1st, 2015. Likely being the last “true” Metal Gear game, it’s one that fans won’t want to miss out on.

E3 2015: Here Are The Xbox 360 Games You Can Play On Xbox One RIGHT NOW!

by Josh JacksonJune 19, 2015

As far as my E3 hype goes, the announcement that I was most excited for was the Xbox One receiving backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games! Of course, there had to be a catch, this time being that it would only apply to certain games. Promising over 100 titles by year’s end, the first 21 have been revealed as playable right now!

Consisting of mostly Rare games, (that were likely emulated already to prepare for the upcoming Rare Replay,) or games everyone should have, (does anyone not own Hexic HD?), reclaiming your downloaded games will be as simple as finding them on the store! For physical discs, the process is a little different. Once the disc is put into the console, your Xbone will recognize the title and allow you to download it from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Since disc reading won’t be possible, it’s safe to say that you’ll do well to upgrade your hard drive, (assuming you haven’t already after Halo: The MCC and AC: Unity ate up half your memory.) Players will even have the choice to switch to the old 360 interface when accessing their past titles! Whether or not online functionality will still work as intended through the new console is unknown, but considering Shadowrun, an online only shooter was listed in the teaser image, I’d say it’s a safe bet. We’ll be sure to update you as soon as more information is released.

The current list is as follows:

A Kingdom for Keflings

A World of Keflings

Alien Hominid HD

Banjo-Kazooie

Banjo-Tooie

BattleBlock Theater

Defense Grid

Geometry Wars Evolved

Hexic HD

Jetpac Refuelled

Kameo

Mass Effect

N+

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark Zero

Small Arms

Super Meat Boy

Toy Soldiers

Toy Soldiers: Cold War

Viva Piñata

Viva Piñata: Trouble In Paradise

Zuma.

Is there a particular game you want added? Check the Xbox Dashboard for their user poll, which allows you to vote for what you want to become available next! After you vote, tell us what you chose in the comments!

E3 2015: ‘Battleborn’ Revolutionizes The First Person Shooter Like Only Gearbox Can

by Josh JacksonJune 18, 2015

When Borderlands took the gaming world by storm, the developers at Gearbox showed that blending the tried and true FPS genre with the progression and growth of an RPG was a winning formula. Rather than be satisfied with the mega franchise that it’s become, the team is hoping to push the envelope even further with their latest title, Battleborn. As big fans of their previous work, we made sure to get some hands on time with it on the show floor and see if they could recreate the magic.

One of the first things that we noticed with Battleborn is how much character variety the title will offer. Promising up to about 50 characters to choose from with five player co-op, each character is so wildly different from each other that it’s likely to ensure that no two playthroughs will be the same. Sure, if you want to take the more traditional road, there are characters that specialize in automatic weapons, heavy artillery or sniper rifles. If you’re like me and want something with a little more class, maybe the rapier wielding Phoebe is more your style, who joins characters such as a dwarf in specializing in up close melee strikes. If swinging blades in a shooter sounds strange to you, that has nothing on the ninja mushroom that uses its head as a healing spore when he’s not throwing his deadly blades, or the four armed magic user who can speed in and out of the battlefield and away from danger.

If you were able to follow along with all of that, it’s clear that Battleborn is insane. To think that these are just a sample of the characters that will be available when the game launches at the end of the year makes it hard to imagine what else will be waiting for us. Either way, it’s fortunate that there are so many options, because as you and up to four other friends fight to extend the life of the last star in the universe, you’re going to want to have multiple ways to achieve such a task. Just because the galaxy is about to come to an end doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it, right?

The brief time we spend in the campaign mode felt instantly familiar for anyone who played Borderlands. Each character has their own skill trees, that can be expanded on as each character levels up. Every team member gets equal EXP when anyone defeats an enemy, so even terrible team members will get stronger and hopefully improve… Right? As we fought through hordes of enemies in between abusing special abilities and hacking away at the huge foes, it became clear that the bright, cartoony art style hid a deceptively challenging game, with large areas that get full quick. If Borderlands felt like an RPG, then Battleborn feels like a hack and slash in the same vein as games past, with a more stage focused setup as opposed to the big, open world from before. It feels similar enough to know you’ll love it while being different enough to stand out on its own. What more can you ask for in a new IP?

Battleborn is one of my biggest surprises coming out of E3 so far. What are your thoughts on what could be the next big co-op shooter? Let us know in the comments, and take a guess as to who your character is going to be!

E3 2015: Trackmania Turbo!

by jake108June 15, 2015

Trackmania Turbo is exactly as it sounds: an 0ver-the-top fun racing game that finds the balance between cartoony physics and die-hard racing fans. It’s no secret that gamers who don’t own a Nintendo console have been missing out on fun racing games. Trackmania Turbo looks to satisfy our needs.

Trackmania offers you the ultimate arcade racing universe where everything is about reaching the perfect racing time. Test your skills in over 200 tracks, experience immediate fun by challenging your friends at home (offline splitscreen) or online.The competition lasts forever: design and share your own tracks with other players in the Trackbuilder!

Trackmania Turbo will feature four different locations and four different gameplay modes. This most interesting of these modes is called Double-Driver. It’s a mode in which two people take control of one car on either one or two controllers. Should be a breeze for you Jaeger pilots out there.

Trackmania Turbo is set to release on Xbox One, PS4, and PC December 1, 2015!

E3 2015: Assassin’s Creed Syndicate!

by jake108June 15, 2015

We all knew it was coming. The next installment of the Assassin’s Creed saga is here and Ubisoft has showed it off through two videos. First, a cinematic story trailer:

London, 1868. The Industrial Revolution unleashes an incredible age of invention, transforming the lives of millions with technology once thought impossible. Opportunities created during this period have people rushing to London to engage in this new world, a world no longer controlled by kings, emperors, politicians, or religion, but by a new common denominator: money. Not everyone is able to enjoy the benefits of this boom, however. Introducing Jacob Frye, who with the help of his twin sister Evie, will change the fate of millions in Assassin’s Creed® Syndicate. Rise to rally and lead the underworld to break the corrupt stranglehold on London in a visceral adventure filled with action, intrigue, and brutal combat.

New location, new toys, and new people. If the cinematic trailer piqued your interest, check out a gameplay walkthrough narrated by Lydia Andrew, Audio Director on Assassin’s Creed Syndicate!

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is set to release Fall 2015!

E3 2015: The Division Gameplay Trailers!

by jake108June 15, 2015

Tom Clancy’s The Division, a Ubisoft title, has two trailers making the rounds today. The first, a story-driven trailer, reminds gamers just what this game is about. Set in an environment where society has fallen, The Division features a rag tag group of soldiers who are fighting to preserve what is left of society as we know it.

Check out the first trailer below:

The second trailer shows off the game’s multiplayer. The Division utilizes teamwork and a variety of toys in order to complete your objectives. Check it out for yourself:

The Division is set to release March 8th, 2016.

E3 2015: Gears of War 4 Gameplay Preview!

by jake108June 15, 2015

As expected, Microsoft announced the next title in the Gears of War franchise.

Two things stuck out immediately: First, we are treated to two new characters previously unseen in previous games. Second, the title of the game is Gears 4, meaning that this iteration will probably be taking place after the events of Gears of War 3. This is a welcomed assumption as I’m sure only a few of you would like to revisit something akin to Gears of War: Judgement.

Check out the gameplay preview below:

Gears 4 is set to release Holiday 2016.

E3 2015: Star Wars Battlefront Gameplay Trailer!

by jake108June 15, 2015

It’s finally here. A full-length gameplay trailer was released today showcasing a “Walker Assault” on Hoth. The gameplay is in the Pre-Alpha stage. Regardless, the visuals and mechanics look stunning. Without further ado, here’s the vid:

Star Wars Battlefront is set to release November 17, 2015.

E3 2015: Life is Strange E3 Trailer!

by jake108June 15, 2015

Something that wasn’t showcased this morning was Square Enix’s new episodic title Life is Strange. The game features a female protagonist on a journey though time. From the official site,

Life Is Strange is a five part episodic game that sets out to revolutionise story based choice and consequence games by allowing the player to rewind time and affect the past, present and future.

If you’re still unsure about how the game is handled, look no further:

Life is Strange currently has three episodes out now with episodes four and five on their way. The game is available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and Steam.

E3 2015: Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Announced!

by jake108June 15, 2015

Surely, this announcement made a huge splash this morning at Microsoft’s keynote, so we’ll get straight to the point. First, you must know that to be able to use the backwards compatiblity, you must be an Xbox Live Preview member.

Below is a list of Xbox 360 games ready to be played starting today:

Banjo Kazooie: N n B

Banjo-Kazooie

Banjo-Tooie

BattleBlock Theater

Defense Grid

Geometry Wars Evolved

Hexic HD

Jetpac Refuelled

Kameo

Mass Effect

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark Zero

Small Arms

Super Meat Boy

Toy Soldiers

Toy Soldiers: Cold War

Viva Piñata

Viva Piñata: TIP

With the promise that 100 would be playable soon with 300 available before the end of the year, the list is sure to grow. Here’s the word from Microsoft:

The Xbox One Backward Compatibility Beta is available starting June 15 for Xbox preview members. The program will launch broadly in fall 2015.

The digital titles that you own and are part of the Back Compat game catalog will automatically show up in the “Ready to Install” section on your Xbox One. For disc-based games that are a part of the Back Compat game catalog, simply insert the disc and the console will begin downloading the game to your hard drive. After the game has finished downloading, you will still need to keep the game disc in the drive to play.

So there you have it! Which title are you looking forward to revisiting?

E3 2015: Halo 5 Gameplay Showcase!

by jake108June 15, 2015

Microsoft started their E3 with a bang by bringing out Spartan Locke and company in a gameplay reveal trailer. The trailer, among other things, sets the stage for shape of things to come regarding Halo’s campaign. Spartan Locke and his team of Spartan IV’s, Sergeant Buck from Halo ODST included, are on a mission to bring the Master Chief and his friends back to the UNSC. It should be noted that Master Chief and his squad have deserted the UN.SC and are seen as traitors by many.

Campaign missions will feature drop-in/drop-out co-op gameplay for both Master Chief and Spartan Locke’s campaign missions, which is a sure upgrade from Halo: Reach. The gameplay trailer opens up with the Battle of Sunaion, which was a battle between what seemed to be Master Chief and his squad and the Storm Covenant from Halo 4. As the fight progresses, Locke and his team encounter new “soldier” class prometheans. Halo 5‘s new squad commands are also on display as Locke and his team sweep the city.

You can watch the full gameplay trailer below:

Second, 343i was proud to show off their new multiplayer mode, Warzone. This mode promises to feature player vs. player combat with the inclusion of AI enemies. The maps, as stated, are also promised to be four times larger than any previous Halo map to date.

You can check out Warzone below!

Halo 5‘s reveal is just beginning. Stay tuned for more Halo and E3 news as it comes!

Halo 5 Guardians is set to release October 27, 2015.

E3 2015: Dark Souls III Set for 2016

by jake108June 15, 2015

Fans of the Dark Souls series should be happy to see that Hidetaka Miyazaki and his team over at FROMSOFTWARE have been hard at work on Dark Souls III. Check out the trailer below!

Dark Souls III is the next chapter in the series and promises a variety of locations, sword and sorcery combat, comprehensive RPG gameplay, and “fearsome” beasts occupying a twisted world.

“The DARK SOULS series has built a revered reputation placing it in the highest echelon of revered video game properties of all time. We are very excited to see Hidetaka Miyazaki and his talented team at FROMSOFTWARE working on DARK SOULS III.”

– Chris Gilbert, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc

Dark Souls III is set to release early 2016.

E3 2015: Gears of War Ultimate Edition!

by jake108June 15, 2015

It’s here, folks! Let’s be real here, we all knew it was coming. 60 fps, 1080p, Gears of War Ultimate Edition promises to play just like we remember. To be clear, this is not a remaster of the past three games. Ultimate Edition features only the first Gears of War title.

But don’t let that stop you. Codes for the games beta are being rolled out to Xbox Live members. It is a public beta that will run throughout the week so we can all get in on the action. And if you’re having trouble downloading the beta to your console, do not fear, I am too.

Gears of War Ultimate Edition releases August 25th, 2015.

E3 2015: ‘Fallout 4’ Coming On November 10th!

by Derek KraneveldtJune 14, 2015

Briefly: It’s coming far sooner than I’d expected, and it looks absolutely phenomenal.

Yep, Bethesda just revealed far more of Fallout 4 than we saw in its announcement trailer last week, and it was breathtaking.

Words really, really don’t do it justice, so take a look at the Fallout 4 E3 footage below, get a far bigger peak of post-war Boston, and let us know what you think.

Oh yeah, and it releases on November 10th. I guess Christmas is early this year.

https://youtu.be/InxJ59Netms

One of the coolest looking new features? Being able to rebuild your town, attract people into it, and protect it from raiders. Aw yiss.

The First Trailer For ‘Resident Evil 0’ HD Remaster Is Here!

by Derek KraneveldtJune 8, 2015

Briefly: When Resident Evil HD Remaster became Capcom’s fastest selling digital title in history, and also broke the record for the biggest selling day one digital title on the PlayStation Network, we were pretty certain it wouldn’t be the last Resident Evil remaster we’d see.

We were (thankfully) right. A few weeks back, Capcom officially unveiled a remastered edition of Resident Evil 0, which is slated to hit PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC in early 2016.

Being a survival horror fan who missed out Resident Evil 0 up to this point (and also a gamer who thoroughly enjoyed the remaster of Resident Evil), I’m pretty excited to see where the series chronologically began.

The first trailer for the title has just been released, and it looks fantastic. You can take a look below, and let us know what you think!

Bethesda Officially Announces ‘Fallout 4’

by Derek KraneveldtJune 3, 2015

Briefly: Yesterday, an ominous countdown appeared on Bethesda’s official Fallout website. We weren’t entirely sure if, when the countdown expired, we’d see the announcement of a new Fallout game, or if the publisher would simply tease us until E3 in a couple of weeks.

Well, Bethesda just saved us a ton of frustration, and essentially made us cream out pants in excitement, by revealing Fallout 4 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One today.

Bethesda notes that you can tune into their E3 Showcase on Sunday, June 14th at 7:00pm PT to see the world premiere of the game.

The cinematic trailer confirms that Fallout 4 takes place in the Commonwealth that we’ve heard so much about in previous games. This is, of course, the game’s version of Massachusetts.

Now, Fallout 3 is one of the few open world games that I’ve ever truly enjoyed (and I couldn’t put it down), and as such, I really, really, couldn’t be more excited for this. Judging from everything we’ve heard since the countdown went live yesterday, it sounds like most of you feel the same way.

Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know what you’d like to see in Fallout 4.

https://youtu.be/GE2BkLqMef4