New Crysis remaster possibly teased, could use next-gen CryEngine tech

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 31, 2019 7:16 PM CDT

Crytek might be teasing a Crysis remaster or remake in its new high-end games engine, complete with amazing lighting effects, physics, and visuals.

New Crysis remaster possibly teased, could use next-gen CryEngine tech

Crytek's new CryEngine 5.6 tech demo is pretty insane, showing a glimpse at some next-gen tech that'll power new games. Most of the footage was for its Hunt: Showdown IP, but around the 2:17 mark we got a big surprise: Crysis music accompanied by island footage that closely resembles the game's setting, and the nanonsuit camo sound effect at the very end. Is this Crytek's not-so-subtle way at teasing a new Crysis remake?

The studio could use a big hit right now and remember EA might still hold exclusive publishing rights for the Crysis franchise. Crytek probably owns the IP, but they can't make any new games without EA's approval if the publisher still holds the rights. But this could be huge for both EA and Crytek. What if we got a new Crysis remaster on the PlayStation 5 and Project Scarlett next-gen consoles?

Continue reading: New Crysis remaster possibly teased, could use next-gen CryEngine tech (full post)

Modern Warfare microtransactions to be revealed soon

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 31, 2019 7:23 AM CDT

The new Modern Warfare reboot will indeed have microtransactions, but details have been quite light and fans are worried. Infinity Ward says more info is coming soon but we can make some guesses how monetization will work.

Modern Warfare microtransactions to be revealed soon

Like all of Activision's games (especially big AAA juggernauts like Call of Duty) the new Modern Warfare shooter will indeed be monetized. There's no way it won't be. The company enjoys billions every year from microtransactions thanks to strong online engagement and Call of Duty is always a big cash crop. This time around the publisher has a new trick with cross-play on PS4, Xbox One and PC that'll maximize player counts. This new method is so potentially potent that every new Activision-Blizzard game should support it.

So why hasn't Infinity Ward or Activision talked about microtransactions yet? It's a sore topic, something that has to be handled with finesse. They've all but confirmed mTX by saying Modern Warfare has the biggest post-launch DLC pipeline out of any CoD game, and that MW won't have a season pass. Why not just spill the beans and confirm cosmetic microtransactions? That's the least harmful way to monetize games these days--just toss in a bunch of skins and vanity items, and bam. It's the lesser of two evils.

Continue reading: Modern Warfare microtransactions to be revealed soon (full post)

Saints Row V, Dead Island 2, and new Metro game may go Epic exclusive

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 31, 2019 5:14 AM CDT

Deep Silver says it'd like to do more timed-exclusivity deals with the Epic Games Store, hinting its biggest future hits could skip Steam.

Saints Row V, Dead Island 2, and new Metro game may go Epic exclusive

Epic is paying big bucks to buy up timed exclusives for its storefront, and publishers like Deep Silver, 2K Games, and Ubisoft want in on the action. Deep Silver in particular caused a big ruckus by switching Metro Exodus from Steam over to EGS, delaying the game's Steam launch until 2020. The move was controversial but it was also quite lucrative for Deep Silver thanks to the Epic Store's 88-12 revenue split, and the switch didn't impact sales.

In the quest for more money, the games-maker wants to sign more exclusives with Epic, which could mean its biggest upcoming titles like Saints Row V, Dead Island 2, and 4A Games' brand new Metro game could all skip Steam for an entire year.

Continue reading: Saints Row V, Dead Island 2, and new Metro game may go Epic exclusive (full post)

Control to get motion blur toggle, HDR still isn't happening

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 31, 2019 1:33 AM CDT

Remedy's new supernatural sci-fantasy shooter Control is getting some much-requested features, including a motion blur toggle and a photo mode.

Control to get motion blur toggle, HDR still isn't happening

Launching a game as beautiful and dazzling as Control without a photo mode is a crime. But Remedy redeems itself in many other ways; the game is a spectacle of environment destruction physics, a unique artistic style, and wickedly fun gunplay. Gamers are still annoyed with some things though, namely the motion blur and incredible performance drops on base PS4 consoles. Now Remedy says fixes are on the way...but they could take some time.

Remedy plans to add an on/off toggle for motion blur with the game's next update, which could come out mid-September. A photo mode is also coming so gamers can easily freeze frame bizarre moments, snap them, and share them online. The big FPS drops on consoles will take longer to adjust and there's no ETA on that front.

Continue reading: Control to get motion blur toggle, HDR still isn't happening (full post)

Cyberpunk 2077 has fast travel, but you might not want to use it

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 30, 2019 8:42 PM CDT

Cyberpunk 2077 has fast-travel, but CD Projekt RED's own devs don't use it much. The game is simply too immersive and amazing to skip through.

Cyberpunk 2077 has fast travel, but you might not want to use it

CDPR is going above and beyond with Night City, the in-game world for Cyberpunk 2077. It's a world within itself, a high-tech metropolis bustling with real-time AI, next-gen dynamism, and tons of stuff to see and do. It's kind of like a Blade Runner wonderland or a playground right out of Johnny Mnemonic; you can hack practically everything, go buy some fancy new guns or robot arms, or just zoom around the city on a cyberbike or a supercar like a futuristic GTA game.

In a recent Q&A session stemming from the new Cyberpunk 2077 footage, CD Projekt RED devs talked about how jam-packed Night City is with life and content. It's a dazzling and brilliant hub full of crime, mayhem, and living, breathing cultures. Fast-travel is a part of locomotion, but you really probably shouldn't use it. You'll be missing out on all the crazy things Night City has to offer.

Continue reading: Cyberpunk 2077 has fast travel, but you might not want to use it (full post)

Cyberpunk 2077's vehicle selection could rival Grand Theft Auto

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 30, 2019 5:01 PM CDT

CD Projekt RED's latest sci-fi shooter will have tons of vehicles straight out of a high-tech Grand Theft Auto.

Cyberpunk 2077's vehicle selection could rival Grand Theft Auto

Cyberpunk 2077 isn't just a FPS RPG. It also takes cues from GTA and lets you jump into a spruced up high-tech car to roam around Night City's seedy neon-lit streets. And like Grand Theft Auto, the game will have tons of vehicles to choose from--all of which can be claimed.

We've seen a few examples of the different types of vehicles from past videos--Jackie's sweet supercar from the E3 2018 demo, and now the Akira-esque Yaiba Kusanagi bike and armored muscle car--but there's a lot more in the actual game. Sadly we won't be able to operate the flying cars (known as AVs, or Aerial Vehicles) but CDPR did tease some "special vehicles" during a recent stream.

Continue reading: Cyberpunk 2077's vehicle selection could rival Grand Theft Auto (full post)

Cyberpunk 2077 full skill tree, attributes and gear revealed

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 30, 2019 2:43 PM CDT

Today CD Projekt RED dropped the new 14-minute Cyberpunk 2077 demo from E3 2019, and it's jam-packed with info. First we saw how Netrunners can hack pretty much anything in the world, and now we get a taste of the game's dynamic skill system.

Cyberpunk 2077 full skill tree, attributes and gear revealed

Cyberpunk 2077 is a huge choice-driven RPG where you can mix and match abilities at will. There's no hardline classes, and it's up to you how you want to play: as a melee specialist who dukes it out and blasts baddies with huge guns or a stealthy Netrunner who melds with the shadows, CDPR gives you opportunities to fill out all the variations in between. The skill system is actually pretty familiar and takes cues straight from games like Morrowind and Skyrim.

Cyberpunk 2077 doesn't really have skills. Instead it has perks that buff your proficiency in things like hacking, rifle handling, and augmentation efficiency. All of Cyberpunk 2077's perks are governed by an attribute similar to Morrowind or Oblivion, but the perks are straight out of Skyrim.

Continue reading: Cyberpunk 2077 full skill tree, attributes and gear revealed (full post)

EVERYTHING in Cyberpunk 2077 can be hacked

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 30, 2019 1:42 PM CDT

In Cyberpunk 2077's high-tech futuristic Night City, everything's connected. That means everything can be hacked and turned into a weapon, including bench presses and a boxing training robot that punches people's heads off.

EVERYTHING in Cyberpunk 2077 can be hacked

Cyberpunk 2077 has a ton of playstyle options, but choosing a stealthy Netrunner lets you hack the world around you in creative ways. It's kind of like Watch Dogs, but with a more involved and ambitious next-gen scope. Being a seasoned Netrunner means you can manipulate the massively connected world of Night City and turn practically everything into a weapon or a much-needed distraction--including actual enemies. Pretty much everything is electronic and connected to a network, making the city a playground for your amusement. The results are often pretty humorous--hacking a bench press machine so it fails and crushes a guy's head

"Just develop your Netrunner skills to hack into enemy tech to have it do the dirty work for you."

Continue reading: EVERYTHING in Cyberpunk 2077 can be hacked (full post)

Greedfall is more like a BioWare game than BioWare's latest games

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 30, 2019 12:43 PM CDT

Spiders Studios' (The Technomancer, Bound by Flame) new RPG Greedfall might just fill the BioWare-shaped void in the games market.

Greedfall is more like a BioWare game than BioWare's latest games

Greedfall looks to be Spiders' best project yet and is kind of a mix of Dragon Age, The Witcher, and even Assassin's Creed, all wrapped up in an exotic colonial style. A new gameplay video on IGN narrated by a Spiders dev illustrates the game's ambitious scope. Set in the fantasy world of Teer Fradee, the game merges a kind of expeditious realism with myth and magic straight out of a sword and board epic. Strange beasts roam the lands, including enchanted tree guardians, hulking monstrosities, and a manner of shadowy creatures--all of which drop loot and materials to fuel gameplay.

The real power of Greedfall comes in its mechanics. It might be a AA game, but it seems to blend some big AAA aspects together in a nice mix. It's a singleplayer-only RPG replete with BioWare influences like a party system with cinematic dialog sequences, action-based combat combined with a strategic freeze-frame quick menu to change things around, and an intuitive mix of sword and sorcery variety. There's swords and firearms and combat is third-person lock-on hack-and-slash action.

Continue reading: Greedfall is more like a BioWare game than BioWare's latest games (full post)

Marvel's Avengers game character profile: introducing Captain America

Jak Connor | Gaming | Aug 30, 2019 8:18 AM CDT

Marvel plan on rolling out some character profile mini-trailer for each of the characters in their upcoming Marvel's Avengers game, first off we have Captain America.

Marvel's Avengers game character profile: introducing Captain America

While I believe that this Marvel's Avengers title certainly has some potential to be great, the above character trailer really doesn't get me that excited for it. This is mainly due to its length and what we see in the trailer. Basically all we are shown is Captain America's suit (which everyone has seen before), and some basic combat of him kicking and punching enemies.

It says in the description that its "time to get to know our heroes!" so I can assume that there will be more of these trailers introducing each of the other Avengers. Hopefully we given some more detail, in combat, character design etc, so gamers know what they are in for when picking up the title. Marvel's Avengers will be coming to the Xbox One, PS4 and PC on May 15th.

Continue reading: Marvel's Avengers game character profile: introducing Captain America (full post)