With every new console comes new box art design! I don't know why but I always get giddy and excited when it comes flashy new box art. Up until now Microsoft and Sony have remained tight lip on how their games would look like on the shelf. But now, thanks to Battlefield's Official Facebook, we may finally have an idea.
There you have it. It seems both will carry over the same box art size but with color alterations. You can also head over to the official post here and get notified about Battlefield 4 pre-orders for the Xbox One and PS4.
Microsoft have finally revealed their new Xbox called Xbox One. It will be an all in one entertainment device that not only focuses on gaming but television, movies, and web entertainment. The concept is that it will blend all of these things together and allow users to switch them on the fly. The system is expected arrive sometime this year.
The System
Xbox One is a major one up over the 360's ancient tech. It will feature an 8 core CPU, 8 GB System Memory, 500 (depending on the model), Blu ray drive, wifi, two HDMI ports (one in and out), and USB 3.0.
One thing's for sure is we won't be having two versions. The Xbox One will be an all in one unit and will still run on optical media. The memory is powerful enough to allow suspended play and play while installing. It will not, however, be backwards compatible. The big question we must all be wondering though is will it require an always on connection? No. Geoff keighley has confirmed that the Xbox One will not require an always on connection when playing single player games, however Kotaku found out that it still needs to be online at least once a day. Strange. Kotaku has also confirmed that it will be able to play used games as well in some shape or form.
The next major component to the Xbox One is the Kinect. It will include a full HD camera, TOF technology, and a new microphone that will be more accurate than the 360's version. For instance, you'll be able to switch on the Xbox One using your voice and command it to go to your game or watch movies. Notifications can also be interacted with using your voice.
Another improved element of Kinect 2 is it's ability register precise hand movements and gestures such as twisting your wrists. One instance showed zooming in and out of an application using their arms. All Xbox One units sold will include a Kinect and will not be able to work without one.
Of course it wouldn't be a gaming machine without a controller. The Xbox One will feature a brand new redesign of the 360 controller which brings back the black from the original Xbox but with a touch of chrome. Aside from that it will include impulse triggers, a built in rechargeable battery unity, a new D pad, and will work via Wi-Fi.
Xbox One's will on three operating systems: one is Xbox, the other is Windows, and the third is the one that bridges both together.
Xbox Live will also be upgraded to 300,000 servers meaning less lag and more optimization when it comes to streaming games over the cloud. No word if it will feature a new currency system or a change in it's Gold package.
[click to enlarge]
Achievements will also receive an upgrade. They will now work dynamically will not be confined to a single game.
The Games
While there weren't a lot of games shown, Microsoft mentioned it will have 15 exclusives, 8 of which are original IP's, that are planned to be released in it's first year.
Forza Motorsport 5 will make it's return to the Xbox One. It will be released as a launch title.
EA Sports have shown of their upcoming sports games running on their new next gen engine, Ignite. They will all be released this year. One thing to note is Fifa 14's Ultimate Team will now be exclusive to the Xbox One.
Remedy, the creators of the original Max Payne and Alan Wake have returned to reveal a new exciting IP called Quantum Break. Not much is known only that the gameplay will be based around time manipulation.
Last game to be revealed was Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Ghosts who seem to be finally giving the game a push in the visual department. It's gameplay will receive tweaks most notably the ability to control dogs...wearing bullet proof vests.
The WTF
Steven Spielberg has signed a deal to make a live action Halo series appear on Xbox One
Well that's gist of it. I'm planning on making a piece sharing my opinions and my prediction on how this console could impact the Arab world. For now I leave you with this image of a bad ass soldier dog. Woof out!
A new batch of Killer is Dead screens have surfaced showcasing all the things I love about Suda 51 games. What are they? Well to name a few: over stylized violence, gameplay that's both absurd and ridiculously fun, and a convoluted story that makes sense? Okay, enough of that. Let's check out some virtual violence and don't forget to click on the images to enlarge them
The picks below highlight the different ways you can dispose your enemy: Assassination, Massacre, Punishment, and Enforcement. Depending on how you kill will reward the player with different items and improve several abilities.
Head over to 4Gamers to see more pics of Killer is Dead and you can expect this beauty to arrive end of Summer.
The Playstation 4 reveal in Feb was pretty interesting as it was the only console reveal that didn't show the actual console. Well, if you still can't wait for E3 then here is a small glimpse to keep you going.
Ohh black edges! Okay, it's pretty obvious that Sony did this to crash the Xbox reveal party happening tomorrow. It also means next gen wars are going to be a thing that we will have to put up with from both business and fans. Oh, joy!
VG247 have discovered a leaked boxart of Resident Evil 7 floating around the net. According to this rumor the game will be revealed at E3 2013 and that's about it.
It's hard to imagine a sequel would be whipped up that quickly then again Resident Evil 6 wasn't exactly the series highlight so maybe they want to make it up? I reached out to Capcom to clarify if this is real or not.
The Resident Evil franchise has certainly hit a bit of a bump with Resident Evil 6. Numerous fans complained the game had too much action and lacked the survival horror element. With Resident Evil Revelations, Capcom hopes to fix that by showing that there’s still some horror left in this walking corpse.
Remembering Evil
Resident Evil Revelations takes place before Resident Evil 5, Jill is sent to investigate a mysterious abandoned ship called the Queen Zenobia. On board she hopes to find her lost partner Chris Redfield and discover the secret plans of a bio-terrorist organization named Veltro. Expect lots of plot twists and a story that fills some gaps in the Resident Evil timeline. While the story is good the execution is a bit poor as the game stumbles on bad writing and cheesy dialogue. It’s not unbearable although characters like Grinder and Jackass can be incredibly lame, it just certainly lacks quality and makes the overall story feel ridiculous. The pacing is also hindered as the game will occasionally jump from one character to the other and at different time periods. One moment your on board a creepy ship next thing you know you’re on a snowy mountain. It’s convoluting at times and just sort overall kills the buildup.
Bigger screen
Revelations is an HD upgrade from the 3DS version. While the difference is obvious it’s by no means a AAA looking HD title. Low res textures and low polygons show clear signs that this was ported from a 3DS game. That’s not to say the it doesn’t have atmosphere. The lighting and creepy hallways all create a horror experience that stays true to the Resident Evil formula. Just don’t expect it look as good as Resident Evil 5.
The gameplay has also been tweaked. Gone are the annoying QTE’s which plagued Resident Evil 6 and instead were given something a lot simpler. The FPS view in the 3DS version has been replaced with 3rd person camera view similar to Resident Evil 6. Puzzles also make their grand return but are still nowhere near as challenging as the original classics. One thing that did bother me though was the dodging. While the explanation appeared simple it just doesn’t seem to register with me all the time. This wouldn’t be a problem but some bosses require you to dodge which can cause some frustrating moments. In typical Resident Evil fashion, ammo is limited so every bullet counts but on the upside you can use a Scanner to find hidden herbs and ammo. Weapons can also be upgraded to help customize your guns and give them features such as extra ammo capacity, increase damage, and accuracy.
Beating the campaign will unlock a new game+ feature allowing you to start a new game with all your current experience and weapons. One feature that will make you want to come back is Raid Mode. Its survival multiplayer CO-OP mode is all biased on leveling up and winning points. These points can be used to purchase weapons, upgrades, and customizations which will make your character stronger to face new maps. Sadly I wasn’t able to test the online mode and the lack of split screen is sad. But regardless the challenging maps and enemies make Raid Mode still fun to play even you’re alone.
Little screen
If you’re opting for the Wii U version you’ll be happy to know that it includes some nice additions. Using the gamepad’s touch screen will display a map, quick swap weapons, and occasionally use it to solve some puzzles. The highlight though has to be the Miiverse integration. Every time you die you’ll have the option to post a death message which other players can see, it can also be used to post messages on monsters in Raid Mode. Of course you can also use the gamepad’s screen to play the entire game on it, but if you’re a more traditional player you can still play the game fine using a Wii U pro controller. It does not, however, support motion controls.
The sound in Revelations has also been improved from the 3DS version. Guns sound better, monsters sound creepier, and a soundtrack that will make you feel you’re playing a Resident Evil game. I also I highly recommend playing it in surround sound as I’ve occasionally jumped a couple of times when a monster attacked me from behind.
Not a revolution
While it may not be groundbreaking, Resident Evil Revelation does justice in showing us what makes this franchise so great. The horrific monster, dark hallways, and creepy diaries are things I haven’t experienced in a while. Though if you’re a 3DS owner then you’ve probably experienced them already. Resident Evil Revelations HD doesn’t add new chapters and aside from a few new monsters and DLC characters there’s really no incentive to buy this HD upgrade. However, if you’ve yet to experience Resident Evil Revelation then it’s high time you set sail and rekindle with your past on board the Queen Zenobia.
The next generation is upon us and though a lot of it will be prettier graphics we tend to forget that innovation is invited to the party as well. It might come in gameplay form (regen health, dynamic Uncharted like set pieces) or peripherals such as Kinect. Now I know what you all must be thinking: Kinect was an epic fail that shouldn't have been made in the first place. Despite that fact we know that Kinect 2 is coming and it's going to be playing an important role in the next Xbox. How important? Well, maybe the video below could help shed some light.
Yes, what you saw was quite real and is under Microsoft's roof. Does this mean we're looking at Kinect 2? Not quite. While the uploader claims that this is Xbox 720 he's jumping the gun as Microsoft themselves claimed too early for testing. However that's not say it won't be added later. It does need a Kinect to work and would definitely make the Xbox stand out.
