Curious Uses for the PS4 Light Bar, According to Joystiq.

Sony is no stranger to idiosyncratic hardware design. Nintendo and Sega put analog sticks on their controllers in the '90s? Sony adds on an extra stick and redefines console controllers. Touch screens are de rigueur? Sony slaps a touch surface on the front and back of PS Vita. The PlayStation 4 is a sleek piece of modern consumer tech design, but even it's got its quirks.

Case in point: the Dualshock 4 light bar. Every PS4 controller looks like KITT from Knight Rider, with a giant oblate spheroid of light pulsing on the front. Not just good for running down the battery, the light bar actually performs some unusual functions in a variety of games. Below the break is a taster's choice selection of memorable light bar uses from the PlayStation 4's first year of games. After browsing that, take our poll and discuss the light bar's career in the comments.

Tomb Raider Definitive Edition: Whenever Lara picks up a torch, your controller turns into a real-life guiding light, flickering yellow and red to mimic the in-game flame. Atmospheric when you're playing in the dark, and useful for an impromptu round of campfire stories.
Rating: Lukewarm

Destiny: Bungie's shooter offers a number of colors to indicate states, including the ever-popular red for low health, white to match Ghost's flashlight, and yellow if your super attack is fully charged. That last one's perfect for backseat players who love to tell people what they already know.
Rating: 50 percent charged

Alien Isolation: Creative Assembly puts the shock into DualShock with arguably the best light bar feature to date. The controller mirrors the in-game motion tracker, pulsing white light against green in time with the device to indicate someone is nearby, or... something. Throw in the creepy speaker noises and you've just added jeebies to go with those heebies.
Rating: Hold us...

Grand Theft Auto 5: In addition to changing color based on which character you're playing, the light bar flashes red and blue whenever the cops are on your tail. You know, just in case there was any confusion.
Rating: It's a fair cop

Infamous Second Son: A real karma chameleon. The strength of the hue emitted indicates your karma level; a nice strong red and you're clearly a bit of a bastard. On the more gimmicky side, when you hold your DualShock vertically to spray paint, the light bar matches the color of the graffiti.
Rating: First cousin, twice removed

Transistor: The light bar pulses the same blue as the game's talking weapon, flashing in sync with the big sword's speech. The idea, presumably, is to make you feel like you're holding the Transistor, minus having to drag around something twice your size.
Rating: Formula for success

Honorable mentions: Fez (color changes to match in-game time of day), Peggle 2 (a rainbow fireworks show when you beat a level), Thief (shines a bright white when you're out in the open), Hohokum (matches the ever-changing color of the Long Mover), Outlast (goes green when night vision is activated)

Lifetime achievement award: PS4 1.70 firmware (set light bar brightness to dim, thank the battery gods)

Source: joystiq.com

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The Xbox One Game Releases for this December.

Hard to believe we’ve got another year of great games under our belt. But we’re not done yet. December is typically considered a slower month in terms of game releases, so your wallet definitely has some time to recover. Still, though, there are quite a few games worth checking out this month on Xbox One.

The Crew - December 2, 2014

Thanks to a delay, Ubisoft’s open-world, social-infused racing game, The Crew, will now be released on December 2nd. Don’t expect early reviews though, as Ubisoft recently announced that media will not be given review copies ahead of the game’s release since it is a game that’s so dependent on social and online interactions. While I’m sure that may frustrate some of you on the fence, it’ll be nice to have some reviews that properly reflect the online experience, not some facade setup privately for journalists.

As for the game itself, The Crew offers an open-world experience in which players can race across the United States, which is split into five regions: the Midwest, East Coast, South, Mountain States, and West Coast. These regions each host a slew of racing challenges and missions for you to complete. While the content, customization, and sheer size of The Crew is promising, early hands-on time with the game have revealed not-so-stellar car handling.

Game of Thrones - Episode 1: Iron From Ice - December 3, 2014

Telltale Games announced over the weekend that Episode 1: Iron From Ice of its Game of Thrones series will release in December. As we learned earlier this month, Telltale's game series is based on the world, characters, and events of HBO's TV show, Game of Thrones, which in turn is based on George R.R. Martin's books, A Song of Ice and Fire. In the game, you will control five members of House Forrester in their story, interacting with fan favorite characters throughout the season. Caught up in the events of The War of the Five Kings, you will be placed in a precarious position "where members of the household must do everything they can to prevent the house from meeting its doom.”

Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris - December 9, 2014

Lara Croft’s isometric adventures continue this month, taking you deep into the deserts of Egypt to the Temple of Osiris. Hoping to be the first inside, Lara Croft arrives at the temple only to discover that rival treasure hunter Carter Bell has beaten her to the entrance. Both seeking to find the Staff of Osiris, they soon discover more than they bargained for. Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, like its predecessor, is a downloadable-only title.

Like I said, it's not a terribly busy month, so you should have some time to catch up on the ol' backlog of games from October and November. That being said, December does pack its own little punch with The Crew, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, and hopefully Game of Thrones. A good way to end the year, I say.

Source: gamezone.com

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Remember Me Developer Dontnod Working on New RPG?

Remember Me developer Dontnod is working on a new role-playing game or action role-playing game for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, according to a recent job posting.

A post to the developer's website links to a French jobs site, where Dontnod says it's looking for an experienced game/level designer with a strong RPG/ARPG background to work on a new project for the consoles.

This is a separate project Life is Strange, which earlier this year Dontnod announced Square Enix will publish. Coming to Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and PC, Life is Strange will be released digitally using an episodic model. Square Enix said that every new chapter will build and evolve on the choices you made in the last episode.

Source: gamespot

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Xbox One Beats PS4 on Black Friday?!

Microsoft really wants to win this holiday season, and it looks like the price cuts and game bundles are working.

The Xbox One dominated Black Friday sales, according to market-research firm InfoScout. Microsoft’s latest system made up 53 percent of all console sales on one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Sony’s PS4, meanwhile, managed to capture 31 percent. The Xbox One was on sale for $330 at a number of big stores like Target and Walmart, and Microsoft bundled it with big games like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Unity. That helped gamers choose the Xbox One over the PlayStation 4, which was $400 bundled with Bungie’s sci-fi shooter Destiny or with the rereleases of Grand Theft Auto V and The Last of Us.

This is likely a good sign for Microsoft. The PlayStation 4 has built up a substantial lead over the Xbox One since each system debuted last November. Microsoft dropped the price from $500 to $400 and then to $350 until January. If Microsoft can maintain this market share until then, it could make a dent in Sony overall market share.

To get this data, InfoScout uses two smartphone apps that reward consumers for uploading their purchases by taking pictures of their receipts. The intelligence firm tracks over 200,000 shoppers, and it gets more than 125,000 receipts on an average day. On Black Friday, consumers uploaded more than 182,000 receipts, which helped InfoScout declare Xbox One the Black Friday winner.

While Microsoft dominated the battle against PS4, the Xbox 360 also continues to sell well. The system composed 9 percent of all console sales, which is actually better than the Wii U’s 6 percent. The PS3 only accounted for 1 percent.

Black Friday is ostensibly the start of the gift-giving shopping season, but plenty of people were out buying consoles for themselves.

“Unsurprisingly, 66 percent of InfoScout panelists confirmed that they purchased the console for their kids,” InfoScout chief technology officer and co-founder Jon Brelig wrote in a blog. “However, it varied greatly by console with over 50 percent of PS4 purchasers buying the console for themselves.”

Source: venturebeat.com

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Telltale's Game on Thrones 1st Episode Coming Next Week.

The first episode of Telltale Games’ take on Game on Thrones, Iron From Ice, is just days away, the developer has announced via Twitter. Iron From Ice will land on Mac and PC on December 2.

It will also become available on PS4 in North America on the same day.

It will go on sale for European PlayStation 4 territories, plus Xbox One and Xbox 360 worldwide, on December 3. It hits iOS on December 4.

In a follow-up post Telltale confirmed the PS3 version would be available in North America and European territories the following week, on December 9. The release date for Android devices is yet to be confirmed, but it will still fall during December.

The full launch trailer for Telltale's Game of Thrones will be available to watch on December 1.

The confirmation comes just days after the announcement of release dates for Telltale’s Tales from the Borderlands earlier this week.

Source: IGN

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Check Out the New Trailer of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's Exo Zombies Mode.

Activision and Sledgehammer Games today released a new trailer for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's Exo Zombies mode, showing off how the popular gametype plays in a future setting.

Check out the trailer to see how things shake out (hint: all hell breaks loose).

The first chapter in a season of Exo Zombies content will launch in January 2015 included with Advanced Warfare's Havoc expansion pack. You can buy the DLC by itself for $15 or through the game's $50 DLC pass.

Activision says it will release more information about Exo Zombies in the coming weeks. But for now, Sledgehammer teases that the zombies in Advanced Warfare represent a "new breed" of undead.

"As things were wrapping up around launch, we started playing around with the idea of what happens when zombies were thrown into the mix with exoskeleton gameplay," Sledgehammer said in a blog post today. "What we came up with is Exo Zombies--an entirely new breed of zombies and an entirely new co-op experience that is truly unique to Advanced Warfare."

Advanced Warfare launched earlier this month and has become the "biggest entertainment launch" of 2014, outpacing all other games and movies.

Source: gamespot

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New Metal Gear Online!

Metal Gear architect Hideo Kojima will reveal the next edition of Metal Gear Online at a games event in December.

Little is known of the multiplayer-focused game, nor whether it will be sold standalone or come packaged with Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, but Kojima is expected to reveal early details of the project at The Video Game Awards 2014.

Geoff Keighley, a games broadcaster who produces the new game awards show, revealed on Twitter that Kojima will provide a "world premier" of the new game. It's not clear whether this will come in the form of a gameplay demo or a trailer, though games award shows tend to opt for the latter.

The first iteration of Metal Gear Online was released in 2008, bundled with the PlayStation 3 exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. More than one million players registered for the game, though by 2012, publisher Konami decided to shut down its servers.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is expected to ship in 2015. The game's prologue, Ground Zeroes, shipped on cross-gen consoles this year and divided critics.

The Video Game Awards 2014 will take place on Friday, December 5 in Las Vegas--which is the night before Sony's PlayStation Experience community event. It will be streamed on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and PC.

Source: gamespot.com

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Europeans Owners of PS4 Can Download a Free Digital Copy of Trials Fusion.

If you live in Europe, you should visit the PSN as you may score yourself a free digital copy of Trials Fusion for PS4.

A nifty NeoGAF user saw the Trials Fusion listing on the PSN and the full version of the game on PS4 is free for everyone to download. It looks like only those in Europe/PAL territories can download it for free as people in North America haven’t been able to do so.

It’s highly possible that Trials Fusion being offered for free on the PS4 is a mistake on the PSN. Ubisoft didn’t announce any special promotion, nor is it a part of the free games people get from PS Plus. It’s just free right now, so get it while you can.

Trials Fusion being offered for free isn’t the only game that had a pricing error on PSN this year. People noticed earlier this year that the PS Vita version of Minecraft was being offered for free too. You didn’t even need to own a previous copy of the game to get it too.

Pricing errors have occurred recently. Some North American retailers were offering Wii U consoles for as little as $60 last week.

If you own a PS4, try visiting the PSN now and get Trials Fusion for free.

Source: attackofthefanboy.com

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The Crew Beta Available on Xbox One and PS4.

An open beta for Ubisoft’s upcoming open-world racer The Crew has begun, and will run until November 27th on the Xbox One and PS4.  The Crew Open Beta allows players to explore the entire United States, with the ability to access and complete challenges in two of the game’s five regions.

Alongside the challenges, players can also compete in PvP races, customize cars, and explore two of the five car classes (Street & Dirt).


On Xbox One, Ubisoft advises using the Search feature of the console by typing or saying “The Crew Beta”.

On PS4, head to the PlayStation Store and search for “The Crew”, the beta should be accessible from there.

The Crew launches in full on December 2nd for Xbox One, PS4, and PC, but don’t expect to see any reviews ahead of release.  Ubisoft announced/warned that due to the online nature of the game, early reviews of the game wouldn’t be able to give an accurate representation of the game.

If you’re thinking about getting The Crew next month, this is your chance to try before you buy.

Source: attackofthefanboy.com

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DayZ PS4 Version yet to be Revealed.

While it was announced a while ago that the zombie survival game DayZ would be coming to the PlayStation 4, no release date yet been given. However, it was just revealed that the full version of DayZ will not actually be completed until the first half of 2016.

Whether or not this means the PS4 version will not come out until 2016 is unclear at this time. What is clear is that the finished PC version of the game will be $50 when it releases, and number of new additions, including new diseases, zombies, and a stealth mode, will be put into the game in 2015.

Do you own the Early Access version on the PC? Are you waiting for DayZ to come to the PS4?

Source: playstationlifestyle.net

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New Weapons with Sunset Overdrive's DLC.

New weapons for over-the-top Xbox One action game Sunset Overdrive are now available through the game's latest Weapons Pack, including one that causes enemies to vomit and later explode.

The Sunset Overdrive Weapons Pack, available now free with the game's DLC pass or by itself for $5, includes the following four weapons (descriptions courtesy of Microsoft).

• Plague Bomb -- Instantly intoxicate enemies in the area with this weapon. Enemies hit with the Plague Bomb will start vomiting, take damage over time, and explode when killed. Plus, enemies affected by the Plague Bomb can spread the disease to others.
• Rager -- Releases a confusion-inducing cloud which causes enemies to attach each other in a fit of rage. And yes, they also explode when killed (sense a bit of a theme here?).
• Shield Buddy -- Activates a shield that protects you and your friends but also deploys bombs that will decimate your foes. No need to choose between offense and defense when you can have both with the Shield Buddy.
• Multi-Lock Rocket Launcher -- The most literal of the weapons included in the pack, the Multi-Lock Rocket Launcher does exactly that and locks on up to eight targets. Release the trigger and send a legion of homing rockets at your enemies.

In other Sunset Overdrive news, Microsoft and Insomniac Games have released the game's official Best of Sunset Overdrive Music soundtrack through iTunes, Spotify, and other digital platforms. There are 18 tracks on the album, including songs from Dan Sartain, Bass Drum of Death, and Meat Market.

Finally, Microsoft reminds gamers that this coming Monday, December 1, is the last day to buy the Sunset Overdrive Day One Edition. It includes a range of exclusive digital content, including a "Nothin' but the Hits Gun," a Fizzie outfit, and a mighty hammer called Hardcore! Hammer.

Source: gamespot.com

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Assassin's Creed Unity is Broken so you Can Get the "Dead Kings" DLC for Free!

Assassin's Creed Unity players will be getting upcoming campaign DLC Dead Kings to make up for the glitch-packed launch of the game, developer and publisher Ubisoft announced today.

The team continue to work on patches for remaining issues, according to the post.

People who have already purchased the Season Pass, which includes Dead Kings, will be given a choice of one free game from the following: The Crew, Far Cry 4, Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Rayman Legends or Just Dance 2015.

"The launch of Assassin's Creed Unity was a highly-anticipated moment for me and for our development teams around the world who dedicated a tremendous amount of energy, passion and skill to the game's creation," wrote Yannis Mallat, CEO for Ubisoft Montreal and Toronto. "For us, it was the culmination of years of work on new technologies, the development of multiple innovations -- including an all-new game engine -- and an evolution of the Assassin's Creed franchise's core pillars. More importantly, we know that it was a highly-anticipated moment for many of you as well, as you looked forward to taking part in the first truly next generation Assassin's Creed game.

"Unfortunately, at launch, the overall quality of the game was diminished by bugs and unexpected technical issues. I want to sincerely apologize on behalf of Ubisoft and the entire Assassin's Creed team. These problems took away from your enjoyment of the game, and kept many of you from experiencing the game at its fullest potential."

The various versions of Unity had hundreds of bugs, some nearly game breaking, when the game came out on Nov. 11. Over the course of the following weeks, Ubisoft developers released three major patches, and a number of small fixes, to repair some of the biggest problems found in the game.

Issues at launch included protagonist Arno falling through the ground and getting stuck in hay carts, problems with the in-game currencies and characters with missing faces ... but not eyes.

Dead Kings, which was meant to be sold separately and as part of a season pass, has Arno traveling to the rural city of Saint Denis following the events of Unity in 1794. You'll get a chance to explore the city and it's ancient underground necropolis which hides the "best-kept secrets of the French kings."

"Use Arno's lantern to advance in the dark, fend off the animals creeping around the catacombs, and solve ancestral puzzles. Alternatively, put out the lantern and become one with the shadows," according to the description of the DLC.

Along with the patch issues, the game's review was embargoed until 12 hours after it went on sale, leading some to accuse the developer of trying to hide the problems with the title.

Ubisoft has since said that was not the case and that they are revising both their pre-release testing methods and review policies. Earlier this week, Ubisoft told players not to trust any "early reviews" for its upcoming game The Crew.

"While we fully anticipate that you might see some reviews immediately at launch — largely built around the preview sessions we facilitated during the past months or the limited content of the closed and open betas — they won't be based on optimal conditions or reflect the finished game," they wrote.

Issues with Ubisoft's recent games, Far Cry 4 and Unity, are a reflection of a bigger issue with many of this generation's games: They're sold needing a patch.

That often seems to be tied with developers' desire to create "living worlds" which blend the single-player and multiplayer aspects of a game, relying heavily on internet connections.

Source: polygon.com

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"Secret Ponchos" PS4 Release Date Revealed.

Secret Ponchos finally has a PS4 release date, 2nd December, and it will be free all month for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

This is the Spaghetti Western multiplayer arena game by Switchblade Monkeys. It was on a demo reel for PS4 when the console was unveiled.

You play from a zoomed-out third-person view and use an array of themed abilities - whips, six shooters, knives - to bring down your foes. The pace isn't relentless, it's staccato, and misses can give your opponent the break they need.

Between rounds you customise your hero, tweaking their abilities, and all the time you earn a bounty on your head - higher the better you do.

Secret Ponchos is also out on Steam Early Access, where it costs £10.99. The standard PSN price isn't mentioned.

Source; Eurogamer

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Sony is Becoming more of a Gaming Industry.

Sony Corp plans to streamline its television and smartphone products in an effort to cut costs, and will now rely on its better performing PlayStation 4 and image sensor segments over the next three years.

According to its new three-year electronics business plan released on Tuesday, Sony expects the division’s sales to hit between ¥1.4 and ¥1.6 trillion yen ( $11.8 and $13.6 billion), with an operating income margin between 5 and 6 percent for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018.

Strategies to increase profit are to retain and expand engaged PlayStation users with network services like cloud TV and streaming games. It also aims to increase Average Revenue Per Paying Users and improve the retention rate of PS Plus by enhancing its value.

Sony also wants to reduce hardware cost, acquire casual users, strengthen the engagement of core gamers with hit titles, and create demand with personalized TV, music and movie services.

Sony posted a less-than-expected loss of $1.2 billion for the three months covering July to September, with the PS4 a strong performer for the electronics giant. Shipping 3.3 million PS4 consoles during the period, the company's game division revenues rose by 84 percent year-on-year to ¥309.5 billion ($2.77 billion) .

The biggest earner for Sony for the quarter was its image sensor used in iPhones, while its smartphone division had saw a significant cut in its sales forecast for the quarter. Sony’s new goal for TV and smartphones is to let up on chasing size or market share, streamline products and aim for profits.

Source: IGN

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Xbox One and 360 Owners will Get to Play Call of Duty Advanced Warfare: Havoc Early.

In a new blogpost the games publisher revealed they would be giving Season Pass holders on the two Microsoft consoles access to new weapons on December 11.

The two new guns are part of the Havoc DLC pack which launches in 2015, with the AE4 directed energy Assault Rifle and the the AE4 Widowmaker custom variant going live for those lucky Microsoft Season Pass customers before the holidays.

The statement on the new content reads: "Havoc, the first DLC pack for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, is set to release early next year.

"This pack will come with an all-new weapon, the AE4 directed energy Assault Rifle. The AE4 combines a versatile firing mechanism with all-around movement speed and handling.

"In addition to the base weapon, the AE4 Widowmaker custom variant will also be included.

"As a bonus to Xbox Season Pass holders, you’ll receive early access to the AE4 and the AE4 Widowmaker starting December 11th.

"Don't worry if you'll be receiving Season Pass during the holidays; anyone that gets an Xbox 360 or Xbox One Season Pass after the 11th will gain instant access to both weapons."

The Advanced Warfare Season Pass costs £35 and includes four DLC packs in 2015: Havoc, Ascendance, Supremacy, and Reckoning.

Each new DLC pack contains new multiplayer content, while pass holders also had access to exclusive DLC multiplayer map on launch day, Called Atlas Gorge.

Source: express.co.uk

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Custom GTA V Themed Xbox One and PS4?!

Rockstar Games is giving away a custom designed Grand Theft Auto V-themed PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The limited edition consoles are part of a competition hosted to celebrate the launch of the game on current-generation consoles.

The consoles feature "an exclusive black-on-black Grand Theft Auto V design, laser etched on micro perforated metal panelling with hi-gloss deep green painted accents and a custom color-matched controller." More details can be found on the competition announcement page.

In addition to the major prize, chosen runners-up of the competition will receive GTAV-themed merchandise. The gear featured in the runners-up prize pack will eventually be available for purchase on Rockstar Warehouse, although it was not specified when.

Still on the fence whether to pick up Grand Theft Auto V on PS4 or Xbox One?

Source: gamespot.com

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Get to Know with the DLC of Destiny "The Dark Below".

Destiny’s first expansion, The Dark Below, is set to arrive on Dec. 9, introducing loads of new content to Bungie’s ambitious open-world first-person shooter. Now the folks behind that content have taken to the internet, unleashing a behind the scenes glimpse at the upcoming adventure in a new developer diary video. 

Weighing in at a little over four minutes, The Dark Below developer diary gives viewers a chance to hear from Project Director Jason Jones and several lead developers on what can be expected out of the upcoming content pack. It’s got a pretty hefty price tag on it, even if you count that special Tumbler Sparrow that was given away early last week, so maybe this will help you trigger-shy Guardians decide whether the fight is worth continuing. 

Say what you will about Destiny, the game certainly seems to be doing pretty well for itself. It feels like the vast majority of comments I see these days are hating on the game but, considering the user numbers the developer threw around recently, it seems like that might only be because the hordes of people who like the game are too busy playing it to bother writing comments on the internet. 

It has its faults but, for many, Destiny has some deep hooks that keep bringing them back for more, which is exactly where The Dark Below comes into play. The campaign ended on a cliffhanger, which goes to show that the story is nowhere near complete. The Dark Below will pick up that tale when it releases for all platforms in just a couple of weeks, introducing players to a new, creepy-eyed NPC who will be dishing out your additional story missions. 

You remember that wicked-cool sword that popped up during one of Destiny’s rare missions that breaks from the shoot everything formula? Well, it looks like that bad boy is back in action, giving players another chance to hack and slash their way through Fallen enemies for a decent change of pace. 

The developer diary does a good job of only showing glimpses of what’s to come, serving as a nice teaser without making it feel like you’ve uncovered all of the secrets in a measly four minutes. You’re also given a brief glimpse of the non-story content, including a trio of new Crucible arenas, a new raid, a new Strike and additional weapons, armor and gear. 

Little was shown from the Strike, but we now know that the new raid is called Crota’s End and, if it’s anything like the game’s current raid, you can probably expect an extremely punishing romp for up to six friends. 

The new multiplayer maps look pretty rad, honestly, including the Black Garden (Niiiiiice), The Cauldron and a bright and sunny setting called Sky Shock that allows for vehicular combat. Bungie, if you’re listening: More maps with vehicles, please. 

I’m sure this is only a glimpse at what’s going to be included in The Dark Below but the question remains: Is it a good enough reason to jump back into the fight?

Source: cinemablend.com

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Hollywood Voices for "Quantum Break".

Xbox One exclusive Quantum Break still has a while to go until its Q2 2015 release date, but we're still getting new information about the upcoming game, little by little.

Quantum Break developer Remedy Entertainment – the same people that brought us Max Payne and Alan Wake – tweeted out late last week a picture of two of the game's cast members, actors that should look familiar to plenty of people. The first is Shawn Ashmore, an actor perhaps best known for his recurring role of Bobby Drake/Iceman in the X-Men movies. The second is Dominic Monaghan, an actor known for his work on Lost and his role as the Hobbit Merry in the Lord of the Rings movies.

Monaghan actually has experience in the X-Men franchise as well, having played a part in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, though no doubt many fans would rather not mention that movie at all.

Though many big-budget games are starting to turn to big-name acting talent to shore up their narratives, getting seasoned actors is much more of an issue for Quantum Break. The game will involve a combination of regular gameplay and live-action cutscenes, so getting acting talent with plenty of existing screen time makes sense for Remedy.

Quantum Break's gameplay is, at its most basic, the same kind of cover-based shooting with which many players are already very familiar. It'll also introduce time travel elements, however, allowing players to manipulate time in a couple of different ways to clear out rooms of armed enemies. Based on gameplay we've seen so far, players will be able to run around a room while enemies are frozen in time and even freeze specific enemies while they deal with more pressing threats.

Quantum Break will be an Xbox One exclusive and will launch in 2015.

Source: gamenguide.com

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FIFA 15 Update Released for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

EA has rolled out the third title update for FIFA 15. Now live for Xbox One, PS4, and PC, the update features new content and also addresses a number of issues based on player feedback.

"Our commitment to improve the FIFA 15 experience is ongoing, and regular feedback from our fans helps us prioritize and identify future improvements," EA said. "Thanks again for your continuous feedback on Twitter, Facebook, and the EA Forums. We appreciate this feedback and encourage you to record and share with us of any aspects you’d like to give your opinion on."

Below are the full patch notes for FIFA 15's third title update:

Xbox One, PS4, and PC

Added Content & Features 

• New authentic player faces for promoted Barclays Premier League teams Leicester City, Burnley, and Queens Park Rangers.

* Accessible after this week’s MatchDay Live update for all non-FUT modes
** Accessible after a FUT squad update coming this week 

• Added players, kits, and badges for the two new MLS expansion teams Orlando City and New York City FC to FIFA Ultimate Team 
• Updated FIFA Ultimate Team player item portraits for 18 high-profile players 
• Added ability to assign Player Instructions via the squad screen in FIFA Ultimate Team 

Issues Addressed 

• Gameplay improvements to defensive positioning and lob through balls 
• Improvements to kit clashing logic in Pro Clubs and Seasons 
• Improvements to cameras in multiple licensed stadiums 
• Improvements to “Looking Ahead” audio and overlays in Career Mode 
• Improvements in Team Management functionality in multiplayer matches 
• General stability fixes in Career Mode 
• Ability to Player Lock in Player Career with multiple controllers in use 
• Fix to online user population counts in Pro Clubs and Seasons menus 
• Fix for issues with player names on certain kits in the BPL
• Fix for audio storylines in in Match Day Live games 
• Fixed an issue where transferring progress across console generations could cause FUT Season progress to be tracked incorrectly. 
• Addressed FUT player item portraits that show a white background in FUT
• Fixed an issue that would cause the Team of the Week preview to be displayed incorrectly. 
• Compare Price in the FUT Transfer Market now works for players who were transferred close to the transfer deadline. 
• Using the “Compare Price” feature on in-form Players Items now compares the item with other in-form versions instead of the normal version. 

Meanwhile, on the Xbox 360 and PS3, the second title update was released, also addressing issues brought up by the community. Here are those changes.

X360/PS3 

Added Content 

• New authentic player faces for promoted Barclays Premier League teams Leicester City, Burnley, and Queens Park Rangers. 

* Accessible after this week’s MatchDay Live update for all non-FUT modes
** Accessible after a FUT squad update coming this week 

• Added players, kits, and badges for the two new MLS expansion teams Orlando City and New York City FC to FIFA Ultimate Team 
• Updated FIFA Ultimate Team player item portraits for 18 high-profile players 

Issues addressed 

• Gameplay improvements to defensive positioning and lob through balls 
• Improvements to kit clashing logic in Pro Clubs and Seasons 
• Stability improvements to Career Mode and Co-op Seasons 
• Improvements to cameras in multiple licensed stadiums 
• Game Face stability fixes in Career Mode 
• Fixed an issue where transferring progress across console generations could cause FUT Seasons progress to be tracked incorrectly. 
• Compare Price in the FUT Transfer Market now works for players who were transferred close to the transfer deadline. 
• Using the “Compare Price” feature on in-form Players Items now compares the item with other in-form versions instead of the normal version. 
• Stability improvements when receiving invites for FUT Friendly Seasons. 
• Stability improvements at the end of FUT Single Player Seasons matches 
• Fixed undefined text on EASFC notifications for FUT Single Player Season promotions. 
• Fixed an issue that would cause the Team of the Week preview to be displayed incorrectly. 
• Improved stability when receiving FUT Online Friendlies invites. 

Source: gamezone.com

Now You Know.

Capcom to Announce New PS4 Title.

Resident Evil publisher Capcom has a new PlayStation 4 title in the works that will "turn heads," according to producer Jun Takeuchi. He teased the game in the latest issue of Famitsu (via Gematsu).

Takeuchi described the PS4 as an "incredible system," and one he's constantly learning new things about. Pressed to say if Capcom was working on any new PS4 titles, beyond those that have already been announced, Takeuchi said this is indeed the case.

"Of course," he said. "Right now, we're seeing how far we can push the game engine. You'll be surprised by the quality of the games we’re working on right now. I think we'll be able to announce it soon, so please look forward to it. I realize that’s obnoxious (laughs)."

He went on to say: "It's gonna be something that will even turn heads overseas."

One of Capcom's major new PS4 games is the free-to-play dungeon-crawler Deep Down. That game's producer, veteran Capcom designer Yoshinori Ono, is also working on a second PS4 title, according to Gematsu. It is possible that the game teased by Takeuchi is that game, though it's not confirmed.

During his time at Capcom, Takeuchi has worked on a number of franchises, including Onimusha, Lost Planet, and Resident Evil.

Source: gamespot.com

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Phil Spencer Assures that JRPGs are Coming.

Japanese role-playing game fans who own an Xbox One may not be left wanting forever, as Microsoft's Xbox boss Phil Spencer assures fans that JRPGs are in the console's future.

A fan recently asked Spencer on Twitter if Xbox One owners can expect JRPGs in the future along the lines of Blue Dragon or Lost Odyssey. Spencer's response was quite straightforward: "You will see JRPGs on Xbox One," he said.

Though nothing is locked down at the moment, it sounds like the new JRPGs for Xbox One aren't coming from noted Japanese studio Mistwalker. Spencer added that he has not spoken with Mistwalker founder and Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi or anyone from the team there for some time.

Bringing more JRPGs to Xbox One is a popular topic on the Xbox Feedback site, attracting close to 500 votes. For his part, Spencer said in previous interviews that Japan is a "soulful" place for games, and one that is "critical" for Microsoft to support.

The Xbox One launched in Japan in September, though system sales aren't very strong there.

Source: gamespot.com

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Tales from the Borderlands is Out Today.

Tales from the Borderlands, a new adventure series from The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones developer Telltale Games, is available now on PC. The first episode, Zer0 Sum, is currently available to buy from Telltale's website or Steam. You can read our 9/10 review of the game here.

Zer0 Sum is also available now on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in North America, while the episode will be released tomorrow, November 26, for Xbox One. The Xbox 360 version is coming December 3, which is the same day it will be released in Europe for PS3 and PS4.

Meanwhile, the Mac version of Tales from the Borderlands will arrive on November 27.

Tales from the Borderlands is also coming to iOS and Android devices, though Telltale has not announced release dates or pricing information for those platforms yet.

GameSpot reviewer Alexa Ray Corriea says in her Zer0 Sum review, "Tales from the Borderlands is a Borderlands game, but Telltale has opened up Gearbox's Pandora in a way the original Borderlands games haven't and can't as shooters. Through exploration of the little people struggling in the shadows of Vault Hunters, you gain a deeper opportunities to explore the world."

Source: gamespot.com

Now You Know.

Dark Souls 2 Coming to Xbox One and PS4.

So you want to check out the newest Dark Souls, but you're just too lazy to unplug your new console? Namco Bandai's got good news for you—the fiendish Dark Souls II is coming to PS4 and Xbox One in April.

The newly announced compilation package, which is called Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin, will be out on April 7, 2015 not just for current-gen platforms (PS4/XB1/PC) but for PS3 and 360, too. Namco says it'll come with a graphical overhaul, the three Dark Souls II DLC packs, and other extra features:

Developed by renowned Japanese video game development studio FROMSOFTWARE, DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin is a compilation of 2014's critically acclaimed title, DARK SOULS II along with its three DLC chapters; CROWN OF THE SUNKEN KING, CROWN OF THE OLD IRON KING, and CROWN OF THE IVORY KING along with an array of all-new content. DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin will take advantage of the power of the PlayStation 4 system, Xbox One, and DirectX11 PCs with enhanced graphics in addition to brand new game content including an expanded story featuring additional in-game events and NPC character along with new deadlier enemies and gameplay improvements.
Whew. Consider this Dark Souls II: Remastered... with a clunkier title. There's also a new patch—v1.10—that you'll get no matter which version of Dark Souls II you own. The patch "will add new features including an additional NPC to seek out along the treacherous quest through Drangleic as well as expanded story, in-game events, improved balance, and online matchmaking functionality."

This is coming just a month after Bloodborne, From Software's other game, which was recently delayed from February to March 2015. Good year for masochistic RPG fans!

Source: kotaku.com

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