Sunday, July 31, 2016

Bald Bouncer

Fallout 4 Nuka World DLC: VO Artist More Or Less Confirms It To Be The Last DLC

There has been a lot of speculation, and some confusion fueled by some mixed signals sent out by the fine folks at Bethesda, about whether or not Fallout 4′s upcoming Nuka World DLC will be the last bit of post launch content that Bethesda release for the game- for those looking at more of the kind of extensive DLC that Oblivion and Fallout 3 received, Nuka World being the last DLC Fallout 4 gets would be rather disappointing, after all.


But disappointing or not, it sounds like that will indeed be the case. Speaking on Twitter, Fallout 4 voice actor Courtenay Taylor made some posts indicating that her time with the game was not at an end- leading to the natural implication that the still unreleased Fallout 4: Nuka World is in fact the last bit of DLC that the game will see, or at the very least the last bit of story DLC.

Which is a shame- while Bethesda called their support for Fallout 4 their most extensive yet, I found it to be underwhelming and disappointing. With only two story DLC packs, one of which is still not released, and one, Far Harbor, which was disappointing, I can’t say I feel like my purchase of the Season Pass was justified at all.



Source: Rheena.com
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Call of Duty Infinite Warfare To Focus On Character-Driven Story A Band of Brothers

In many ways, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare looks to be a departure from the series’ traditional stomping grounds and identity- certainly, the space setting was different enough to cause an immense amount of outrage and backlash against the game back when it was first revealed earlier this year. However, in other ways, it will still end up being the Call of Duty we all know and love.


One of those ways will be the story. Infinity Ward’s Brian Horton discussed the story conceit of Infinite Warfare, and, well, it’s Call of Duty as we’ve known it for so many years, all right.

“Our focus was to try and tell a character-driven story of a band of brothers; so Lt. Reyes is surrounded by a cast of fully fleshed out squad mates of which make up the fighting force that has to defeat this settlement defense front,” Horton said. “So your characters are going to help you in an A.I. capacity as well as further our narrative throughout the game. So they are going to play pivotal roles all throughout the story mode itself.”

Sounds all okay to me. Some things, maybe, simply should not change. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC this November.

Source: Rheena.com
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Nintendo NX Hardware Specs Possibly Leaked, More Powerful

When there was a rather extensive leak on the upcoming Nintendo NX, Nintendo’s enigmatic new system that they had somehow managed to completely keep under the wraps until just now, a lot of our hopes were met, but there were some that were dashed, too. A handheld-console hybrid, the NX would be the most powerful portable system ever built, and seems set to be the ultimate Nintendo machine, but it also seems that as a console, it shall be fairly weak- more powerful than the Wii U, but a far cry from the PS4 competitor that so many were expecting.



However, since then, new reports have come to light regarding the system, and it sounds like the NX may actually be more powerful, and be using more modern chips, than what was initially reported. Eurogamer’s leak for the system discussed that the devkits all seemed to be using an Nvidia Tegra X1, with the caveat added that the active cooling in the system seemed to suggest that the final version may actually be using a more advanced chip- like the still unannounced Nvidia Tegra X2. Now, insiders are confirming that this thesis was indeed on the mark, and that the NX will be using an Nvidia chip based on the Pascal architecture.

What does this mean in normal terms? It means that the NX will not be using the Tegra X1, since that is based on the Maxwell architecture. It also implies that the NX may end up being more powerful and simultaneously more power efficient than we previously suspected- since it is using a chip based on the Pascal architecture. Theoretically, this means that the NX could be more powerful than we initially suspected. Not PS4 Neo level or anything like that, no, but more powerful than the original Xbox One? There definitely seems to be a chance of that happening now.

That is, if this rumor is even true. It might not be, and though this insider has a generally good track record with his leaks so far, the fact remains that until Nintendo actually come out and reveal what the NX is, or until Nvidia unveil the Tegra 2 officially, we have nothing but speculation to go on.



Source: Rheena.com
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No Man’s Sky New Details: Inventory, Planets, Impulse Drive, And More

No Man’s Sky, Hello games’ long awaited space exploration simulation and adventure game is almost here, and a little way out from its final release date, we received some new information on the game, thanks to a Reddit article that collected some information from an article on the game that showed up in Play 4, a German magazine, as well as some new screenshots.


You can check out the new screenshots here, and you can read some of the new information that was revealed here, but be mindful that both may have spoilers. If you wanted to go into the game blind, hit that Back button on the browser right about now, and do not click on any of the links in this article.

Anyway, the new information was in a Reddit post that has since been taken down, but was cached online. It describes the starting area of the game, which tasks the player with finding parts to repair their damaged spaceship, and serves as a sort of tutorial. He describes the inventory (which seems to be limited, meaning you will need to decide what does and does not come with you), types of planets (there seem to be loads of varied environments), open world mechanics, and other things about the game. You can check out the full summary at the link above.

No Man’s Sky launches for the PlayStation 4 and PC in August.

Source: Rheena.com
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Skyrim Remastered PS4 Version Up For Pre-Order, Performance Is Focus

First, the good news for PlayStation owners, especially since those guys seem to get the short end of the stick so often when it comes to Bethesda - the PS4 version of The Elder Scrolls Skyrim: Special Edition, the upcoming remaster of the 2011 RPG classic, is now available to pre-order digitally on PSN. If, like me, you are a PS4 owner who definitely plans on getting this remake, then now is as good a time as any to go buy it.


With that out of the way, there’s also a more general update for the console versions of Skyrim: Special Edition. Speaking on Twitter, Bethesda’s Pete Hines confirmed that the developers are aiming for improved and optimized performance with the console versions of the upcoming remaster.

This is good, because all too often with remasters, we have seen developers focus too much on resolution, often at the detriment of the in game performance, actively hindering the enjoyment that can be derived from the game. The Elder Scrolls Skyrim: Special Edition will be launching on October 28 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.



Source: Rheena.com
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Kingdom Hearts 3 Story Will Tie Up All Strings, Says Developer

When Kingdom Hearts 3 launches – whenever that is, as of right now we barely have a release window for the game, let alone a release date – we will finally see the end of the story that started with the very first Kingdom Hearts more than a decade ago. That means no more bullshit spin offs or cliffhangers- fans who have been waiting to see how the story ends all this time will finally know come next year.


“There’s a lot of strings and a lot of strands in the previous Kingdom Hearts,” Director Tai Yasue said to GamesBeat. “They all come together. Right now we’re depicting the Dark Seeker saga, with Xehanort and his group that Sora’s battling. Them and the other Keyblade masters will have a sort of showdown. And so I think all the — everything is going to come together at the conclusion of the Dark Seeker saga in part III.”

After the fans’ extraordinary patience – over a decade of waiting, and a near infinite number of ‘required reading’ spin offs, all spread across multiple different platforms – I would sure hope that an ending to the story is on the cards here. If not, then I would be very, very displeased, had I been a Kingdom Hearts fan.

Source: Rheena.com
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Mass Effect Andromeda: The Quality of Animations Is At An All Time High

It seems as though Mass Effect Andromeda will end up being as ambitious as one might expect from the next generation entry in Bioware’s flagship franchise. In an interview that Bioware’s Mac Walters had with the Official Xbox Magazine (via Daily Star), Walters talked up just how much the game will be pushing the Frostbite Engine on the PS4 and Xbox One.


“We’re pushing the boundaries of what Frostbite can do and what Mass Effect can do. The quality of the character animations is at an all-time high for us, and that’s great because it means expressiveness, emotion and a connection with the player,” he said.

“One of the great things about working on Mass Effect is that it’s ground in reality,” Walters added. “It would be easy – probably too easy – for us just to go off and do things that are really wacky, that just dont fit in , so we always start from that.

“There are so many amazing things on earth. We’ll look at some images of a glowing cave somewhere in the world and be like, ‘That exists? That’s here on Earth?’ and then we tweak it a little bit, and now it’s alien, right?

In the end, it sounds like Andromeda will greatly benefit from Frostbite, and the realistic animations- if for no other reason than because Bioware like to push storytelling in video games to the limits, and jarring cinematics or uncanny valley character models can definitely break immersion from the story.

Mass Effect Andromeda is due out on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC by March 2017.

Source: Rheena.com
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Final Fantasy 15: Lighting, Global Illumination, Cloud, And Weather Systems Detailed

At SIGGRAPH this year, Square Enix held another talk to discuss the excellent and frankly amazing technology that is powering their upcoming Final Fantasy 15 – I have long since been of the opinion that the game itself may even end up being disappointing when all is said and done, but its technology will make it stand out nonetheless.


At SIGGRAPH, Square got more into exactly what that technology is, and how it works. Remi Driancourt of the Advanced Technology Division at Square Enix discussed the lighting techniques used by Square Enix, including global illumination, as well as the dynamic weather system that is in the game, including the excellent cloud (by which we neither mean the Final Fantasy 7 hero Cloud, nor do we mean the cloud as in the power of the cloud. We mean clouds. Like rainclouds) rendering tech employed.

Presentations like these vindicate my belief that Final Fantasy 15 is a technical tour de force. I can’t wait to give the game a proper go once it releases on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One come September 30. You can check out the presentation below from 40 minutes and 50 seconds which details the various parameters outlined in the headline.



Source: Rheena.com
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Battlefield 1 To Receive New Trailer At Gamescom

Fans of DICE’s Battlefield games who are eagerly looking forward to Battlefield 1– you don’t have to wait much longer to see the new World War 1 era shooter in action again. DICE have confirmed on Twitter that they will be debuting a brand new trailer for the upcoming game at Gamescom this year.


The new trailer should hopefully live up to the other trailers for the game so far- the first of which is one of the most liked YouTube videos in history, and which kicked off the kind of hype cycle for this game that the Battlefield series has rarely seen before. Mostly I am looking to see more of the kind of large scale action that the Battlefield series is known for, but in a WW1 garb.

Battlefield 1 is set to launch on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC this October. Gamescom, meanwhile, will be held in mid-August, so we should have the new trailer on hand in a couple of weeks.



Source: Rheena.com
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Destiny Rise of Iron DLC: Shader Compatible Class Items Possibly Confirmed

Wouldn’t it be cool if class items were affected by shaders again in Destiny: Rise of Iron? Well, it sounds like Bungie’s Christopher Barrett, a director on the upcoming expansion, thought so too, because that’s what he seems to be hinting at- the return of Shader-compatible class items for Bungie’s shared world shooter.


As some very excited Redditors are noting, the tweet was retweeted by the official Bungie Twitter account too, so it seems to be pretty much a given at this point that this will be happening- which is good news, because this is something fans have been asking for for a while now. Looks like Bungie’s rhetoric about listening to the fans and giving them what they want was not just lip service after all, then.

Destiny: Rise of Iron is slated to be the final expansion pack for the game, ahead of the launch of Destiny 2 next year. It will be launching this September on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.



Source: Rheena.com
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Saturday, July 30, 2016

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Nintendo NX Will Apparently ‘Be Compatible’ With Nintendo’s Mobile Games- Report

As per the rumors, we have already been told that the NX is meant to be an intersection of Nintendo’s handheld and console gaming lines, a single, unified device that can play all Nintendo games in multiple form factors, handheld and console- but apparently, the NX will also be bringing Nintendo’s third major pillar of video games into the fold- the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Nintendo NX will also be compatible with Nintendo’s mobile games in some capacity.



The rumor, which corroborates what we have heard about the NX so far (which basically confirms that what we have heard is true, since The Wall Street Journal has a 100% track record with accuracy on reporting video game rumors), claims that Nintendo’s mobile games are compatible with the NX- although the article doesn’t specify what kind of compatibility.

Compatibility could mean multiple things- it could mean that Nintendo’s mobile games are playable on the NX, or it could mean that Nintendo’s mobile games can interact with the NX in some form, possibly like how so many companies have smartphone apps for their major games that interact. Regardless, it now seems like the NX – which at this point is more or less confirmed to be what the rumors say it will be – will be the confluence of Nintendo’s handheld, console, and mobile games. That would really make it the ultimate Nintendo system.

Source: Rheena.com
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Headlander Walkthrough With Ending

Double Fine’s newest is Headlander, an incredible Metroidvania style adventure game that channels the developer’s unique sense of style into a great, 70s inspired retro science fiction aesthetic, while also crafting and providing for some compelling and engaging gameplay. Headlander may be different from the average Double Fine release, but fans of the studio owe it to themselves to play it nonetheless.


That said, owing to the game’s genre – it’s a Metroidvania – it can be hard to keep track of where you are, and where you are supposed to be going. The game can be sprawling and daunting, and it is easy for you to feel so overwhelmed that you want to stop playing. That’d be a terrible mistake, so don’t do it! Instead, refer to this walkthrough right here. This walkthrough is a complete video guide to all of Headlander, start to end. That’s awesome, isn’t it? It means you won’t ever get stuck in the game. Just remember, the guide, by its very nature, has spoilers, so be mindful of them.



Source: Rheena.com
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Minecraft: Story Mode Episode 7 — Access Denied Walkthrough With Ending

The seventh episode of Minecraft: Story Mode, Telltale’s adventure game take on the Minecraft universe, is now out, and it continues Jesse and his friends’ journey through the portals as they try to get back home. Fans of both, Telltale’s games and Minecraft, will find this unique take on the Minecraft universe engaging and rewarding- and those who have invested themselves into the series so far should really enjoy what this new episode has to offer, too.


If, however, at nay point while playing this episode, you are unsure on how to proceed (or really, if you just want to experience the story without actually playing the game), then this guide is for you. The video walkthrough below covers the full episode in its entirety, start to end, which means you can’t possibly get stuck as long as you follow it- but it also means that if you do decide to watch it, make sure to be mindful of spoilers!



Source: Rheena.com
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Gran Turismo Sport Matchmaking System, Campaign Mode Detailed

At a presentation from Chinajoy (via DualShockers), Sony and Polyphony Digital took the time to shed some more light on the upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive racer Gran Turismo Sport, which is the next installment in the long running franchise. The presentation delved into the game’s mission mode, noting that there will be 117 missions total for the game’s single player campaign mode. You can check out screenshots that describe this in more detail in the gallery below.



The presentation also detailed the game’s ‘advanced matchmaking system.’ Players will be rated on Driver Class (which is in turn based on their skill) and their Sportsmanship (which is derived from their behavior on the track), and both parameters will be used to match players up for online play. You can see more details about this in the screenshot gallery below, too.

Also in the gallery are, well, more new screenshots. The game looks graphically far better in these than it has so far- maybe it won’t look bad by the time it launches after all. Gran Turismo Sport will be available this November exclusively on the PlayStation 4.



Source: Rheena.com
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The Nintendo NX May Be The Japanese Gaming Industry’s Best Shot At Surviving

The Japanese game industry is in trouble. Pretty deep trouble. The console market in Japan has been constantly declining for over a decade now, and it stands at a far more diminished stature now than it was at its peak- the Wii and the PS3 were a step down from the PS2 era, but they still managed to post respectable enough numbers; but this generation, so far, the PS4 and the Wii U put together have not been able to do as well in Japan as the PS3 alone did the previous generation.


The natural argument to make here is that the PS4 may end up outperforming the PS3 by the end (outperforming the Wii seems to be more of a stretch here), but that automatically raises the follow up question: how? On what basis will the PS4 actually sell more than the PS3 or the Wii? Major game support for consoles from Japanese publishers is at an all time low, and the few high profile console games that have launched on the PS4 so far this generation have all underperformed (notably, Metal Gear Solid 5 did far worse on the PS4 than Metal Gear Solid 4 did on the PS3 not too long ago).

Major Japanese games support, instead, seems to have migrated in large part either to handhelds, or to mobiles, or it has stuck to supporting the PS3- and even a lot of the Japanese games that the PS4 is getting are actually hand-me-downs from handhelds or the PS3. Take Tales of Zestiria, or the upcoming Tales of Berseria. Take Ys 8. Take Dragon Quest XI. Take Toukiden. Take Star Ocean 5 or Persona 5. Take DanganRonpa 3. Take practically all of Koei Tecmo’s lineup for the PS4. Just about every major game on the PS4 that isn’t by Square happens to be on the PS4 simply because it was convenient to put it on there alongside the Vita or the 3DS or the PS3- and even then, the PS4 versions aren’t performing as well as similar games did on the PS3.

So, to loop this back to what the original thesis was: the PS4 isn’t selling all that well in Japan. There is no major planned support for the PS4, outside of Square Enix and maybe Capcom, that could push the PS4’s sales. Existing games don’t do as well on PS4, and are anyway available on other platforms more popular, such as PS Vita, PS3, or 3DS. And most major game support in Japan seems to have fled consoles to handhelds and mobiles anyway. This, put together with the Wii U’s dismal performance in Japan, means that the home console market is dying in the country- and with it is dying the industry for high end Japanese games.

It’s a shame, really- not so long ago, Japan led the global industry for console games. In a little over a decade, the Japanese game industry for high end games is a shell of its former self. So what happened here? Unfortunately, it seems as though this trend was largely unavoidable- Japan’s demographics, with their low birth rates, in conjunction with the logistics of the country and its population – a busy and hectic lifestyle, with little free time at home, as well as constant mobility, mostly via a very well entrenched public transport system – means that there is no place for console gaming in most people’s lives there anymore. Short of a full reboot of the country’s population, and their lifestyles, nothing can change this- as more and more people get older and get jobs, and they have little free time at home, they will all be largely on the move, and the only time they will get to play some games will be on the train or the bus. And that is why handheld and mobile games have continued to thrive in the country to the extent that they have even as console gaming has slumped.

No console can change this. As mentioned above, the factors determining the decline of game consoles in the region have more to do with just games- they are deep rooted, social reasons, which caused the Japanese to look elsewhere from consoles for their gaming needs, and which in turn contributed to the kind of mass exodus of games and publishers (and sales!) from gaming consoles that was noted above.

Last year, I expressed a hope that the PS4’s domination would be the rescue for the Japanese gaming industry, but one year on, that hope has proven to be futile. The PS4’s sales have actually picked up in the country since, although they are still dismally low, as noted above; but major games such as Metal Gear Solid 5 and Touikden have come and gone (and not done as well as their predecessors on PS3 and PS Vita) in the intervening period. Meanwhile, major games support for the PS4 hasn’t gotten any better since, either.


It is now clear that even a product as ultimately appealing as the PS4 cannot reverse demographic restrictions placed on the success of a traditional home console in Japan. The country needs something more, a radical and dramatic shakeup of the traditional home console concept that will somehow reconcile their needs with the limitations of a home console. Essentially, since mobility is ubiquitous in Japan, and time spent at home has a premium placed on it, nothing short of a console that literally becomes portable will do. Nintendo tried tackling this concept to a limited degree (and to very limited success) with the Wii U, but it was too rudimentary to actually work.

Enter the NX. Earlier this week, rumors leaked about Nintendo’s enigmatic new machine, the NX, and exactly what it wold entail, and it sounds like a rather intriguing and exciting prospect. The NX is that Nintendo unicorn- a fusion of their home console and handheld platforms, the fabled Nintendo hybrid that people have long been waiting for. It is a powerful handheld that you can take with you on the go, playing games on it, and then, when you get home, dock it, and continue playing those same games on the TV. It is a very powerful console, but not such a powerful console (it is at the very least more powerful than the Wii U, but whether it is less, more, or as powerful as the Xbox One remains unclear right now). It is basically like an untethered, inverse Wii U- you get to play your games on a portable anywhere in the world, and when you get home, you can play them on the TV, on the big screen.

The relative benefits of this approach have been discussed elsewhere, and at great length – a consolidation of Nintendo’s output, the ability to play something like Pokemon on your TV, or Zelda on your handheld, is one, for instance – and will not be discussed further here. What I did want to call attention to, however, is how this device seems to be tailor-made to solve the problem the Japanese market faces- it is a mobile home console. In one fell swoop, it is the answer to Japan’s question with no solution.

This is extremely evident in two ways. One is if you consider just how good Japanese third party support for handhelds has been, even as support for consoles has fallen- the 3DS has boasted of some very high profile games from Japanese third parties, from Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate to Yokai Watch, from Dragon Quest 11 to Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse, from Zero Escape to Ace Attorney, from Kingdom Hearts to Metal Gear, from Final Fantasy to Sonic, and more. The Vita, meanwhile, has gathered even more third party support, with mid tier to low tier Japanese third parties flocking to it, putting out incredible games such as Toukiden, Steins;Gate, DanganRonpa, Dynasty Warriors, Digimon, Ys, Persona, and more. Where third party support on consoles has largely dried up, outside of some high end games that simply wouldn’t work on a non stationary platform – things like Dark Souls and Metal Gear Solid, mostly – handhelds have continued to thrive, and have soaked up the bulk of the third party support that used to be reserved for consoles.

There is also the simple fact that Japanese third party publishers as a whole appear to be very enthusiastic of the NX, with most major ones having pledged support for it at this point. This is because the NX, which at worst is a bit weaker than the Xbox One, gives the Japanese publishers who wish to make ambitious home console games enough power and resources to work with, while also ensuring that they don’t miss out on a large audience that has mostly moved to portables by now. The audience prefers portables by necessity, and the developers prefer consoles by ambition- the NX is the intersection. The NX is the answer.

This may be it, then. The Nintendo NX may in fact be the system that ends up salvaging Japan’s games industry for dedicated hardware. By fusing a console and a handheld, Nintendo are not just playing to their own strengths, they are also targeting a problem that has long since plagued the domestic market for high end games. The end result is likely to be a glut of Japanese third parties on the NX, unlike anything a system has seen since the PS2 era, as the NX consolidates all of Japan’s third party support that goes to consoles and both the handhelds on one system.

This means, then, that the NX will get a lot of third party support- just that the bulk of it will be Japanese. And while most western game publishers, such as Activision, Ubisoft, Warner Bros., and Take Two, have also all expressed enthusiasm for whatever the NX is, and will probably support it at least to begin with, the NX will probably be more like the Japanese equivalent of the Xbox in terms of its games- it has mostly Japanese third party support with token western third party support, too.

I really don’t mind that. I like Japanese games a lot, and I am thrilled that they are potentially being given a platform to thrive on. The NX could potentially save the Japanese games industry- that makes it alright in my books.

Source: Rheena.com
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Friday, July 29, 2016

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Square Enix Announcing A ‘Dramatic New RPG’ on August 1

Looks like Square Enix are lining up for some kind of a major announcement- they are teasing a ‘dramatic RPG’ called Kamitsuri, which they will fully announce on August 1. We don’t know much about the game itself yet, beyond the fact that it’s an RPG that will be ‘dramatic’- although we did get a short teaser for it.


Right now, we don’t even know what platforms the game will be out on- for all we know, it could be a mobile game. The artstyle from the trailer certainly seems to suggest that it’s not a high end console game- so it’s either a handheld game, or it will be hitting smartphones. It could also just be a console game released digitally and on a smaller budget.

You can check out the teaser for the game below, and you can let us know what you think in the comments section.



Source: Rheena.com
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DriveClub VR Announced As Japan Launch Title For Playstation VR

Here come those PlayStation VR games! Driveclub VR, which was earlier showcased by Sony as a a demonstration of what’s possible on their fledgling VR platform, is now officially a launch title for PlayStation VR. A catch: It’s only confirmed as launching in Japan (thanks, Videogamer.) Interestingly, the Japanese Playstation Blog post which outed the information appears to have been taken down, replaced with handy 404 screen. The plot thickens.


So, what exactly does this mean? Well, there still is the possibility that it was a communications screw-up. We reported that Driveclub VR’s future was left uncertain after developer Evolution Studios was shuttered. However, Driveclub’s former game director Paul Rustchynsky chimed in opportunely on Twitter, talking about the “new tracks” in the game. But going by the er hastags, he Rustchynsky does seem to strongly imply that Driveclub VR is still a thing.

Playstation VR (and presumably Driveclub VR) are launching on October 13th. What’s your take?



Source: Rheena.com
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Tekken 7 Story Mode Pushed heavily Because Fans Expect A Fleshed Out Single Player

The launch and failure of Street Fighter V has made one thing very clear- having the core gameplay down in a fighting game is all well and good, but if you don’t back it up with some actual substantial content that players can enjoy on their own, then you might as well not bother.


Apparently Bandai Namco, the publishers of the upcoming Tekken 7, understand this too- that’s one reason that they are pushing the story mode of the game so much.

“What we’re kinda seeing now with the trends in fighting games, is that fans want more than the core fighting experience, they also want a full fleshed-out single player experience, which is why we’re pursuing story mode so hard in this game,” Bandai Namco Games America Brand Manager Mark Religioso told DualShockers. “We’re really integrating it in a special way where it goes from in-game cinematics to actual gameplay with a lot of dialogue between characters, so you can really experience and feel that story.”

Tekken 7 is already available in arcades. It will be launching on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Source: Rheena.com
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PlayStation VR Titles Will All Be Playable On Regular PS4 Systems

I suppose there has been enough confusion regarding the upcoming PlayStation VR, and its status with respect to the confirmed, but as of yet unrevealed, PlayStation 4 NEO, that Sony Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida thought to clear the air up. Speaking at ACGHK 2016 in Hong Kong (via CoverBased), Yoshida confirmed that all PlayStation VR games will in fact be playable with the regular PlayStation 4 systems on sale on the market right now, and of which 43.5 million have been sold worldwide already.


“All the PSVR (and future) titles will be playable on (normal) PS4,” Yoshida confirmed, hopefully laying any doubts anyone might have had to rest once and for all.

Of course, that isn’t to say that PlayStation VR games won’t perform better on a PlayStation 4 NEO- hypothetically, they just might (and common wisdom holds that the existence of the NEO owes itself to the PlayStation VR in the first place). But it seems like Sony will ensure that regular PS4 owners are not left behind in the dust, at least.

Source: Rheena.com
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Xur’s Back In Destiny’s Tower: Find Out What’s On Offer This Week

Xur: Agent of the Nine is back at the Tower, just like every week. Everyone’s favorite shadowy salesperson has some nice goodies you’ll want to get your hands on. And we are going to show you just where he is in the video below. As for what Xur has to offer this week, see if any of this strikes your fancy:


The 4th Horseman is a brilliant shotgun with a full-auto mode. We absolutely adore full-auto shotguns in games, especially this one. (Note to self, easy on the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. references). In other Destiny news, the Rise of Iron expansion, which is set to leave the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 in the sands of time, is set to launch on September 20th. Preordering gives you access to the incredibly awesome Iron Gjallarwing.
  • Chest Armor: Legacy Engram (29 Strange Coins)
  • Titan Leg Armor: Mk. 44 Stand Asides (13 Strange Coins)
  • Hunter Leg Armor: Bones of Eao (13 Strange Coins)
  • Warlock Helmet: The Ram (13 Strange Coins)
  • Shotgun: The 4th Horseman (17 Strange Coins)
  • Three of Coins: (7 Strange Coins)
  • Glass Needle: (3 Strange Coins)

Source: Rheena.com
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Xbox One S Will Require An Update For 4K Support

Sneaky sneaky. Someone appears to have unboxed an Xbox One S unit over in…well, Norway. (Thanks, GeeksULTD). You can check out the unboxing video below. Because you’re really not meant to break embargos, the Xbox One S unit here doesn’t appear to support 4K content out of the box, requiring a software update.


The uploader got his hands on the 2TB version of the Xbox One S. As promised my Microsoft, the new(ish) console has a much smaller footprint, and in the picture the uploader tweeted, it appears to fit very nicely in his TV cabinet. kurbo76, the owner of the Xbox One S unit, spoke about his console to GeeksULTD. This is what he had to say:

“There was no option for 4K. We had to do about a 4.5 gig update when it first powered on. We checked the display settings and it said 1080p. We changed HDMI cables and changed HDMI ports on the tv and nothing fixed the issue. Still won’t do 4K.”

What’s your take on the Xbox One S? Live in an obscure country where they deliver hardware a month early? Let us know so we can buy it off you! Just kidding.



Source: Rheena.com
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Battleborn’s Third DLC Character Revealed

Following the release of Battleborn’s second DLC character Pendles, Gearbox Software showcased the next DLC character that would be out in “the next couple months”. Say hello to Ernest. Ernest is a “defensive mastermind” of sorts and part of the Peacekeepers faction. The developer noted that Ernest possesses “demolition prowess” and is a “brilliant technician”. His actual abilities weren’t revealed but the concept art for him showcases a grenade launcher. Surely that has some purpose other than defense.



As a post-launch DLC character, players will need to pay 47,500 Credits to earn him in-game. Season Pass owners can purchase Ernest with a hero key that comes with each new character launch though and they receive early access. Pendles is currently available for season pass owners and will release for the general population on August 4th.

What are your thoughts on the new characters? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more information.

Source: Rheena.com
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Bald Bouncer

Final Fantasy 15 New Video Takes Us Behind The Scenes

Final Fantasy 15 has had a hell of a development cycle- ten years in development, with at least one platform shift, one generational transition, one change of directors, multiple delays, one name change, two demos, and millions of disenfranchised fans, as well as one desperate publisher, pinning all of their hopes for the future of the series on this one game- it’s a story more interesting than whatever story the game wants to tell us.


So a Behind the Scenes video for the game would be a great idea, right? Something that could shed some light on the game’s tumultuous development? It would be, yes- but this video is not that. Instead, this video is… super random. In April 2016, Square Enix spent some time with Epic Meal Time to show them FF15 and create an Epic Meal. This video is about that. Yeah.

Final Fantasy 15 launches on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on September 30 worldwide. You can see the new video below, and let us know what you think in the comments section.



Source: Rheena.com
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Mafia 3 New Trailer Introduces A Brand New Character

Mafia 3 is due to launch soon, and 2K Games have shared a brand new trailer for it with us today which introduces us to a brand new character- Cassandra. Also known by her nickname, ‘The Voodoo Queen,” she is determined to take down the Italian mob, and she joins Lincoln Clay on his quest to dismantle the mob as one of his three lieutenants,.


The new trailer highlights all this, and other aspects of her character, and frankly, she comes off as a total badass, and as one of the most interesting characters who have been revealed for the game yet. I just hope she doesn’t end up betraying us, because that would break my heart.

Mafia 3 is due out later this year, on October 7, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. You can check out the new trailer for yourself below, and make sure to let us know what you think in the comments section.



Source: Rheena.com
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Just Sing Announced For PS4 and Xbox One By Ubisoft

Just Dance wasn’t enough to make you look goofy and embarrassing- Ubisoft have decided to one up themselves and announced Just Sing, a game that lets you sing (or lip sync) along to hit songs, and make your own music videos.


You don’t need any special accessories or peripherals to be able to play Just Sing– you just download the Just Sing Companion App on your iOS or Android smartphone, sync it up with your console, and you’re good to go. The game will use the microphone and camera on your phone to record your audio and video and create your version of a music video for the song that you are singing.

You can also change themes and filters for your videos. On the whole, while I find the potential for cringes to be very high with something like this, I do understand that it will probably be big at parties, and that the casual audiences will probably love it.

Just Sing will be out September 6 in North America, September 8 in Europe.



Source: Rheena.com
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