 MecurySteam have released the latest character for their free-to-play asymmetrical multiplayer title, Spacelords.
In the trailer we get to see Sööma’s ranged and melee attacks, as well as what looks like her special healing ability. “It was a fascinating endeavor working on a character like Sööma,” said Stefanie Joosten. “When MercurySteam approached me with the idea of working on a new Raider for Spacelords, Sööma was just a piece of concept art, and developing that concept into a full character, with her own unique personality and ethos, is a very rewarding experience indeed.” “Developing a new character is always a complex subject,” added Game Director Enric Álvarez, who we chatted with last year about the inspiration behind the game. “The need to create a well-adjusted and fun new addition to a Free to Play game like Spacelords needs to be balanced with an attractive design and likeability of the character. Stefanie’s natural charisma and talent contributed to a smoother and enjoyable creative process.” Before it became a free-to-play title, Spacelords was previously known as Raiders of the Broken Planet and featured a number of premium campaigns that could be purchased individually, two of which - Hades Betrayal and Wardog Fury - we reviewed last year. You can see the latter campaign in action in our let’s play below, in which James, Sam and myself attempt to destroy some rather grotesque barges. If that leaves you wanting more, you can watch the dramatic conclusion here. What do you think of Sööma? Let us know below or in the forums.
 The FPS had its name changed following the (somewhat predictable) threat of legal action from renowned metal band Iron Maiden.
“After careful consideration, we’ve decided to rename our first-person-shooter “Ion Maiden” to “Ion Fury,”” said Mike Nielsen, CEO of 3D Realms.
“A lot of thought went into this, but most importantly it would be a disservice to our loyal fanbase and the fantastic developers, to drag out a long lawsuit. The amazing gameplay, interactivity and pure fun, is what makes Ion Fury a great game. Not the title.” Ion Fury is a retro-styled shooter inspired by classic 90s titles such as Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior and Blood. Created with the Build Engine, which also powered the aforementioned shooters, Ion Fury combines old-school visuals with modern features such as auto saves, widescreen support, map interactivity, improved physics and even headshots. A preview campaign is currently available on PC through Steam Early Access for $19.99 (or regional equivalent). Those who purchased the preview campaign will receive the full game – which will cost $24.99 - as a free update when it launches next month. Ion Fury is out 15 August on Steam. Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Switch versions will be released at a later date. What do you think of the name change? Let us know below or over in the forums.  Numantian Games’ steampunk-apocalypse title, They Are Billions, is now available on Xbox One, with the PlayStation 4 version following soon after on 9 July.
Set in the distant future where large zombie hordes are roaming the Earth, They Are Billions tasks players with building and managing the last human colonies. Players must survive huge onslaughts, train troops and provide energy and protection for their inhabitants from the vast number of ravenous undead lurking outside their walls.
They Are Billions is out now on Xbox One and Steam, with a PlayStation 4 version arriving on 9 July. Will you be surviving a zombie apocalypse this weekend? Let us know below or over in the forums. Ubisoft round-up | E3 201911/6/2019  Ubisoft opened with a customary musical performance, except this time it was the orchestral melodies of the Assassin’s Creed Symphony, instead of the energetic pop of Just Dance kicking things off. Fans of the latter need not be disappointed, however, as Just Dance 2020 made its exuberant appearance later in the show, dancing pandas and all!
Breakpoint’s starring antagonist, TV’s John Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Punisher), was joined on stage by a dog as he discussed Colonel Cole D. Walker’s rogue army from the latest Ghost Recon. The Wolves, as they’re known, are made up of former Ghosts who inhabit the fictional island of Auroa. With their lethal technology and spec-ops training, it sounds like they’ll prove more formidable opposition than Wildlands’ Santa Blanca cartel and Unidad army. Further reveals included AI teammates for solo players, a community feedback program, and confirmation of a beta taking place 5 September. Post-launch support will include free updates and more crossover events, including a Terminator one (just like in Gears 5) that was hinted at during last night’s presentation. Ghost Recon Breakpoint is out 4 October on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. Gods, monsters and more Tom Clancy There was also new content announced for The Division 2. Episode 1 arrives in July and takes players on missions outside the Washington D.C. city limits as they track down a rogue ally, take on a dangerous outcast leader in a zoo and try to find a missing convoy. The latter takes place in Kenly College, and is said to be home to an “entirely new gameplay experience.” Episode 2 arrives later in the year and features more main missions, this time set in the Pentagon, and adds another 8-player raid. Episode 3, meanwhile, arrives early next year and brings back the New York City setting from the first game. Finally, it was confirmed that Netflix will be making The Division movie, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain. New games announced during the show were Rainbow Six Quarantine and a new IP called Gods and Monsters. The former releases early next year and sounds like an extended take on Siege’s Outbreak mode, which saw players fighting their way through levels infested with monsters. In Quarantine, players will take on a “devastating parasite” with their operators in cooperative action. The trailer, while light on details, at least looks impressive. Check it out below. We were also only treated to a vague cinematic trailer for Gods and Monsters, a new title from the makers of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The game tells the story of a “forgotten hero on a quest to save the Greek gods.” It sounds like it’ll be an open world affair, with players able to fight mythical creatures and “explore a beautiful fantasy world where tricky trials, treacherous dungeons, and heroic feats await.” Gods and Monsters is out February next year on Xbox One, PS4, Switch and PC. Keep rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ Another new IP revealed was Roller Champions, a “skill-based team PvP sports game that is as fun to watch as it is to play.” From the gameplay seen in the trailer, it looks like players race around an oval track on skates while trying to shoot a ball into a goal, as the opposition attempts to stop them. A pre-alpha demo is available to download now from Uplay on PC. Uplay takes on Xbox Game Pass Speaking of Uplay, Ubisoft announced a PC-only subscription service in Uplay+ during last night’s show. Players will be able to enjoy 100+ games through the service, including early access to the full versions of every new Ubisoft game, including premium editions and all their expansions. It’ll cost $14.99 (or regional equivalent) a month and launches this September. It’ll also be available through Google Stadia. What did you think of Ubisoft’s E3 presentation? Let us know below or over in the forums.
Xbox Round-up | E3 201910/6/2019  The Xbox briefing promised the largest showcase of games this year. There were a few surprises thrown in, alongside what we already expected to see, totalling a whopping 60 titles.
Anyone seeking the perfect peripheral for Project Scarlett (we loved the original) should take a gander at the Elite Controller Series 2, which features adjustable-tension thumbsticks, new interchangeable components and up to 40 hours of rechargeable battery life. It's available to pre-order now. Xbox Game Pass is expanding with a ton of new titles already added to the library and more on the way, including a dizzying amount of id@Xbox games. Game Pass Ultimate combines an Xbox Live Gold subscription with a membership for Game Pass on both Xbox One and PC. The PC version of Game Pass is now in beta and Game Pass Ultimate is live, with your first month costing only £1 (check out Sam’s forum post for how to get the best value out of this offer). Old favourites return en masse New entries in (and expansions for) some of Microsoft's first-party franchises are currently in development. Exactly none of those titles are Fable 4. Some stage pyrotechnics and an eerie teaser introduced Gears 5, which launches 10 September and will be available on Game Pass from day one. Those with Game Pass Ultimate can jump in four days early and also access the Terminator: Dark Fate character pack. More will be shown this summer, including a look at Horde mode during this year's Gamescom, but before then players can go hands-on with a multiplayer tech test in July. We can expect plenty of new features in this instalment, and a cinematic trailer shed light on one of them: the new co-op mode, Escape, where three players have to infiltrate an enemy hive and destroy it from within. Gears devotees will recognise this mode and its characters from the ongoing Hivebusters comic book series. A sequel to another of Xbox's flagship series was shown off with a CGI trailer. Developed by 343 Industries for Xbox One, Project Scarlett and PC, Halo Infinite continues the story of Halo 5: Guardians and "takes the franchise in ambitious, unexpected directions." Infinite will launch alongside Project Scarlett. Minecraft Dungeons is a new-yet-familiar adventure game inspired by classic dungeon crawlers, launching on PC and consoles in spring of next year. Forza Horizon 4 is getting an unexpected expansion in LEGO Speed Champions. From 13 June, players can race around the new LEGO Valley, completing challenges and seeking out hidden Bonus Cubes in a variety of LEGO rides, such as the McLaren Senna, Ferrari F40 Competizione, and 1967 Mini Cooper S Rally. Microsoft announce a surprise acquisition, Xbox Game Studios looks stronger than ever Microsoft announced the acquisition of Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions. Psychonauts 2 (which follows on from PS VR game Psychonauts and the Rhombus of Ruin) will be available through Game Pass on Xbox and PC, but PS4, Mac and Linux versions are all still going ahead as planned. Ninja Theory (DmC: Devil May Cry, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice) were snapped up by Microsoft just last year, but their first title to be published by Xbox Game Studios is already almost here. Touted as a one-of-a-kind multiplayer experience, Bleeding Edge is a 4v4 team brawler which rewards "technique, timing and teamwork" and allows players to "freeze foes in time, control minds, ride missiles and unleash electrifying guitar solos." You can sign up now for the opportunity to take part in the technical alpha on 27 June. Undead Labs is another feather in the cap for the publisher. State of Decay 2's Heartland DLC is available now and free with Game Pass. The campaign features two storylines, set in Trumbull Valley, the location of the original State of Decay. A far more advanced and deadly form of the blood plague exists here, resulting in "new dangers and unspeakable horrors." Foreign developers are leading the way with RPGs Elden Ring, the fantasy RPG developed by FromSoftware (Sam will be pleased) and Bandai Namco in collaboration with George R.R. Martin, was officially announced with a trailer. Whilst there wasn't much to go on, the cinematic trailer was an audiovisual treat and the idea of a Dark Souls/Game of Thrones hybrid is all anyone needs to get hyped. Bandai Namco are also busy with Tales of Arise, the next chapter in the long-running JRPG series, which is due to hit stores sometime in 2020. The popular MMORPG, Phantasy Star Online 2, is making its western debut in spring 2020, coming to Xbox One in North America. SEGA have issued a statement via Twitter regarding a release in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, saying there's "nothing to confirm" at present but to stay tuned for updates. CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 was flaunted with an all-new cinematic trailer, exploring the dark world of Night City, a "megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification." One of the biggest reveals was the news that Keanu Reeves is playing one of the characters, Johnny Silverhand, providing full-body motion capture, along with voice work. Cyberpunk 2077 releases 16 April 2020 and pre-orders are now live, though that fancy Collector's Edition may not yet be available in your region. Plenty more went down at the Xbox E3 2019 conference, so be sure to check out Microsoft’s showcase in full below if you still have an appetite for games, games, games. Share your thoughts on the Xbox showcase with us in the comments here or over in the forums.
 Avalanche Studios and Square Enix have revealed the latest batch of DLC coming to their open-world action title, Just Cause 4.
The new content sees a “return to the popular liberation gameplay of Just Cause 3,” and will “seamlessly” integrate into the Just Cause 4 sandbox world, adding new missions, weapons and equipment.
“Los Demonios is the second DLC pack in the ‘Dare Devils, Demons and Danger' Expansion Pass, and it brings a totally new experience to Just Cause 4,” said Avalanche Studios’ Creative Producer, Bryan Rodriguez. “For the first time, Rico is tangling with an otherwordly threat that will push him to his limits. This is our chance to see if Rico is as good at squashing demons as he is at toppling dictators!” As well as news of the new expansion, Square Enix also shared details of a large patch that went live yesterday as part of the game’s Spring Update. The patch “completely changes” the in-game lighting, according to the publisher, improving the way it reacts to the environment. Also added were destructible bridges and statues and new chaos objects, plus a “dialled-up ‘heat’ system that will have the Black Hand challenging Rico like never before.” Los Demonios is available to expansion pass holders and owners of the Gold Edition of the game on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC from 26 June, with everyone else getting access a week later. What do you think of the demonic twist? Let us know below or in the forums.  Asobo Studio and Focus Home Interactive are celebrating the successful launch of A Plague Tale: Innocence with a special video starring Sean Bean.
Sam described the game as a “memorably melancholic adventure with a life-affirming side of joy” in his recent review, which you can read in full here.
If you’re interested in playing A Plague Tale be sure to enter this week’s giveaway where you could win a copy of the game on Xbox One. You can find out how to enter here, but be quick, as the giveaway ends tomorrow! A Plague Tale: Innocence is currently available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. What did you think of Sean Bean’s reading? Enjoying the game so far? Let us know below or in the forums.  Warhorse Studios have announced a delay for the console versions of Kingdom Come: Deliverance Royal Edition and the fourth major expansion, A Woman’s Lot.
It’s a similar story for the fourth expansion, A Woman’s Lot, which stars Theresa the miller’s daughter and romance option for main protagonist Henry. Players take on the role of Theresa in a standalone questline which offers an alternative perspective on one of the major events in the game.
The DLC is out 28 May for PC players, but once again console users have to wait until 11 June to access the new content. According to Warhorse, the delay is to ensure the studio “deliver the highest quality for all players.” Have you played KCD? Looking forward to the latest expansion? Let us know below.  Total Mayhem Games’ first-person co-operative puzzle titles, We Were Here and sequel We Were Here Too, are coming to Xbox One later this year.
“The team at Total Mayhem Games have always been Xbox fans, so bringing our We Were Here games to Xbox One has been a long-time dream of ours,” said Project Lead Lucia de Visser.
“We can’t wait to see how a whole new audience react to the puzzles and mysteries of Castle Rock!” Both games are currently available on Steam, with a third entry, We Were Here Together, expected to be released on PC later this year. Each game is connected, but can still be enjoyed in any order, according to the developers. There’s no word on when the Xbox One versions of We Were Here and We Were Here Too will be released, but more details are said to be coming “soon.” Have you played any of these games before? Looking forward to their console debut? Let us know below or in the forums.  Bigben and Zordix Racing have announced a new off-road simulator called Overpass, which will be making its way to PC and consoles later this year.
The game features a career mode where players must “manage their buggies and quads” as they try to win races and attract sponsors, while multiplayer has you competing against others to place the best track times.
Overpass is out this October on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch and PC. What do you think of the game? Let us know below. |
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