Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Multiplayer Will Have Free Access Week Until December 24
This year's Call of Duty roared out across two console generations with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. As usual, it topped the charts across various regions to continue the franchise's never-ending sales dominance. Like the previous release, 2019's Modern Warfare, the game's multiplayer is now season-based. You can also get a taste of that for free over the next week.
As announced on the official Twitter, for a limited time you can try out Cold War's multiplayer for free until Christmas Eve. From the 17th to the 21th you can try Team Deathmatch, Domination, 2v2 Gunfight, Raid the Mall Playlist and Nuketown Holiday 24/7 Playlist. From the 21st to the 24th, you it will swap to All Stage 1 Modes & Playlists, Prop Hunt, Combined Arms Hardpoint and Fireteam Dirty Bomb.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. The free multiplayer trial will last until December 24th.
Now's your chance to experience the next evolution of Black Ops Multiplayer.
Jump into the #BlackOpsColdWar Multiplayer Free Access Week through 12/24. pic.twitter.com/v7c7BMgAsX
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) December 17, 2020
Diablo Immortal – Alpha Update, Monetization and More Revealed
Following the debacle of its announcement in 2018, Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo Immortal has re-emerged with some new details. A technical alpha for the mobile action RPG will be available to players in Australia, providing a look at various systems. This includes access to four classes – Monk, Demon Hunter, Wizard and Barbarian – along with a reduced level cap.
In a new developer update, lead designer Wyatt Cheng also shares details on some of the changes from Diablo 3. The Paragon system is back but this time there are several different trees for abilities to provide more customization. Greater Rifts are now Elder Rifts and require keys while Legendary Items are "self-found" and can't be traded. Players will also use crafting material to upgrade Legendaries and obtain random bonuses as they level up.
As for the game's monetization, the main quest and future content updates are "always going to be free," says Cheng. He also noted that there wouldn't be an energy system to limit one's time, and everyone will have access to the new classes. "Diablo Immortal will be free-to-play, with optional in-game purchases available." Instead, players can spend money on a battle pass or Crests which are used to imbue Elder Rifts with positive/negative effects in exchange for more loot. These Crests can also be earned in-game, though it's currently unclear how.
Check out the developer update below for further details.
Crimson Desert Gets Overview Videos With Developer Commentary
As is always the case, this year's The Game Awards saw several unexpected reveals and announcements that got people curious about the future. One of those was Crimson Desert, an action game said to be coming Winter 2021. Despite a pretty lengthy reveal trailer, there's still not a lot we know about the game, but the developers are here to help us out with some pretty extensive overview.
The game is being developed by Pearl Abyss, the same developer that did the MMORPG Black Desert, and is something of a spiritual sequel to that. They released two separate videos with developer commentary. One of them basically break down the reveal trailer and the other is more focused on what you will do in the game. Things like exploration, quests and combat are all touched on, and there's even a tad of new footage that wasn't in the reveal trailer. Both videos are in Korean, but feature English subtitles.
Crimson Desert is set to release in Winter 2021. No platforms have been clarified at this point, but the assumption is presumably PC and next gen consoles.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla – Yule Festival is Now Live
The first season of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is now live with the Yule Festival being available. Along with providing an expansion to one's settlement, there's also the Revelers' Hut to look out for. In a new preview article, Ubisoft outlines what one can expect from now until January 7th 2021 (which is when the Yule Festival ends).
The celebration will see players engaging in brawls, completing archery challenges and more. Taking part in these activities rewards Yule Tokens which can be exchanged at the Festival Shop for pieces of the new Mōdraniht Ceremonial outfit. You can also earn the Mōdraniht Tattoo Set, Mōdraniht Ceremonial Seax and Shield, Ritual Tree Ornaments, a Yule Beech Tree and more.
Of course, before taking part in the festival, you need to have completed one of the story arcs in either Grantebridgescire or Ledecestrescire. Festival rewards are only available during the Yule Festival's duration and not for the length of the season. New details on the upcoming River Raid mode have also been provided. It consists of three maps with new Runes, Gear and Books of Knowledge to earn along with Silver.
The mode is coming in February 2021 will more details to come soon. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is currently available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Google Stadia and PC – check out our review here.
Street Fighter 5: Champion Edition – Dan Hibiki Releases In February 2021
It was quite the surprise when it was announced that Street Fighter 5, the long running latest entry in Capcom's prized fighting series, was getting a new season. There had been rumors and leaks that SF6 was close, but it seems COVID impacted that, as it did many things, leading to 5 getting a bit more steam than originally intended. The fifth season will be kicked off by none other than Dan Hibiki.
In a video from Producer Shuhei Matsumoto, he revealed that the plan right now is to launch Dan in February. Matsumoto said the team was working hard and that COVID had a significant impact on the team's development cycle, and that fans can expect news updates early next year. You can also see a little preview of Dan as was released earlier this year through here.
Street Fighter 5: Champion Edition is available now on PlayStation 4 and PC. Season 5 will start with the release of Dan in February and then four more characters with the final one still a mystery. Due to leaks, we also now expect that Street Fighter 6 is targeting a cross-gen release probably in 2022. So there is plenty of Street Fighter planned for the next few years one way or another.
A message from Street Fighter V Producer Shuhei Matsumoto: pic.twitter.com/aSqZMK3BRh
— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) December 18, 2020
Monster Hunter Rise – Gunlance, Insect Glaive Trailers Released
Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise continues to receive new trailers, hyping up the new abilities for each weapon tree. Today's trailers focus on the Gunlance and Insect Glaive, two weapons which differ greatly in mobility. Check out what's new with them below.
The Gunlance has always been good for those who want defensive power and explosive damage. You can still shell foes and unleash Wyvern's Fire after charging up for huge damage. But it's also possible to use "Hail Cutter" to jump into the air and unleash and explosive slam, which reduces the cooldown on Wyvern's Fire. "Guard Edge" allows for tanking incoming hits and retaliating quickly but also restores weapon sharpness.
The Insect Glaive still retains its mid-air mobility and Kinsect that gathers different buffs from monsters. "Recall Kinsect" can bring the latter back to you, restoring health and its stamina along the way. Plus you have "Silkbind Vault", another way to change direction in mid-air, acting almost like a second vault with its speed.
Monster Hunter Rise is out on March 26th 2021 for Nintendo Switch a limited-time demo due in January 2021.
Fallout 76 Saw "Dramatic" Surge In Players In 2020
If you happened to be there for the initial launch of Fallout 76, you may remember it being something of a dumpster fire, to put it mildly. The game launched in an exceptionally poor technical state, even by Bethesda standards. There were so many snafus, both in regards to the game itself as well as other things surrounding it, the situation almost felt comical at times. The game and its issues was said to help Bethesda understand what their fans actually wanted from their titles, as opposed to whatever launch 76 was supposed to be, and it seems that their commitment to improving it has paid off.
In a blog post entitled Fallout 76: Year Two in Review, Bethesda details that the second year of the game has been a surge of players. Pointing to things like beforementioned continued support and the expansions that was released, they said they saw a "dramatic" rise in both new and returning players. Along with that, they also released a lot of stats for various activites, such as how many Nukes were dropped.
Bethesda will continue to support and expand on Fallout 76, hoping to return the same type of surge in 2021. The game is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC with the latter two versions also now part of Xbox Game Pass.
Gears 5: Hivebusters Review – Short and Sweet
The Coalition don't get enough credit for how well they've managed the Gears of War franchise since they took over as its caretakers. Gears of War 4 was a solid introduction to a new era for the series, Gears 5 followed it up with what is probably one of the best single player campaigns in a Gears game, Gears Tactics branched out and successfully tried its hand at crafting a great turn-based tactics experience, and now, Gears 5: Hivebusters continues in that same vein.
A single player expansion isn't something that Gears fans would necessarily be very used to, especially for a game that came out over a year ago, but Hivebusters feels surprisingly essentially, even with the absence of all the main characters who've become the centre of the franchise's larger story. Though quite short at roughly three hours long, Hivebusters packs a punch, and thanks to excellent pacing, varied environments, tense action, and other strengths besides, it leaves a lasting impression.
As its name suggests, in Gears 5: Hivebusters, you play as Scorpio Squad, a trio comprised of Keegan, Mac, and Lahni, who were introduced as the Locust hive busting stars of the co-op multiplayer mode, Escape, in Gears 5 last year. The likes of Kait Diaz and Marcus Fenix are nowhere to be seen, but Scorpio Squad and the cast of supporting characters around them proves to be more than up to the task of stepping into their shoes. Solid voice acting, well-written conflicts between characters, well-timed moments of levity, and even better timed moments of quietude ensure that Scorpio Squad firmly establishes itself as some of the better characters in Gears history, in spite of only occupying the screen for around three hours.
"Though quite short at roughly three hours long, Hivebusters packs a punch, and thanks to excellent pacing, varied environments, tense action, and other strengths besides, it leaves a lasting impression."
The one character who perhaps doesn't shine as brightly is Keegan, who is also the default playable character if you're playing solo. Thanks to Mac's hotheaded persona and inner demons, and Lahni's backstory and her ties to the more mystical aspects of the story, the two of them certainly come across as unique and memorable characters, but Keegan is a bit too generic in his "I must always follow orders and play things by the book" attitude. Additionally, while I enjoyed the interactions and bonds between these characters, I feel they got to the phase where they're willing to die for each other a bit too quickly, especially in light of the heated arguments they often got into earlier on. Their eventual friendship ended up feeling a bit unearned as a result.
Where Gears 5: Hivebusters' biggest strengths lie, however, is in its thrilling firefights and its high-octane action- which really isn't surprising for a Gears game. Even though it's relatively short, it doesn't feel short at all. The campaign is absolutely packed, and constantly keeps taking you from one beautiful location to the next, constantly keeps throwing new elements in, constantly keeps dropping you right in the midst of desperate and enthralling firefights. From crash-landing on a mysterious island to breaking into a Locust hive to floating on top of a steel platform through a river of platform and so, so much more, Gears 5: Hivebusters keeps switching things up, with each scenario lasting just the perfect amount of time, before moving on to the next exciting thing.
Of course, The Coalition have a knack for putting together excellent designed and tightly crafted linear shootout arenas and set-pieces, as they've firmly established with both Gears of War 4 and Gears 5, so it's not surprising that they continue to exhibit those strengths here as well. What is surprising is that the shootouts and set-pieces they've sown together here are perhaps some of the best I've ever seen in a Gears game. The busiest and most chaotic moments of Hivebusters make full use of the game's excellent enemy variety, and navigating its tightly designed linear environments while ensuring that you're able to cope with the overwhelming forces the game keeps throwing at you is always exciting. I was constantly on the edge of my seat.
"The Coalition have a knack for putting together excellent designed and tightly crafted linear shootout arenas and set-pieces, as they've firmly established with both Gears of War 4 and Gears 5, so it's not surprising that they continue to exhibit those strengths here as well. What is surprising is that the shootouts and set-pieces they've sown together here are perhaps some of the best I've ever seen in a Gears game."
Gears 5: Hivebusters also makes some changes to the light RPG mechanics that The Coalition implemented in the base Gears 5. Jack the bot is obviously not a part of Scorpio Squad. Replacing him and his upgradable passive and active abilities are unique ultimates, one each for the members of the Scorpio Squad. Keegan can replenish ammo, Lahni has an electrified knife that can pulverize foes, and Mac can deploy a shield that stays in front of him while he moves around.
Each of these moves is incredibly useful, and I found myself relying on them often. In fact, clearly, the reason Hivebusters is full of those desperate and hectic firefights mentioned above is to encourage players to make use of those ultimate abilities. These abilities also come with surprisingly short cooldowns, which means using them often is the way to go- and given how effective and fun they can be to use, you won't really need much nudging to let them loose anyway.
These ultimate abilities can also be upgraded, which is done by picking up mysterious stone tablets in the game's environments. I'm not sure how I feel about these upgrades. One the one hand, they can provide extremely useful buffs, such as making Mac's shield deal damage to any enemy that touches it, or giving Lahni's electrified knife chain lightning (which is wonderfully overpowered). On the other hand, tying each upgrade to essentially finding a single collectible feels too simplified. I'm all for tying progression mechanics into exploration, but in a game that is as linear and focused as Hivebusters is, it just feels incongruous.
"Running in 4K, each of its lush, gorgeous, and varied environments pop with instant and gobsmacking beauty, while thanks to its rock-solid and unwavering 60 FPS performance, the animations, movement, and combat feel incredibly smooth."
Something else that I need to mention is how beautiful Hivebusters looks. When I played Gears 5 on an Xbox One X last year, it was the best-looking game to have been released for the console at the time. Fittingly enough, Hivebusters is the best-looking game on the Xbox Series X. Running in 4K, each of its lush, gorgeous, and varied environments pop with instant and gobsmacking beauty, while thanks to its rock-solid and unwavering 60 FPS performance, the animations, movement, and combat feel incredibly smooth. As you'd expect from The Coalition, this is yet another technical showcase.
Gears 5: Hivebusters is an unexpected surprise. It follows a year after the base game, and though The Coalition have, of course, been constantly updating Gears 5's multiplayer, a single player expansion wasn't really something anyone expected. Having played Hivebusters, I hope it won't be the last of its kind. Packed full of excellent action, blistering combat, a solid cast of characters, and astoundingly beautiful visuals, Gears 5: Hivebusters is unmissable for anyone who considers themselves a fan of the series.
This game was reviewed on the Xbox Series X.
Nintendo released a bunch of major Super Mario games over the last couple of months in celebration of the Italian plumber's 35th anniversary, with Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Super Mario 35, and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. Of those, the latter two had curious launches, with Nintendo having only launched them as timed releases- both games will only be on sale, both physically and digitally, until March 31, 2021.
Nintendo have caught more than a bit of flak for the timed nature of both releases- but why exactly have they gone with that approach? Well, as per Nintendo of America president, the appropriately named Doug Bowser, there's one pretty simple reason for that. Nintendo wanted to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Super Mario in a "unique and different" way, and went about doing so in this manner.
"Yeah, I think I use a simple word: celebration," said Bowser in an interview with Polygon. "It just — this is a celebration of Mario's 35th anniversary. And we wanted to celebrate in unique and different ways, and we've done that through games like Super Mario 3D All-Stars, or we will be doing that through future releases, such as Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury."
Bowser went on to say that for now, Nintendo has no plans to release that timed release nature of either game, but hasn't thought about what to do with those games beyond that window.
"Yeah, at this point, the decision was really made around that celebration feature and aspect," he said. "I can't speak to plans beyond the end of March."
For now, Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Super Mario 35 are both available on Nintendo Switch. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury launches February 12, 2021.
Overwatch 2 Development Still Has "A Ways to Go"
It's been a while since Blizzard announced Overwatch 2, but since the moment they announced it, they've maintained that there's still plenty of time left before the sequel releases, especially with the first game still going strong with a dedicated playerbase and plenty of regular updates. Blizzard recently confirmed that it would be sharing a major new update on the game at BlizzCon Online in February 2021, and recently, game director and Blizzard VP Jeff Kaplan, shared a development update on the shooter.
Kaplan acknowledged that Blizzard has been quiet for Overwatch 2 for too long, before reiterating that an update on the game is coming soon, in early 2021. He also clarified that there's still "a long ways to go" for Blizzard and the development for Overwatch 2– so, you know, don't hold your breath for the game and its launch.
"Can't wait to talk to you more about Overwatch 2, can't wait to show you more with Overwatch 2," Kaplan said. "We know it's been too long, we know we've been quiet.
"We still have a ways to go, just to manage expectations, but we're working extremely hard. We want this game to be great for you, both the live game and the upcoming sequel."
Overwatch 2 is in development for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch, though given the fact that it's still a ways off from launch, it's likely that the game will be releasing for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S as well.
Overwatch 2 will also have story-driven PvE content, with plenty of large maps to mess about in.