Monthly Archives: June 2015
Meet The XCOM 2 Ranger
In Firaxis Games' XCOM universe, a lot has changed in the 20 years since the alien invasion of 2015. After Earth’s swift defeat and unconditional surrender in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the role of the soldiers who went underground to continue fighting this war changed to suit a more guerrilla style of combat.
XCOM 2 introduces five new soldier classes. Here’s your first look at the Ranger, the evolution of Enemy Unknown’s Assault class.
The Ranger is largely built for close-range combat, hefting a shotgun or assault rifle as a primary weapon. But the Ranger's signature tool will obviously be the machete sword, which introduces melee combat to XCOM. These weapons allow you to upgrade your Ranger for either pure damage dealing or as a fast-moving, agile scout who can move quickly and quietly through rough terrain – and even scale walls.
Limited Edition Metal Gear Solid 5 PS4 Coming to Europe
Sony has confirmed the Limited Edition Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain PS4 console, previously only announced for Asia, will be released in Europe on September 1.
The console comes with a 500GB hard drive and one wireless controller, while the bundle also includes the Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Day 1 Edition. We've reached out for information on whether North America and Australia will see the bundle and will update this story when we hear back.
It's a pretty spectacular looking creation. Made in collaboration with Konami, the console is coloured the same way as Snake's red Bionic Arm, while its golden connector has been similarly reimagined. The accompanying DualShock 4, meanwhile, is the colour of Snake's right-hand gun and bears his unit logo.
Microsoft Reveals New 1TB Xbox One Console and Controller
Microsoft has unveiled a new Xbox One console that comes with a matte finish and 1TB hard drive.
The new console, which has been rumoured for some time, has also been revealed alongside the redesigned controller we've heard so much about.
The new version of the console will be sent to retailers starting June 16 in North America and immediately in Europe. As it'll cost $399 USD / £350, Microsoft is cutting the price of all 500GB Xbox One consoles to $349 USD / £300 effective immediately.
The Witcher 3 Sells Over 4 Million Copies in 2 Weeks
CD Projekt Red's co-founder has thanked fans after announcing the open-world RPG has sold over 4 million copies.
Marcin Iwiński explained the figure was achieved in the first two weeks after launch, and adds that such demand has given the studio a fresh wave of commitment to making the upcoming expansions the best they can be.
"Since day one, you have given us tons of positive feedback and support -- the sheer volume of emails we’ve gotten since launch simply congratulating us for our efforts is both epic and heartwarming, and I wish every developer comes to have such a fantastic community," he writes. "In terms of media reception, we’re really humbled by the scores the game has received all around the world. With an average of 90+ on every platform, Wild Hunt is our dream coming true.
Sword Coast Legends PC Release Date Confirmed
Sword Coast Legends will be coming to PC on September 8, with releases on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One scheduled later in the year.
Although the Dungeons & Dragons-based RPG had only been announced for Linux, Mac and PC, developers n-Space and Digital Extremes decided to also release the game on current-gen consoles when gamers "clamored" for them.
"We've had a clear goal since day one to evoke the classic D&D experience between four players and a Dungeon Master, and to bring back memories of the great D&D games of the past," said Dan Tudge, President of n-Space and Director for Sword Coast Legends. "After we announced and demonstrated Sword Coast Legends to overwhelmingly positive response at GDC, the press, partners, and fans all requested more."
Will This Impact Glass Prove Life on Mars?
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found impact glass in craters on Mars.
Impact glass is formed in the extreme heat of something smashing into a planet's surface, and could preserve evidence of past life on Mars, just like it has here on Earth.
Finding the glass remotely was a very complicated process involving reflecting light off Mars' surface. The research suggests that these glass deposits are quite common on the planet, and these areas can now be explored further in the future.
The Curiosity rover has already found evidence of an ancient habitable environment on Mars this year.
Master of Orion Reboot in Development at Wargaming
World of Tanks developer Wargaming has announced a reboot of sci-fi strategy title Master of Orion.
The forerunner of 4X style games like Civilisation, Master of Orion was originally released back in 1993 and spawned a sequel three years later in 1996. The reboot will be handled by NGD Studios and involves key members of the origianl team.
“As longtime fans of the Master of Orion, the opportunity to help breathe new life into this acclaimed game has been a dream come true,” said Andrés Chilkowski, Co-founder and CEO of NGD Studios. “While we’ve made many improvements overall to the game, we’re confident that its classic and addictive gameplay will appeal to gamers no matter if they played the game years ago or are now just experiencing it for the very first time.”
Dallas Cowboys to Train Quarterbacks With VR
The Dallas Cowboys have signed a two year deal with StriVR Labs, a virtual reality company, in order to train quarterbacks using VR technology.
Former Stanford kicker Derek Belch developed the program during a master's degree, and it ended up being used at the school, as well as at five other institutions including Arkansas and Auburn.
The VR headset allows players to see video of a training football play with sound from the quarterback's perspective. One major benefit is that it allows quarterbacks to train without needing the full team there.
The technology is not interactive yet, but is instead used to teach the quarterback quick decision-making.
Sport isn't the only entertainment industry to be getting virtual reality. Oculus VR has recently said that it does not intend to stop the adult entertainment industry using its technology.
Elder Scrolls Online Console Launch Suffers Server Issues
Zenimax Online has acknowledged the PS4 and Xbox One launch of The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited is experiencing issues, adding it's looking into a resolution.
Since servers went live earlier this morning, adventurers hoping to leap into Tamriel on console have been greeted by the below screen, blaming "an unexpected internal error". The studio has been working to fix the issue for the past few hours and, while some are now able to get online, others are still having difficulties.
Square Enix Reveals New F2P Shooter Figure Heads
Square Enix will be bringing a new free-to-play shooter called Figure Heads to PCs in 2015.
Translations from the game's official site suggest the game will involve 5 vs. 5 gameplay and enable you to customise your pilot avatar.
Plot details are sparse, but it's thought the story concerns a post-apocalyptic future wherein human beings -- unable to survive above ground because fallen meteorites have covered the planet with harmful ingredients -- are forced to live in underground shelters, venturing on the surface vicariously via "unmanned robots".
More information is expected to follow later this week.
Square Enix recently unveiled a new trailer for Rise of the Tomb Raider, and we've got a full list of rumored and confirmed titles at E3 with IGN's Games of E3 list.