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TheSixthAxis Christmas Gift Guide

'Tis the season for gifting and gaming, and after the year we've all had, I think people are hoping for a good end to December. We've put together an array of different gift ideas for that special someone (or yourself of course), and there's even a few special discount codes available to TheSixthAxis readers!

Mario Lego

Mario is no longer just an icon in gaming, as he's now been immortalised in brick form by Lego. This isn't your ordinary Lego set though, with a large blockified Mario making his way through a series of courses that you can hook together to create giant Lego level. The starter kit gives you everything you need to get going, with additional costumes for Mario and further sections costing extra. It is Lego, so it's not the cheapest toy out there, but given that it's virtually indestructible you can probably see it as an investment for your kids, and then their kids as well.

JBL Quantum 800

If you're serious about gaming, you should think about getting a headset. The JBL Quantum 800 is one of the most recent headsets we've reviewed, and it's jumped right to the top of the pack, thanks to the fact that you can use it with pretty much anything that's designed to have sound coming out of it. It's still very much a premium set with an RRP of £179.99, but if you want one of the absolute best headsets on the market you can expect to pay for it. It's worth considering that it can be included in the same breath as the the hallowed Astro A50s and comes in nearly £100 cheaper.

DualSense & Xbox Series X|S Controllers

Some of you might have been lucky enough to have snagged a new PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X (or know someone who has), but as we all know, these new games consoles only come with a single game controller. That's not much good if you're hoping to get some co-op gaming in this Christmas!

Snagging an extra DualSense for PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S Controller (or since it's backward compatible a slightly cheaper Xbox One controller, or much fancier Xbox Elite 2!) should help ease any arguments. Unless you're playing Overcooked, that is…

Mario Kart Live

Given that Mario Kart is one of the best things ever created by Nintendo, it's little surprise to find that Mario Kart Live – their melding of real world and digital kart play – is such a delight. It's not cheap – one kart will set you back £99.99 – but if you've got the money, and the space, there are few things that will illicit screams of delight on Christmas morning from both actual kids and tall kids who should know better

Gunnar Gaming Glasses

Are gaming glasses the future? Gunnar certainly think so, and having been able to test out a pair of their Intercept spectacles we can report that they certainly help keep your eyes from wilting under the glare of all that blue light we feed into them every day via mobile phones, laptops, tablets, monitors and giant TV screens. Gunnar offer a range of different options, and they feature wide-format lenses to create an unobstructed panoramic, high-resolution field of view, 3-barrel hinge design and high tensile steel construction for increased durability, comfortable curved nose rests for even weight distribution and eliminating pressure points, and silicone hard coated lens to prevent scratching if you're not the most careful of gamers.

Thrustmaster Warthog

It's been a great year for flight sims, and whether you've taken the more serious route with Microsoft Flight Simulator or headed off to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars Squadrons, if you're playing with a controller or keyboard and mouse, you are missing out. Thrustmaster are the champions of the flight stick arena, and while there's the accessible T.16000 sticks which you can find in the Space Sim Duo, the Warthog is the pinnacle of their HOTAS setups. It can be tough to find (as with many things this Christmas) but if you can get your hands on one, you won't be removing them from it for years to come.

Oculus Quest 2

There are two obvious candidates on the next-gen console list (both of which are going to be hard to find this month), but don't forget about the Oculus Quest 2, the latest wire-free VR headset. It improves on the original Quest in nearly every way, with reduced weight, improved screens, and more power, bringing you into the world of VR in a more convincing way than ever before. The best thing? It's immediately cheaper than its predecessor, starting at £299.99, and has a fantastic library of games to sink your teeth into straight away. Our top picks include Beat Saber, Pistol Whip and Superhot VR.

Garmin Instinct Esports Edition Smartwatch

Want to become a healthier gamer? Or add something unique to your streams? The Garmin Instinct Esports Edition is targeted at streamers and esports athletes, and lets you broadcast your stress level and heart rate to your viewers via the STR3AMUP! app. You can also monitor your performance over time through the activity profile.This being a smartwatch it also does all of your expected sporty stuff, with over 30 activities it can monitor, and boasts one of the most impressive battery lives we've come across, lasting for multiple days at a time before you're reaching for the charger cable.

 

GXT 488 Forze Gaming Headset

With a camouflage print design – it's also available in black and blue camo – shiny PlayStation logos on the cans, and a folding microphone, the GXT 488 Forze look pretty good without crossing into that obnoxious, over-designed territory some other headsets drift towards. More than that though, they're a good weight, not so heavy that they'd be uncomfortable for a long period, but not so light that they feel cheap, there's plenty of padding both for around your ears and to protect the top of your head. It even has a braided cable with an inline volume control/mic mute toggle and a standard 3.5mm jack on the end, so it'll plug into pretty much anything that isn't a mobile phone from the last two years. They're also a great entry-level headset, coming in at between £30 and £40 depending where you look.

Creative Outlier Air V2

As we've seen with the Instinct Esports Edition watch, and Nintendo's Ring Fit, we're trying to throw off the image of the unhealthy gamer, and surely, if we're in tip top condition we can stay up late playing games for even longer? Creative's Outlier Air are wireless bluetooth earbuds from one of the best audio specialists in gaming, and they're perfect for running or a trip to the gym thanks to being sweat proof, light, and so well designed that they won't fall out no matter how long you stay on that treadmill. They've also just released the V2 edition, which have an improved battery life, and touch controls. You can get 20% off the Outlier Air V2 by entering discount code TheSixthAxis at checkout.

E-Win Europe Champion Series Gaming Chair

If you're in front of a screen all day you need to look after yourself, and a decent chair is a perfect start. The eWin Europe Champion Series is a solid choice for anyone looking for a long-term solution to working from home or wanting a more comfortable option while playing games. At just short of £350 RRP, it's not cheap, but what you get for that investment is an adaptable chair which will provide comfort over and over again when you need it most. We've been left impressed all around by it. E-Win have been kind enough to give a 20% off code for TheSixthAxis readers too, just enter TheSixthAxis20 at checkout.

Game & Watch

There does seem to be a lot of Nintendo merchandise in here this year, but that's probably just an obvious example of how good the Japanese company are at turning their franchises into desirable gifts for Christmas. The newest Game & Watch is the Super Mario Bros. edition and boasts a full colour screen and houses the original 8-bit NES rendition of Super Mario Bros. as well as Super Mario Bros. – The Lost Levels and Ball, the original Game & Watch game. This thing is a pure nostalgia trip, and for gamers of a certain age this is the perfect thing to light up Christmas Day with, even if you'll swear they used to be bigger.

Google Stadia

Now, hear me out. Stadia didn't have the most stellar launch last year, and it's taken a good while to really get going, but Google's entry in the gaming space is finally picking up a head of steam, including a great rendition of Cyberpunk 2077. It's not going to be for everyone, you need to have a decent internet connection for one thing, but if you want to play some of the latest games, and don't have the money for a new console or PC, Stadia is a great option. If you're a new customer right now, you can get Cyberpunk 2077, with a bundled controller and Chromecast Ultra, for £40 with an extra £10 off. If you fancy an instant console-free and download-free gaming experience, Stadia is the platform for you.

Snakebyte chargers

New console? You'll be needing an array of new chargers then to keep your controllers in tip-top shape. As we all know the bundled controller cables are so passé, and if you're an Xbox gamer you're still searching for the AA batteries in the kitchen draw mid-battle. Snakebyte have you covered, with a PS5-aping dual charger, while their Xbox Series X|S battery packs come in packs of two so you can always have one ready to hand when you need it.

Video Games!

Buying games for friends and family members is always tricky, but there's some absolute crackers that have come out in 2020, and there's bound to be something that you know they don't own and might like.

Vouchers

Of course, you can always avoid the pratfall of buying the wrong game by picking up some vouchers that can be spent however the giftee sees fit, whether they're for the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store Nintendo eShop, or just a retailer of your choice.

Dauntless Reforged – Win an Elite Hunt Pass Bundle

With the recent launch of Dauntless Reforged we've teamed up with developer Phoenix Labs to celebrate, offering nine lucky winners a chance to get their hands on the game's latest Elite Hunt Pass.

For those who need a quick refresh, Dauntless introduces a new Hunt Pass with each and every season. Similar to the kind of battle pass we see in popular games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Rocket League, the Hunt Pass rewards your playtime with a hoard of unlockable rewards.

In Dauntless, there are two Hunt Pass tracks – a free track available to everyone and a premium track slayer can buy with Platinum currency, overflowing with extra prizes. What's great about the Dauntless Hunt Pass is that it's relatively easy to max out within the time it takes for season to come and go. As long as you're playing semi-regularly then you can snap up all the items and cosmetics, earning enough Platinum in return to cover the cost of the next pass.

We have nine codes for the Dauntless: Cold Front Elite Pass Bundle to give away (you can find more details here). Redeeming a code will not only unlock the Elite Pass but the first 15 levels/tiers, too. Simply enter via the form below and we'll draw winner at the end of next week.

Win a Dauntless Reforged Elite Hunt Pass Bundle

Available now on all major platforms (including PS5 and Xbox Series X|S via backwards compatibility) Dauntless Reforged is the biggest, most ambitious update in the game's history. Not only does it significantly shake up player and gear progression, it completely strips out those individual hunts that have been its bread and butter for years now.

You can read our initial impressions of Dauntless Reforged here as we walk new and returning players through the major changes Phoenix Labs have made to their flagship game.

Ten years later, Final Fantasy XIV now rules as MMO king

The story behind Final Fantasy XIV is widely known by now. A troubled game many pundits had deemed dead on arrival, yet one the development team at Square Enix were not ready to give up on. They would effectively nuke the entire MMO, relaunching it as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn in 2013, now considered one of the genre's best entries of all time. It's one of gaming's most triumphant comeback stories, galvanised by FF14's ongoing success.

For those who want to know more about the game's road to redemption, the folks at Noclip have put together a brilliant documentary giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at Final Fantasy XIV's dramatic makeover.

Since A Realm Reborn launched on PC and PlayStation 3, the game has seen three expansions launching every other year; Heavensward in 2015, then Stormblood in 2017, and finally Shadowbringers in 2019. The MMORPG has only gone from strength to strength with each expansion, with a continued story throughout that has constantly surprised players alongside a near endless spread of content to experience, from casual to the hardcore.

With the patches that have been released since the critically-acclaimed Shadowbringers, we have seen even more refinements to what is now the base game. Square have gone back and streamlined the player journey between A Realm Reborn and Heavensward, an infamous slog that saw players yoyoing across Eorzea for hours on end.

Then there's the greatly expanded free trial for new accounts, allowing you experience a huge wealth of content, right up to the end of Heavensward, without having to pay a subscription fee. So that's almost every job up to level 60, a whole host of raids, dungeons and trials, and possibly one of the greatest Final Fantasy storylines in the first expansion – for absolutely no cost. Honestly, there has never been an easier way for new players to dive into this incredible MMO.

Also, there have been solid steps made over the last couple of expansions to make Final Fantasy XIV more user-friendly, with the different Jobs becoming more universal. They retain their unique quirks, but if you choose – for an example – any of the four Tank Jobs, there's now enough similarities that you can jump between each and not feel entirely lost with how to play them.

Being more than a decade old now, you may be asking whether Final Fantasy XIV is still worth playing in 2020? In a word, absolutely.

I mentioned this earlier, but there's so much to do in Eorzea. As it currently stands right now, there's four sets of 24-man "Alliance Raids", four sets of 8-man "Normal Raids", dozens of "Trials" of varying difficulty (frustration) levels, loads of dungeons, and all of this feeds back into the game's illustrious story.

Even if combat isn't your thing, there's a range of crafting and gathering jobs, should you have always wanted to be a botanist or a blacksmith. Beyond that there's a huge amount of furnishings in the robust housing system, an extensive photo mode with the Gpose mechanic, and then all of the free seasonal events and fantastic cross-overs with other games as well.

Then there are the mini-games and oh boy does Final Fantasy XIV spoil on that count. Those familiar with Final Fantasy VIII will relish in/dread the addition here of Triple Triad (complete with *that* music); but there's also Mahjong, crane machines, test your strength, jumping challenges, and so much more to wile away your time at the Gold Saucer (yes, this also has *that* music).

Finally, the game's population has only kept growing, with the last revealed count totalling 20 million. For such a large community, there is minimal toxicity (until you reach the endgame content anyway) and it's one that is very welcoming to new players. You will never struggle to find people to run instances with, even when it comes to the earlier, low level content.

Or you can find yourself a few friends to play the game with, as long as you're on the same server of course, and perhaps even create your own Free Company to give yourself access to shared bonuses like additional storage, party-wide boosts to experience and other benefits, or — as was the case with my Free Company — the ability to pull together to buy a house together.

Final Fantasy XIV Patch 5.4 has brought with it more story, a new dungeon, trial, and the final four raids from the Eden series. Needless to say, without spoilers, it is all amazing stuff and simply continues the high quality levels the team have been putting out for years now. Also, the narrative by the end is intriguing in the implications it makes about the future of the game.

The next expansion looks likely for 2021, and the story has reached a fever pitch. The previous content rounded off the Shadowbringers story with an epic battle that, I won't lie, put a huge grin on my face. So with 5.4, we've now entered into the narrative leading up to the next full expansion in 2021, which we still know nothing about.

Of course we don't know when the continued support and tremendously enjoyable narrative will end in Final Fantasy XIV, but the game's beloved director and producer, Naoki Yoshida, has stated that support will continue as long as it's wanted. Final Fantasy XI (which launched in 2002) can be used as a promising indicator here. Besides, XIV is still a huge money spinner for Square too, so there's that.

With such a rich legacy, hours of high quality MMO content, and one of the friendliest player communities on the planet, Final Fantasy XIV is well worth a go if you're somehow still sitting on the fence. Better yet, if you're going to pull the trigger bring a group of friends along for the ride!

May the Twelve protect you, Warrior of Light.

Something for the Weekend – 12/12/20

Formula 1 heads to Abu Dhabi for the season finale, and although both the drivers and constructors championships have been wrapped up by Mercedes, there's still lots to play for with Racing Point, Mclaren, (and to a lesser extent) Renault vying for third place.

Elsewhere, it's been a big week in the games industry, not just with the Game Awards, but also with the launch of Cyberpunk 2077. Have you picked up the long-awaited game, and if so, what are your first thoughts?

In the News This Week

Games in Review

If you glance at the reviews below, you may wonder why Cyberpunk 2077 is missing – and that's because we're still putting together our console review. In the meantime, you can check out our review roundup.

And there was a lone hardware review for the impressive sounding JBL headet:

JBL Quantam 800 Gaming Headset – 10/10

Featured Articles

From the features, Dom pointed out that Cyberpunk's release has made a great argument for the future that Stadia envisions, as Jim takes a first look at Year 4 Season 4 in For Honor.

Meanwhile with the previews, Stefan went hands on with Scavengers in the closed beta, as Jim explored why Dauntless Reforged is the perfect overhaul for 2020.

Finishing off the week, What We Played featured Cyberpunk 2077, Haven & Worms Rumble.

Trailer Park

It Takes Two gameplay revealed by A Way Out developer Hazelight – Out in March 2021

Warhammer 40,000 Darktide gameplay revealed at The Game Awards

NieR Replicant gameplay trailer is all about the combat

Your Achievements

Here's what you in our community has been up to this week:

  • In a shocking twist, Crazy_Del announces he's grabbed no platinum's this week! Instead, he's been stumped by a lengthy Cold War trophy, but has been making progress with Worms Rumble and Valhalla.
  • willbuchanan has been progressing with Far Cry 5, and is now onto the DLC.
  • Aside from "too much" Rocket League, MrYd has been playing Vigor, and has also been watching Raised by Wolves.

I hope you have a great weekend and I'll see you again soon!

Open Roads is a family road trip tale from Fullbright, coming to PC and consoles in 2021

Fullbright Games, developers of Tacoma and Gone Home, has revealed its next project and that is the road trip game Open Roads. The game will be published by Annapurna Interactive. In Open Roads players will journey alongside a mother and daughter duo, named Opal and Tess, as they travel to places that have been important to their family over the years. The game will explore the complicated relationship of the pair as they deal with some family secrets that should probably have stayed buried.

Open Roads will star Keri Russell from The Americans, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, and Antlers, and Kaitlyn Dever from Booksmart, Unbelievable and Short Term 12. The game will be in a first person view with players controlling Tess through the playthrough as she searches out her family history, and talks to her mother as they drive from place to place. Open Roads has been confirmed for PC and consoles with a release expected in 2021.

Source: Press Release

Star Wars: Squadrons update 4.0 adds B-Wing and TIE Defender, patch notes here

Last month, EA Motive announced that there would be new content coming to Star Wars: Squadrons, which would include two new starfighters and a new map. That update, in the form of update 4.0, is out now. It has added the B-Wing to the New Republic's fleet and the TIE Defender to the Empire's fleet. In addition, the Fostar Haven map is also now available to play multiplayer in. This map is first seen during the prologue of Star Wars: Squadron's story mode. The update has also added custom matches, new components, and new cosmetics. You can see the full patch notes after the trailer.

Star Wars: Squadrons 4.0 update patch notes

General

  • Added Custom Games and a server browser, available in the Multiplayer & Training menu
  • Adjusted Skill Rating requirements for each tier via server-side change last week (see below for full details)
  • Updated Skill Rating gain/loss ratios to better reflect each player's performance in a match via server-side change last week
  • Ongoing server-side matchmaking improvements
  • Fixed an issue where the game could crash if the player didn't skip through the outro screens of a match
  • Fixed an issue where the game could crash when loading into Fostar Haven
  • Fixed an issue where having Lighting quality set to Low could create intense flashes of light on Fostar Haven
  • Fixed an issue where AI in multiplayer could on occasion deal no hull damage to players with their primary weapons
  • Fixed or improved instances of poor collision detection on Fostar Haven, Galitan, Esseles, Nadiri Dockyards, Zavian Abyss, and Sissubo
  • Fixed issue where the interior of the TIE interceptor could disappear after respawning
  • Fixed issue where Star Destroyer engine VFX could flicker
  • Fixed an issue where PlayStation 5 visuals appeared blurry.
Division Tier Operation 1 Operation 2
Maverick I 1 – 299 1 – 149
Maverick II 300 – 599 150 – 299
Maverick III 600 – 899 300 – 449
Hotshot I 900 – 1199 450 – 649
Hotshot II 1200 – 1499 650 – 849
Hotshot III 1500 – 1799 850 – 1049
Hero I 1800 – 1999 1050 – 1249
Hero II 2000 – 2199 1250 – 1449
Hero III 2200 – 2399 1450 – 1649
Hero IV 2400 – 2599 1650 – 1849
Hero V 2600 – 2799 1850 – 2049
Valiant I 2800 – 2899 2050 – 2249
Valiant II 2900 – 2999 2250 – 2449
Valiant III 3000 – 3099 2450 – 2649
Valiant IV 3100 – 3199 2650 – 2849
Valiant V 3200 – 3299 2850 – 3049
Legend I 3300 – 3399 3050 – 3299
Legend II 3400 – 3499 3300 – 3549
Legend III 3500 – 3599 3550 – 3799
Legend IV 3600 – 3699 3800 – 4049
Legend V 3700 – 3799 4050 – 4299
Galactic Ace 3800+ 4300+

Career

  • Fixed an issue where at times players could not see their own stats on the Career page

Controls

  • Added support for TrackIR on PC
  • Improved how the game detects and handles device inputs under the same device name
  • Fixed an issue where the game would not detect all input devices if multiple were plugged in
  • Fixed issue where PC users with more than 5 input devices were unable to adjust device order in some cases
  • Added controller rumble for ion cannon, assault shield, and beam cannon
  • Fixed an issue where the mini-stick input on the Hori HOTAS for Xbox One did not work properly
  • Added the option to toggle game controllers between dynamic (default) and static throttle. This option can be used to correct the behavior of the throttle on certain input devices, such as the Hori HOTAS for PS4.

Cosmetic Customization

  • Added new cosmetics that will be rolled out over time through in-game events and Operations
  • Improved lighting for dashboard figures where needed
  • Fixed issue where an Astromech-shaped hole could appear in the decorative UI elements around the "Powerful Ally" X-wing skin

Fleet Battles

  • Fixed an issue where on occasion no indicator would display after a capital ship was destroyed
  • Reduced the max time waiting in the briefing room from 120 seconds to 90 seconds
  • Fixed an issue where Titan One could have a hologram effect on their legs in the briefing room

Practice

  • Fixed an issue where there was no UI indicator on some spawned New Republic squadrons

Social

  • Friends will now display in alphabetical order for easier use
  • Improved the loading time of the friends list for players with many friends

Spectator

  • Fixed an issue where all the players could appear as the same one in the intro cinematic

Starfighters & Components

  • Added the B-wing to the New Republic fleet
    • Heavy Gunship playstyle, back-line fighter
    • Low maneuverability, relies on boosting/drifting to move and turn efficiently
    • High durability and primary damage output, explosive capital ship damage and built-in ion cannons
    • Relies on Support/allies to reach capital ships and survive while dealing damage
    • Ideal for staying back behind Fighters/Interceptors and laying down heavy fire on enemy ships
    • Unique component: Ion Beam
      • Deals massive ion damage to capital ship shields and subsystems
    • Unique component: Gyro/Aux Control Module
      • Allows gyroscopic cockpit roll while holding the auxiliary button, rotating the entire ship around your cockpit. Wing angle determines bomb release angle. Missile evasion is also increased while gyroscopic roll is in motion.
      • Also increases ammo count for auxiliaries that use ammo; otherwise, improves auxiliary cooldown rate.
  • Added the TIE defender to the Imperial Navy
    • Highly adaptable anti-starfighter specialist, front- and mid-line fighter
    • High survivability with strong shields but very susceptible to ion weaponry
    • Requires frequent, skillful power management and use of boost/drift for ideal performance; poor power management can be detrimental
    • Unique component: Advanced Power System
      • Gives instant, significant overcharge to the system with max power. If no system has max power, gives weaker overcharge across all systems.
  • Deployable turrets (both standard and rocket) now display their DPS.
  • Fixed an issue where a rocket could have no effect on impact
  • We've updated the Deployable Turret's description to be clearer on how it functions in-game
  • Fixed an issue where there could be no reloading sound effect for components
  • Tactical Shield and Emergency Shield are now displayed on the targeting computer around the starfighter in New Republic ships (already present for Imperial starfighters) instead of on the status indicator to allow for side by side comparison between the temporary shield and regular shields when cycling allies or enemies
  • Reduced A-wing shield regeneration rate by approximately 1/3
  • The Rotary Cannon no longer consumes laser power during its windup
  • Fixed an issue where a starfighter's movement could become jerky while firing the Rotary Cannon
  • Reduced Ion Missile travel speed from 400m/s to 240m/s to fall in line with other missiles
  • Fixed an issue where players could exploit power converter penalties and reset them when setting power management to Balanced
  • Players now take +50% damage if they are hit while charging the Plasburst Cannon to enforce its role as a "chase" weapon rather than a "jousting" weapon
  • Improved VFX clarity when the Plasburst Cannon is fully charged
  • Fixed issue where beam VFX could disappear if the player repeatedly tapped the button
  • Fixed an issue where the starfighter disabled effects would not show up correctly in the U-wing
  • Fixed an issue where starfighters could hit a negative turning rate
  • Increased Piercing Torpedo inner blast radius from 2 to 14 to allow it to deal more consistent damage.

Story

  • Fixed an issue where the game could load infinitely as Mission 1 ended
  • Fixed an issue where some players couldn't progress past the objective to "Follow Gunny" in Mission 1
  • Fixed an issue where the drifting tutorial couldn't be completed with arrow keys on PC in Mission 3.

UI

  • Individual sub-tiers in the rank ladder now display their SR requirements
  • Fixed an issue where the defeated player's username would display very small in the kill cam
  • Fixed an issue where text would inconsistently display as outlined when it shouldn't
  • Fixed an issue where the prompt to leave the briefing room could continue into the intro cinematic and game
  • "Recenter HMD" VR input is now appropriately displayed on the PC controls screen
  • Added a few new loading screen tips related to the new content.

VR

  • Fixed an issue where ships could pop into view midway through the hangar enter/exit cinematics while playing in VR
  • Fixed an issue where doubled images could occur when tracking points in PSVR while rotating the in-game camera.

VS AI

  • Fixed an issue where the player could load into Esseles instead of Fostar Haven when playing against AI.

Source: EA

Cyberpunk 2077 update 1.04 out now, addresses epileptic seizure inducing braindance sequence

CD Projekt RED has released update 1.04 for Cyberpunk 2077 on PC and PS4, with the Xbox release coming soon, to tackle some of the issues of performance. One of the key areas that has been addressed are the braindance sequences. These sequences used patterns that induce fits for epilepsy and, unsurprisingly, they triggered epileptic fits. In this patch the flashes have been modified and smoothed to reduce the risk of inducing further fits. Other fixes include reducing vehicle pop in and many issues with some of the quests in the game. You can check out the full patch list below.

Cyberpunk 2077 1.04 update patch notes

Quests

  • Fixed an issue with completing the final objective in Gig: Freedom of the Press.
  • Fixed an issue with starting conversation with Johnny at the end in Life During Wartime.
  • Corrected a rare issue with NPCs no longer calling V if A Like Supreme quest was abandoned mid-way.
  • Fixed an issue with Nix not going into his default state in Spellbound and KOLD MIRAGE.
  • Fixed issues blocking progress in I Fought The Law if the quest area is left.
  • Fixed inability to find Delamain in Epistrophy.
  • Fixed issues related to remaining in the second phase of the quest after finishing Pacifica fight with Ozob if played after Finals.
  • Fixed an issue with Nomads no longer present if V leaves the quest area mid-combat in With a Little Help from My Friends/Queen of the Highway.
  • Adjusted mappings and re-enabled quest tracker in M'ap Tann Pèlen/I Walk the Line/Transmission.
  • Fixed constraints on freedom to get up and sit down if neither blueline condition is met in Violence.
  • Fixed issues with time and space resulting from leaving the quest area or abandoning the quest in Following the River.
  • Fixed an issue with conversation with Johnny not starting after leaving the hotel in Tapeworm.
  • Fixed an issue with quest being blocked upon leaving the quest area before climbing the hill in Following the River.
  • Fixed the objective "Go into booth 9" not completing if the room's entered too fast in Automatic Love.
  • Fixed Jackie's issues with sitting still in The Ripperdoc.
  • Other quest fixes

Gameplay

  • Fixed the preview in weapon crafting.

Visual

  • Reduced vehicle appearance pop-in.
  • Speeded up switching first person perspective to third person perspective in a vehicle.
  • Fixed issues with animations missing from important quest NPCs during cinematics.

Performance & Stability

  • Improved stability, including various crash fixes.

Miscellaneous

  • Modified the flashing effect on braindances to reduce the risk of inducing epileptic symptoms. The effect has been smoothed out and the flashes reduced in frequency and magnitude.
  • Removed copyrighted songs incorrectly present in the game with "Disable Copyrighted Music" feature toggled on.

PC-specific

  • Switching language to default in the in-game settings now correctly sets it to the language of your Steam client.

Console-specific

  • Improved reflections quality on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 to eliminate the smudge effect.
  • Fixed "The Wasteland" achievement being stuck on 97% after completing all relevant missions in The Badlands on Xbox.
  • Fixed an issue with missing PT-BR VO for Xbox players in Americas.

Source: CD Projekt RED

What We Played #479 – Cyberpunk 2077, Haven & Worms Rumble

It feels like we're really racing through December as we cross another working week off our calendars on the way to being able to wave goodbye to 2020.

Last night played host to the almost interminable The Game Awards, which would make even blockbuster film watchers fidget and look at their watch with how long it was. Did the awards they handed out make sense to you, though? Does The Last of Us Part II deserve a pretty clean sweep? It's something we'll be asking and coming up with our own answers to pretty soon.

Perhaps there's space for another game to make a last minute challenge, with this week's launch of Cyberpunk 2077. Smooth sailing it has not been for CDPR's latest RPG epic though, from epilepsy triggers to just outright bugginess and pants performance on old consoles… Still, it's gathered more than a few plaudits.

After reviewing Worms Rumble, Gamoc succumbed to his desire to pick up Cyberpunk 2077, draining funds from his PlayStation 5 fund to snag it for launch and… he's actually found it to be pretty OK. After giggling at some of the more amusing bugs, he noted the "Nipples: On/Off" toggle, and he also said it's "pretty great so far. I've only seen a few bugs and no explicit ones. Someone did walk through the doors of a lift a second before they opened though…"

Jim was also waiting for Cyberpunk until he discovered that his pre-order hadn't actually gone through! Luckily it's only meant as a Christmas gift for himself, and would've been swiftly wrapped up. So instead he's played some Worms Rumble, honed his skill in For Honor and fired up Final Fantasy XIV for the latest update. He's gone so far as to roll a brand new character.

Another on the Final Fantasy XIV train was Reuben, thanks to the "amazing" Patch 5.4 that arrived on Tueday. Aside from that, he's been playing Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light (review incoming) and Ikenfell, both of which he heartily recommends.

Aran has been playing the "tough but excellent" Unto The End, while also reviewing Haven. "I really like the main characters and the music is 👌." I absolutely agree on that!

All Tom Lord managed to do this week was buy The Pathless, so we swiftly move on to Steve who reviewed Call of the Sea, played a bit of Monster Sanctuary and played an exciting console launch title: Killzone: Shadowfall. "It left me cold with some generic shooty stuff and awful checkpointing."

Nic B played all the way through Spider-Man: Miles Morales, calling it "suitably excellent", before squeezing in some MTG Arena and Monster Hunter World, where he's really looking forward to some PS5 optimisations.

Miguel mixed Doom Eternal on the Nintendo Switch with some drum bashing with the new Taiko Rhythmic Adventure Pack, and messing around with Fortnite for the new battle pass. "I wish I was immune to capitalism," he said, "but, alas, I need the cute character skins for this game I barely ever play."

It was the standard mixture of Destiny 2 and AC Valhalla for Tuffcub, while Nick P played, finished and got the platinum for Demon's Souls. It's merely a "starter" Souls game in his opinion. There was also WWE Undefeated and he's been previewing Echo Generation.

And last and least, I had some fun trying (and failing) to team up for a run through Halo: The Master Chief Collection in co-op on PC this week, continued my Forza Horizon 4 adventure with some of the excellently silly Lego Speed Champions DLC, and soaked in the wonderful soundtrack of Haven while exploring the first couple hours of this intriguing narrative RPG.

Now it's over to you. What have you played this past week? Have you picked up The Game?

Endless Dungeon will test your mettle, coming to PC and consoles

Amplitude Studios has announced the newest entry for the Endless Universe, and that game is Endless Dungeon. Endless Dungeon is a roguelite game which will really test your skills of survival. The trailer makes it clear that you will die quite a lot as your squad journeys through an abandoned space station while protecting a crystal. There is an almost endless wave of monsters to fight through as you look for a way out. According to Amplitude this is and isn't a sequel to Dungeon of the Endless.

Endless Dungeon will be available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch but there is no release window yet. Those who sign up to the Endless Dungeon mailing list will be given a free skin for when the game launches, though at the moment the skin will only be for the PC version of the game. At least for now is what Amplitude says. In our review for Dungeon of the Endless, Gareth wrote:

Dungeon of the Endless combines the roguelite and tower defence genres in a way that makes it deeper than the sum of its parts. It's challenging, but rewarding, and if you're a fan of the roguelite genre, then this is one of the most interesting ones from the last few years.
You can read the full Dungeon of the Endless review here.
Source: Press Release

Evil West is a vampire hunting game set in the Wild West, out 2021

There is a certain image of the Wild West in people's minds, with frontier towns, bars with swinging doors, people riding horses, and lots of open space. There have been some twists on that setting though. Red Dead Nightmare brought zombies to the Wild West, while Cowboys vs Aliens added aliens. Now, Focus Home Interactive and Flying Wild Hog are adding vampires in the game Evil West, which seems to be have inspiration from Van Helsing and superhero movies.

In Evil West players take on the role of Jesse Rentier, one of the last remaining vampire hunters of his institute, and it is his job to push back the vampire threat so the United States of America can survive. The game will have a single player story but that can also be played in co-op so you can have a partner to crush vampires with/say "Pardner" based things to. Evil West releases 2021 on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC.

Source: Press Release

NieR Replicant gameplay trailer is all about the combat

During The Game Awards, Square Enix released a new gameplay trailer for NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…, and it was entirely focused on the combat of the game. As you could imagine from this being a NieR game there is a lot of slashing with swords, and use of powers to take out enemies. Have a watch of the footage below, which packs quite a lot of action in its one minute run time, and gives a glimpse at what players can get their hands on when the game releases on April 23rd.

NieR Replicant – or to give the remake its full title NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… – revives the cult classic action RPG from a decade ago. NieR was originally developed by Cavia as a spin-off from the Drakengard series, but with the curious decision to have two version in Japan – NieR Gestalt for Xbox 360 and NieR Replicant for PS3. This took the setting of NieR and changes the main character to make him a brother for Yonah instead of her father.

The remaster is an extensive one with developer ToyLogic doing a great job updating the game visually and their decision to record dialogue with the original cast of voice actors to now make the game fully voiced.

If you haven't played a Nier game before here is what Dom wrote in his review for NieR Automata.

NieR: Automata is the epitome of a sequel you didn't know you needed. The original NieR was itself a spin-off to the Drakengard series, and one that, whilst gaining a cult following, certainly didn't achieve the kinds of sales that most risk-averse publishers would consider worthy of a sequel. Yet here we are, with a second Yoko Taro-helmed NieR game, this time boasting the action-gaming heft of PlatinumGames firmly behind his uniquely dark vision.

Yoko Taro's unique storytelling ability has matched perfectly with the committed development culture at PlatinumGames, making NieR: Automata a mature and thought-provoking action-JRPG. Its tight combat and compelling narrative sets it apart from both its predecessor and the Drakengard series, and it's utterly essential for fans of the genre.

You can read the full review here.

Source: Press Release

F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is coming to PS5, PS4, and PC in the Spring

It was back in July this year during the PlayStation Indies Initiative reveals that Sony confirmed that F.I.S.T: Forged In Shadow Torch would be heading to PS4. The game had previously been confirmed for PC. Now, a new trailer for the game has been released confirming that F.I.S.T: Forged In Shadow will also be getting a PS5 release, alongside the PS4 and PC versions. The game has also been given a release window of Spring 2021. The latest trailer shows some new gameplay including fast paced combat, and platforming sections. You can check it out below.

F.I.S.T is a metroidvania built around an arcade combat system and chaining together combo attacks. TiGames' Yang Xiang explained:

It is built around the trio of weapons Rayton brings with him into battle: the mechanised fist, drill and whip.

Each has its own unique features and combo chains. The fist is a good all-rounder with the easiest combo strings of the three. The drill is slower to deploy but deals out the most damage. In direct contrast, the whip isn't as powerful but is lightning quick and also boasts the furthest attack range. Yet you will need to become adept at using all three to survive your travels through the dense cityscape.

The game is set in a once peaceful dieselpunk city, its animal inhabitants having lived in harmony until the Machine Legion took over and plunged it into darkness. Rayton, the silent bunny protagonist is forced to act in order to save his friend, who's been kidnapped by the Legion.

Source: YouTube

Evil Dead: The Game is coming to PC and consoles in 2021

Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games have revealed Evil Dead: The Game, a multiplayer survival title based on the cult hit franchise. Looking at the early footage in the trailer it seems that the game play loop will be have similiarities to Saber Interactive's other wave based co-op survival shooter World War Z. Evil Dead: The Game appears to be using elements from all points of the franchise including the movies and the show Ash vs Evil Dead. You can check out some gameplay in the trailer below.

As you can see the rifle and the classic chainsaw will be used to fight off the dead as they come for Ash and the other characters. However, this is not just a co-op shooter as Evil Dead: The Game will also feature PvP modes. Evil Dead: The Game has been confirmed for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and Switch.

Source: YouTube

Super Meat Boy Forever is out this month on Epic Games Store

Can you believe it has been six years since the first murmurings of Super Meat Boy Forever. The game original began life as a mobile specific game but as time went on Team Meat expanded the game and decided to aim for more platforms. In 2017, the studio announced that Super Meat Boy Forever would out in 2018. That did not happen. Then in 2018, Team Meat announced that Super Meat Boy Forever would be out in 2019. That too did not happen. Now, Team Meat has confirmed Super Meat Boy Forever will be out in 2020. On December 23rd in fact, which is less than two weeks away.

Super Meat Boy Forever will be available for PC via the Epic Games Store on December 23rd, and has a 10% discount applied to it. Release dates for other platforms and stores is yet to be confirmed. Steam currently lists the game for 2021, the PlayStation site has a TBC next to the release date, and there is no listing yet on the Microsoft store either for people who would want to play on Xbox consoles. We are sure to hear more after the Epic Games Store release.

Source: YouTube

Hood: Outlaws and Legends release confirmed for May 2021

Focus Home Interactive and Sumo Digital have confirmed that Hood: Outlaws and Legends will be released in May 2021 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. There are two release dates to be aware of though. If you pre-order Hood: Outlaws & Legends the release date will be May 7th, 2021. The general release date will be May 10th, 2021. The game was first revealed in August during the PS5 reveal event.

In Hood: Outlaws and Legends two teams of four, both outlaw gangs, compete against each other to find and steal treasures. Both teams also have to contend with the AI soldiers that are guarding the treasures. There are different approaches from going in face on or using stealth techniques to avoid detection and triggering the alarms. Along with the standard edition there is also a Year One edition of Hood: Outlaws and Legends. This version of the game will give access to three battle passes following the first free season.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends will make use of the DualSense controllers improve haptic feedback, and given the setting, plenty of emphasis will be put on how drawing back on a bow and arrow will feel compared to a DualShock 4. However, the developers have said, "we'll have more details to share later on how the game will be optimised for each platform," and that will include plenty of optimisations for Xbox Series X.

Source: Press Release

Cyberpunk 2077 makes one of the best arguments for Google Stadia yet

With the snap of a finger, Cyberpunk 2077 has just become one of the biggest hits of the year. With over 8 million pre-orders it's headed straight into the game sales stratosphere, dominating Steam's concurrent player counts, Twitch streaming and a large chunk of the games industry discourse. Some questionable marketing decisions and health and safety slip ups have done nothing to have diminished the game's initial popularity, but people tuning in for the first time are discovering that the base PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game are struggling to run the game in anything like a consistent manner.

The base console experience runs at somewhere between 720p and 900p, while the frame rate takes a consistent pummelling well below the targeted 30fps. It feels like this could be our first true taste of what a cross-generational, 'leave no-one behind' ethos will mean for the ageing consoles, and while first party developers are almost always able to extract the best from the hardware, it does leave question marks over if Microsoft's spoken policy can really hold up for third party games as well. Yes, the game boots and runs, but is this a true reflection of the developer's vision? You just need to look at the PC version of the game to see that it's not.

Google Stadia meanwhile is sitting pretty. Not only was it the simplest platform you could dive into Cyberpunk 2077 with thanks to its total lack of downloads – no 60GB day one patches here – but the performance is perfectly solid and far more in keeping with the game running on a mid-range PC.

Cyberpunk 2077 on Stadia also gives you the option of two different visual settings, letting you pick between a 60fps-targeting Performance mode at 1080p and a 30fps resolution-hunting Quality mode that chases 2160p. Either one of them sees Stadia putting out an attractive image that really helps to draw you into the world CD Projekt Red have created, and other than an occasional spot of rag-doll dead body weirdness, it holds together very well too.

In essence, it's an experience that will be comparable to the one you find on the new generation of consoles as they boost the game up to 60fps – the Xbox Series X also has performance and quality options, while PS5 simply targets 60fps at a lower resolution. All that without having to plonk down £450.

And again, there's the ease with which can play Stadia across an array of PC, Mac and Chromebook platforms as well as Android tablets and phones, simply using any standard controller that you can hook up to them. Hell, you can even play it with touchscreen controls if you really want to (I wouldn't recommend that last one). The point is, there's every chance you can play it on something you already own.

Obviously keen to induct more people into their streaming platform, Google are currently bundling in a free Premium pack which gives you a Stadia controller and a Chromecast Ultra when you buy the game.

Perhaps the strangest thing about the game's struggle on last-gen consoles is that Cyberpunk 2077 has been in development in some capacity since all the way back in 2012. That's before the PS4 and Xbox One even released, at a time when the Xbox 360 and PS3 still ruled the roost. CDPR have crafted a hugely detailed and technically challenging world, but having spent the first half of the generation developing and then optimising The Witcher 3 for the base consoles, it's a major failing that you have to have at least a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X to get relatively consistent results from Cyberpunk.

In terms of allowing you to play the biggest brand-new game of the moment, within seconds of purchasing it, Google Stadia is currently the clear winner here. There's no sign of the asset streaming bugs and woeful performance that seem to be causing problems for Cyberpunk owners with base PS4s and Xbox Ones. Of course, if you're lucky enough to have a PS5, Xbox Series X or a high-end PC you'll have a good time there too, but the Stadia option is a lot cheaper – and currently quite a lot easier – to get hold of.

Due to late release of review code for consoles, our full Cyberpunk 2077 review coverage will be published in the near future. Make sure to stay tuned!

Genshin Impact update 1.2 will add new area of Dragonspine, out December 23rd

miHoYo has announced that Genshin Impact's update 1.2 is called 'The Chalk Prince and The Dragon', with this new update adding the area of Dragonspine. Dragonspine is the first brand new area that is being added to Genshin Impact. As you may guess from the name this new area is mountainous that is south of Mondstadt, and it is always cold. As well as battling enemies in Dragonspine players will have to learn to keep warm in both combat and exploration. This will be measured by the new Sheer Cold bar. Dragonspine will be available from December 23rd.

Dragonspine contains the ruins of a lost civilisation, and brand new enemy types to contend with. Along with the new area two new five star characters will be available. Those are Ganyu and Albedo. Albedo will be one of the main characters in the 'The Chalk Prince and The Dragon' questline. Their aim is to find a legendary sword called the Festering Desire. Albedo is an alchemist who uses a sword and can wield geo power. Ganyu is a cyro archer and there is a sub quest to explore Ganyu's background too. In our review for Genshin Impact, Miquel wrote:

Genshin Impact needs to be played to be believed. This is an addictive open-world adventure with gorgeous art and unique combat…and it's free! The character designs are sharp and beautiful, while the pastel-style world itself is full of jaw-dropping colour and natural vistas…and it's free! Sure, there's the admittedly stingy gacha system, but if you just want an immersive and peaceful world to climb and fly around in for hours, then Genshin Impact is for you.
Source: Press Release

Capcom Arcade Stadium will revive retro classics on Switch in 2021

Capcom were among the many video game publishers who made announcements during this year's Game Awards show.

We didn't see anything truly earthshattering from the Japanese giant, with a new look at the upcoming Monster Hunter Rise. Capcom's love affair with the Nintendo Switch didn't stop there, however. We saw them go on to announce a fresh entry in one of their longest running video game franchises with the announcement of Ghost 'n Goblins Resurrection which will launch on Nintendo's hybrid handheld early next year.

Capcom then struck us with a secondary dose of retro game nostalgia by revealing the Capcom Arcade Stadium – a compilation of classic games coming in February 2021. It will launch with 32 familiar titles, most of them bundled into the three available 10-game booster packs celebrating specific arcade eras. Capcom released two new trailers showcasing their retro foster and some of the features being added.

What's particularly interesting here is that the Capcom Arcade Stadium isn't just dumping these games onto a new platform, they have local multiplayer enabled and other modern features listed in their press release below:

Capcom Arcade Stadium will allow players to bring home the electrifying thrill of an arcade with 32 action-packed classics, which includes a free download of 1943 – The Battle of Midway – and the original Ghosts 'n Goblins as a stand-alone add-on. Retro fans can then choose to purchase up to three different arcade packs that highlight a different era of Capcom arcade goodness, from '80s classics like BIONIC COMMANDO and STRIDER to '90s favorites like SUPER STREET FIGHTER II TURBO. Players can also purchase the all-in pack containing all three packs of 10 games in addition to the Ghost 'n Goblins stand-alone add-on for maximum retro nostalgia. This must-have collection will include (up to four-player) local multiplayer for the games that support it. Additionally, each title comes with a variety of options that can be adjusted such as Game Speed, Difficulty Level, Display Settings, Display Filters and various frames including a variety of 3D-rendered arcade cabinets. Each game also comes with a Rewind feature, allowing players to jump back in time to save themselves (or a friend) from any unforeseen dangers.

Here is the full list of games confirmed for Capcom Arcade Stadium:

  • 1941
  • 1942
  • 1943
  • 1944
  • 19XX
  • Battle Circuit
  • Bionic Commando
  • Captain Commando
  • Carrier Air Wing
  • Commando
  • Cyberbots
  • Dynasty Wars
  • Final Fight
  • Forgotten Worlds
  • Ghosts 'n Goblins
  • Ghouls 'n Ghosts
  • Giga Wing
  • Legendary Wings
  • Mega Twins
  • Pirate Ship Higemaru
  • Powered Gear
  • Progear
  • Section Z
  • Senjo no Okami II
  • Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
  • Street Fighter II' -Hyper Fighting-
  • Strider
  • Super Street Fighter II Turbo
  • Tatakai no Banka
  • Varth -Operation Thunderstorm-
  • Vulgus
  • Warriors of Fate

Source: Press Release

Oddworld: Soulstorm will be out Spring 2021 for PS5, PS4, and PC via Epic Games Store

Oddworld Inhabitants released a brand new trailer for Oddworld: Soulstorm during The Game Awards, with the footage showing some new shots of gameplay which looked rather nice. The trailer was not just used to give us more of a glimpse at Oddworld: Soulstorrm but to also confirm a release window for Abe's newest adventure. That release window is Spring 2021 when the game will be released for PS5, PS4. and PC via Epic Games Store.

Oddworld: Soulstorm was originally announced in 2016 during GDC. In 2017 the title sequence was released for Oddworld: Soulstorm. However, it wasn't until this year that a cinematic teaser was released, followed by a gameplay teaser. The game itself is a reimagining of 1998's Oddworld: Abe's Exodus but is also a sequel to Oddworld New N Tasty, which itself was a remake of Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. In the press release Oddworld Inhabitants announced that a playthrough of the Oddworld: Soulstorm would take around 15 hours, but if you want to discover all of the game's secrets then you can dozens of hours to get everything. The features of the game include:

  • Narrative: A dark storyline with a twisted sense of humor that shines a light on the ironies that exist in the human condition. 
  • 2.9D: Epic environments with massive scale to explore by going into the world, rather than being limited to the traditional side scrolling platformer sense. 
  • Quarma (think Karma): Quarma is a real time feedback feature that reflects your actions in the game and will influence Abe, his followers, his abilities, and your score throughout the game.
  • Scavenger's Economy: Pickpocket enemies, loot lockers, sift through trash cans to acquire resources. Exchange them at vending machines to get products that give you more agency in how you chose to conquer the game's many challenges. 
  • Crafting: Use scavenged resources and vending machine products to craft items to use as weapons or tools against characters and obstacles.
  • Strength in Numbers: The more followers you save, the stronger the uprising becomes. Gift crafted items to followers. It's up to you to decide whether they will be aggressive or passive. 
  • Leaderboards: All levels offer a tallying system, leaderboards, achievements, and badges.

Source: Press Release

Crimson Desert's fantastical land of Pywel will be explorable on PC and consoles in 2021

During The Game Awards Pearl Abyss unleashed a five minute long trailer for its new open world game Crimson Desert. The trailer gives a look at a lot of content from Crimson Desert, including the a look of the continent of Pywel, melee combat, castle sieges, dragon riding, portals to different dimensions, magic, and a lot more. It seems that Pearl Abyss is looking to incorporate a lot into this massive open world. At the moment the game has been confirmed for PC and consoles, with the studio is aiming for a Winter 2021 release. The footage is all from Pearl Abyss' next gen engine. The studio also states that everything in the Crimson Desert trailer is from in game.

Now you have had a look at the world of Crimson Desert, you may be wondering what the story is actually about. Here is the official blurb from the developer itself.

A story of survival, Crimson Desert follows a group of struggling mercenaries and the many characters who cross their paths in the vast continent of Pywel. This is a world where heroes are made, but not without incredible hardship, pain and perseverance.

These mercenaries will have their tasks cut out for them as it seems a lot of people are out to fight them. The combat shows different factions with various fighting styles taking on the main character, named MacDuff, as well as fantastical creatures. Crimson Desert really does seem like a mixture of a lot fantasy games from the past decade. Crimson Desert will have a story focus but also contain some online elements though what those elements will be have not been extensively detailed outside of confirmation there will be multiplayer.

Source: Press Release

Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise Review

Nintendo seems to be going hard on fitness games at the moment. With Ring Fit Adventure, the free Jump Rope game, the original Fitness Boxing, and now this sequel sequel, the Nintendo Switch is one of the best consoles for those hoping to stay fit. Because of this though, it's natural that you expect a high standard from them. After all, anyone who's made it through a session of Ring Fit Adventure will be able to tell you just how effective that game is at getting you moving/making you feel like you're dying.

Fitness Boxing 2 is a very different style of fitness to the one presented in Ring Fit, but it is, unsurprisingly, the exact same kind of fitness offered by the first Fitness Boxing. When I say it's the exact same, I really do mean it in nearly every sense.

I know what I wanted from Fitness Boxing 2, and I also know what we got. Fitness Boxing 2 is an improvement on the original game, but only barely. It has a wealth of excellent accessibility options, wherein you can avoid motions you can't make and tweak other essential things, but aside from a couple of new instructors, some new songs, and some fancier graphics and UI, it's not really a new game.

It does add in things like a proper score function, which lets you build up a larger and larger score before entering a special mode where the levels go all chaotic and colourful, and the new areas are also quite nice, with each one being nice and vibrant, but it's all just window dressing. I wanted something a bit more from this.

Instead, Fitness Boxing 2 feels more like a continuation, and one in which some of the fitness aspects are rather off. For starters, the calorie counting is wildly off, and I'm saying this as somebody who was a personal trainer for five years. It tells you you're burning an average of around 10 calories a minute, but with my height and weight, I can tell you without a doubt that's not the case. I think it's probably closer to 3 or 4.

Then there are the difficulty settings. There are plenty of ways to change how hard a workout is, and while increasing the length of said workout is one of them, it's important to include others, like the intensity. Fitness Boxing 2 has difficulty settings, but all it really does is make the session longer, not actually harder. If you could make the workouts faster, or add in more exercises, it would be a far better experience, but you can't.

I find myself kind of annoyed with Fitness Boxing 2. There's still a good fitness game here, but it's not enough to push anybody that isn't new to fitness and feels stifled by a lack of more in-depth options around the difficulty.

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey launch set for early 2021, new gameplay shown

Frontier Developments temporarily brought the galaxy to a standstill with their newest trailer for Elite Dangerous: Odyssey.

The huge expansion for the celebrated spacefaring sim is due to launch in "early 2021" its Game Awards teaser giving fans a better look of what to expect when Odyssey finally comes to land on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One next year.

The footage shown gives us a glimpse of how Elite plays outside the cockpit as players band together to explore its myriad diverse planets. It isn't just exploration and resource gathering either, as we get to see some first person sci-fi combat.

Odyssey builds on the core Elite: Dangerous experience, encompassing all updates and expansions since its original launch back in 2015. Here are more details on the whopping expansion which comes with a launch price tag of £29.99. Those Elite fans wanting to get their hands on Odyssey as soon as possible can grab the deluxe edition for £39.99 granting them access to the alpha and beta tests. All pre-orders will unlock an exclusive cosmetic skin.

Here are more details on Elite Dangerous: Odyssey:

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will allow Commanders to explore distant worlds on foot for the very first time, taking on new missions and engaging in intense tactical combat, seamlessly merging with Elite Dangerous' iconic cockpit experience players have come to know and love. Players will be able to customize their characters for ground operations with different specialized suits and gear options and meet with other Commanders in social hubs across the galaxy. These hubs will provide ideal locations to plan their next move, form alliances and acquire and upgrade new equipment.

Action takes on a new dimension in Elite Dangerous: Odyssey through multiple spheres of combat. Starships, ground vehicles and commanders collide during devastating air-to-ground firefights. Players will be able to choose from an array of weapons and gear to suit their own play style and try to gain a tactical advantage, but it will be up to them to choose between all-out guns-blazing action or taking a stealthier approach.

For more on Elite: Dangerous you can read our original review from when the game first launch.

Source: Press Release

Ghost 'n Goblins Resurrection announced exclusively for Nintendo Switch

During last night's Game Awards show we saw plenty of new games flexing on-stage alongside some returning beloved franchises, BioWare's Dragon Age and Mass Effect just to name two.

Capcom also appeared during the show with a trio of reveals, the most surprising of which was Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection. Launching exclusively for Nintendo Switch on February 25th, 2021, this is a brand new game in the long-running series.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection has a certain hand-drawn style which may take some time getting used to though promises a dose of nostalgic perilous platforming fun. This is the first new entry in the series for quite some time though the game's protagonist, Arthur, has made recent appearances in the Marvel vs. Capcom fighting games.

Here's Capcom's official description of their upcoming release:

The legendary platforming series rises again, as Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection marks the heroic return of the series, which debuted over 35 years ago. Paying homage to Ghosts 'n Goblins and Ghouls 'n Ghosts, the latest entry combines the franchise's action platforming gameplay with storybook-like graphics and challenging new obstacles. The new entry will once again follow the valiant knight Arthur as he runs, jumps and battles his way through eerie stages set in the Demon Realm, a demonic fantasy world. Arthur must overcome countless ghoulish foes on his quest to rescue the princess from the treacherous grasp of the Demon Lord. Brave knights will need to proceed with extreme caution as terrifying dangers await, including familiar enemies like Zombie, Skeleton Murderer, Pigman and Red Arremer.

Whether a longtime Ghosts 'n Goblins fan or a newcomer, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection players can decide how perilous Arthur's journey will be by selecting one of three different difficulties: Squire, Knight and Legend. New to Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is the Page mode, which allows untested apprentices to respawn on the spot with unlimited lives. To progress through the Demon Realm, Arthur must utilize everything at his disposal, from tried-and-true weapons like the Lance and Dagger to all-new additions like the Hammer and Spiked Ball. Arthur's updated arsenal also includes various types of skills and magic, allowing players to bring game-changing spells like Firewall and Thunderstorm into combat. Arthur will need to master each of the weapon types and magic abilities to overcome his battle against evil and restore peace to the land.

At The Game Awards, Capcom also announced the Capcom Arcade Stadium for Nintendo Switch – a compilation of retro games from their 80s and 90s catalogue.

Source: Press Release

Little Nightmares II demo live on Steam and GOG, coming to console in early 2021

Bandai Namco and Tarsier Studios have released a demo for the upcoming horror platformer Little Nightmares II, and at the moment it is available through Steam and GOG. Console players do not have to fear though as the demo will also be coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Switch at some point in early 2021. It will likely be around January since the release date for Little Nightmares II is currently penned for February 2021. What can you expect in this demo? The handy description is below.

Play as Mono and begin your journey towards the Signal Tower by making your way through an eerie forest. If you make it to the shack, you'll have a chance to free Six and work together to escape the Hunter.

Stefan had some hands on time with a preview build of Little Nightmares II, and he wrote:

Little Nightmares II looks set to pick up right where the original game and its DLC left off, filled with a thick atmosphere and creepy new situations to find yourself in. Would that it could come out this month in time for Halloween, we'll have to wait a few months longer until 11th February 2021 to continue the horrible little adventure.

The original Little Nightmares released back in 2017. Tuffcub reviewed the game and he said:

Little Nightmares is something of a minor classic. Gorgeously gross and surprisingly inventive, it creates a genuine feeling of terror and tension. It's a bit odd to say a game that involves skipping over corpses is enjoyable, but it is, just don't blame Tarsier if you have nightmares.

You can read the full Little Nightmares review here.

Source: Twitter

Yakuza Remastered Collection and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life heading to Xbox Game Pass

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has confirmed that both Yakuza Remastered Collection and Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will be heading to Xbox Game Pass in 2021. Yakuza Remastered Collection includes Yakuza 3, 4, and 5. This means that all of the mainline Yakuza games with Kiryu Kazama as the lead will be on Microsoft's service for subscribers to play. Xbox Game Pass already has Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami 1 and Yakuza Kiwami 2 available.

As you can see from the Tweet above the Yakuza Remastered Collection will be available from January 28th, while Yakuza 6: The Song of Life will arrived on March 25th. In our Yakuza 6 review, Miguel wrote:

Yakuza 6 is a beast of a game, and it sends Kiryu off in style. The graphical upgrades are mouth-watering, and the seamless interior exploration makes an already immersive world even more engrossing. Combat feels very different from any other Yakuza game, and while it's a little sluggish and unsatisfying at first, upgrades and stat buffs help make Kiryu feel like as much of a bruiser as he's always been. While some important side-characters don't get their moment in the sunset here, Kiryu Kazuma gets one last heart-breaking journey that parallels the highs and lows of his previous adventures. Kiryu may be gone, but with a new engine and flashy new combat, the Yakuza series is nowhere close to going away.

While Yakuza 6 may have been the end of Kiryu's arc is not the end of the Yakuza story. Recently, Yakuza: Like A Dragon was released bringing with it the new series protagonist Ichiban. In our review for Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Thomas wrote:

Yakuza Like a Dragon is an enjoyable new twist on the series, although it's not hard to imagine that many long-time fans of the series will be put off by its slow pace. In a day and age where video game companies rarely take risks, Like a Dragon is a refreshing change of pace for a series that risked starting to feel stale.

Source: Twitter

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure Review

2020 has been a garbage fire of a year for this planet's climate, with massive bushfires ravaging Australia in the first few months of the year, and then California this summer. With the report just this week that November was the hottest on record, it's likely that 2021 and beyond will see that garbage fire continue to burn unless we do something about it.

That is something that our protagonist Alba would no doubt like to avoid at all costs. The wider fight against climate change might not yet be on the mind of our 11-year-old heroine, but a wildlife adventure that's much closer to home and her heart very much is.

 

As Alba – in this case meaning dawn in Spanish, as opposed to meaning Scotland in Scottish – visits her grandparents on the island of Pinar del Mar in the Mediterranean you get to soak in this idyllic setting. With everything from sandy beaches and rice paddies to a nature park and a castle on the hill, the island has it all. The nature park, in particular, is one of Alba's favourite places.

Sadly, the park has fallen into disrepair, along with much of the rest of the island. Much to her annoyance and that of her best friend, Inés, the mayor has plans for the nature reserve, and they don't involve sprucing it up.

Instead, he plans to bulldoze the park and build a ginormous luxury hotel.

Although the mayor's announcement initially puts the residents on the back foot, you quickly see them wrestle with the dilemma of trading something they love for the promise of jobs and a boost to the local economy.

But you're an 11-year-old. You don't give a hoot about jobs and the economy. You just care about the park, the island and its animals, and since your grandparents have just given you a map, guide and a smartphone — equipped with a Pokédex-style app that lets you identify the wildlife around you — your mission is to show everyone what they'll be missing if they follow through with the mayor's plan.

You embark on an adventure to photograph, scan and document the 62 species of birds and mammals (plus one reptile), spread across the island's eight distinct biomes, each with its own unique endemic life. As you show just how diverse the island is, you open the eyes of the islanders to the just how precious what they have is.

This is the crux of the game: walking around, taking photos and trying to document everything you can. Fortunately, the island is pretty densely packed, and you can walk from one side to the other in just a few minutes — which is pretty impressive considering the land speed of a typical 11-year-old.

This all means that you can pretty much 100% the game in a mere three hours. That said, this isn't a game you're going to forget any time soon. Alba is the kind of game that sticks with you.

It has to be said: this game is ludicrously cute. It has all the good feels, and the way that Alba skips around the island is as heart-warming as it gets. Despite its small size, the island also feels genuine. From the graffiti to the posters adorning the buildings in the town, Pinar del Mar feels like a lived-in place.

It's also stunning to look at and capture. The camera's autofocus works as you'd hope, generating the right kind of bokeh that you'd expect as you view the world through a camera lens. I often found myself stopping to snap a sunset as I skipped down the road, just like I would if I saw it in real life.

Alba doesn't just take photos. She also helps sick animals, builds bird boxes, cleans up the trash littered around the island and repairs the local tourism boards. Once you've photographed a given species, you can print new signs for the wildlife information boards, further restoring the island to its former glory.

The more you clean up Pinar del Mar, the more likely the animals are to come out, helping further your quest to snap 'em all.

In short, you're basically a one-woman town hall who puts everyone else to shame with how useless they are.

As exemplary as this game is, it's not all gravy and there are some real quality of life improvements that could be made. First and foremost, when Alba pulls out her phone to take a photo, she plants her feet like Claire Redfield, and nothing short of Nemesis is going to make her move until she puts her phone away.

This lets the game down slightly. The inability to strafe half an inch to the left while taking a photo through a fence is frustrating as all hell. It only gets worse when taking a photo of something fast-moving, like a gecko or a bird that's darting around above your head.

Additionally, there are a couple of bugs here that could be ironed out. I've seen people staring through binoculars at a brick wall in front of their face and I've had the game freeze twice when accidentally nudging the mouse while using a gamepad. Neither is ultimately game breaking, but both are eyebrow raisers nonetheless.

Though this does bring me to the last thing that disappointed me about the game: a lack of actual bugs and the things that eat them. The island is suspiciously void of anything smaller than a gecko, and the gecko is the only reptile you see. Speaking to the devs, it turns out that the game was originally focused on bird watching, and evolved to include mammals, but going into macro photography and bug hunting was simply outside the scope of this game.

This all said, I would like to end with a point of genuine admiration. It needs to be said that the studio behind this game is putting its money where its mouth is. Despite being a small south-London indie dev, ustwo is donating money to Ecologi with each copy sold and each unique user on Apple Arcade, as part of project to plant one million trees.

And spoiler warning for the credits: they open with information resources from the United Nations and WWF on what you can do if you want to do more for your local environment. Classy move, ustwo.

BioWare tease the next Mass Effect game with a new trailer

BioWare and EA have teased their next Mass Effect game, releasing a sweeping teaser trailer that swoops through the galaxy to the sounds of radio communications and disastrous first contact.

The YouTube blurb reads:

Get a sneak peek at the next chapter of the Mass Effect universe. A veteran team at BioWare is in the early stages of what is on the horizon for the Mass Effect franchise, and we are excited to show you where we'll be heading next!

The teaser comes not long after confirming that a new Mass Effect was in development, the new shoved in with the announcement of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition trilogy remaster.

That remaster will take the original trilogy and update the textures, shaders, models, effects and technical features of all three. BioWare are modernising the games for newer machines, to give higher resolutions, better frame rates and enhance but not reimagine the visuals.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition will include the main single player and DLC from Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, remastered and optimised for 4K on capable consoles. It will be out for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC in Spring 2021, with forward compatibility for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

It now seems that's setting the stage for the next chapter in the Mass Effect series, potentially cutting off the story of the ill-fated Mass Effect Andromeda. That game was a commercial flop and DLC that was planned for the game was scrapped. That said, the game got some decent reviews including an 8/10 from ourselves.

I found it hard to be excited during the opening hours of Mass Effect: Andromeda. It feels too safe, too much like what's gone before, but then it clicks. There's a moment where the galaxy opens up and you find yourself embarking once more on a huge mission across compelling, beautifully constructed planets, surrounded by memorable characters. Sadly the glut of technical missteps serve to cheapen proceedings, but this is still an adventure you don't want to miss out on.

Here's hoping the next big chapter in the Mass Effect series is easier to love.

New Among Us map revealed at The Game Awards – The Airship coming in early 2021

The new map for Among Us has been revealed at The Game Awards, where developer Innersloth picked up a couple of awards (and were totally adorable with their reactions and acceptance speeches).

Called The Airship, the new map is set on the Toppat Airship, with tasks like polishing diamonds and emptying trashcans. You'll have to take ladders to get around, while there's new mechanics like being able to choose your starting position after a meeting, and more.

The original post follows:

A new map of murderous shenanigans is coming to to cult hit Among Us is on the way, with developer Innersloth teasing a shot of what looks like a space ship command bridge and promising a full reveal at The Game Awards on 10th December.

Take a look:

The new map was previously discussed in an updated roadmap for the game:

New Map. We're hard at work on a new map (It's Henry Stickmin themed!). This map is currently looking bigger than Polus! The map will contain plenty of new tasks and will be available for free to all players!

Among Us has been one of the indie hits of the summer, despite actually having released all the way back in 2018. The game was discovered by Twitch streamers, with its paranoia-infused multiplayer making for a lot of fun and plenty of cross-channel collaborations. It helps that the game's really cheap at just £4.

The game is built for 4-10 players, with one or more players being an "imposter", and alien interloper who has to try and murder their way through the other players as they try to complete tasks. As murdered bodies are discovered, players report them and call a group meeting to bicker, accuse, and potentially kick someone out of an airlock. There's tons of options to customise lobbies and tweak settings to balance the game for your group,

In response to the sudden boom in popularity in August, Innersloth set back to work on their now very popular game. It had achieved moderate popularity originally, allowing them to start working on a sequel, but they decided to instead cancel the sequel and put more resources into supporting their now huge audience.

So, if you're a keen imposter or a mildly fearful human just wanting to complete their tasks, make sure to keep an eye out on what's next for the game at The Game Awards in December.

Source: Twitter

Disco Elysium is coming to PlayStation, Xbox & Switch with The Final Cut in 2021

The critically acclaimed RPG Disco Elysium is making the long awaited jump from PC to consoles next year with the release of the greatly updated The Final Cut version of the game.

Alongside the currently released PC and Mac versions, it will be out for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 from March 2021, before arriving on Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch in the summer.

Disco Elysium – The Final Cut takes the already hugely accomplished game and expands upon it with new political quests, more characters and full voice acting throughout the game.

The game picked up our Best PC Game award last year, with Jim describing it quite nicely.

Developed by Estonian newcomers, ZA/UM, it's a truly singular game yet one that can trace its roots back to the computer RPGs of old – we're talking Baldur's Gate, Planescape, and the original Fallout.

Game protagonists suffering from amnesia is a well worn trope yet here it forms the foundation of a bizarrely gripping story. One in which you – a bedraggled detective – wake up after going on a brutal bender with a murder mystery to solve.

The writing here is genuinely funny which helps as Disco Elysium artfully walks the line between visual novel and old-school RPG. Instead of outfitting your character with spells, armour, and abilities, ZA-UM has built a clever alternative that explores personality traits, inner thoughts, and the power of the mind, with a number of different ways to approach every scenario.

There will be both standard and collector's editions of the game, coming in partnership with iam8bit.

The Collector's Edition will include:

  1. Innovative 'Layers of the Id' Premium Box
  2. Hand-Painted 'Mind Totem' Vinyl Sculpture
  3. 190+ Page Hardbound Art Book feat. Oodles of Previously Unreleased Art and Stories
  4. Illustrated Fabric Map of the District of Martinaise
  5. Physical Edition of Disco Elysium with Reversible Cover, Housed in an Elegant Slipcase
  6. Region Free – Worldwide Compatibility
  7. Available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch

It will set you back an eye-watering $249.99, though.

Elder Scrolls Online next expansion is Gates of Oblivion

The Game Awards continues to be the show that keeps on giving, and Elder Scrolls Online is next in line for an exclusive trailer. This time we got to see what the next major expansion is going to be, and it's called Gates of Oblivion. What could it be referring to?

It's safe to assume that Gates of Oblivion is going to send us off to the parallel lands of the Daedric plane, and much like we headed underground through Greymoor's enjoyable campaign, it gives the developers at Zenimax loads of opportunity to craft some exciting new areas, landmarks and cities. Players have already headed off to Cyrodiil, the central setting for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, so this is the next step that makes sense, and will no doubt please long term fans.

Elder Scrolls Online continues to go from strength to strength, and is now available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac and Stadia. There are plans to have specific versions for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S which will appear in the future, though for the moment you can enjoy the previous generation's versions via backwards compatibility.

We really enjoyed the last DLC Greymoor, saying "This is still the Elder Scrolls Online though, and if you've enjoyed it in the past, Greymoor is a fun experience that adds a worthwhile chunk of content to it. The well-written quests, the fun combat, and the often-impressive landscapes are unchanged here, and I can see Greymoor drawing in more Skyrim fans to the online world, even if it feels a little like a cover band version of the iconic title. Elder Scrolls Online deserves its position as one of the premier MMORPG experiences, and Greymoor upholds that, even if it doesn't quite do justice to Skyrim's vast legacy."

Gates of Oblivion will launch in 2021.