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Amazon Games Studios announce their first three games

30/9/2016

 
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The three titles were revealed during this week’s TwitchCon 2016 event, with each game featuring a heavy focus on streaming.

by Liam Andrews
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@pass_controller


According to Amazon, Breakaway, New World and Crucible have been designed to be as fun to watch as they are to play, with each game including new Twitch features that “put broadcasters in the spotlight and bring spectators into the action.”
Breakaway
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Breakaway is powered by Amazon’s Lumberyard engine, and integrates directly with Twitch. The game is described as a “4v4 mythological sports brawler built for fast action, teamwork and livestreaming.”
 
Players assemble their teams from a roster of legendary warriors, including Spartacus, the sorceress Morgan Le Fay, and even Vlad the Impaler. The idea of the game is to control an item known as ‘the Relic’, and score points by “smashing it into an opponent’s base.” Maps will include a number of fabled locations, such as El Dorado, Atlantis and Styx.
 
Breakaway also features something called ‘buildables’: these structures can “besiege foes, shield teammates, or create new pathways through the arena” to dynamically alter a match.
 
Check out the video below to see the game in action, and if you like what you see be sure to
sign up for the alpha which is scheduled to take place later this year.

New World

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New World is an open-ended MMO based around 17th century colonial America, but with a fantastical twist: in this cursed land, the supernatural is real.
 
New World lets players tackle the game any way they want, whether it’s teaming up to reclaim monster haunted lands, building thriving civilizations or just going it alone and seeing how long they can survive in the wilderness. The game features an evolving world that “transforms with seasons, weather, and time of day.”
 
Take a look at the short reveal trailer below for a glimpse at what the game will offer:

Crucible

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The third game unveiled by Amazon Game Studios is a third-person shooter where 12 players battle it out on an alien and hostile world to be the last one standing. Alliances can be made or broken on the fly, and a thirteenth player can livestream matches on Twitch and influence battles by triggering in-game events.
 
Here’s a quick reveal trailer:
What do you make of Amazon’s first foray into the world of gaming? Do any of these three titles take your fancy? Let us know in the forums or in the comments below.
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new gameplay videos showcase Dishonored 2's contrasting playstyles, pre-order to play the game a day early

30/9/2016

 
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Bethesda are rewarding people who pre-order Arkane Studios’ sequel with 24 hours of early access to the game ahead of its worldwide launch.

by Liam Andrews
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@pass_controller


To celebrate the news, the publisher has released a new gameplay video called ‘Kill the Grand Inventor’.

In the video we get to see Emily Kaldwin working her way through the Grand Inventor’s Clockwork Mansion, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake thanks to her supernatural abilities and handy set of murder gadgets.
Bethesda have also released a contrasting video showing Emily's more merciful side. Titled 'Save Anton Sokolov', deadly violence takes a back seat this time in favour of stealth and knockout blows.
Dishonored 2 releases 11 November on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
 
Will you be pre-ordering for early access? Let us know in the comments or over in the forums.
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No Man's Sky developers investigated by the ASA

29/9/2016

 
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Hello Games have attracted a lot of complaints from customers who feel deceived by the developer's advertising for No Man's Sky, and now the Advertising Standards Authority are involved.

by Chris Brand
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@pass_controller


One Reddit user, going by the name of AzzerUK, claims to have received a response from the ASA, stating that Valve and Hello Games have been asked to defend, or remove, certain trailers, screenshots and information from the Steam store page.
Over on the No Man's Sky Subreddit, he stated; "I received a response from the ASA with regards to the trailers, screenshots, and general information on the Steam store page of No Man's Sky, with regards to them being misleading and mis-representing the actual game."

Before giving a list of the offending materials that the ASA have received complaints about, he went on to say; "In the ASA response, they say that both Hello Games and Valve have a joint responsibility, and so both organisations have now been contacted by the ASA and have been told to respond to the following issues which the ASA picked out as the primary issues (compiled from a number of complainants that contacted the ASA)."

The list, in full, follows.

Videos:

  • User interface design
  • Ship flying behaviour (in formation; with a ‘wingman’; flying close to the ground)
  • Behaviour of animals (in herds; destroying scenery; in water; reacting to surroundings)
  • Large-scale space combat
  • Structures and buildings as pictured
  • Flowing water
  • Speed of galaxy warp/loading time
  • Aiming systems

Screenshots:

  • Size of creatures (9)
  • Behaviour of ships and sentinels (4, 5 and 8)
  • ​Structures and buildings as pictured (3)
​
Store Page in general:


  • Quality of graphics
  • ​References to: lack of loading screens, trade convoys between stars, factions vying over territory

It's not the first time that a developer and/or publisher have found themselves in hot water over false advertising claims. SEGA and Gearbox Software were accused of misleading fans - and were even the subject of a lawsuit - after Aliens: Colonial Marines failed to live up to marketing promises.

Do you feel cheated by Hello Games, or do you think this is a bit of an overreaction? Let us know in the forums and comment below.
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Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide public beta available now on Xbox One

29/9/2016

 
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THQ Nordic and Fatshark have announced a public beta for Xbox One that will run until the game’s full release next week.

by Liam Andrews
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@pass_controller


The beta will give participants access to all the game’s characters, plus three maps. You can download the beta here, or alternatively search for it from your Xbox One console.
 
THQ Nordic did not mention if the beta would be coming to PlayStation 4.
A console version of Vermintide was announced earlier in the summer, and will include all additional content and DLC found in the PC version of the game.
 
Here’s another look at the announcement trailer:
Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide is out 4 October on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Will you be giving the beta a try? Let us know in the comments or over in the forums.
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New Titanfall 2 story trailer shows what it means to be a Pilot

29/9/2016

 
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Respawn Entertainment have released a new cinematic trailer for Titanfall 2’s single player campaign. If you ever wanted to see Titans farming, this is the trailer for you.

by Liam Andrews
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@pass_controller


Being a cinematic trailer there’s no actual gameplay on offer, but the impressive video does show a Pilot using the game’s new abilities in order to fight his way through IMC forces.
 
The sword-wielding Titan from the initial teaser trailer also makes a return at the end:
Titanfall 2 releases on 28 October for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Origin on PC.
 
What do you think of the trailer? Does it get you excited for launch? Let us know in the comments and forums.
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Watch a play-through of Gears of War 4's prologue

29/9/2016

 
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If you've been itching to see more of Gears of War 4 then we have just the thing for you, a 20 minute play-through of the opening mission.

by Chris Brand
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@pass_controller


The prologue acts as a playable history lesson and somewhat of a tutorial, taking players through time to see Sera as it was in the past - just after the emergence of the Locust - up until the present day; 25 years after the events of Gears of War 3.
 Hosted by Rod Fergusson and Matt Searcy of The Coalition, the video shows off some of the weapons you'll be using and some of the nasties you'll be facing.
Gears of War 4 launches on 11 October and those who purchase the Ultimate Edition will be granted access four days early and can started on 7 October.
 
What did you think of the play-through? Excited for more Gears? Let us know in the forums or leave a comment below.
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The Voice of Freedom - Homefront: The Revolution’s first single player DLC is out now

28/9/2016

 
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The first single player DLC sees players stepping into the role of legendary resistance fighter Benjamin Walker, in a story driven expansion set before the events of the main campaign.

by Liam Andrews
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@pass_controller


As the KPA’s most wanted man, Walker must stealthily infiltrate Occupied Philadelphia in an attempt to link up with Jack Parish’s Resistance Cell. The DLC is said to test player’s stealth and combat skills with the appearance of a hostile faction known as the ‘90’, who reside in the city’s subway system.
You can take a look at some images from the new DLC in the gallery below:
The Voice of Freedom is free to Homefront Expansion Pass owners, or can be purchased separately for £4.99 on PlayStation 4 and £4.49 on PC and Xbox One.
 
Homefront: The Revolution suffered from a number performance issues upon its release, such as long loading times and lag, but returning players will be pleased to hear that the recent ‘Performance Patch’ is said to have alleviated these problems.
 
Is the new DLC enough to pull you back into the fight for freedom? Let us know in the comments or over in the forums.
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Rumours suggest Destiny 2 is coming to PC, with big changes planned for the sequel

28/9/2016

 
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According to a number of sources close to Kotaku, the follow up to Bungie’s MMO will be coming to PC, but player progress may not be.

by Liam Andrews
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@pass_controller


If the rumours are to be believed, players will not be able to import their characters from Destiny over to the sequel.

NeoGAF user and industry source shinobi602 corroborated some of these rumours, and said that Destiny 2 will shake up the original game’s current formula, overhauling key aspects such as plot direction, pacing and structure.
Play spaces are said to be bigger and denser in Destiny 2, with more open spaces such as towns and outposts where players can pick up missions and activities while still in control of their character, rather than being sent back to a loading screen and menu.
 
The Cabal and Saturn are said to feature heavily in the sequel, with Saturn apparently boasting a play space bigger than any of the combined areas currently found in game.
 
As you may expect after their recent omission from the Rise of Iron expansion, Destiny 2 will not be launching on PS3 or Xbox 360, a decision that will allow Bungie to move forward in terms of the sequel’s engine.
 
What’s less clear is whether Destiny’s current haul of content will be available in the sequel in any form, or if the game will continue to exist as its own client, separate from Destiny 2.
 
As ever with sources and rumours, take this with a pinch of salt for the time being, but with Destiny 2 said to be launching sometime next year, hopefully it won’t be too long before we hear some official word from Bungie or Activision and can start to separate fact from fiction.
 
What do you make of the Destiny 2 rumours? Let us know in the comments or over in the forums.
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Watch Battlefield 1 story trailer

27/9/2016

 
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EA and DICE have released an impressive Battlefield 1 trailer, showcasing some gorgeous visuals from the single player campaign and a few hints at what the story could entail.

by Chris Brand
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@pass_controller


A short three second teaser which was posted on the official Battlefield Twitter account had fans clamouring for more and it seems it was worth the wait, as the trailer could easily pass as the work of some Hollywood bigshot.
Take a look below:
The campaign is set in various locations during World War 1 and will see players stepping into the shoes of four protagonists; a fighter pilot, an armour crewman, a rebel fighter, and a message runner.

Danny Berlin, lead designer, has stated that the single player will be less linear than previous titles, with more choice and variety. To accommodate this, there'll also be more sandbox areas, similar to the multiplayer maps.


Battlefield 1 launches 21 October, or 18 October for anyone who pre-orders the Early Enlister Deluxe Edition.


From 13 October, EA Access/Origin members can take advantage of the ten hour trial, which offers a small taste of the campaign and four multiplayer modes over five maps.

What do you think of the trailer? Planning on pre-ordering Battlefield 1? Let us know in the forums or comment below.
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Firewatch is getting a movie adaptation  

27/9/2016

 
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Campo Santo’s indie hit Firewatch is heading for the big screen, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

by Liam Andrews
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@pass_controller


The developer has partnered up with production company Good Universe, with the aim of pooling resources and talent to create projects that can “bridge both the video game and feature film worlds”.
Sean Vanaman, founder of Campo Santo, had a few words to say on the new partnership with Good Universe:

“When we met Good Universe we were floored by how they recognize, cultivate and produce incredible stories. It's rare you meet another group that shares so many of your values and makes the process of creating things even more exciting. We can't wait to see what we make together”.
 
Firewatch recently released on Xbox One, having previously been available on PS4, PC and Mac, and has sold more than 1 million copies since its February release.
 
Do you think a movie adaptation of Firewatch will work? Let us know in the forums or comment below.
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