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Final Fantasy XV Footage Shows Off Stealth Gameplay
Square Enix released some new footage ahead of their big reveal on March 30 that will finally reveal the release date for Final Fantasy XV .
. The new footage centers on Noctis and his friends as they infiltrate a Niflheim Empire base.
Game Informerdid a recap of the information and details that were released for Final Fantasy XV , the upcoming JRPG for the Xbox One and PS4. The details were accompanied by a three minute clip showcasing the stealth-oriented gameplay that you can check out below.
Noctis sneaks around, avoiding spotlights and the line-of-sight of enemies. Using boxes and cargo crates for cover, the player is tasked with using stealth takedowns to sneak up behind enemies and stab them in the back.
Things go awry later in the video when Noctis is spotted point-blank by a floodlight and the alarms go off. The game takes on a very serious Metal Gear Solid tone during the sneaking segments. Heck, there's even a phony Metal Gear Rex wannabe that pops up in the trailer where it attempts to smash Noctis and crew. The clip ends with a sneak peek at one of the main villains in the game, Aranea Highwind, a legendary dragoon for the empire.
For those of you wondering why sneaking would even be an option, take note that some of the enemies in Final Fantasy XV do use guns, which was made evident in the video above. The usage of guns by enemies means that players are susceptible to taking damage at long ranges, which can quickly bring down your HP and kill you if you aren't careful.
If the game has a moderate mixture of stealth segments peppered throughout the game, then it could be a nice break from the typical open-world grind and fetch-quests that fill up most of the game time in JRPGs.
The combat in Final Fantasy XV is looking pretty good. However, when seeing it in action in the video above, I couldn't help but think about Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham games. The light-attacks that lead into heavy attacks that lead into leaps toward the next batch of enemies looked to be pulled right out of Batman: Arkham Asylum, Origins, City or Knight .
The big difference between Final Fantasy and Batman , however, is that players can acquire new weapons for Noctis and completely alter how he fights and what sort of damage output he does. We also get to see how team combos and party attacks come into play as well, with various members using status attacks on a group of enemies that allow Noctis to come in and finish the job.
In addition to all of the sneaking and ground combat, we see that environmental placements can also be utilized to a player's advantage. Later in the video Noctis commandeers a turret gun and begins laying waste to enemies. I'm curious how many segments like that will be sprinkled throughout the game?
You can look for the release date to be announced for Final Fantasy XV on March 30, 7:00pm PST. For more info, feel free to visit the official Final Fantasy Uncovered website.
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When World of Warcraft's Next Expansion Will Be Available
Blizzard is gearing up for the release of their next big expansion for World of Warcraft .
. For a while the release date for expansion was kept under wraps... until now. Gamers can look to purchase Legion for the MMORPG starting August 30 later this year.
Game Informeris reporting that the Legion expansion will come in various forms, including a boxed physical release. The standard version of the game will be available for $49.99 while the digital deluxe edition will be available for $69.99. In the digital deluxe edition there are some special items bundled in, including a Illidari Felstalker mount, a Helm transmog and wings for Diablo III , a Felstalker mount for Heroes of the Storm and two character portraits for StarCraft II .
Finally, there's a collector's edition for the World of Worldcraft expansion that clocks in at $89.99. The collector's edition will arrive in a physical package with two-disc Blu-ray making of set, a CD soundtrack, a mouse pad and a hardcover art-book containing concept and full illustrations of the characters and environments featured throughout Legion .
Another returning feature for this new expansion is the ability to boost characters instantly to level 100. I remember hearing some chatter and a bit of discomfort about this feature from long-time players because they felt it took a lot of the challenge and adventure out of leveling a character to 100. The feature is returning for those who pre-order the World of Warcraft expansion, enabling players to instantly boost a single character to level 100.
The feature is supposedly returning due to a level cap increase of 110. The boost to 100 is so that player characters will be instantly ready to jump into the new zones and quests that they have littered throughout Legion .The quests will take players to the Broken Isles, a brand new dark setting where adventurers will venture through elven cities, forests and mountains while unearthing new items and taking on new quests amongst the epicenter of the demon invasion.
The new quests will be accompanied by the new character class, the Demon Hunter, who has the ability to transform into a demon form to unleash additional damage on foes. The Demon Hunter can also double jump to reach new places and utilize a special ability to highlight enemies to compensate for their blindness.
The new expansion for World of Warcraft comes at an interesting time in the game's history where some portions of the community appear to be rebelling due to lack of Blizzard considering community feedback. This spawned from a vanilla private server that was recently shut down that had more than 800,000 registered players and 150,000 active members at any single time. A petition was spawned to either allow vanilla private servers to have some place in the World of Warcraft community, or at least bring an official vanilla server to the standard World of Warcraft offerings.
For now, it appears as if gamers will just have to be without a quality vanilla server, but Blizzard is hoping that gamers will jump into the new Legion expansion in droves come August.
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Blizzard Went Through A Night Of DDoS Attacks, Get The Details
It appears that a hacking group set their sights on Blizzard last night, as the publisher is reporting that it went through a chain of DDoS attacks to make it through the night.
Last night, folks playing games like World of Warcraft , Diablo III and Heroes of the Storm found themselves suddenly unable to log onto Blizzard servers. Blizzard quickly announced that the issues were due to a DDoS attack, one that took about two hours to work through.
When the waters finally calmed, Blizzard took to Twitterwith the following message.
[ #Bnet] Tonight's DDoS impact appears to be resolved, and our team continues to monitor all services. Thanks for your patience, everyone!
— BlizzardCS (@BlizzardCS) April 14, 2016A distributed denial of service attack ( DDoS), in short, is a concentrated effort to flood a network in order to bring it down. In other words, the whole point of last night's rampage against Blizzard was to make it so folks could not play their games. Sonyand Microsoft undergo similar attacks on a regular basis and are especially prone to such attacks during the holidays.
While many of these hacking groups claim that the attacks target developers/publishers they feel have done wrong and are in need of some sort of retaliation, the major result of a DDoS attack is that players aren't able to enjoy their games. Sure, servers being down can cost the intended target, but we're not talking about a substantial amount and, more than anything, these kinds of attacks have a much bigger negative impact on the players who just want to get in some gaming.
For this most recent attack on Blizzard, their servers came down just after 9:30 p.m. ET. By about 11:45 p.m., Blizzard sent out the above tweet giving gamers the all clear to jump back online. Over on the Blizzard forums, moderators warn that lingering affects may make it difficult for people to log in for the time being, or service interruptions may occur that affects gameplay.
The only “negative” news coming out of Blizzard lately was the recent closure of the unauthorized Nostalrius legacy server in World of Warcraft . It was a server that was being illegally run and Blizzard had every right to finally put the kibosh on that. This is only speculation, but we're guessing that said closure had something to do with these attacks. Maybe the hacking group felt their fellow gamers were being wronged (they weren't) and this was their grand form of retaliation. Again, the result was that they made it impossible for far more gamers to enjoy their hobby, so we fail to see the point in this nonsense.
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World of Warcraft Is Releasing A Children's Book, Get The Details
Later this year, Blizzard Entertainment invites everyone to experience the World of Warcraft like never before.
like never before. Get ready for unparalleled action and adventure in the form of…A children’s book?
Yes, you read that right, Blizzard Entertainment is partnering up with Scholastic in order to produce a series of novels geared toward children, called World of Warcraft: Traveler . Surprisingly, these books won’t go after the ever-popular young adult crowd, but are instead being written with the 8-12 crowd in mind.
So for all of you parents out there who grew up playing World of Warcraft , now you’ll have a fun-filled new way to introduce your young minions to the world of Azeroth. That is of course assuming you don’t already have them farming gold for you at the age of five.
To help prepare your bodies and souls for this new World of Warcraft lore, the team at Blizzard has even put together a five-minute videoto explain the origins of the book series and what young readers can expect out of the impending adventure.
Readers will apparently be introduced to a well-known WoW cast, but much earlier in their lives than what we’re used to seeing. The first book in the series is being written by Greg Weisman, who comic book fans might recognize. The first book, due out in November of this year, will also include full-page illustrations and sketches provided by Blizzard’sSamwise Didier. As for the cover, it’s being tackled by another Blizzard artist, Stephane Belin.
For those of you who already like to take your gaming experiences into other mediums, you’ll likely know that there are already several Warcraft books geared toward an older audience on the shelves. Traveler , though, will introduce the series to a whole new audience who, we assume, Blizzard is hoping will carry their love of the world and its characters into their teen years, when they’ll finally be old enough (according to the game’s rating) to play the game itself.
This is, of course, only one prong of Blizzard’s Warcraft assault throughout 2016. The game’s next expansion, Legion , is set to unite the Horde and the Alliance against a common enemy on Sept. 21.
Before we can get to that epic showdown, though, movie-goers will have an opportunity to see World of Warcraft brought to the silver screenthis June.
Bookend all of that with the launch of a new book series for kids, and it’s clear Blizzard is hoping to keep World of Warcraft around for quite a while longer.
Now be honest, adults: Are any of you planning on reading this World of Warcraft book series? I mean, that 8-12 age range is only a suggestion, right?
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GameStop has new weekly deals close to the holidays
As each day passes more and more holiday deals are coming around the corner.
As each day passes more and more holiday deals are coming around the corner. Need help finding the perfect gift for your gamer friend or family member? GameStop wants to help you out with their new deals of the week.
GameStop has revealed some great discounts for the week before Christmas, putting major games at only $30 or $40. These include Star Wars Battlefront, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Destiny, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. You can see most of these deals on the GameStop weekly flyer, but there are a few not featured here. These include Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain for $40 and a 1 TB Xbox One with Grand Theft Auto V for $350.
As the flyer says, these deals began the December 13th and will continue on until the 19th. Don’t miss out and take advantage while you can.
Fans Might Be Rewarded For Seeing The World Of Warcraft Movie, Blizzard Says
Blizzard is trying something new with boosting up the appeal of the flailing subscriber base of World of Warcraft : they could be offering up a bundle pack of all previously released expansion packs of WoW for people who decide to go to see the upcoming movie.
Nerdistis reporting that Blizzard has sent out a survey asking what people think about a World of Warcraft: Ultimate Movie Edition bundle for people who buy a ticket to go see the upcoming live-action Warcraft movie due out this summer.
Over on PC GamesNthey list exactly what the bundle will contain (assuming Blizzard goes ahead with it). The survey shows that potential movie goers could walk out of the theater with a standard copy of World of Warcraft and an entire month's worth of free game time, an exclusive in-game item, and the Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria and Warlords of Draenor expansions.
Nerdist notes that the most recent expansion, World of Warcraft: Legion , will not be included in the bundle. That makes sense, it's like Blizzard is getting all the newbies hooked and hope that they take such a liking to the experience that they'll drop a few dimes on Legion .
Given that World of Warcraft has been bleeding subscribers for a while now (and surprisingly it hasn't been to any of the dozens of World of Warcraft killers that have popped up over the years) it makes sense that Activision-Blizzard would put some real effort in attempting to revitalize the game while the movie becomes hot property in theaters.
The inevitable tie-in was bound to happen, but instead of a terrible, poorly made Warcraft third-person hack-and-slash shooter with lazy voice-acting and shoddy controls, Blizzard is just dipping back into a resource pool they already have. It makes complete sense, really.
That's not to mention that Blizzard technically doesn't have to capitalize on this at all. They've been making money hand-over-fist recently with some amazing products. They're a completely different arm from the rest of Activision, which seems to have a lot of hit and misses with every other property that isn't Skylanders and Call of Duty .
In fact, Blizzard makes tens of millions each month alone on Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft and their new MOBA Heroes of the Storm . They have a dedicated fandom with StarCraft and the continued and strong presence of the game in the eSports scene, along with infrequent releases for Diablo 3 , which really took a turn upward for the best following its abysmal 2012 launch.
There's really nothing that could go wrong with this bundle if Blizzard decides to go through with it, and given that if the upcoming Warcraft movie could become the next Lord of the Rings or Star Wars if it's handled properly enough, it makes sense to push incentives by selling tickets through the promise of free in-game goods. Heck, even long-time fans who already own all the WoW expansions might be inclined to get the bundle just to see what the free, exclusive in-game item will be.
You can look for the Warcraft movie to launch on June 10, later this year.
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Two Players Actually Unlocked Every Achievement In World Of Warcraft
There are literally thousands of achievements to unlock in World of Warcraft and, as of now, exactly two players have pulled off that impressive feat.
The folks over at Kotakustumbled upon this story simply by checking out the WoW achievements page. At present, there are 2,511 achievements available in World of Warcraft that, once unlocked, total a whopping 25,825 achievement points. If you take a gander at the listings, two players have actually reached the top of that mountain, unlocking all of the extra challenges the game has to offer. Also impressive are the eight players that are hot on their heels, with several other just a few achievements off of the mark.
For those of you used to chasing down Achievements on the Xboxor Trophies on the PlayStation, what sets this collection apart is the fact that some of those achievements are astronomically hard to actually get, requiring an untold number of hours of dedication to the game.
We assume that these two folks, upon completion, disappeared in a swirl of fire and were reborn directly into the game, but we can't confirm anything at this time.
As for who these dedicated WoW players are, one is a Russian priest (in the game, not, we presume, in real life) and a druid from the U.S. Honestly, I feel a bit sory for Priv, the U.S. player. They have the exact same score as their companion on Achievement Island but, I assume due to timing, they will forever be stuck in second place. That's got to burn just a little.
In case you were curious, both players battle for the Alliance, once again proving their dominance over the Horde. As the original post points out, these folks had to do things like “collect 300 mounts,” every single pet in the game and way more. There's also a boatload of competitive achievements they had to tackle that make unlocking Thornin Destiny seem like a relaxing weekend of fun. And loads of these achievements were bound by various weekly restrictions so, even if they felt super dedicated to pulling something off, they were constantly being held back by timers and whatnot.
I make it no secret that, at this point in my life, I'm not a super fan of grinding. Once I notice that a game wants me to continue an action for the sake of filling more time, I typically bounce. For that reason alone, I'd love to talk to either of these WoW players just to pick their brains. What made them want to go after such an insane feat? How long have they been playing the game and what, in general, are their playing habits. Were they aware of each other at any point, thus making this a race to the finish? Here's hoping someone is able to contact them and find out.
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10 Unforgettable Video Game Gifts To Give For Valentine's Day
The most romantic time of year is just around the corner and it’s a time when geeks and gamers alike are granted the opportunity to let their geek light shine with gamer gifts ranging from Legend Of Zelda pillows to a Star Wars Bouquet.
Bouquet. Or at least if you think Valentine’s Day is a holiday created by the greeting card companies, think of it as an excuse to buy really cool gaming gear. Here are some very unique and fun video game Valentine’s Day gifts.
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GameStop share value dropped by almost 18% in one day
U.S. video game retailer GameStop has seen its share value drop by almost 18% earlier this month.
U.S. video game retailer GameStop has seen its share value drop by almost 18% earlier this month. This drop came after a quarterly report in which the store chain admitted to failing to hit sales targets in both new hardware and new software.
GameStop have reported that even high-profile games such as Halo 5: Guardians and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate contributed to low profits by under-performing in sales, with a similar trend showing in the more recent Star Wars: Battlefront.
The company’s president Tony Bartel has said that some industry analysts believe the problem lies in digital downloads, for which GameStop doesn’t make any money. This statement is somewhat supported by Microsoft’s statement that Halo 5 was the biggest selling digital download ever through the Xbox store.
Despite this news, GameStop still reported an increase in pre-owned purchases and is certain that sales will pick up during the Black Friday sales. Though we may see better profits through the holiday period, it is worth wondering if this is another step toward an all-digital future.
Watch The Hilarious Rendition Of The Warcraft Movie Trailer With In-Game Sound Effects
World of Warcraft has been a part of the video game industry for quite some time, and has transformed multiple times to get to where it is today.
industry for quite some time, and has transformed multiple times to get to where it is today. The new Warcraft movie has fans waiting impatiently to see how the narrative will tackle the massive World of Warcraft universe. One thing the movie will have is top-notch audio, but one user decided to dub the movie trailer with old-school, in-game World of Warcraft sounds effects, and it’s hilarious. Check out the video below.
It should be an obvious giveaway when the title of the trailer is dated “1995” in parentheses. The sound effects can be related to the 1995 Warcraft II trailer, where the music is so-pleasantly 90’s narrated by a horrible, over-dramatic voice-over. But once you hear the sound effects in the 1995 Warcraft II trailer, you begin to understand why the dubbed Warcraft movie trailer is so outrageous. Check out the Warcraft II trailer below.
I think this just goes to prove that the franchise has certainly come a long way since its early beginnings, improving in content, gameplay, audio and of course, graphics. We can look back and understand how silly some of the sound effects were, but if you think about it, back then everyone thought World of Warcraft was cutting edge. It was a game that had a following unlike any other, that opened up into a world plagued by conflict between two distinct sides and that pushed gaming into a new era.
Its film, Warcraft , has actually been in development for quite some time. It had quite a few issues when the idea first sprung up and no one wanted to head the project. Perhaps it’s the tainted reputation that video game movies carry in the film industry. Fans claim there has yet to be an exceptional video game movie, so critics are going to be extra harsh in scrutinizing the upcoming film. Who wants to be put under that kind of pressure? Finally, director and screenwriter Duncan Jones picked the movie up and pushed it into development. Jones has directed award-winning films like Moon and Source Code . While he doesn’t really have a repertoire of fantasy films, he did showcase engaging action scenes in Source Code , but that’s all we really have to go on.
The trailer for Warcraft looked promising, but then again, I haven’t been playing World of Warcraft since the dawn of time. I can imagine fans will be going into this film with the mindset of “Okay, what did they do wrong?” Because that’s how I’ve approached every single Silent Hill movie. What didn’t they get right? Any director going into this project knew they were going to face a lot of scrutiny from the video game world. With Duncan Jones’ resume, it doesn’t appear that he has too much experience tackling video game narratives. But how can you really judge? Source Code was good, but it didn’t blow my mind. Moon was way out there and maybe a little too avant garde for my taste. So what does this say about the upcoming Warcraft movie?
Warcraft is slated for release this year and hopefully, it won’t be as bad as every other video game movie that has tried to release before it. Hopefully. What are your thoughts on the upcoming Warcraft movie? Tell us in the comments below.
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EA Exec defends Battlefront following GameStop underperformance claims
In late October GameStop made claims that multiple large holiday titles were on track to underperform based on the retailer’s projections, one such title being Star Wars Battlefront , even though it had not even released yet.
, even though it had not even released yet. Taking a moment to respond to those claims at the recent Credit Suisse Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference (via GameSpot), EA head Peter Moore simply called the comments “interesting and a little bit of a surprise…”
“From our perspective, I’m here to reaffirm our guidance of 13 million units sold in for the fiscal year. There is no weakness that is perceptible yet in the title,” Moore said. “I want everybody to understand that based on where we think this title is and the marketing beats ahead of us, in particular the movie launch over the next two weeks, we feel very comfortable that we’re going to hit the guidance that we’ve given.”
Our reviewof Star Wars Battlefront called it “a game that I liked, but didn’t love. Its impressive visuals and incredible soundtrack appease the senses, but after a few hours of game-play, the thrill and nostalgia wears off and you’re left with a game that doesn’t deliver where it matters.”
World Of Warcraft's New Brightpaw Pet Will Raise Money For Make-A-Wish Foundation
Brightpaw can be purchased for $10 through the Battle.net Shop starting today.
Blizzard just added a new World of Warcraft pet to the game called Brightpaw. In addition to providing players with companionship, this pet will also help raise money for charity.
starting today. Blizzard will donate 100% of the "adoption fee" for this pet to the Make-A-Wish Foundation from now until December 31st.
This pet is a purple cat that crackles with arcane energy. As the trailer shows, Brightpaw seems to get bored easily and will often just run off to do her own thing:
Brightpaw is also usable in the game's Pokemon -like pet battles. She has a mixture of Beast and Magic attacks which should make her a very versatile addition to your collection. Here's her full list of abilities, with their max-level damage values: Arcane Blast (level 1) - Blasts the enemy with a surge of arcane power, dealing 234 Magic damage. Damage increases by 78 each time it is used. Max391 Magic damage. Arcane Storm (level 2) - Deals 394 Magic damage split between all enemies and warps the weather into Arcane Winds for 9 rounds. Does additional damage if Arcane Winds is already active. During Arcane Winds, pets cannot be stunned or rooted. Prowl (level 4) - Reduces your speed by 30% and increases the damage of your next attack made within 2 rounds by 150%. Bite (level 10) - Bites at the enemy, dealing 248 Beast damage. Arcane Dash (level 15) - Deals 592 Magic damage and has a 25% chance to stun the target. Cute Face (level 20) - Increases your chance to dodge an attack by 25%.I'm not a huge pet battler but Brightpaw looks useful on that front. Cute Face, Arcane Blast and Arcane Storm are all pretty hard-to-find pet abilities. Arcane Dash seems to be unique to Brightpaw. Prowl and Arcane Dash sounds like a really potent combination.
Once you've purchased Brightpaw, she'll be instantly available for all current and future World of Warcraft characters on a given account. You'll find her waiting for you in the Pet Journal.
In the above trailer, you might've caught a glimpse of a matching mount. That giant purple cat is the Mystic Runesaber, released this May through the Battle.net Shop. I'd imagine the $25 mount will see a spike in sales now that there's a corresponding pet on the market. Charitable or not, Blizzardknows how to make a buck.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation, if you're not aware, is a charity that organizes special events for children with life-threatening conditions. They're the group behind that allowed a kid to become Batman for a day in San Francisco a couple years back. You can find out more about the organization at wish.org.
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World Of Warcraft: Legion's First Dungeon Revealed
Do you remember the vrykul, those Norse-themed warriors you fought in Northrend?
The alpha test for World of Warcraft: Legion has been updated with its first dungeon, Halls of Valor. This dungeon should give remind veterans of the old Wrath of the Lich King expansion.
Do you remember the vrykul, those Norse-themed warriors you fought in Northrend? Well, Halls of Valor is a fortress in the sky above Stormheimwhere the greatest of the vrykul warriors go after death. There's a good reason for players to disrupt their little Valhalla, though. God-King Skovald and his forces have invaded the hall to recover a powerful artifact for the Burning Legion that will help them take over Azeroth.
There are five bosses through the Halls of Valor. In addition to fighting Skovald and his minions, players will also face down the Titan Odyn, who has fallen victim to a cursed. Blizzard also included a fight against a giant wolf in there for good measure. Here's the dungeon journal description of each boss (via MMO Champion): Hymdall - "Having proved himself in honorable battle, Odyn tasked Hymdall to guard the entrance to the Halls of Valor. Hymdall has stood, never erring, in this watch protecting these halls from all dangers." Hyrja - "In life Hyrja was a warrior without equal, defending the Valkira from all threats. Her valor and courage drew the attention of Eyir, a titan watcher. Upon her death and ascension to the Halls of Valor Eyir has awarded Hyrja with her greatest honor, transformation into a Val'kyr." Fenryr - "Fenryr has eluded even the best hunters of the Halls of Valor." God-King Skovald - " Gul'danapproached Skovald with a proposition, have his vrykul join the Legion or see his people be destroyed. With the promise of 1,000's of worlds to conquer Skovald has taken up the Legion's offer. Before being allowed to fully enter the ranks of the Burning Legion he must first secure the Aegis of Aggramar from Odyn's realm of the Halls of Valor only then can his endless conquest begin." Odyn - "Odyn, a titan keeper, forged the Halls of Valor to house the souls of the greatest vrykul warriors. These warriors have been forged into a new army, the valarjar, in order protect Azeroth from all threats. However, cursed by Helya, Odyn and his army are now trapped within these halls."The last fight looks like a lot of fun. Players are tagged with colored brands that damage them over time and they have to run to the corresponding tile on the ground to remove the effect. Doing so turns the player into a Val'kyr (ie a giant viking angel thing) for a little while and gives them a huge boost to healing and damage. You'll need that buff because Odyn is constantly tossing Holy damage around and summoning minions.
Legion 's alpha test launched about a week ago. It's mostly limited to friends and family of Blizzard employees. Those lucky few are able to try out small chunks of the expansion pack including the new Demon Hunter class. Blizzard will follow up on this closed alpha with a larger beta testcloser to the expansion's launch next year.
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World Of Warcraft's Gnome Hunters Will Have Exclusive Pets
It's surprising that Blizzard took so long to allow Gnomes to be Hunters.
World of Warcraft 's upcoming expansion Legion will let players finally create Gnome Hunters. Aside from looking awesome, Gnome Hunters will also have access to a new set of pets.
took so long to allow Gnomes to be Hunters. They're an race known for their affinity to advanced technology so it only makes sense that they'd be wielding guns. It's possible that the nature aspect of the class is what kept Blizzard from enabling that class-race combo, though. Hunters are all about forming a connection with beasts of the wild, which isn't really gnomes' thing.
Blizzard figured out a way to make Gnome Hunters make more sense, though: Mechanical pets. Gnomes and fellow inventor race Goblins will have access to this new family of Hunter pets automatically. In the case of Gnomes, they'll start out with this Giant Mechanical Rabbit pet:
Hunters from other races can learn to control Mechanical pets as well. However, they'll need to acquire an item craftable by Engineers in order to do so.
Blizzard wants to make taming Mechanical pets into a unique process, too. After tracking these pets down, you'll be confronted with challenges that test your skill with Hunter's various abilities. Here's Blizzard's description of one such challenge: For example, one rare mechanostrider requires you to create a special punch card that grants access to a closed section of Gnomeregan(we hope you remember the way). Once you locate the clockwork creature, you’ll then need to figure out how to overload its circuits. Solve the puzzle, and you’ll have this magnificent mechanized minion striding by your side.
You'll still need to feed these robotic companions. However, they don't eat normal food. You'll have to give them a Handful of Copper Bolts or some other kind of hi-tech bits.
Gnome Hunters seem to be the only new class-race combination announced for Legion thus far. If you're hoping for a Tauren Mage or a Draenei Warlock, you might need to wait until next expansion.
Legion is expected to arrive by next summer. The alpha test for the game went live earlier this weekfor a small pool of players.
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Gamestop Cyber Monday deals last through the week
Still hankering for a bargain, even after Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Still hankering for a bargain, even after Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Good news then, as Gamestop has announced that all it’s Cyber Monday deals will continue throughout the entire week.
While there were previous Cyber Monday deals that were only available yesterday, the following deals are good through to Sunday, December 6:
Buy a new PS4 and save $25 on a one year PS+ Membership, available only till December 5. Two for $25 from the choice of Watch Dogs, Assassin’s Creed Unity and Assassin’s Creed Rogue. Buy two, get one free with any pre-owned Retro Classic titles. PC only: save up to 85% on titled from Square Enix, SEGA, Deep Silver, 2K, Rockstar and more. Save up to 30% on select products from Thinkgeek.The full list of deals for Gamestop can be found here, left over from both Black Friday and Cyber Monday. While both the Xbox One and the Playstation 4 reportedly had good sales over the Black Friday weekend, the latter is supposed to have sold north of 1 million units, setting a new record for Black Friday console sales.
World Of Warcraft: Legion's Alpha Test Is Now Live
As an alpha test participant, you’ll experience the new content and features of Legion before the expansion is released.
Blizzard has begun the alpha testing for World of Warcraft 's new expansion Legion . They're currently sending out email invites to a select group of players.
Here's an excerpt of the email invitation, obtained by BlizzardWatch: Congratulations—you’ve been selected to participate in the alpha test of World of Warcraft: Legion!
As an alpha test participant, you’ll experience the new content and features of Legion before the expansion is released. Over the course of testing, you’ll get a first look at the fierce new Demon Hunter class, explore the fabled Broken Isles, take control of class order halls and artifact weapons, and get reacquainted with the demonic Burning Legion!
The alpha's very limited right now, though. The new level 100-110 zonesin the Broken Isles aren't available yet. Testers can only play Mardum and Vault of the Elders, two parts of the starting experience for the new Demon Hunter class. Furthermore, the Mac version isn't available for the initial alpha build.
Odds are you didn't receive an alpha invite. Right now it seems to be limited to friends and family of Blizzard employees along with some streamers. Fortunately, you'll still be able to see gameplay footage from the test. There's no non-disclosure agreement in place so all alpha testers are free to share video, screenshots and information about Legion . There are already full playthroughs of the Demon Hunter starting area on YouTube. Here's one of them:
When Blizzard first announced Legion this summer, they said that the beta test would be available by the end of 2015. We've only got about a month left in the year so it looks like that might not be happening. The alphaand betatests for previous expansion Warlords of Draenor launched about two months apart.
Legion is currently expected to launch by September 2016. Blizzard hasn't announced a specific launch date yet but I'm sure they'd like to get the expansion out quickly to improve the declining subscriber numbers. They've been able to slow down lossesby releasing new content patches for Draenor but they're not going to be able to win back millions of players without a new expansion.
Blizzard recently opened up pre-purchases for Legion through their online store. Anyone who pre-purchases the expansion packwill get a free level 100 boostfor one character that they can redeem right away.
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GameStop's digital sales increase due to Destiny: The Taken King
Total global sales for GameStop fell 3.6 percent to $2 billion while profit dropped to $55.9 million.
Video game retailer GameStop has releasedtheir sales figures for Q3 2015, filled with its fair share of ups and downs for the company.
Total global sales for GameStop fell 3.6 percent to $2 billion while profit dropped to $55.9 million. The same period last year saw profit at $56.4 million.
While preowned sales rose by .6 percent, new hardware sales dropped by 20.4 percent and new software sales also dropped by 9.3 percent. GameStop claims this same quarter in the previous year contained many popular games such as Destiny and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS.
However, of all the divisions, digital sales for the company saw the greatest increase with an 8.7 percent rise to $228.6 million. GameStop reported that Destiny: The Taken King led the way for this large increase of sales.
“Our third quarter results were at the low end of our guidance range due to lower-than-expected new software and hardware sales and delays in Technology Brands store openings,” GameStop CEO Paul Raines said in a statement. “However, our expectations for the full year have not changed. Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, a solid slate of new video games, coupled with contributions from our diversified AT&T, Apple, and ThinkGeek businesses and our in-store collectibles offerings are expected to drive our fourth quarter results.”
World Of Warcraft Level 100 Boost Gets Amusing New Trailer
The level 90 trailer showed the gnome warrior Lemmy receiving a boost so he could join his friends in the new Warlords of Draenor adventures.
Blizzard has decided to introduce the level 100 character boost for World of Warcraft the same way they introduced the level 90 boost: with a short, funny trailer.
adventures. Unbeknownst to him, though, he was being watched by his goblin rival Krazzel Crashfuse. This weekend's new trailer follows Krazzel as he tries to one-up his rival by raising himself to 100. As is appropriate for any goblin inventor, Krazzel's schemes are all unorthodox and hazardous.
Here's the older trailer, in case you don't see it at the time:
The boost instantly raises a new or existing character to level 100. They'll also get a set of item level 640 gear so they can jump right into the lowest difficulty level of raid instance Blackrock Foundryif they're so inclined. The new level 100 character will also get a full set of 22-slot bags and a level 3 garrison with a few buildings. They'll be provided with Artisan riding skill as well along with flying ability for Pandaria and earlier expansion regions. Boosted toons will still need to earn the meta-achievement for flying in Warlords of Draenor if they haven't unlocked it on their account yet.
If the character was above level 60 before the boost was applied, they'll get a few more bonuses as well. Their primary professions and First Aid will be automatically raised to 700. If they don't have primary professions, they'll be given two that suit their class.
As previously announced, Legion will start out with Horde and Alliance players fighting against demons together on the Broken Shore. As they drive back the Burning Legion's invasion and try to assault the Tomb of Sargeras, the newly boosted characters will be treated to a special series of quests to help them learn the ropes of their character.
Everyone who purchases World of Warcraft 's new expansion Legion will get a free level 100 boost for one character. You can pre-purchase the expansion and get the character upgrade right nowfor your account as well. Blizzard is also selling these boosts on their own for $59.99 apiece.
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High profile games underperforming in sales at GameStop
On October 31st, GameStop CEO Paul Raines told analysts and investors that games such as Halo 5, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, and Star Wars Battlefront were underperforming.
On October 31st, GameStop CEO Paul Raines told analysts and investors that games such as Halo 5, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, and Star Wars Battlefront were underperforming. Although Star Wars Battlefront was released after that date, GameStop President Tony Bartel made note that Star Wars Battlefront should be included as well.
Bartel said that the Halo 5 sales were believed to be much higher then average, as Microsoft reported $400 million in Halo sales, while for sales in the US alone, GameStop earned only $119 million. The differences are taken into account by the fact that NPD only reports US sales, and that there were two additional days of sales not mentioned by Microsoft. Bartel claims there is no reason to believe that the digital sales were higher for Halo 5, despite Microsoft claiming that this is one of the highest digital sales ever for a video game. “We are in full understanding and full belief that there is no game that was launched this quarter that was materially above a normal digital percent at launch.”
Bartel expects Star Wars Battlefront to rebound in part thanks to The Force Awakens, and Black Friday sales having already been announced at the time of Star Wars Battlefront’s release. Industry Analyst Doug Creutz did update later, saying that “We especially have a hard time believing that Halo 5 digital units remain in the 20-25% range, as Gamestop management suggested on the call,”
World Of Warcraft 11th Anniversary Gifts Have Arrived
If you log in between now and November 30th, you'll receive the "WoW's 11th Anniversary" Feat of Strength.
World of Warcraft turns 11 years old this month. Blizzardwill be marking the occasion with a few new surprises for players.
If you log in between now and November 30th, you'll receive the "WoW's 11th Anniversary" Feat of Strength. You'll also find an Anniversary Gift Package waiting in your character's mailbox. The Package contains an item that boosts your experience and reputation gains by 11% for 1 hour when used. That should come in handy for those of you still leveling alts.
That's not all, though. The Package also includes two celebration wands. One can turn a targeted party member into a gnoll while another changes them into a murloc. A new costume, meanwhile, will let you transform into notorious bandit Edwin VanCleef. The costume has 50 charges while the wands each have five.
The most valuable anniversary item of all, though, is the Inflatable Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker. This toy makes it look like your character is wielding the legendary sword from the early days of WoW . If you own an actual Thunderfury, you can now act like you own to. Using one of the inflated sword's five charges will earn you a Feat of Strength called "Did someone say...?" The Feat of Strength's name is a reference to a long-running joke in WoW where people would spam chat channels with "Did someone say Thunderfury?" I guess you had to be there.
Did someone say [Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker]?! Happy birthday @Warcraft. To 11 more! :p #Warcraft pic.twitter.com/im1FcbrmHP
— Umlaut Paradots (@mogsaddiction) November 17, 2015This anniversary is a little underwhelming compared to last year's. In honor of WoW 's 10th Anniversary, Blizzard offered a level 100 version of Molten Corealong with a special Southshore vs Tarren Mill battleground. I was hoping that Blizzard might continue the trend and maybe add, say, a level 100 version of Ahn'Qiraj or Blackwing Lair for the anniversary. Obviously, a 10th anniversary is a bigger deal than an 11th but I'm surprised Blizzard wouldn't at least bring back those limited-time activities from last year even if they didn't add new ones.That's not to say players won't have new content to pursue this week, though. Today Blizzard is releasing Patch 6.2.3, which adds new Timewalked Dungeons for players to delve into. Many activities now offer improved item rewards and you can now upgrade your gear with Valor points. There are also two new mountsto find.
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World Of Warcraft's Next Major Patch Launches This Week
The patch brings back Valor point upgrades .
World of Warcraft players running out of things to do in Warlords of Draenor will get some relief this week. Patch 6.2.3 will introduce several new activities to the game on November 17th.
. You can spend 250 Valor points to boost gear by 5 item levels. This can be done twice for each item. You'll earn Valor in several ways: Completing the first random Heroic Dungeon of the day Completing Mythic Dungeons Completing weekly Bonus Event quests (except for the Pet Battle Bonus Event) Completing a Raid Finder wing for Highmaul, Blackrock Foundry, or Hellfire Citadel for the first time each week. Timewalking Dungeon events, which scale down players' levels and gears to classic dungeons, are being expanded. Magister’s Terrace and Pit of Saron are being added to the Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King events, respectively. A new Cataclysm event will let you revisit the following old dungeons: End Time Grim Batol Lost City of Tol’vir Stonecore The Vortex Pinnacle Throne of TidesDuring the Cataclysm Timewalking event, a vendor near the Cataclysm portals in Orgrimmar and Stormwind will sell modernized versions of the gear from that expansion. They'll also offer an assortment of toys. Furthermore, all Timewalking bosses will now have a chance to drop a flying dragon mount called the Infinite Timereaver.
Solo and five-man rewards have been boosted in quality so they'll be more desirable. Baleful items found in Tanaan Jungle now have a chance to give you random gear ranging between item level 655 and 695. Mythic Dungeons will drop loot that ranges between item level 685 and 725. Bosses in Mythic Dungeons also have a chance to drop heirloom trinkets that will scale up to level 110. This means you'll be using the item while leveling in upcoming expansion Legion .
There's reason to keep raiding Hellfire Citadel, too. Beating Archimonde on Heroic or Mythic difficulty will earn you a quest item that can be exchanged for a new Grove Warden mount. Blizzard has also introduced cross-realm Mythic raiding so you can find a group to tackle the Citadel while it's still relevant.
Some time after Patch 6.2.3, Blizzardwill also transition to the third PvP season for Warlords of Draenor . Players will be able to earn Warmongering Aspirant gear that scales to PvP item level 715, Warmongering Combatant gear that scales to 730, and Warmongering Gladiator gear that scales to 740.
Blizzard announced last week that Legion will be available by September 2016. They haven't announced any new content past Patch 6.2.3 just yet but I hope they've got something else planned to keep players occupied until the new expansion arrives.
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World Of Warcraft: Legion Zones Announced Along With Raids And Dungeons
At the end of Warlords of Draenor , the orc warlock Gul'dan escaped to Azeroth to further the Burning Legion's plans.
World of Warcraft: Legion will take players to a new corner of Azeroth called the Broken Isles. During BlizzCon 2015, Blizzarddetailed the key locations we'll visit here.
, the orc warlock Gul'dan escaped to Azeroth to further the Burning Legion's plans. Now he has broken the ancient seals in the Tomb of Sargeras, paving the way for an invasion by his demonic masters.
Draenor will begin with a 40-player battle against the Legion. Horde and Alliance characters will fight alongside heroes like Varian Wrynn and Sylvanas Windrunner against the Legion. Presumably this is the same battle we saw in the new Legion cinematic trailer. This massive force will then try to assault the Tomb of Sargeras. If you're playing a boosted character, you'll also be treated to a separate introduction so you can get used to your character's skills.
If you made a Demon Hunter character, you'll start off on the prison world of Mardum. You will acquire your first powers and use them fight off demons and escape imprisonment. During this adventure, you'll find out what happened to Illidan after the events of The Burning Crusade .
Eventually all players will end up in the Broken Isles. Their main quest is to find the Pillars of Creation, ancient relics that could close the Legion 's portal to Azeroth. Here are the seven zones you'll explore through the expansion: The Broken Shore: "You’ll start your adventure within the Broken Isles and find the Tomb of Sargeras here. The pitched battle that starts off your journey is bound to change not only you, but Azeroth itself." Val-sharah: "Within these densely forested lands, you’ll find the very heart of druidism. This is also the location of the Emerald Nightmare and where the demigod Cenarius first trained Malfurion Stormrage. You'll also find key locations such as the tainted world tree Shaladrassil, and the dungeon Black Rook Hold (an elven fortress that dates back to the War of the Ancients)." Azsuna: "This is home to the remnants of the ancient night elves ravaged by the wrath of Queen Azshara. It is a cursed land rife with many mysteries and serves as home to what remains of the Blue Dragonflight." Highmountain: "The location of one of the largest single mountains in Azeroth it is a rugged and beautiful terrain, that serves as home to three clans of the Highmountain tauren. They are a people with a highly evolved culture locked in a bitter struggle against savage drogbar that threaten their lands." Stormheim: "The land encapsulates the harsh beauty of this Vrykul home. Here, you’ll learn more about the vrykrul culture, including the origins of the mysterious val’kyr and the terrifying kvaldir. Along the way, you will contend with the vrykul God-King as he races to claim the zone’s Pillar of Creation on behalf of his Legion masters. This will take you into the very heavens where the greatest champions of the vrykul await to test your worth." Suramar: "All roads lead to Suramar, an ancient elven metropolis at the heart of the Broken Isles. The corrupted Nightwell fuels the nightborne elves and provides them the sustenance they need to survive. Those who are cut off from it live as nightfallen, their bodies wasting away as they search desperately for magical energy to sustain them. Atop the palace of Suramar, deep within the walls of the massive city, the warlock Gul’dan plots the next step of the Legion’s grand scheme…" Thal’dranath: "Much like Tanaan Jungle, this zone will become available a bit later in our story." In an interesting twist, Legion 's zones won't have set level ranges. Instead, the enemies you encounter and the rewards you earn will scale to your level. The same is true for the five dungeons available while leveling: Eye of Azshara, Neltharion’s Lair, Halls of Valor, Darkheart Thicket, and Violet Hold. The intent is to give players more freedom in how they level and also make it easier for them to group with friends.
Once players hit level 110, they can access five more dungeons: Vault of the Wardens, Black Rook Hold, Helheim, Suramar Noble District, and Suramar Catacombs. They can also journey into two raids. The Emerald Nightmare is a 7-boss raid in which players must defeat the corruption plaguing the world tree. The Grand Palace of Suramar, Gul'dan's base of operations, pits players against ten more bosses.
Legion is slated to launch next summer. The beta is expected before the end of 2015. Earlier this weekend Blizzard opened up pre-purchases, which come with a free level 100 character boost.
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Attack On Titan PS4 Gameplay Video Is Full Of High-Flying Action
A new Attack on Titan game is heading to the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita and, thanks to a recent demonstration from Sony at Tokyo Game Show, we now have eight minutes’ worth of action to ogle in anticipation of the game’s launch.
Tokyo Game Show may be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean we’re out of announcements and new footage to share. Take this latest footagefrom an Attack on Titan demonstration, for instance. In it, we get to see Erin train with faithful buddy Armin before heading out to the streets of the city to lay waste to encroaching titan threats.
For those unfamiliar with the show, Attack on Titan takes place in a world where humanoid monstrosities mysteriously appear one day and start eating folks. Humanity eventually retreats to a massive city where they protect themselves behind a series of three walls. After years of peace, however, the titans find a way into the city and all hell breaks loose. Rather than live their lives in fear, an army of brave citizens decide to take the fight to the titans, using some pretty rad grappling hooks and swords to get the job done.
Another Attack on Titan game appeared on the 3DS earlier this year and you may remember that we weren’t totally jazzedabout it. To be fair, the game actually controlled surprisingly well, the movement felt exactly like the show and the combat was pretty satisfying. The big issues were a lack of any sort of variety and some pretty bland mission types outside of “kill all of the titans.” But if you ever wanted to feel like Spider-Man crossed with a ninja and thrown into a battle with kaiju, it did a decent enough job.
This PlayStation offering, which is being produced by Omega Force( Dynasty Warriors ), looks very similar to the 3DS gamein all the right ways. The movement looks fluid and the combat looks exciting. The 3DS game had a timing-based mechanic tied to the attacks that I actually made taking down titans more interesting, but that doesn’t seem to be part of the equation here. Hopefully Omega Force has some other systems at play that will be equally entertaining.
In just eight minutes, it already looks like the PS4 Attack on Titan is more of a structured game than the 3DS’ loosely tied together encounters, so that’s another mark in the plus column.
As for this latest swing at the property, Attack on Titan is due out by the end of the year in Japan and sometime in 2016 here in the States.
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More Theaters Are Banning Little Kids From R-Rated Movies Because Common Sense
Movie theater owners and managers shouldn’t have to be parents.
shouldn’t have to be parents. Parents should be parents. But because too many parents are choosing to bring children under the age of 6 to R-rated movies across the country, theaters are implementing major changes.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, led by owner Tim League, is one of the pioneers in this endeavor, banning children under the age of 6 from R-Rated movies that begin after 6 p.m. The movement, according to THR, has even adopted the unofficial name of "No 6 After 6," and the rule is aimed at providing a better theater-going experience for adults. As League explained:
We tried to determine at what age a kid can behave themselves and not blurt out the first thing in their heads.
Sadly, some adults still suffer from the same problem, but there’s only so much that one can legislate. The Alamo isn’t alone in this procedure, though. THR goes on to report that Regal is enforcing the No Child Under 6 at R-Rated Movies policy all day long, while AMC Entertainment and Cinemark are sticking with League’s "No 6 After 6" policy, to benefit adult clientele.
As Regal CEO Amy Miles said to the trade:
At Regal, it's our job to provide the best moviegoing experience for our patrons, and we want to make sure there are minimal interruptions during R-rated movies. We best achieve this through controlling the number of children in these films.
Movie theaters have been figuring out how to help families come to theaters, establishing early morning screenings as open to parents with babies, and creating summer programs where families could come see an animated or PG movie in a theater that keeps the lights dim, and generally encourages noise. As a parent of two boys, I’ve been to these screenings. They are wonderful for kids… but a nightmare for an adult who might want to watch a movie and not be overwhelmed with noise.
These policiesare coming around at a time where movie theater owners and exhibitors are pushing back on the experimental program called The Screening Room, an idea proposed by Sean Parker (the mind behind Napster) which would allow patrons to pay a fixed price -- $50 is the suggested number at the moment – to watch theatrical releasesin their homes. The problems associated with the theatrical experience – loud talkers, incessant texters, and yes, children – are leading to the creation of The Screening Room, so I can understand why theater owners would do what they could to improve the situation for ticket-buying adults.
What do you think? Should parents be allowed to bring their child to any movie that they choose, no matter the time of day? Is it in poor form to bring a five-year-old kid toanyway? Would this policy encourage you to come to more evening movies? Weigh in below.
Attack On Titan: Humanity In Chains Review: Swingin' And Slicin'
The city is being destroyed by giant, grotesque monsters and you are humanity's last line of defense.
The city is being destroyed by giant, grotesque monsters and you are humanity's last line of defense. Zipping around the city like a medieval Spider-Man, you and your comrades must fight back against unfathomable odds and an enemy that cannot be reasoned with. Played solo or with up to three teammates, Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains for the 3DS is an intriguing game of David vs. Goliath that sometimes soars and sometimes crashes into the side of a building.
Attack on Titan is one of those rare anime/manga that's managed to take the West by storm. The weekly series ran its course in early 2014, with a second season due out sometime in 2016. What made Attack on Titan stand out from the pack was its unique story, a fantastic soundtrack and some of the best action sequences ever animated. The show does a good job of putting humanity's desperation front and center while still providing a glimmer of hope that pushes the characters, and the viewer, from one seemingly impossible task to the next.
Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains manages to capture several of those aspects admirably on the 3DS while falling woefully shy in other areas. It's a game of extreme opposites, demonstrating clever design and occasionally brilliant moments in a package that, overall, feels rushed to market in order to capitalize on the popularity of the series. Its one of those games where I can't help but wonder what an additional six months in the oven would have yielded.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Attack on Titan is set in a city that serves as mankind's last stronghold against the titans; these giant, humanoid creatures that seem to be driven by only one desire: Kill, smash and/or consume the tiny humans. After years of peace, a massive titan appears out of nowhere and destroys the first of three walls protecting the city from these monsters. All hell breaks loose, a lot of people die, and folks are forced to retreat behind the city's second wall.
Eren Jaeger and his friends, Mikasa and Armin, lose their homes and families in that initial attack, leading them to join the military in hopes of one day helping fight back against the titans. Humans may be tiny, but titans have a weak spot on the back of their neck. Cut off a chunk of flesh there and, boom, problem solved. To do that, Eren and company use these radical swords and even more radical “Omni-directional Mobility Gear.” Called OMG for short, these bad boys allow the military to zip around the city, swing around corners and launch themselves at a titan in the hopes of landing a killing blow.
Humanity in Chains tells much of the story from the anime's first season, kicking off at the point where Eren and his pals are combat ready and set to go out on missions. Eren, Mikasa and Armin have their own story branches, with a couple of show favorites, Levi and Sasha (Potato Girl!), thrown in for good measure. Each chapter is accompanied by a short scene from the show, as well as a bit of flavor text to help flesh out the details. Those details are pretty light overall, leading me to believe that Humanity in Chains ' story mode was built assuming that the player has already seen the show and will be able to piece together any missing information on their own.
The story mode is also extremely short, taking about five hours to clear through all five characters. That wouldn't be too big of an issue if it wasn't for the fact that many of the missions are simply repeated for the different characters. The three members of the main cast were involved in the first expedition outside the outer wall, for instance, so you'll play that mission for all three characters with little variation between them. All three needed to defend the female titan when she was captured in the forest so, again, all three will play that mission.
To make matters worse, there are only a handful of mission types to begin with, half of which aren't all that exciting. Each character has an escape on horseback or two, which involves you guiding your mount around a level and running through checkpoints. That's it. There are also “search” missions, which require you to scour the landscape in order to find armbands, potatoes and the like. These items are displayed as small glowing orbs. When you're zipping around the city or riding around the completely open fields, those tiny items can be extremely difficult to locate. Finally, there are the missions where you get to wage war as a titan yourself. You'd think these brawls would be the game's crowning jewel, but they come off extremely bland. You can block and dodge, but there's no need for any of those actions when landing the same three-punch combo over and over again will carry you to an easy win.
The rest of the missions involve slight variations on “kill the titans.” You'll either need to kill X number of titans, kill titans while keeping them from entering a certain zone, or kill a specific titan that has been marked as your target. There's very little to do outside of your main goal, aside from smashing barrels and crates to collect resources. Your teammates will also occasionally be grabbed by a titan, meaning you should probably make a beeline to them and cut them free. Otherwise, it's kill, kill, kill the titan.
Like the core gameplay of swinging and slashing, as well as the mission types, the locations you'll be visiting aren't all that varied, either. You'll be fighting in the city, in the field or in the forest. The city offers the most options for tackling titans, as you're able to swing to your heart's content or run across the rooftops to get around more quickly. The forest allows for similar swinging, but you'll have to follow natural pathways in order to get to your objectives, as trees get in the way. In the plains, the horse allows for fast movement but, since there are no buildings or towering trees about, your movement is limited to tethering to a titan and pressing the attack.
About halfway through the campaign, you'll finally unlock World Mode, which is where you'll pour most of your hours into Attack on Titan . Here, you'll build and level a customizable character, equip your favorite gear and go on loads of additional missions. This section of the game has a lot in common with Monster Hunter , as you'll be killing loads of titans solo or with online friends in order to get more materials to make even better gear. You'll need to keep a stockpile of the basics (blades, gas for your OMG, healing items) while funneling funds into upgrading various facilities and, thus, creating better equipment. Collecting resources while out on missions becomes a must in the World mode, and you'll occasionally stumble upon a Survey Report that fills in even more of Attack on Titan's back story. While the campaign is bland, this mode is far more robust than I was expecting.
You have some additional equipment at your disposal in World missions, too, including firearms and traps. Unfortunately, neither of these pieces of equipment are as effective as simply swinging around and killing the titans with your sword and, again, shows where the team at Spike Chunsoft had some good ideas and maybe didn't take enough time to properly develop them. If you're willing to ignore the clock and just goof off in missions, though, these add at least a little extra variety to the mix. They aren't efficient, but they can be kind of fun to try out.
Despite all of this, I actually enjoyed much of my time with Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains . The frustrating “search” missions can go die in a fire but, even though they are extremely limited, I found the slaying missions to be quite a bit of fun. Once you get used to the camera and movement, you can pull off quite a few maneuvers that look like they were ripped straight from the anime, easily the game's greatest achievement.
For the most part, you'll be hammering on the Y and X buttons. The Y button tethers you to an object and sends you flying straight at it. The X button triggers an attack animation, which requires you to hit the button a second time when your attack circle lines up with the Critical circle. Anything other than a critical has little impact on the titans, and chaining criticals together makes your target zone bigger and bigger. If you notice a titan is about to swat you out of the air, simply spin the thumbstick to send your character into a sort of death spiral. It makes landing an attack nearly impossible, but it keeps you from taking damage or getting grabbed. Outside of that, the left bumper lets you just swing around freely and, like most of the mechanics, it works very, very well.
As in the show, the only way to kill a titan is to slice off a chunk of its neck. This becomes much easier once you become comfortable with the controls, as you'll figure out how to swing your character around to the back and open up a shot at the weak spot. If the titan is being a nuisance, simply target their arms or legs to hack off a limb and slow them down. Also like in the show, these limbs will quickly grow back, so you'll want to use that brief opening to finish the job.
Your mileage with Humanity in Chains will depend exclusively on how much you enjoy killing titans, as there's very little meat on these bones outside of some fun mechanics that let you zip around the levels and murder enemies one after another. The game is also very easy, with later World missions providing the only real challenge. You can also turn on Brutal mode in World missions but, even then, the odds never feel stacked too high against you. You'll also eventually unlock an endless mode, which has you killing titans until you finally fall in battle.
Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains is a tricky game to recommend. While almost every aspect of the game feels limited, I can't deny that I had quite a bit of fun taking out titan after titan in a never-ending line of attacks. The gameplay is rhythmic (helped along by the show's stellar soundtrack), serving as a relaxing distraction rather than a grueling war against seemingly insurmountable odds. And while some will be turned off by how short each mission is (a few minutes, tops), I think it suits the portable nature of the 3DSquite nicely, making Attack on Titan a good choice for when you want to squeeze in a couple missions on the train or while waiting for a movie to start.
I think fans of the show will want to grab Humanity in Chains as soon as it hits the eShop (Sorry, no physical release), and that crowd will likely be happy enough with what's on offer here. But I have a hard time imagining who the audience is outside of said fans. Humanity in Chains is far too light to pull away Monster Hunter diehards, for instance, and if you don't really dig the core loop of swing-kill-repeat, then you're going to be extremely disappointed by the lack of variety.
Humanity in Chains offers some exciting encounters, but even the joy of freely zipping around the city doesn't completely overshadow an extreme lack of variety and a handful of half-baked ideas. Perhaps not the best compliment you can pay a game, but this first swing at Attack on Titan , more than anything, has me excited about what a more thoughtful, fleshed-out sequel will have to offer.
This review is based on a 3DS download copy of the game provided by the publisher.
Players: 1-4
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: Spike Chunsoft
Publisher: Atlus USA
ESRB: Mature
Rating:
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Sony Has Something To Say About Xbox's Recent Invitation For Cross-Platform Play
Recently, Xbox announced that they would be supporting cross-platform play with PC and PS4 players.
Recently, Xbox announced that they would be supporting cross-platform play with PC and PS4 players. That means that people playing a multiplayer game on the Xbox One can easily go against someone playing the same game on the PS4. And now, Sonyhas finally responded to the open invitation from Xbox to participate in the cross-platform play. Sonytold GameSpot in a statement,
PlayStation has been supporting cross-platform play between PC on several software titles starting with Final Fantasy 11 on PS2 and PC back in 2002. We would be happy to have the conversation with any publishers or developers who are interested in cross platform play.
While Sonydidn’t directly acknowledge Microsoft’s invitation, they did say that they would be open to the idea with those who are interested.
Rocket League announced that it will be one of the first games to take part in the cross-network play for the Xbox One. This means that Rocket League players will be able to play against PC players. PS4has not opted into the deal yet, but everyone’s hoping that they’ll jump on the bandwagon soon. Sure, cross-platform play is quite a step for Xbox One and PC, but it’ll really mean business when Sonyjoins in the fun. After all, they could’ve said nothing in response to Xbox’s cross-platform play announcement—they could’ve just stayed silent. Yet the fact they chose to say something hopefully means there are plans in the works to join the cross-network play party.
I know cross-platform play has been a wanted addition for awhile, and now players can finally start letting out a sigh of relief. I think it’s inevitable that Sonywill jump in for the fun, even just to stay competitive with Xbox and to not upset the players. The cross-network play in Rocket League is supposed to go into effect sometime this spring on the Xbox One and PC. And here’s to hoping for an announcement from Sonyabout joining cross-network play. You can view the official announcement for cross-network play here.
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Attack on Titan: What We Know So Far
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Insomniac Says Better Next-Gen Tools Will Cut Down Costs
Game design has become a very complex, massive production cycle for a lot of artists and designers.
Game design has become a very complex, massive production cycle for a lot of artists and designers. Well, Ted Price, the head honcho over at Insomniac Games, the renown studio behind PS3 exclusives like Resistance: Fall of Man and Ratchet & Clank , as well as the upcoming Fuse , let loose some tidbits about resource management and being frugal with development funds for next-gen.
GameIndustry.bizpicked up some nice quotes from an interview Ted Price had with VG 24/7, where he states that...
“Frostbite’s a great engine, no question about it, but as a company we have placed a lot of value in developing our own tech, because it gives us more creative opportunities in terms of how we support our games. We’re not locked in to another company’s constraints.”
“I think that what we all face in this industry – for those of us in the console business – is the need to get progressively more efficient in terms of how we build our assets and get them into the game”
“Because that’s going to get more and more complex. The bar continues to get raised in terms of visuals, so to keep development costs reasonable you have to have better and better tools, which means a constant focus on efficiency in your pipeline.”
That's a great response to the age-old question about whether or not game development will get more expensive heading into next-gen. Price does make a good point about the tools, though, especially considering that the one thing that can make or break a budget for a game is the toolset.
A lot of indie devs have taken a liking to procedural content creation tools, which has allowed a lot of smaller studios to create games with huge ideas, such as Overgrowth, Starbound and StarForge . The old way of doing things is using a lot of pre-baked, hand-made assets that can both cost a fortune and require a lot of man power.
Some game engines have taken an alternative route in allowing the micromanagement of assets via an asset store along with aggregating assets with a cash shop. Basically, any and everyone can create assets and then submit them to the store to enable other developers to have access to the content. This method of asset efficiency has been used for things like Mixamo and the Unity Engine, and is even being employed by inXile Entertainment for Wasteland 2 , where the community is able to get in on the game design action.
Hopefully Insomniac Games has their pipeline figured out for next-gen, as a few studios seem to be lost amongst the herd in terms of where they fit. Obviously CD Projekt RED and Avalanche Studios know exactly where they're headed and how to get there. Let's hope Insomniac can make the transition into next-gen – following the release of Fuse – with grace and ease.
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Insomniac Games Just Revealed A New Underwater Adventure Game
Insomniac Games, creator of famed series like Ratchet And Clank and early Spyro The Dragon , announced today that they have been developing a new and slightly different game than they’ve worked on in the past.
, announced today that they have been developing a new and slightly different game than they’ve worked on in the past. It’s an underwater explorationgame called Song Of The Deep , and not only does it have more of an Indie feel, but video game retailer GameStop will be publishing it.
Song Of The Deep tells the story of Merryn as she embarks on a dangerous journeyin a homemade submarine to save her father in a creatively engaging underwater world. Song Of The Deep will not only let you swim around in a submarine, but will also give players access to free-swimming as they take control of Merryn. You can watch the reveal trailer below.
Song Of The Deep is interesting because while it sometimes feels like an underwater level from Crash Bandicoot (with more creative flair, I think), other times it makes me feel like I could actually enjoy an underwater game for once. Underwater levels in games like Sonic The Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. have developed a bad reputation for being overly difficult and irritating. But with the upcoming underwater adventure ABZÛ and now Song Of The Deep , underwater worlds don’t look so daunting anymore. Rather, they might come across as peaceful or meaningful.
This will be GameStop’s debut as a video game publisher. It’s honestly amazing that GameStophas even gotten this far into the digital age without sinking under the demand for digital downloads. But with their trade-in program and a direct partnership with Game Informer Magazine, they’ve managed to survive. And with all of this power, as a publisher it will be easy for them to push whatever game they publish in stores. It’s genius, really.
According to IGN, GameStop will have control of Song Of The Deep ’s promotion and marketing, but no creative control. And while the game will be available on next-gen platforms, a physical copy of it can only be purchased at GameStop. And there’s the kicker keeping the retailer alive. What’s great about this partnership though is unlike major publishers typically in partnership with a developer, GameStop can’t really tell Insomniac Games how to create their game. So it’s almost like an indie title when you think of it that way. GameStop will just be there to promote it. I’ll be interested to see how it pans out and if GameStop plans on partnering with other game developers in the future.
Song Of The Deep will be available this summer on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam.
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Ratchet and Clank Just Got A Confirmed Release Date For PS4
Ratchet and Clank has gone down in video game history as one of the most beloved platformer adventure games to hit PlayStation, right alongside Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot .
. And with the development of the reboot of the first in the series, fans have been following progress carefully. Now, fans can pre-order the game ahead of its April launch and to celebrate, you can check out a brand new Ratchet and Clank trailer to help you wait.
PlayStation Blogput out a post yesterday that announced a confirmed release date of April 12 here in the United States along with a few stunning art pieces from the Insomniac Games team.
Ratchet and Clank for PS4 is a reimagining of the old Ratchet and Clank game that was originally released in 2002 for the PlayStation 2. It was released in an age that embraced cartoony, adventure-based platformers like Jak and Daxter . Now, with upcoming releases like Yooka-lay-lee and Lucky’s Tale , it feels like adventure-based, cartoon-styled platformers are making a comeback. And fans couldn’t be happier. Although one fan makes a solid point.
Ratchet and clank has def been sent out to die among 3 other big games
— BrokenGamezHD (@BrokenGamezHD) January 12, 2016Ratchet and Clank will be releasing in the same month as Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End , Dark Souls III , and newcomer Quantum Break . Quantum Break will be an Xbox exclusive, so I don’t think Ratchet and Clank will have to worry much there. But it’s still very possible the release could get clipped by these other major triple A titles.
Almost at the same time as the PS4 release, the major motion picture based on Ratchet and Clank will also be releasing, so hopefully that gives Insomniac Games an edge to push past the glitz and glamour of major title releases.
The PS4 game will induce a nostalgic trip back to older Ratchet and Clank games, but with a new twist. There will be new planets, bosses and flight sequences along with a collection of other newly-added content. The game is following the storyline in the film, so both narratives will be told from the perspective of Dr. Quark. It’s an understandable marketing ploy, but it will all depend on how the story will resonate with fans of the older games.
You can pre-order your copy of Ratchet and Clank today and receive the exclusive weapon, The Bouncer. You can check out the new art on their Flickr. The game will be releasing in the US on April 12.
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Resistance Collection Available On Dec. 5
Continuing the current generation’s growing line of HD remakes and classic collections, Sony and developer Insomniac Games have officially announced a Dec.
Continuing the current generation’s growing line of HD remakes and classic collections, Sony and developer Insomniac Games have officially announced a Dec. 5 launch date for the upcoming Resistance Collection , combining all three games in the series into a single, cheaper format.
Just in time for the holidays, Insomniac Community Lead James Stevenson dropped by the PlayStation Blog
to announce an early December release date for the upcoming Resistance Collection . The series has become synonymous with the PlayStation brand over the past decade, being a launch title for the PlayStation 3 and having a spin-off title launch on both the PlayStation Portable and the Vita. Neither of those portable games are included in this collection, however.
The franchise kicks off during an alternate history version of World War II, when mankind must unite in the midst of war if they ever hope to survive an alien invasion. The game is a first-person shooter and, in typical Insomniac style, features some fantastically out of this world weaponry.
If you’ve missed out on the series thus far, the Resistance Collection will offer all three of the series’ console games, as well as some additional DLC from both Resistance 2 and Resistance 3 .
To join mankind’s struggle against the Chimera invasion, keep your eye out for the Resistance Collection on store shelves starting Dec. 5 for 39.99.
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Ratchet And Clank: Into The Nexus Arrives Nov. 12
Ratchet and his ever-wise-cracking mechanical compatriot, Clank, are all set to go on their next big adventure as Insomniac Games announces Ratchet and Clank: Into the Nexus is heading to PlayStation 3 on Nov.
is heading to PlayStation 3 on Nov. 12.
The Ratchet and Clank series has had a good run on the PlayStation 3 with Tools of Destruction being one of the early showcase pieces for Sony's new hardware shortly after launch. Graphically and gameplay-wise, it was one of those titles that showed off what “next gen” truly means.
The short but sweet follow-up, Quest for Booty served as a nice bridge leading up to the most recent proper entry in the long-running series, A Crack in Time .
While Insomniaceventually took a break from the series (and PlayStation exclusivity) with its next offering, Fuse , it was poorly received by fans and critics alike. While I'd never want a studio to keep working on the same series until the wheels fall off, it seems like more than a few fans in the audience only wanted to sink their teeth into another Ratchet and Clank game. And, thus, they were likely elated when Into the Nexus was announced earlier this year.
Now Insomniac has announceda Nov. 12 launch date, meaning it'll be coming out right around the time a nice chunk of the gaming audience will be shifting its eyes to the PlayStation 4. But maybe they'll reconsider one last hoo-rah on the PlayStation 3, especially considering that Into the Nexus will only set you back $29.99.
As explained by Insomniac Community Lead James Stevenson, Into the Nexus serves as an epilogue to the Ratchet and Clank “Future” games, ending a generation's worth of stories with a shorter dose of gaming goodness.
“Some of you have asked us why we made a shorter Ratchet game,” Stevenson said. “The truth is, we relished this ability to tie a bow on the PS3 era of Ratchet with a shorter title...We have a lot of stories to tell, some longer, some shorter. This one felt just right.”
Stevenson goes on to explain that just because it's shorter doesn't mean it's skimping on what makes the series so love. It'll feature all of the laughs, “planet-hopping [and] guns blazing” of previous entries in the series, just in a more bite-sized package.
For those of you looking to pre-order the game, your bonus will be a suit of Pyronox Armor, which grants a 5 percent damage reduction. Pre-order from Amazon, though, and you'll also receive a boatload of Ratchet and Clank content for PlayStation Home.
There's no telling if we'll see the dynmaic duo in game form again before their big movie debut, so you might want to consider giving Into the Nexus a fair shake come Nov. 12. Otherwise, here's a little background info on how these games are actually made.
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The Mafia 3 Story Trailer Is Gripping And Merciless
Mafia III finally has a release date and, with it, we’ve got a brand new trailer and additional details on a couple of special editions for those of you who want to deep dive into a virtual world of crime.
The folks over at 2K Gamestoday pulled back the curtain on a new Mafia III trailer called “One Way Road Story Trailer.” Along with giving players an idea of what types of shenanigans they’ll be getting up to in this open-world action title, we also finally got a launch date for the highly anticipated game. Get ready to play Mafia III on the PlayStation 4, Xbox Oneand PC come Oct. 7.
Set in the 1960’s in the city of New Bordeaux, the new trailer’s descriptionexplains that, when Lincoln Clay decided to take on the Italian Mafia, he did so in a tremendously violent fashion.
The trailer shows a little bit of the old mixed with a little bit of the new. Lincoln is your typical soldier done wrong by the mob and left for dead. He’s rescued by a preacher who tries to talk him out of seeking revenge, but Mafia III would be an extremely short and boring game if he decided to take that advice. Instead, we get an interesting new location and a time period that’s at the tail end of what you might call the Mafia era. We’re guessing that, according to this game’s lore, Clay is partially to blame for that shift in power.
If you decide to pre-order the new Mafia , you’ll be treated to a “Family Kick-Back” pack of goodies that comes with a trio of cars and weapons. Players can also buy a Deluxe Edition of Maia III for $80 or Collector’s Edition for $150. That Deluxe Edition will boast a season pass of DLC while the Collector’s Edition will have the season pass, was well a copy of the game’s score on vinyl, art prints, an art book and other unannounced goodies.
We assume that a demo is inbound, as PlayStation Social Media Specialist Ryan Clements recently wrote about his experience with a sampling of the game over on the PlayStation Blog. Clements’ demo session had him taking on Tony Derazio, one of the higher-ups of the Italian mob, and his goons.
Clemens explains that his playtime highlighted one of the pillars of Mafia III , “no failure but death.” So long as you survive, there’s no fail state in the game. If you botch a goal, you simply have to find a new way of achieving your objective. It’s a nice way of un-gameifying the experience and should encourage players to get creative with their tactics.
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The Mafia 3 Story Trailer Is Gripping And Merciless
Mafia III finally has a release date and, with it, we’ve got a brand new trailer and additional details on a couple of special editions for those of you who want to deep dive into a virtual world of crime.
The folks over at 2K Gamestoday pulled back the curtain on a new Mafia III trailer called “One Way Road Story Trailer.” Along with giving players an idea of what types of shenanigans they’ll be getting up to in this open-world action title, we also finally got a launch date for the highly anticipated game. Get ready to play Mafia III on the PlayStation 4, Xbox Oneand PC come Oct. 7.
Set in the 1960’s in the city of New Bordeaux, the new trailer’s descriptionexplains that, when Lincoln Clay decided to take on the Italian Mafia, he did so in a tremendously violent fashion.
The trailer shows a little bit of the old mixed with a little bit of the new. Lincoln is your typical soldier done wrong by the mob and left for dead. He’s rescued by a preacher who tries to talk him out of seeking revenge, but Mafia III would be an extremely short and boring game if he decided to take that advice. Instead, we get an interesting new location and a time period that’s at the tail end of what you might call the Mafia era. We’re guessing that, according to this game’s lore, Clay is partially to blame for that shift in power.
If you decide to pre-order the new Mafia , you’ll be treated to a “Family Kick-Back” pack of goodies that comes with a trio of cars and weapons. Players can also buy a Deluxe Edition of Maia III for $80 or Collector’s Edition for $150. That Deluxe Edition will boast a season pass of DLC while the Collector’s Edition will have the season pass, was well a copy of the game’s score on vinyl, art prints, an art book and other unannounced goodies.
We assume that a demo is inbound, as PlayStation Social Media Specialist Ryan Clements recently wrote about his experience with a sampling of the game over on the PlayStation Blog. Clements’ demo session had him taking on Tony Derazio, one of the higher-ups of the Italian mob, and his goons.
Clemens explains that his playtime highlighted one of the pillars of Mafia III , “no failure but death.” So long as you survive, there’s no fail state in the game. If you botch a goal, you simply have to find a new way of achieving your objective. It’s a nice way of un-gameifying the experience and should encourage players to get creative with their tactics.
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Meet The Official Suicide Squad Team
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One Suicide Squad Member Is Going To Have This Badass Weapon
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DC's Suicide Squad Is Getting A Movie, Here Are The Specifics
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Warner Bros. has some big plans for their growing big screen DC Universe, and they're continuing to flesh it out week to week. The 2016 blockbuster Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is obviously a big part of it, as is the Justice League movie that Zack Snyderis already attached to direct. But there's so much more coming down the road. Recently it was confirmedthat Dwayne Johnson will be starring as Black Adam in a Shazam film, and now it looks like yet another one of the in-development titles has been revealed.
The Hollywood Reporterhas the scoop that Warner Bros. and DC Comics are now planning a feature around the supervillain group known as the Suicide Squad and have entered into negotiations with writer/director David Ayer to take the project on (though it's not 100% clear exactly what his job is). This project has actually been in development for a couple of years now, with Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li screenwriter having previously been hired to work on a script, but sources say that the movie was put on hold while things moved forward with Justice League . Apparently, they're now exploring the opportunity to do both.
For those unfamiliar with the Suicide Squad , the team is comprised of convicted supervillains who have the opportunity to take time off of their sentences by taking part in deadly Black Ops missions for the government. They are, of course, heavily monitored during their missions, and if any of them decide to act against protocol there are deadly consequences. The group has classically been organized under the watchful eye of Dr. Amanda Waller, a high ranking government agent also known as The Wall. As I'm sure you can imagine, the roster has changed a lot over the years, though when the group was created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru for the comics the enlisted characters included Deadshot, King Shark, Captain Boomerang and Harley Quinn. At this stage it is unclear which characters will be included in the Suicide Squad movie.
David Ayer got his big break in Hollywood in the early '00s when he wrote the scripts for hits like The Fast and the Furious and Training Day , but in recent years he has been more focused on directing his own features. In 2012 he earned critical acclaim for his cop drama End of Watch , and just earlier this year he helmed the R-rated crime film Sabotage , with Arnold Schwarzenegger. His next film, the World War II tank movie Fury starring Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf, is already set to come out this fall, set to be released on October 17th.
Suicide Squad doesn't currently have a release or a start of production date, but as the project gets further into development we will surely provide you with more details.
Suicide Squad Teases A Key Batman Location
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Suicide Squad: Jared Leto Bulking Up To Play The Joker
Jared Leto’s impending performance as The Joker in Suicide Squad is one of the most furiously debated movie-topics discussed across the world wide web.
is one of the most furiously debated movie-topics discussed across the world wide web. It’s almost universally agreed that Leto was the right choice to play the villain, but there is a huge amount of intrigue over how he might do just that. And now we’ve got our first few details about how he’ll look as The Joker.
According to Billboard’s cover story, via The Hollywood Reporter, which will hit shelves on Friday, Jared Leto is looking to gain quite a bit of podge for the film. In fact, Leto is so intent on gaining a large amount of weight for Suicide Squad that he even gorged while his discussion was taking place. "Do you mind if I eat a little?" he politely asked his interviewer, before he then devoured several vegan tacos. "I’m trying to gain a lot of weight. It means I have to eat every couple of hours – and I’m terrible at eating a lot." Those of us who do enjoy eating a lot will now be simulating the tiniest violin playing the saddest song in the world for the actor.
Also, vegan tacos? Get some proper grub inside you, son. Something with parents, that bled to death. Then you’ll quickly turn into Roseanne -era John Goodman. The fact that he lives a vegan lifestyle and is a huge advocate of animal rights means that he’d obviously have a massive problem with doing that though, so he should probably just ignore my ignorant advice.
Anyway, moving back onto the topic at hand, Letoalso explained why he was enticed to play The Joker:
The opportunity to take on this nearly Shakespearean character – that’s what graphic novels and comic books are becoming, right? [He’s] this beautiful disaster of a character – what a big challenge.
And while some people might take umbrage with Leto comparing The Jokerto a Shakespearean character, there’s no denying the fact that the legendary foe has now developed into one of the most recognizable and iconic individuals in cinematic history.
What makes him even more unique is that each incarnation has been uniquely different to the last. Cesar Romero’s Joker was campy, almost innocent, but still deadly, Jack Nicholson’s had a stern terror that was masqueraded by outlandish, jovial stunts, while Heath Ledger’s was a tornado of evil that was as random as he was meticulous and constantly erupted with surprising acts of unspeakable villainy.
In other words, the Oscar-winningactor has big shoes to fill. But it’s refreshing to hear an actor speak about tackling such a high-pressure role, like The Joker, with excitement rather than dread. And by the sounds of things Leto is already well aware of how he’ll take on the part, and how he’ll make his version unique. We’ll found out how he does just that when Suicide Squad hits cinemas on August 5, 2016.
Jared Leto, As The Joker, Sent Really Creepy Gifts To His Suicide Squad Co-Stars
Jared Leto has immersed himself in the demented character of The Joker for David Ayer’s Suicide Squad .
. It’s more than just the face paint and the emo tattoos. It’s a plunge into Method actingthat apparently includes sending bizarre gifts to his co-stars… as only Joker would do.
Adam Beach, who plays Slipknot in Ayer’s super-villain team-up movie, talked to E! Onlineat the premiere of Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser , and told incredibly strange stories about Jared Leto’s, er, "presents" for his co-stars. These gifts included bullets for Will Smith, and a love letter for Margot Robbie that came with a black box and a live rat. Beach explained that Leto also made a video for the entire cast that included a dead hog. He said: Basically, what he said was, 'Guys, I can't be there but I want you to know I'm doing my work as hard as you guys. The video he showed is in character. It blew our minds away. Then we realized that day, this is real. … He encompasses this beautiful man and he shows it in, 'Hello, how are you?' But in an instant, he goes to psychotic behavior where you're in fear. But you love him because he has both of those genuine sides."
There have been multiple actors who have attempted to play the Joker on screen in a Batman project, from Jack Nicholson to the late Heath Ledger. But we never really heard of those actors staying deeply in character in between takes. Ledger, in particular, has been celebrated by cast and crew on The Dark Knight for the light mood that he maintained on set. Leto, though, is taking the opposite approach. Will it work out? We’ll find out soon enough.
David Ayer’s Suicide Squad bands a group of DC Comics villains together on a mysterious mission under the care of Amanda Weller ( Viola Davis). The team includes such lunatics as Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), Captain Boomerang ( Jai Courtney), Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman) and Enchantress (Cara Delevingne), to name just a few. It also will star Ben Affleck’s The Batman, from what we have seen in on-set photos and videos, like this one.
Suicide Squad will be the second DC movie to hit next year, following. It opens everywhere on August 5, 2016.
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