Gaming - Page 469

It will have been 15 years since the release of the original STALKER when STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl is released, with developer GSC GameWorld announcing a release date of April 28, 2022.

A brand new gameplay video was unleashed during the Xbox E3 2021 showcase, with STALKER 2 also renamed to STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl. The new STALKER 2 gameplay footage teased everything we need to see: the graphics, the open-world, gameplay, the guns, enemies, and more.

The graphics are mighty impressive, with some of the best lighting and shadows that I've seen in a game, and a huge upgrade to the facial animations. Even when one of the characters walks across a plank of wood at the 2:20 mark or so, the plank is loose and so it moves as he steps over it... just a really nice touch in an otherwise beautifully detailed (with amazing lighting and shadows) scene.

EA has a vision with Battlefield 2042: Always-online action that never ends. DICE shares this vision and that's why they're using AI bots to bring '24/7 Battlefield mayhem' to their new shooter.

EA has been experimenting with AI in its new SEED division for years now, and it looks like DICE is taking the tech for a spin in Battlefield 2042. DICE recently confirmed that Battlefield 2042 will feature AI bots to ensure gamers can experience full 128-player Conquest or Breakthrough battles regardless of how many players are connected. Full matches are important for engagement, and as a multiplayer-only game, Battlefield 2042's main fuel is engagement.

"So in Battlefield 2042 you can actually kick off the game and play solo with AI squad members in a whole big team with AI facing AI. That's just a great way to kind of learn the basics of the game, and then from there to gradually get into a mix of both humans and AI in PVP," DICE General Manager Oskar Gabrielson said in a recent Twitch stream.

Battlefield 2042 is by far the biggest game DICE has ever made and features 128-player maps of staggering size and scope.

Battlefield 2042 ships with 7 maps this October, and the 128-player maps in particular are absolutely staggering. In a recent Twitch stream, DICE developers gave more details about the 64v64 Conquest maps and how they're so big that a new gameplay concept had to be invented.

To keep the action explosively high and varied, DICE has introduced something it calls clusters to Battlefield 2042. The concept is simple: Each Conquest map has multiple key sectors and areas that can be captured that are strewn throughout the map. Each sector has its own focus on battle, whether it's more for infantry like a closed-off stadium, or a huge open-ended desert made specially for vehicles. Battles are concentrated in these clustered areas.

Cyberpunk 2077 will soon be re-listed on the PlayStation Store and available for purchase next week, CD Projekt says.

After six months of missed sales, Sony has finally given CD Projekt RED permission to re-list Cyberpunk 2077 on the PlayStation Store.

"In relation to Current Report no. 66/2020 of 18 December 2020, the Management Board of CD PROJEKT S.A. with a registered office in Warsaw hereby publicly discloses the decision by Sony Interactive Entertainment to reinstate the availability of the digital edition of Cyberpunk 2077 on PlayStation Store, effective on 21 June 2021,"reads a CD Projekt press release.

After two years of silence, Nintendo finally pegs a 2022 release for The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2.

Nintendo closed out its E3 2021 direct showcase by announcing a release window for Breath of the Wild 2. Gamers will once again play as Link in the new open-world sequel, which is due out on Nintendo Switch sometime in 2022.

While the sequel looks a lot like the 2017 game, BOTW2 has some big changes like expansion to the skies complete with floating castles straight out of Skyward Sword. Other changes include new powers like the reverse-rainfall water ability, which turns Link into a liquid that flings upward, allowing him to pass through solid objects like rocks. Link also has a fancy new enchanted armband and can now attach dragon heads to his shield that blast flames at enemies

Todd Howard recently described Starfield as 'Skyrim in space,' but a recent trailer is giving more Fallout vibes.

A new Starfield video inadvertently reveals some interesting info. One segment clearly shows Bethesda's Emil Pagliarulo writing a fictional communique from a fleet admiral in Starfield. Bethesda clearly knew we'd be looking and found an indirect way to reveal new info.

The message confirms a bunch of things. First, space pirates are in the game, and they're called the Crimson Fleet. These guys are so bad they're to be killed on sight. And yes, these spare pirates fly skull-and-crossbones flags from their spaceships.

Lots of BioWare's key talent have left the studio, including ex-general manager Casey Hudson, who left in December 2020. Now BioWare has found someone to fill Hudson's shoes.

BioWare just announced that interim GM Gary McKay is now serving full-time as the new general manager of the studio. McKay had previously served one year as BioWare's senior director of development operations. Now the 20-year industry veteran is GM and VP or BioWare's Edmonton and Austin branches.

In a recent blog post, McKay says he's strongly focused on winning gamers over again. "This studio is unique in that it has an incredible history of building critically successful games and universes that are truly beloved by so many fans. For me, success is all about rebuilding that reputation, and delivering on that promise of quality."

Plumbers Don't Wear Ties, largely known as the worst video game ever made, is coming back. God help us.

Old-school 3DO game Plumbers Don't Wear Ties is getting re-released on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC, complete with digital and physical launches. Limited Run Games is making this happen, and I don't know if I should be happy or utterly terrified. Calling it a "game" is a loose definition--it's more like an interactive slideshow that two teenagers could've put together in the early 90s.

The game has been hilariously lambasted by AVGN, the angriest gaming geek on the internet, and today the game remains one of the strangest cult classics of a bygone era of doomed video game consoles.

DOOM Eternal had its huge ray tracing and DLSS announcement just two weeks ago now, and at first we didn't have an ETA for the patch but now we do: June 29.

id Software will not just be polishing up the PC version of DOOM Eternal, but the consoles will also get some of that upgrade lovin' with some big changes coming to the next-gen Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 consoles and DOOM Eternal.

The developer explains on its website that the "free update optimizes DOOM Eternal for next-gen machines, offering improved visuals, increased performance and support for ray-tracing, or 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, or an optional 120 FPS mode".

Halo Infinite's multiplayer will be monetized via battle passes that will never expire, 343i confirms.

Halo Infinite's multiplayer is F2P so that means monetization is included as well. The devs confirmed Infinite won't have REQ pack-style lootboxes that can be purchased, and random loot isn't in the game at all.

"There's no random loot in this. There's no lootboxes. It's very important to us that everyone understands how they unlock customization content, and we have a variety of places where they can do that,"343i said.

Halo Infinite's multiplayer is a big departure from existing Halo games and completely changes the PVP dynamic.

343i is having a lot of fun with Halo Infinite's multiplayer, and they hope we do too. The devs are adding in a lot of new things like weapon and vehicle airdrops, making camo and overshields active-use, and completely changing the landscape with new equipment. There's one gadget that will have the biggest effect on multiplayer: The new grappleshot.

The new Halo Infinite multiplayer trailers really drive one point home: The grappling hook might be the single biggest evolution in Halo multiplayer since the Battle Rifle. It's so versatile and powerful that I think 343i is going to spend a lot of time balancing multiplayer.

Starfield is a deep story-driven RPG built on hope, deep-space voyages across the stars, and a message of interstellar optimism.

Starfield, Bethesda Game Studios' first new singleplayer RPG since Fallout 4, has an almost mystical quality about it. The project invokes themes of deep space travel in futuristic, yet somehow-janky ships, bringing to mind a mix of Star Trek's sophisticated tech with Star Wars' gritty style. Add in a spark of hope and Bethesda-level depth and you have Starfield.

We haven't seen Starfield in action just yet, but the developers have given us lots of clues on what to expect. Starfield is a grand sci-fi space fantasy built on the same kind of hope and optimism that led to NASA's moon landing. The fictional Constellation is a celebration of the golden age of spacefaring, bringing to mind NASA's expeditious spirit. Constellation's messaging is a clear callback to Armstrong's legendary quote: "For all, into the Starfield."

Today 343 Industries revealed a ton about Halo Infinite's multiplayer. Lots of things are changing from the classic shooter sandbox we know and love, including a lot of modernized tweaks.

Halo Infinite's free-to-play multiplayer looks fresh, frenetic, and fun. But it's a departure from the Halo we grew up with. The shooter is adding new equipment like the grappling hook that will fundamentally change the flow, scope, and tactical nature of the game. This hook can fling you across the map, grab nearby items, and even grab fusion cores for destructive chaos.

Another big change is how overshields and active camo work. In Halo Infinite these will be equipment-like power ups that go into your inventory, allowing players to activate them when they want. The downside is that if you die without using it, the enemy can pick it up and use it too.

The new Battlefield has finally been revealed and an awesome gameplay trailer has now been unleashed... check out the very first Battlefield 2042 gameplay reveal:

It looks pretty damn good, with the footage labeled as "pre-alpha" the Battlefield 2042 gameplay that EA has shown off is insane. We have beautiful environments that I really want to see EA dive into more when it comes to the inner workings of its tweaked next-gen Frostbite engine powering Battlefield 2042.

Inside, we have gigantic fights with planes, helicopters, rockets, buildings, storms, and everything in between. The storms in Battlefield 2042 play a gigantic part of the game -- as EA has placed players in a futuristic dystopian world that has been ripped apart from next-gen storms. The resource shortages triggered by this creates the Second Great Depression, and inside of that -- is Battlefield 2042.

Microsoft confirms The Outer Worlds 2 is in development and it won't release on Xbox One hardware.

The rumors were right. The Outer Worlds 2 is happening, and it won't be available for PlayStation consoles--or base Xbox One consoles, either. Microsoft is taking over publishing The Outer Worlds 2 and is keeping the game secured to Xbox Game Pass platform. Private Division, who published the original Outer Worlds, previously confirmed this would be the case.

Not much is known about The Outer Worlds 2 other than it "takes place in a new star system with a new crew." We also know it's coming to Xbox Series X/S consoles, but no release window or exact date was announced.

Some of Xbox's best shooters can hit blistering 120FPS on the new Xbox Series X console.

Today Microsoft announced a metric ton of new Xbox games, but existing games like Doom Eternal are getting some love too. id's new shooter is getting a next-gen upgrade for Xbox Series X/S that unlocks new perf modes like 60FPS with ray-tracing turned on, a 4K mode, and 120FPS ripping and tearing. The free patch is due out June 29.

"Doom Eternal will be optimized for Xbox Series X and S on June 29. Powered by id Tech, this next-gen upgrade will be free to everyone who owns Doom Eternal. And on Xbox Series X, it will over improved visuals at ray-tracing 4K 60FPS, a 4K mode, and an optimal performance mode of up to 120FPS," Bethesda's Pete Hines said during the event.

Halo Infinite's multiplayer gets a tantalizing sizzle reel showing off a ton of new weapons, grappling hook takedowns, and general PVP chaos.

Halo turns 20 this year, and so does Xbox, so what better way to celebrate than with some Halo Infinite multiplayer footage? 343i showcased the first-ever multiplayer footage today, confirming details like the return of the Gravity Hammer, and new shield-based equipment. You can even grapple onto a flying vehicle and yank an enemy out of it.

The studio also confirmed bots are coming to Halo Infinite's mutliplayer:

Square Enix announced six new remasters for the original Final Fantasy RPG classics...but there's some news that will probably disappoint you.

The rumors were true: Final Fantasy's 1-6 are getting remastered. There's some bad news, though. For some reason the games aren't coming to consoles (yet?) and will release "soon" on Steam, iOS, and Android.

Second, the games will be sold individually. You didn't think Square Enix would sell a nice bundle for, say, $59.99 did you? According to listings on the Google Play Store, each game could be priced at $14.99.

Eidos-Montreal's new Guardians of the Galaxy game is a singleplayer-only action-adventure game, complete with frenetic combat and dynamic, reactive worlds.

Today Square Enix announced the new Guardians of the Galaxy game, a new project from Deus Ex developer Eidos-Montreal. The game won't be live service like Avengers--it's completely singleplayer. You'll take the reins as Star Lord and lead a ragtag group of cosmic misfits--Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot--in frenetic team-based combat.

You'll collect equipment, rank up your skills, and explore vast planets, all while interacting with your team. Speaking of which, each member is independent. Characters will say what they want, make their own decisions, and you have to react and adapt to what happens. Your decisions will also affect them and the in-game world, leading to certain circumstances.

Forza Horizon 5 is a technical marvel that will push the Xbox Series X to its limits.

Today Playground Games announced Forza Horizon 5, a crazy next-gen spectacle that will show what the Series X is truly capable of. The game looks stunning and features high-resolution textures based on 12K resolution photogrammetry captures, and was built from the ground up for Xbox Series X/S consoles (however it's also coming to Xbox One). The devs promise real-time weather events like dust storms, intense tropical storms, and dynamic seasonal changes over time.

The Xbox Series X lets us capture everything to the last detail, right down to the individual needles on these cacti.