AMAZING CREATURES ON ATTACK !!!

ZOMBIES MONSTERS ROBOTS

Summary Game Editions

Set in an alternate world where the invention of portal technology has lured cross-dimensional creatures to Earth and humanity finds itself under attack, ZMR pits gamers against a bevy of hostile foes. Players will fight back with guns, guts, and gear for an edge-of-the-seat, take-no-prisoners shooter experience.

WORLD OF THE ALIENS

SID MEIER'S CIVILIZATION: BEYOND EARTH
Release Date: October 24, 2014

Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth launches players into space, where they can colonize a new alien world and build a new future for humanity

THE DRAGONS ARE READY TO ENTER YOUR ROOM !!

DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION

 Dragon Age: Inquisition the world of Thedas is being torn apart by a massive, mysterious breach in the sky. Players must assume the role of the Inquisitor and lead a team of legendary heroes to uncover the truth behind the impending devastation.

MIDDLE - EARTH : SHADOW OF MORDOR

MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is an action-packed adventure-RPG inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Exploring an original story of vengeance and redemption, the game puts players in the role of Talion, a valiant ranger whose family is slain in front of him the night Sauron and his army return to Mordor -- moments before his own life is taken. Resurrected by a Spirit of vengeance and empowered with Wraith abilities, Talion ventures into Mordor and vows to destroy those who have wronged him. Through the course of his personal vendetta, Talion uncovers the truth of the Spirit that compels him, learns the origins of the Rings of Power and ultimately confronts his true nemesis.

Every enemy that players face is a unique individual, differentiated by their personality, strengths and weaknesses. Through the Nemesis System, enemy relationships and characteristics are shaped by player actions and decisions to create personal archenemies that remember and adapt to the player and are distinct to every gameplay session. Gamers are able to craft their own battles, enemies and rewards within the dynamic world that remembers and adapts to their choices, delivering a unique experience to every playe

ALIEN AGAIN !!

ALIEN: ISOLATION SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS REVEALED

Recommended PC Specifications: Operating System: Windows 7 (64bit) Processor: AMD: Phenom II X4 955 – 4 Core, 3.2 GHz or INTEL: Core 2 Quad Q9650 – 4 Core, 3.0 Ghz RAM: 8GB RAM Hard Drive: 35GB required for installation Video Card: 2GB DirectX 11 (AMD GPU: AMD Radeon R9 200 Series or Nvidia gpu: GeForce GTX660) Broadband Internet Connection

The Creative Assembly-developed title is set to launch worldwide on October 7 for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. We had a demo of the title’s main campaign at E3 2014 where we found it is everything that last year’s Aliens: Colonial Marines wasn’t.  IGN Logo

THE ZODIAC AT YOUR SERVICE

ZODIAC / 18 SEP 2014

TGS 2014: INTRODUCING ZODIAC, A NEW JRPG FOR PS VITA

First up is Hitoshi Sakimoto, long-time composer responsible for game soundtracks ranging from the Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics series to Final Fantasy XII and Dragon’s Crown. And then there’s Kazushige Nojima, a writer who worked on the likes of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, and many, many more games.

These men have collaborated with a small UK and France-based studio called Kobojo to create Zodiac. The game has been in development for about a year, and is due to launch sometime in 2015.

Zodiac’s director describes it as a project that melds elements from Final Fantasy, Valkyrie Profile, and Dragon’s Crown to create “a new online multiplayer experience.” The good news is that the game doesn’t actually have to be played online, however. You can play it alone if you’d like, front-to-back.

Zodiac’s soundtrack, not surprisingly, reminded me a great deal of Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre, as did some of its concept art. But the entire package is most reminiscent of Ubisoft’s surprise hit Child of Light, right down to its art style, color palette, and traversal. Its 2D world is beautifully realized, however, even if some character animations are a bit off (like the terribly awkward walking animation of one of the characters seen during a cutscene displayed for the press).

The game’s story, which the developers refused to go into any real detail about, revolves around – as you may have guessed – the 12 signs of the Zodiac. A hub town known, for now, as the “Main City,” is surrounded by locations that represent each of the Zodiac’s signs. Furthermore, the in-game class system is also associated with the Zodiac, with 12 classes toting unique skills and strengths. The devs noted that three classes would be further affiliated with an element – Fire, Earth, Water, and Wind – though they didn’t elaborate much on that.

HEY GUYS, ONCE AGAIN A NEW ONE FOR YOU !!

THE EVIL WITHIN / 20 SEP 2014

TGS 2014: WILL SURVIVAL HORROR MOUNT A COMEBACK WITH THE EVIL WITHIN?

Resident Evil might not have been the first survival horror game per se (that distinction likely should go to Sweet Home on the Famicom), but it was the first one of real consequence, and its effects resonate through to today, nearly two decades later. Sure, its sequels – Resident Evil 4 in particular – completely nailed what it was to be survival horror, but future iterations, like Resident Evil 5, lost the plot completely, abandoning the spirit of what once made the franchise the face of the genre. To me, Dead Space is the last truly great survival horror game I played that just got it, and I’ve come to accept that I’m probably not going to get what I’m looking for with Resident Evil moving forward (I didn’t even bother with RE6). This is perhaps why I was left so full of anticipation after briefly going hands-on with The Evil Within at TGS, known by the much cooler title Psycho Break in Japan.

INFINITE CRISIS

THE INFINITE CRISIS EXPERIENCE EPISODE 3: SECOND CHANCES

http://www.ign.com/videos/2014/01/08/atomic-poison-ivy-joins-infinite-crisis-cast

For the first time since The Infinite Crisis Experience began, the six complete strangers hoping to become the best Infinite Crisis players in the world have started to come together to dominate their competition.

If you're just tuning in, The Infinite Crisis Experience is a live interactive reality show that airs every Tuesday at 8PM PST on Twin Galaxies Live. The show follows the progress of six gamers, including MrFanatiq, Neostormx, Impurrvious, DennisTheTall, JenFo, and Rabies, and their progress throughout the competition. You can catch a recap of the first episode here and the second episode here.

Going in to this week's episode, the team has only won a single match. Yet after two grueling weeks, the group starts working together and eventually earn some impressive comebacks. Plus, after changing up their strategy, they find a way to win even more games and improve their attitude.

Infinite Crisis is a free-to-play MOBA set in the DC Comic multiverse. Currently in open beta, the MOBA features a variety of iconic characters like Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman and three distinct maps to compete on.

THE ARCH AGE

ARCHEAGE HAS A RELEASE DATE AND IT'S SOONER THAN YOU THINK
http://www.ign.com/videos/2014/04/09/archeage-what-if-cinematic-trailer

For those not in the know about ArcheAge, it's highly-anticipated among Western MMO fans as it incorporates aspects of Sandbox gameplay. While games like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, Star Wars: The Old Republic and the like are branded "Themepark" titles as you get on the ride and have a carefully orchestrated journey of fun, ArcheAge is similar to Eve Online in the sense it also hands you the tools to make your own fun, only instead of spaceships there's the usual riffs on traditional fantasy tropes.

GRAND THEFT YOU HAVE EVER WITNESSED !!

THE GRAND THEFT

Trouble taps on your window again with this next chapter in the Grand Theft Auto universe, set in the city of Los Santos and its surrounding hills, countryside and beaches. A bold new direction in open-world freedom, storytelling, mission-based gameplay and online multiplayer, Grand Theft Auto V focuses on the pursuit of the almighty dollar in a re-imagined, present-day Southern California.

Los Santos: a sprawling sun-soaked metropolis full of self-help gurus, starlets and fading celebrities, once the envy of the Western world, now struggling to stay afloat in an era of economic uncertainty and cheap reality TV.

Amidst the turmoil, three very different criminals plot their own chances of survival and success: Franklin, a street hustler looking for real opportunities and serious money; Michael, a professional ex-con whose retirement is a lot less rosy than he hoped it would be; and Trevor, a violent maniac driven by the chance of a cheap high and the next big score. Running out of options, the crew risks everything in a series of daring and dangerous heists that could set them up for life.

Release Date: October 2014

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol, Includes online features that may expose players to unrated user-generated content

Genre: Third-Person Action

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Developer: Rockstar North

A JAPANESE THRILL AWAITING AHEAD

SEGA UNVEILS NEW YAKUZA TITLE

Yakuza Zero: Chikai no Basho aka Yakuza Zero: The Place of Oath, is the next installment in the Yakuza franchise, SEGA announced during a recent Yakuza live stream.

SEGA launched a teaser website for the title heading to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 platforms.

While details about Yakuza Zero weren’t provided, further information is expected to be revealed during this year's Tokyo Game Show, taking place at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Tokyo from September 18 to 21.

The last Yakuza title, Yakuza Ishin, launched in Japan on February 22 for PS4 and PS3. As the eighth game in the core Yakuza series, Yakuza Ishin took place during Japan’s Edo period, which ran from 1603 until 1868

LARA CROFT AND THE TEMPLE OF ORISIS

LARA CROFT AND THE TEMPLE OF OSIRIS IS ABSOLUTELY HYSTERICAL

http://www.ign.com/games/lara-croft-and-the-temple-of-osiris/ps4-20019732

LARA CROFT AND THE TEMPLE OF OSIRIS 

For those not up to speed, Temple of Osiris is four-player follow-up to the two-player Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. You choose between playing as Lara or another archaeologist named Carter, both of whom have abilities including grappling hooks and burning brands, or the Egyptian gods Isis and Horus, who can project shields and raise platforms with their magical staffs. A big part of the game is progression through loot-hunting and upgrading your character, but we've touched on that before. What today's play session really highlighted to me, though, was that while there's a wealth of titles out there with compelling stories and powerful narratives, Temple of Osiris gets back to the core of gaming: pure, unadulterated fun.

Meet Captain Nemo

80 Days is a game filled with people to meet; some real, some famous, some fictional. One is Verne’s own Captain Nemo who can be found piloting the Nautilus in the waters off the coast of Africa.


But be warned, he plans to travel a lot further than 20,000 leagues. Found by 1.479 players.

Solve a Murder Mystery

Each time you complete the game, new routes open up. One of these is an experimental hovercraft from Yokohama, where, halfway across the Pacific Ocean, a murderer strikes. In true Agatha Christie fashion you have six days to crack the case: can you figure out who killed Madame Shu? Solved by 1,021 players.

Get Engaged

On an airship in Europe you can catch the eye of one Elsa Ekéus, who is very keen to get married and will not take no for an answer. Found by 784 players.

Explore a Forbidden City

War is coming to Europe, and the city of Belgrade is the first casualty. Now a wasteland, the only way in is to talk your way aboard a military transport. 


But once there, perhaps you can change the fate of the rag-tag Serbian resistance? 602 players reached Belgrade; only onehas abandoned the Resistance to their fate.

Get Intimate with an Airship

The ship in question is owned by the Artificer Queen Ranavalona II of Antananarivo, Madagascar, but to get aboard you’ll need a very powerful local friend. Found by 273 players.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Another Verne character, Otto Lidenbrock, is looking for a passage to the centre of the Earth in the wrong volcanic country. If you can put him right, he’ll take you down into the depths for a fast ride home across a very strange sea.  337 players have helped him out, but only 26 have reaped the rewards.

Betray an Automaton, with Dire Consequences

The mysterious Sisters of Didacus are on the hunt for an automaton with a soul. 


Should you find one, you can provide the Didacian nuns with a copy of the automaton’s control shard - or sell the girl out completely. Found by 60 players. 

Travel by Rocket-powered Carriage

There’s a secret base on Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Russia, and it’s connected by tunnels into India, Afghanistan and Siberia. But to get there, you’ll need to know how to melt the heart of a Slavic dancer on her way to Tehran. Found by 24 players. 

Foil an Evil Twin

On the airship from Prague to Odessa is a man who wants to murder his twin brother, the harbour master of Irkutsk, Siberia. Track the twin down and you’ll find he has assumed his brother’s identity, right down to running off with his brother’s unsuspecting wife Sophia. She seems happy, though, so will you tell her? 17 players found the harbour-master, but so far, no-one has told Sophia the truth and helped her to escape.

SIN CITY 2 IS BACK !!

WIN A PS4 AND ACTION BLU-RAY BUNDLE WITH SIN CITY 2

Nine years after the box-office smash SIN CITY, the stories of the notorious city dwellers resume in the hugely anticipated sequel SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR. Boasting an all-star cast led by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises), Eva Green (Dark Shadows), Juno Temple (Killer Joe), Jessica Alba (Sin City, Fantastic Four), Bruce Willis (Looper) and Josh Brolin (Old Boy), this next installment promises to take audiences on a visceral ride into the twisted minds of Frank Miller’s unforgettable characters. Co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller reunite to bring Miller's visually stunning “Sin City” graphic novels back to the screen in SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR. Weaving together two of Miller’s classic stories with new tales, the town's most hard boiled citizens cross paths with some of its more reviled inhabitants. SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR is the follow-up to Rodriguez and Miller’s 2005 ground-breaking film, FRANK MILLER’S SIN CITY.

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, all you need to do is follow IGN UK's official Twitter and re-tweet this Tweet about the competition

THE LAST OF US----- RELEASING SHORTLY

PATCH 1.02 IMPROVES MULTIPLAYER IN THE LAST OF US REMASTERED
http://www.ign.com/games/the-last-of-us/ps3-123980

In response to reported matchmaking delays in The Last of Us Remastered's multiplayer mode, developer Naughty Dog is preparing to launch a patch that reduces wait times in between matches.


Patch 1.02 will be released in North America today and is expected to release in Europe this weekend and in Asia next week. However, the patch's release date in the UK has yet to be announced.

THE LAST OF US: REMASTERED / 11 AUG 2014
PATCH 1.02 IMPROVES MULTIPLAYER IN THE LAST OF US REMASTERED
Share. Are crazy matchmaking delays getting you down?
BY CASSIDEE MOSERIn response to reported matchmaking delays in The Last of Us Remastered's multiplayer mode, developer Naughty Dog is preparing to launch a patch that reduces wait times in between matches.

Patch 1.02 will be released in North America today and is expected to release in Europe this weekend and in Asia next week. However, the patch's release date in the UK has yet to be announced.

"As many of you may know, especially if you are among the many, many, many people who have been playing our Factions multiplayer mode, that some people have been experiencing long wait times while trying to find a match," reads an update on the developer's blog. "We've deployed several LiveUpdates over the past week in an effort to improve the matchmaking wait times. Things have definitely improved but there still remains work for us to get the matchmaking experience where we feel it should be. Patch 1.02 is our latest effort to continuing improving the matchmaking experience."

Why The Last of Us' Multiplayer Is Awesome
03:25
Naughty Dog encourages players experiencing delays to quit out of matchmaking and re-select "Find a Match" in hopes of speeding up the wait times. Players are also reminded to check their downloads notifications to make sure that the game's update file has been downloaded and installed.


The Last of Us Remastered is the definitive edition of Naughty Dog's apocalyptic adventure released exclusively for the PlayStation 4. It received a perfect 10 review score on IGN.

CRYPT OF THE NECRODANCER--- A NEW SENSATION !!

CRYPT OF THE NECRODANCER: A ROGUELIKE...DANCE GAME?!

http://www.ign.com/games/crypt-of-the-necrodancer/mac-20004798

With their innumerable enemies, hefty death penalties and sprawling, often randomized dungeons, roguelikes are already incredibly difficult. Now, imagine all of that combined with having to move and attack in time with the pulsating beat of catchy music. Mixing rhythm-based action with traditional roguelike gameplay may sound improbable, but Crypt of the NecroDancer effortlessly blends the two.

Crypt of the NecroDancer, which recently became available on Steam Early Access, features all the traditional roguelike fixings. You must move from floor-to-floor of a large dungeon, picking up weapons, armor, and spells as you encounter deadlier monsters. Death will put you back at the start with nearly all of your gear lost. The one catch here is that you and your enemies all move to the beat of each floor’s unique background music. Turns out, killing skeletons and zombies in rhythm with music is a whole lot of fun.

Turns out, killing skeletons and zombies in rhythm with music is a whole lot of fun.

THE MOST POWERFUL VILLAIN IS ON THE WAY

APOCALYPSE WILL RETURN IN MARVEL COMICS' AXIS EVENT

Apocalypse is arguably the X-Men's most powerful and dangerous villain, and he has been absent in his proper form for years. He currently exists as a teenager named Genesis who attends the Jean Grey School, and is in fear of growing up to become the reviled supervillain. Recently in Uncanny Avengers, also written by Remender, a long-brewing plot line featuring the twin offspring of Apocalypse concluded.

This news was revealed among other plot details about Act II of AXIS, which will feature "inversions" of major Marvel characters. While we don't know how the inversion event will come about, we do know that these inverted characters will see their moral compass flipped. For example, Sabertooth is a character with a lot of blood on his hands, but he will now be more empathetic and feel the pain of the loss he caused.

The character at the bottom of the issue #4 is Kluh -- the inversion of Hulk. And yes, Kluh is Hulk spelled backwards.

The inversion will be how Tony Stark becomes Superior Iron Man. His new series will spin out of AXIS. His move to San Francisco was sparked by Remender's time living there and his fascination with the "Tech Junkies" versus the "Punkers" who live there. As you can see in the cover below, fellow SF resident Daredevil won't be happy with this new Iron Man.

GAME NOW IN A BOOK FORM

FROZEN SEQUEL OFFICIALLY HAPPENING IN BOOK FORM

The first two books in the Frozen series, Anna & Elsa #1: All Hail the Queen and Anna & Elsa #2: Memory and Magic will be available on January 6, 2015.

Erica David is penning the books targeted at young readers, and two more books in the series will be published later in the year. Random House intends to release 3-4 books a year in the series.

WWE 2k15 AT YOUR FOOT STEPS

WWE 2K15: FEATURED RIVALRIES FOR 2K SHOWCASE REVEALED

http://www.ign.com/games/wwe-2k15/ps3-20015358

As far as heel turns go, it doesn't get much better than The Game's betrayal of his long-time friend, HBK. But by far the more surprising selection is Cena vs Punk. While it was one of the most popular rivalries from the last few years, Punk's less-than-pleasant split with the WWE makes it an unlikely choice given how protective Vince McMahon is of the brand. That said, both of these rivalries are more than worthy selections.

The two rivalries will be explored at near documentary-level detail across 33 matches, with tons of video packages and archival footage providing context. Much like last year's 30 Years of Wrestlemania, each match will feature historic objectives, rewarding you for your knowledge of, and your ability to replicate the key beats of the real-life matches.

While this is a sizeable chunk of content, we also know that more rivalries will be added post launch as DLC, though no details on pricing or exact timing have been revealed. Me, I'd pay good money for Rock vs Austin, as their bout at Wrestlemania X7 is still probably my favorite WWE match of all time.

SHARKANDO--- A NEW EXCITEMENT IN THE WORLD OF GAME

http://www.ign.com/games/sharknado-the-video-game/iphone-20021307
RUNNING IN CIRCLES
review-commentarY

In Sharknado, you can fly into a tornado on a shark’s back while chopping apart other sharks with a chainsaw. That’s pretty great, but once the silly novelty wears off, you’re left with a mostly harmless infinite runner that doesn’t do much to distinguish itself within a crowded genre.

That being said, while infinite runners are a dime a dozen on the app store (actually, most are free), many don’t feel as good to play as Sharknado. Swiping to dodge cars, jump on sharks, and duck below roadblocks is quick and responsive on a touch screen, and I never died because of what felt like a sluggish input. For a game that hinges on your ability to complete quick, minute tasks at a fast pace, this is a very good thing.

SUPERB GAME

ROUGH CROWD CONTROL
THE SACRED THREE                                                  http://www.ign.com/games/sacred-3/pc-139071
However games evolve, there's still something about frantically mashing buttons in a sea of monsters that never quite gets old. And that's good, because it describes roughly 90 percent of what you do in Sacred 3. Where its predecessors were free-roaming, Diablo-style action RPGs, Sacred 3 is a mostly linear, four-player, fixed-camera hack-and-slasher in the vein of Gauntlet, focused on little more than the simple fun of smashing through waves of baddies and collecting the piles of gold that fly out of their violently ragdolling corpses. It's an approach that could easily turn dull, but Sacred 3 injects it with just enough challenge and variety to keep the action entertaining.

Taking around 10-12 hours to play through, Sacred 3 unfolds across 38 stages; 15 of these are lengthy and story-driven, while the rest are pleasantly short side missions that frequently grant support items, like extra health-potion slots or magical shields. Apart from the occasional hidden treasure chest, each stage is extremely linear – and while you can visit them in any order, jumping ahead usually means a quick death if your character hasn't hit the requisite experience level for a given stage. Conversely, a level-six stage (for example) is easy to storm through if you're at level seven or above – and here's where problems with difficulty start.

A NEW THRILLING GAME AWAITS AHEAD !

GANON CONFIRMED AS A PLAYABLE CHARACTER IN HYRULE WARRIORS

Ganon was one of multiple characters focused on in the Nintendo Direct, which also detailed modes - including a new Adventure Mode - locations, pick-ups, and more. He'll join Link, Princess Zelda,  Impa , Midna, Sheik , Agitha  Darunia , Princess Ruto , Zant , Fi, Ghirahim and Lana in the hack n' slash from Tecmo Koei Games.

Hyrule Warriors will be available in North America from September 26.

SHOOT TO KILL

SNIPER EVIL III REVIEW

Whenever I wasn't setting up a shot, emptying my lungs, and pumping a sharp metal bullet through the thick skull of an unsuspecting enemy soldier, I was frustrated with Sniper Elite III. Not because the surrounding mechanics are broken or the levels are poorly structured, as the subsidiary elements of this third-person shooter are, for the most part, serviceable. However, every action building up to you actually pulling the trigger of a rifle feels more like a chore than an interesting setup for the perfect shot. There's an undeniable satisfaction that stems from the glorious slow-motion kills that abound in Sniper Elite III, but missions tend to promote stealthy, silent takedowns rather than the grotesque headshots it does so well.

Fortunately, what the game does best is on full display early on. The level design in Sniper Elite III is more open than previous games in the series, often encouraging shots being fired from more than 300 meters away. Instead of funneling you down a straight path, each of the eight locations in the campaign presents you with a sniping sandbox where creativity leads to better shooting and stronger positioning. Bullishly rushing headfirst into enemy territory is always an option, but the grizzled protagonist crumples to the dirt after just a pair of well-placed shots. Silent steps often lead to better vantage points, and with so many routes to choose from in any given level, the method by which the objective is completed is up to you.

A THRILLER-- THE WALKING DEAD

The Walking Dead: Season Two Episode Four - Amid the Ruins Review

After taking the grim death march that is season two of The Walking Dead to its moral nadir last time out with the option of gawking at every little detail of what a crowbar can do to a cranium, Telltale Games really goes all out with Amid the Ruins. This fourth and penultimate episode of the current season hit a sweet spot for me, sticking with the same doom-laden atmosphere but moving away from the pensive moments that made me feel somewhat like a spectator at times during its predecessors. Tighter plotting, constant zombie attacks, and the introduction of mysterious new human adversaries led to more action sequences and stark dialogue choices that put me right in the middle of this increasingly bleak apocalyptic world.


Glimmers of hope are as hard to find here as shafts of light in a coal mine. The story continues precisely where episode three, In Harm's Way, left off, with the increasingly mature Clementine and the surviving members of her band of buddies using zombie-guts camouflage to sneak through an undead herd besieging the box-store empire of villain Bill Carver. A brief, if brutal, moment of optimism at the end of the last episode turns horrific in short order, and that sets the tone for the rest of the unrelentingly depressing two hours or so needed to play through to (another) cliff-hanger conclusion.

THE DARK SOUL II

THE DARK SOUL II

The road to the emotional rewards of the Souls games is strewn with sweat-stained controllers and saintly patience. The franchise as a whole is a long-term trust game, where any given boss shoves you to the precipice of capitulation, but never lets you go over the edge. I can't imagine that achieving this balance over and over again is an easy task for developer From Software, and there's a part of me that often fears I'm only one encounter away from giving up on the series. To its credit, that fear was pervasive during my playthrough of Crown of the Sunken King, the first of three content packs for Dark Souls II.

If you approach downloadable campaigns with a level of cynicism, take pleasure in knowing that Crown of the Sunken King does not feel like previously made content that was withheld for a cash grab. Its interconnected levels echo the woven layout of the first Dark Souls without feeling like a full-on throwback. You experience the tension of cautiously venturing along an unexplored path, only to realize that, much to your relief, you've stumbled upon a new shortcut to an old bonfire.

GODS WILL BE WATCHING

Gods Will Be Watching Review

Gods Will Be Watching makes you question your role as a spacefaring hero. You are goaded into thinking that you can accomplish each of the game's challenges with grace. But things are never quite that easy. The choices defined as good or bad are not so easy to make; hard decisions can come with a great cost, and sometimes sacrificing a few is not only inevitable, but necessary for the sake of many. Though the game provides excellent challenge and unforgettable emotional moments, highly randomized levels and irritating glitches ultimately diminish the emotional impact Gods Will Be Watching so desperately tries to impart.


The game leans heavily on sci-fi cliches to tell its story. The plot involves government corruption, slavery, and an interstellar terrorist group that can be stopped only by a legendary military hero, worn down by years of service. Though it felt familiar, I found myself taken in by the story, especially with the scenes that emphasize the inner turmoil of the game's enigmatic protagonist, who questions his purpose in the universe. The rare yet wonderful moments of human emotion that occasionally popped up were not expected, and won't soon be forgotten. But despite the interesting story, the game's primary focus is not on its narrative. At its core, Gods Will Be Watching is a resource manager, where the fates of many lives are in your hands.

DUELS OF THE PLANESWALKER- 2015

Magic the Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2015 Review

Aside from being the biggest, most important card game of the past 20 years, Magic: The Gathering has become a nexus point for different types of players. Some people get a kick out of building clever, efficient decks using powerful cards. Others love the thrill of outsmarting their opponents. And the countless variations that sprung from the original game speak to even more people, such as formats that force you to build decks from a limited pool of cards. A game like Duels of the Planeswalkers, which exists to speak to the greater game-playing community outside of Magic, should reflect this diversity in play. But even though Magic 2015 makes some significant additions that people have been asking for since the first Duels was released, its feature-light foundation and odd limitations keep it from being the joyous celebration of Magic's virtues that it should have been.


Of course, Duels was always meant to be a limited experience to some extent. It's the video game version of the most popular physical card game in existence, a simulation that allows interested parties to avoid the massive money pit Magic is associated with creating. The built-in Campaign mode also means you never need to worry about finding someone to play with, because the AI is more than capable of piloting the wide variety of enemy decks the developers programmed into the game. The game exists as a convenience, leveraging the power of the medium of video games to give us a way of playing Magic on our own terms, even connecting players across the world thanks to online play.

DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN

DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN

To play Divinity: Original Sin is to fall in love with role-playing games all over again. It's tempting to label the game as an immediate classic simply because it recalls the days of Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment, a time that many role-players still look back on with much fondness. It's true that Original Sin has the trappings of those memorable gems: an isometric camera perspective, an adventuring party of four, magic spells and pubs to relax in and an intriguing fantasy kingdom that captures the imagination. What makes this game so special, however, is that it avoids slavish devotion to those games of old and instead tells a tale very much its own--a tale of conflict between the elements that plays out in electrifying turn-based battles, and a real-world tale of loyalty, in which game and player establish a bond born out of patience, perseverance, and the promise of joyous surprises in every crevasse.

That Original Sin expects a certain amount of patience is obvious from its opening hours, during which you grow accustomed to the game's quiet confidence in your own intelligence and wits. As you traipse about the first town learning the ins and outs of the complex crafting and combat systems, you discover that there are genre conventions you must live without. There is no automated crafting interface that pieces together recipes you have learned; instead, you must remember those recipes or refer to your logbook. Waypoints are few, and quests rarely lead you directly to your ultimate destination. You do a lot of meandering in these early hours, which makes the pace drag, but this is your chance to explore, to test the waters, and to poke and prod at the game to discover what makes it tick.

AGE OF MYTHOLOGY

AGE OF MYTHOLOGY: EXTENDED EDITION COMING TO STEAM

AGE OF MYTHOLOGY / 2 APR 2014
AGE OF MYTHOLOGY: EXTENDED EDITION COMING TO STEAM

Age of Mythology: Extended Edition includes both the base game and the Titans expansion, as well as the campaign add-on Golden Gift. It's undergoing a visual overhaul that includes improved rendering of water and lighting, shadows, bump maps, and antialising. You can check out some of the polished-up visuals in our gallery below.  
  
This new AoM release comes with full Steam integration, including multiplayer, achievements, trading cards, cloud saves, and mod management via the Steam Workshop.

Additionally, it also features Twitch integration, as well as HD support. It'll now run without a hitch on Windows 7 or greater.

We deemed Age of a Mythology a game "fit for the gods" when we reviewed it upon its 2002 release. It's a spin-off of the Age of Empires series, featuring Norse, Greek, and Egyptian figures of myth and legend.

Age of Mythology: Extended Edition becomes available for pre-purchase on Steam in early April. No word on its price yet, but we'll be sure to let you know when we find out.

THE LEGEND OF KORRA

THE LEGEND OF KORRA: "THE STAKEOUT" REVIEW User_image
MAX NICHOLSON
"
THE NATURAL ORDER IS DISORDER."

Whereas most episodes of The Legend of Korra have an Eastern flair, this week's "The Stakeout" almost felt like a western (not unlike Avatar: The Last Airbender's "Zuko Alone"). I doubt it's a coincidence that Book Three has had so many thematic parallels to the original series, and that's to be expected when sending Team Avatar across the map and not just limiting them to one or two big locations. Anyway, seeing the group arrive at a saloon adorned with their "Wanted" posters and a room full of bounty hunters poised to attack definitely set the tone for the rest of the episode. As expected, the Earth Queen was on to Team Avatar, her influence reaching all four corners of the Earth Kingdom.

But the real meat of "The Stakeout" was, well... the stakeout, starting with Mako and Bolin's reconnoissance mission to Misty Palms Oasis. Honestly, this was probably the most tedious part of the episode, which dragged out a little long, although Bolin had a few good one-liners to keep things light. ("Yes! I love it when you talk like a cop!") This sequence also featured one of Asami and Korra's least interesting team-ups, as they spent the better part of their time together looking over a map. However -- and perhaps ironically -- things picked up during the stakeout itself. Asami and Bolin's "Pai Showdown" was a definite highlight this week, especially the montage of Asami dominating Bolin in Pai Sho. ("Korra, as the Avatar, you need to standardize these Pai Sho rules!") Also, props on the reprise of "Squeaky Rags" from the Legend of Korra: Book One soundtrack.

THE WATCHDOG

Watch Dogs Fan Mod That Improves Graphics Gets Final Release

The final version of modder TheWorse's project can now be downloaded.


The fan mod that dramatically improves the graphics in Watch Dogs on PC has been updated yet again, with this most recent release being its final one, according to its creator.

In a post on his blog, modder Frederico "TheWorse" Rojas released version 1.0 of his mod, which introduces several new changes, including tweaking rain, the bloom effect during storms, and the game's camera. He explains, "This is the last release of my modification. I did my best to improve graphics and performance as much as I could without degrading the quality."

You can download two different versions of the mod: one featuring a texture pack from another modder, Maldo, that can help reduce stuttering; and one that doesn't include these textures.

The mod was originally released early last month on the Guru3D forums and claimed to, among other things, activate effects that were still contained in the game's code but were rendered inaccessible to players. Ubisoft later confirmed there were indeed such options buried in the code, explaining that they had been intentionally kept away from gamers because of their effect on performance and gameplay.

A NEW PS4 YOU !

The Last of Us PS4 Gives Naughty Dog a "Head Start" on Its Next PS4 Game
Naughty Dog developed The Last of Us Remastered in part to help its future PS4 development.

Providing Naughty Dog with a way to ease itself into the transition from PlayStation 3 to PlayStation 4 was part of the motivation for developing The Last of Us Remastered, according to community strategist Arne Meyer.


Remastered is an enhanced PS4 version of last year's acclaimed PS3 game. Meyer told CVG the prospect of bringing the game to PS4 was brought up soon after the PS3 version was completed, and it was viewed as one way to help the studio's future PS4 development.

http://www.gamespot.com/companies/naughty-dog/

DARK SOULS

Dark Souls

Dark souls is the Dark souls of Dark Souls... Or so I'm told. Why not apply the same so-hard-it-hurts difficulty to Mario and see what happens? A bit of trial and error by bonfire -- or goal in this case. Mario games typically have frustratingly challenging bonus sections following the final main world; if this degree of difficulty was applied to all sections of the game, you would have a Dark Souls platformer built for a king.

I Motion That This Hulking Version Be Used
The Obvious Frontrunner Version, A Tough Mario For A Tough Game
Adding difficulty is one thing, but the potential to further restructure Mario with Dark Souls material is another interesting option at hand. Imagine a Dark Knight take on the Mario franchise, an RPG gritty reboot of the icon and his universe.

Large Goombas would be much bigger and wield some sort of weapon, and intimidating spikes would surround the shells of Huge Koopa Troopas. There are plenty of locations and castles that could be integrated into this anger-inducing plumber incarnation. Various weapons and powers that have made previous appearances in the series could form an inventory and upgrade system. Class selections would boil down to various Mario characters, who would excel in their own alternate skill set (like Luigi's high jump).

The Dark Souls lore can be intricate, ambiguous and somewhat confusing... Seems like a perfect fit for Mario!