Hello Reapers. Another load of news for you to diggest.
New Multiplayer Mode Coming to Destiny
In its weekly update today, Bungie revealed a new type of Crucible game mode coming March 3. Called “Inferno” playlists, senior designer Leif Johansen revealed that the first mode will be Inferno Control. Johansen said that it will be an experience “that’s more about basic gunplay,” and achieving “more with less.” He goes on to explain what he describes as the most important change being made for the new mode: the removal of the tracker. “We’re hoping this change will provoke players to rely even more on certain skills,” he said, skills like map knowledge, teamwork, positioning, flanking maneuvers, setting ambushes, paying closer attention to audio cues, and “using friendly nameplate UI as clues toward enemy position.” “Lack of Tracker should also indirectly reduce the effectiveness of Supers and Heavies,” Johansen added.
Here’s a complete list of changes Bungie said arcoming in the new mode:
- No Tracker
- Players have no “radar” in the top left corner of their HUD
- Super Good Advice: Please, please check your corners, Guardians
- Simplified Scoring
- We’ve removed as many scoring events as possible
- The mode is much more about getting kills and playing the core objective
- Fast objective capture
- Without the Tracker, players are much more vulnerable when interacting with objectives because it gives away their position
- Speeding up capture time keeps the risk/reward for trying to capture an objective more fair
- Less Heavy Ammo
- There’s only one set of Heavy crates per match and dead players don’t drop purple bricks
- With no Tracker, it’s much easier to flank an aggressive opponent that’s pushing for kills because they have Heavy
- Expect players to play more conservatively with Heavy ammo to try and get more bang for buck out of it.
Maps in the new mode will rotate between the following:
- The Anomaly
- Firebase Delphi
- Twilight Gap
- Rusted Lands
- Shores of Time
- Blind Watch
- Asylum
- The Burning Shrine
- The Cauldron
- Pantheon
Though we don’t know exactly what the new area will offer, it seems like Bungie’s keen to present players with an alternative to the Tower that’s served us since launch. Interestingly, a developer diary from back in 2013 mentioned a non-combat area set in the Reef and even briefly showed footage of the space. Such a zone hasn’t been mentioned since, however, and wasn’t shipped with the final game.
Other screenshots reveal a new Inferno playlist for the multiplayer-inclined, which takes level advantages out of the equation. Two single-player missions have also surfaced, including Nightcrawler for level 30 characters and Belly of the Beast for those at level 28. Both take place on the Moon. The new strike, meanwhile, apparently occurs when “A Fallen Wolfship holding an infamous Walker has touched down in the Ocean of Storms. Breach the Ketch and see to this Walker’s end.” We’re yet to receive solid news of a release date, though Bungie has said it’ll be here between April and June. This falls in line with a previous leak that suggested May 19 would be the magic date. Of course, if none of this takes your fancy, Bungie’s meant to have much more in the pipeline for the shooter. Yet another leak claims the biggest content release yet is coming after House of Wolves.
Ex-Darksiders Developers to Bring Back Battle Chasers with New Studio Airship Syndicate
Vigil Games co-founders Joe Madureira and Ryan Stefanelli have formed a new studio and are planning to resurrect a classic comic franchise as part of their first project. They’ve opted to use Madureira’s classic comic series Battle Chasers as the source material for their next project, which will include both a comic and a new video game set in the same universe.
Called Airship Syndicate, the new studio in Austin, Texas will handle the development of Battle Chasers’ upcoming game. It is still very much in its early stages, but Stefanelli claims it will be “classic and old school but presented with some new modern twists.” Vigil Games was best known for its development of the Darksiders series. Although the new Battle Chasers game will be very different mechanically from the action RPGs, Stefanelli told Polygon they will “make sure that the dungeon exploration side of the game is soaked with lots of fun adventurous elements.”
At this time, the duo have not yet found funding for the project, and are unsure as to whether they will seek the assistance of an investor, a publisher, or a Kickstarter campaign. They are targeting to develop for PC and consoles, with the possibility of also creating a tablet version. As for the comic, Madureira is planning three-issue arcs for the run, the first of which will be used to tie up the end of the original story from 2001 and will also have connections to the game. He does not yet have a publisher or release date to announce, but he is excited to see the franchise evolve alongside his own tastes and experience. “I partially just want to update it [the Battle Chasers comic],” Madureira said. “My art style and storytelling style, everything’s sort of changed and evolved over the years.”
A comic and game are the only planned projects as of right now, although Madureira and Stefanelli are not opposed to branching into other mediums as well. Being that both the comic and the game are in early stages of development, no targeted release windows have been announced. Madureira left Vigil Games back in 2012, saying it was time “to move on to new adventures.” The studio was shuttered in 2013 after publisher THQ went under, and the rights to the Darksiders franchise were sold to Nordic Games. Not long after THQ’s folding, Madureira sat down with IGN to discuss what Darksiders III could have been.
Sony Announces 8-Week Spring Fever PSN Sale
Sony has announced Spring Fever 2015, an eight-week-long PSN sale with new PS4 games being released every week. Starting on March 3, Sony will release a new game every week for eight weeks. Some, like Helldivers, are completely new, and others, like Bastion, are excellent games coming to the PS4 for the first time. The full list of new game releases is below, ordered by release date. The first price is the launch week price for PS+ users, and the second amount is the regular price. All values are in US dollars, as sale pricing is for US only.
- 3/3 through 3/9 — Helldivers (PS4, PS3, Vita) — 17.99, 19.99
- 3/10 through 3/16 — Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (PS4, PS3, Vita) — 13.49, 14.99
- 3/17 through 3/23 — Jamestown+ (PS4) — 10.79, 11.99
- 3/24 through 3/30 — Metal Slug 3 (PS4, PS3, Vita) — 13.49, 14.99
- 3/31 through 4/6 — Axiom Verge (PS4) — 17.99, 19.99
- 4/7 through 4/13 — Bastion (PS4) — 13.49, 14.99
- 4/14 through 4/20 — Titan Souls (PS4, Vita) — 8.99, 9.99
- 4/21 through 4/27 — Shovel Knight (PS4, PS3, Vita) — 13.49, 14.99
Additionally, each week, both a game franchise and a movie franchise will have featured sales. There are no specifics for these yet, but Sony will share more “over the next two months.”
- 3/3 through 3/9 — Games: LEGO, Movies: The Hobbit
- 3/10 through 3/16 — Games: Saints Row, Movies: X-Men
- 3/17 through 3/23 — Games: Assassin’s Creed, Movies: Transformers
- 3/24 through 3/30 — Games: God of War, Movies: Spider-Man
- 3/31 through 4/6 — Games: Batman, Movies: Batman
- 4/7 through 4/13 — Games: Dragon Age, Movies: LEGO
- 4/14 through 4/20 — Games: Grand Theft Auto, Movies: Planet of the Apes
- 4/21 through 4/27 — Games: Call of Duty, Movies: Taken
New Final Fantasy 15 Trailer Takes You on Safari
Square Enix has released a new trailer showing off the wildlife and world of Final Fantasy XV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExfN-qTW-d8
The trailer, which you can see above, shows some incredibly impressive interaction between the native wildlife which, if not set up specifically for the video, suggests we could be set to explore a vibrant world that really does feel alive. There’s a heap of recognisable Final Fantasy staples, including Chocobos, a Behemoth and even a Couerl, alongside eagles and frogs the likes of which we’d see in the real world. There’s also an antelope with some seriously excessive horns. All-in-all, it’s a good time. In case you missed it earlier today, we spoke to game director Hajime Tabata about how development’s coming along, where he told us “the end is in sight”. We’ll have much more from Tabata very, very soon. For now, enjoy the trailer!
Payday 2: Crimewave Edition Coming to PS4 and Xbox One in June
505 Games has announced that the Crimewave Edition for Payday 2 will launch, with lots of DLC included, in June for PS4 and Xbox One. Over a year’s worth of DLC and free updates will be included in the box, along with The Big Bank Heist, and Clover; the first female character. Pre-ordering the Crimewave Edition from participating retailers will unlock the Hard Time Loot Bag, which includes exclusive masks, patterns, a red dot sight and a bundle of in-game cash. You can find out more information about Payday 2 on the game’s website.
Slender: The Arrival is heading for the PS4 on March 24, Xbox One on March 25
Slender: The Arrival is heading for the PlayStation 4 on March 24, and Xbox One on March 25.
Following “big sales” on PC, Xbox Live and PSN, developer Blue Isle Studios has now brought the indie horror franchise to new-gen consoles. The digital-only release will cost $10 on both platforms (other territory price points TBC). In this chapter of the Slender Man story, The Arrival places you in the shoes of concerned friend Lauren. Her friend Kate – who’d been obsessed with the folklore tales of Slender Man – has disappeared, so it’s up to you to find out what happened. A press release from the studio states that Slender: The Arrival will “send the most fearless gamers into panic as they unfold the twisted mystery in a dark, foreboding atmosphere and a story fraught with terror, paranoia and other-worldly forces.”
Brutalities Return to Mortal Kombat X and Kombat Pack Details
Brutalities are coming to Mortal Kombat X, Netherrealm revealed today in a livestream.
In a short demo between fighters Cassie Cage and Quan Chi, Cage pounced on her foe and pounded him senseless before smashing his head into a pile of red goop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWq_iDOEe_Q
Netherrealm says there are over 100 brutalities in the game. Unlike in previous games, brutalities aren’t triggered by long, complicated button presses. They are enabled by certain conditions, such as winning a round with a throw. Co-creator of Mortal Kombat, Ed Boon, teased brutalities on Twitter a few days ago.
Netherrealm has also shared what’s included in the Kombat Pack, the DLC bundle that comes with the Mortal Kombat X Kollector’s Edition.
The Kombat Pack will include four additional fighters who are still in development. It will also include extra skins, though Netherrealm didn’t clarify how many. If you don’t purchase the MKX special edition, you can still purchase the Kombat Pack separately. No standalone price was given.
Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster on PS4 Arriving May
Square Enix has confirmed that Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster for PS4 will launch in North America on May 12 and in Europe and Australia from May 15. The new North American version will include system-exclusive features and an exclusive calendar featuring artwork by prominent Japanese artist and character designer Yoshitaka Amano; the calendar will be available as a special pre-order bonus at participating retailers and the Square Enix Online Store. Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster for PS4 brings together Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, and also includes Final Fantasy X: Eternal Calm and Final Fantasy X-2: Last Mission (which were each originally exclusive to Japan).
Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster for PS4, which was revealed last December, features cross-save functionality (players can transfer their save and continue their progress across the PS4, PS3, and Vita versions) and the ability to switch between the original and the remastered soundtrack. Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 were originally released on PS2 in 2001 and 2003 respectively.
Sunset Overdrive: Dawn of the Rise of the Fallen Machines DLC Revealed
Sunset Overdrive‘s final piece of DLC – Dawn of the Rise of the Fallen Machines – has been announced with an April 1 release date. New missions, quests and challenges are all present, and you’ll be able to explore the robotics factory too. Additionally, a new Energy Ball of Death tool will enable you to roll around the city, getting to your destination quickly and crushing the life out of everything in your path. Check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feL-TsezWbQ
Forza Horizon 2 Rockstar Energy Car Pack Now Available
Forza Horizon 2‘s Rockstar Energy Car Pack is now available in the Xbox One for $5. With the new pack, racers get to enjoy five new cars: the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GRC, the 2015 Subaru WRX STI, the 1996 BMW 850CSi, the 2015 Jaguar XFR-S and the 1970 Volkswagen #1107 Desert Dingo Racing Stock Bug. There is also the free car of the month available to all Forza Horizon 2 players, the Acura Integra Type-R.
Sony announces PS Plus Games
PlayStation 4 owners can get Oddworld: New ‘n Tasty and Valiant Hearts: The Great War. On PlayStation 3, Papo & Yo and Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments are available. Vita owners can get OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood, which is also available for PS4 owners, and those who own any or all of the current crop of Sony’s consoles can go ahead and download Counterspy.
Mad Max Release Date Revealed; Xbox 360, PS3 Versions Cancelled
Avalanche Studios’ post-apocalyptic, open-world game, Mad Max, will be released September 1 in North America and September 4 in the UK. Additionally, Mad Max will only be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, as development has ceased on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, according to Game Informer.
Pre-ordering will get you an additional, fully upgradable Magnum Opus car body, called The Ripper (seen above). Publisher Warner Bros. and Avalanche Studios also revealed the official box art and a handful of new images, which you can see below.
Thats all for now.
– Audible Silence