The update includes many new events to the game, including boosted fleet requisition, credits, commendations, and experience; Bounty Hunter and Gree events; and the Soovada, a decadent Hutt culture festivity with special rewards that include a new Rancor mount and outfits.
The update also adds Group Finder queuing for Story Mode Ops, plus bolstering, allowing more players to experience and complete game Operations.
BANDAI NAMCO Games America Inc. and CI Games, a fast-growing international publisher and developer of interactive entertainment, have released Enemy Front, a new first-person shooter action game set against the backdrop of the Warsaw Uprising during World War II. Enemy Front is available for $39.99 on Xbox 360® games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and PC throughout the Americas. A GameStop exclusive Limited Edition of Enemy Front is also available in the United States and Canada for $49.99.
Enemy Front is a truly modern FPS, featuring realistic visuals, open-ended levels and a richly interactive combat experience that breaks out of the standard model of highly linear FPS experiences.
Against the visceral backdrop of breathtaking European locales, the player takes on the role of American war correspondent Robert Hawkins, as he fights hand in hand with Resistance Fighters opposing the Nazi juggernaut in France, Germany, Norway, and during the Warsaw Uprising in Poland. Players can choose their preferred combat techniques like an all-out assault, precision sniping, stealth or sabotage. Developed with the CryEngine 3, Enemy Front gives players breathtaking visuals, spectacular set pieces, and destructible environments to interact with through iconic World War II resistance operations.
Enemy Front also features tense and engaging multiplayer modes for up to 12 players. Players will use a vast arsenal of World War II weaponry to take down opponents from across the world in exciting death match, team death match, and Freedom Fighter modes.
The GameStop exclusive Special Edition of Enemy Front is available the United States and Canada and features a robust set of additional content, including the full standalone mission “Raid on St. Nazaire,” the game soundtrack, new weapons like the M1 Garand and Webley Pistol, DLC MP fighters like the French Liberation Officer and British Commando. Additionally, the Enemy Front Special Edition will come in special packaging.
Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft® announced that The Crew™ will be available on November 11, for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation ® 4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.
The Crew is a revolutionary action-driving MMO that takes gamers on a wild ride throughout a massive open world recreation of the United States, brimming with exciting challenges and populated by other real players.
During the Ubisoft press conference at E3, Creative Director Julian Gerighty put focus on the dynamic community of players eagerly anticipating the game. He revealed that they will have the opportunity to take part in the late stages of the game’s development starting July 23. A limited number of players will be able to join the development team to play in a PC closed beta version of The Crew and provide feedback on their experience. Further details on upcoming beta stages will be communicated at a later date.
Recently some players have had a chance to play The Crew at selected gaming centers in Copenhagen, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Montreal and Sao Paulo. Players were invited to form their crews in order to take part in the Explore and Customize contest. They experienced and praised the huge scope of the game and the RPG mechanics behind the customization of the cars.
Independent games developer and publisher ‘Blowfish Studios’ is proud to announce that Gunscape has been approved by Microsoft for ID@Xbox, and is on display at Microsoft’s Booth #4100 and OFMR #4000 in the West Hall. Currently slated for worldwide release in November of 2014, Gunscape offers to FPS fans the ability to create, share, publish and play their very own customized shooters.
Gunscape provides a toolbox of iconic weapons, monsters and level elements as the foundation for players to build co-op and single-player levels or multiplayer arenas in the most intuitive way possible. It does this by offering a series of easy-to-use tools based on a block-placement interface most gamers are accustomed to. And unlike similar tools currently available on the market, Gunscape aims to empower its authors to enjoy the process of abstract level design by imposing the same kind of refreshing constraints that the still-enduring user map communities of the earliest FPS games such as Doom™ enjoyed; rather than building a game, players build a level within a game that features robust action gameplay and a vast array of weapons, enemies and level components specifically designed to function with, and compliment, one another.
Including comprehensive multiplayer options such as co-op, collaborative creative mode and a variety of competitive arena modes in addition to single-player functionality and creative modes, Gunscape attempts to appeal to as broad a slice of action fans and Minecraft™ players as possible.
Last week I got the chance to play two of the most promising space simulation games that are currently in development and both these games can only be tested by the backers. I myself am a huge fan of space simulation games; unfortunately there aren’t a heck lot space-sim games on the market and even though a lot in the past have been released, by now most of them are all dated and not interesting anymore. Honestly if you’re not a fan of EVE Online, there isn’t much else to turn to currently in the genre!
While some might have the patience to wait till Star Citizen arrives, Elite: Dangerous offers a far nearer option. Developed by David Braben, it’s been in the oven for quite a while and the results are clear. This fourth installment in the Elite series couldn’t come too soon, as the technology is now available to bring Braben’s vision of a true space simulator to life. Though it’s been a while, as most people reading this might not even be aware of the Elite series. The last rendition of it was released in the mid 90s after all. The goal of the game remains focused on realism.
Elite: Dangerous will be set around 50 years after the events of Frontier: First Encounters. And just like in the first three games, trading is set as the main setting in this space jam. And while features remain slim in the currnet beta, you can still trade away and influence the market! Currently in the beta you are able to travel to five different star systems, and each one of these star systems has at least one station that you can dock. And before I tell you more about this game, it’s important to know about docking and gameplay controls. Elite: Dangerous doesn’t let you set cruise control and relax while transporting your goods. Actually most find the controls take weeks to reach any level of mastery. Since you are in space and have a space ship full of fuel, you can basically go anywhere. Space has no invisible boundaries, and wild maneuvers in zero gravity are the name of the game. Though the limitations of your ship may determine just how quickly you can accomplish them.
Thankfully as a new player you start out in a simple ship free of charge, the Sidewinder. With this ship you are also given a simple pulse laser gun and if you crash this tiny ship, you are given a new one without paying a dime for it! This really comes in handy when you are new and still trying to figure out the controls. I highly recommend using your basic ship and getting into deep space to test out your limitations and maneuverability where obstacles are few. You’ll need it when you have an expensive shipment on board and need to dock successfully at a station. As I mentioned, everything is manual so any failure is entirely on your head! Through your communication system you will come in contact with the docking crew, they will give you a landing pad to land on and that is all, sounds easy huh? Well you’re wrong, and if you are new your first try of going through the gate alone is probably going to end up in a big explosion.
All the stations right now rotate. This means that the gate that is only on one side of the station is also rotating. So when trying to enter the station with your ship, you will have to rotate your ship while going through the gate. That’s the first step to a successful landing luckily, and once you made it inside your ship has a nifty option to connect to the gravitation field of the station to rotate automatically with the core. This makes landing a hell of a lot easier, and even though you can turn this option off, you’d have to be the kind of driver confident in racing down the highway intoxicated to do so. The challenge scales through the stratosphere and I advise players to only untick this option on a dare. Anyway, once inside you need to find an available landing pad to light up your descent. Then the fun truly begins!
After a few well expected explosive failures, you may get lucky enough to hit the ground in one piece. At that point the station’s market is accessible, allowing one to purchase repairs, buy new ships, or customize ones already in your possession. While this is currently a purely UI system, Elite: Dangerous is aiming towards enabling avatars to allow players to walk around the station on foot, checking out the various purchase options on a more personal level.
The Elite: Dangerous market system is a dynamic one, constantly influenced by supply and demand. Each station and each system requires a different resource, and it is up to the traders to figure out which one of the resources sell the best and get them there while the prices are still strong. If you are a big fan of trading, I am sure you will love Elite: Dangerous, but I for one am more of an action pirate myself. For aggressive players like myself, Elite: Dangerous offers the possibility of bounty hunting. This will involve hunting down and destroying NPC targets as well as mischievous players as well! There will be plenty of incentive I’m assured to play the villain, ensuring black market zones where dog fighting is encouraged. These battles are the ultimate test of your mastery over ship controls. Just like a car, you break when turning, and use your boost when catching up to a fleeing pirate! And just like in real life, if you spot a pirate on the highway you chase it and shoot his vehicle until it explodes.
Current State: Good
Elite: Dangerous still doesn’t have much to offer, even though it’s further in the development process than Star Citizen. Based on the developer promises, it seems far from finished. Currently it just went out of alpha and into beta, perhaps prematurely due to market competition. I’m sure the team behind this game knows what they’re doing though, and this is the beginning of a long drawn out beta phase to get as many potential testers fleshing out bugs before an end of year launch. I might be wrong for making assumptions but at least the game is in a functioning playable state for now. Elite: Dangerous is definitely on the way to become the best space simulation game, and currently there is more content than its big brother Star Citizen that only recently launched its dog fighting module. For a game that’s behind Star Citizen by a funding ratio of 1:50, Elite: Dangerous still stands as a valid competitor that should find a nice niche of space simulation lovers this summer.
NGames, a leading online games publisher, has today released two new gameplay trailers for action-packed free-to-play side-scrolling MMORPG, Endless Fury. The trailers show off gameplay for the Elite Instances, where warriors must face off against powerful bosses.
Available now on the burgeoning Game321.com games portal, Endless Fury is a breathtaking side-scrolling arcade-style action MMORPG that gives players the freedom to design and unleash their very own devastating combos. Players take on the role of a proud young warrior fighting a shady secret organization trying to overthrow justice. On their journey of self discovery through Endless Fury’s world of many layers, players will encounter a plethora of bizarre monsters, face-off against epic bosses, tackle unique quests and enjoy a variety of fun, fast-paced PVP features.
The corrupt world of Endless Fury is controlled by seedy organizations operating outside of the law. Each organization is made up of common monsters, who answer to a powerful and cunning boss.
Warriors can go head-to-head with these horrible bosses in the Elite Instances, where they will need to bring the full force of their user-created combos to secure victory. Win, and the powerful secret equipment of the bosses can be stolen and used to craft the ultimate weapon.
Elite Instances are much tougher than the challenges offered by Endless Fury’s story quests. Bosses are stronger than their monster underlings and each player is only given limited attempts to defeat them. It’s recommended that even the most proficient warrior tackle the lower level elite instances first.
Each main boss has unique abilities and skills, from exceptional mental strength to swift combo attacks. They all have a weakness too. Find it, and a warrior could soon find himself on the path to becoming the king of fighters.
Scott Braquet (SimpleAnatomy), Businessman and a Scholar
Since DizzyPW and the rest of the creative guys are a super swamped covering the PC MMO portion of E3, I wanted to put together an first impression article based on the titles Microsoft showcased during their Monday Xbox E3 Media Event. Full disclosure: I have no background in journalism, however, I was able to weasel my way into the Microsoft Xbox E3 Media event so I think that is qualification enough to put together this article:
Title Line-Up:
Xbox Achievement App
Happy Wars
Forza Horizon
Evolve
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dead Rising
Fantasia
Dance Central Spotlight
Project Spark
Ori and the Blind Forest
Inside
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Witcher 3
Phantom Dust
Tom Clancy’s Division
ScaleBound
Crackdown
Highlights:
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – CoD has taken the battle into the future, the gameplay footage highlighted Drop-ships, Jetpacks, Mechs, Spider Tanks, and Kevin Spacey.
What it Looks Like: TitanFall, Halo Reach
What makes it Interesting: Jetpacks could add a new element to the CoD franchise. Halo Reach and TitanFall are fast paced, chaotic shooters that have allowed players the ability to rely on their reaction times over their ability to aim with precision. Call of Duty has always slowed down the tempo a bit to instead build itself around keeping yourself alive long enough to get to kill-streaks to help the team. It will be interesting to see if they can maintain their previous formula. Also, Kevin Spacey.
Assassin’s Creed: Unity – Set in Paris during the French Revolution AC: Unity looks to strengthen a key element that has made the franchise successful throughout the years: its single-player experience.
What it Looks Like: Ghost Recon
What makes it Interesting: 4 player Co-Op Story. Unity allows you to pick up and play the new storyline with up to 3 of your friends. This allows far more strategic, tactical squad combat. Players will be able to coordinate an ambush on unsuspecting enemies and will have to work together to maintain stealth.
Sunset Overdive – Brand new IP from Insomniac Games that combines wall running and rail riding into a 3rd person shooter. Sunset Overdrive does everything it can to make sure that it does not take itself too seriously.
What it Looks Like: Tony Hawk, BioShock Infinite, Dead Rising 3
What makes it Interesting: Sunset Overdrive prides itself on giving users the agility needed to provide a different gaming experience. By not taking itself serious, Sunset Overdrive looks to win the hearts of gamers through comedy, similar to Borderlands.
Fable Legends – The creators behind the Fable franchise have put together another version of their franchise. Although I have never been a huge Fable fan myself, Fable Legends brings about a few interesting tweaks that have peaked my interest.
What makes it Interesting: Fable Legends may have fixed the biggest problem that plagued the other installments – Co-Op. Fable Legends features a 4 player Co-Op campaign that allows players to use their abilities to create combos to take out enemies. Having the ice mage freeze a minion and the soilder destroy it with his fire sword is just one example of the coordinated gameplay strategy on hand. Another huge update is the ability to play the villain of the game. Fable Legends allows you to set traps, command minions, and create bosses for the 4 heroes to go up against. This kind of unique game-play is a mantra that Fable always held firm; it looks as though Fable Legends may have finally delivered. You can sign up for the beta by going to www.FableLegends.com.
Halo: Master Chief Collection – By developing a single user interface, the guys who built the Halo series finally put all 4 games into one handy place for us. This collection offers Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 4 and gives you the ability to put together a customized playlist that allows you to play any mission within the saga in any order. The Master Chief Collection comes with a re-designed version of Halo 2, the original Halo 2 multiplayer experience, and over 100 multiplayer maps – all in 1080p and 60 FPS. To top it all off, the MC Collection gives users Halo: Nightfall, a digital storyline that ties the events of Halo 4 with the upcoming Halo 5: Guardians, as well as access to the Guardians Beta. Even better, they’ll have a new never before seen prologue and eulogy that offers a more complete bookend to the series as a whole. You can even switch back between the original and updated graphics settings to truly appreciate the upgrade or get a stronger nostalgic fix!
That’s it for your Xbox E3 First Impressions. Hopefully, I can get my hands on some of these demos tomorrow and see how they play.
