Outriders Patch Addresses Inventory Wipe Bug
After being plagued by a bug that wiped players' inventories, Outriders has received a new patch that should prevent the issue from reoccurring. Though players may see some connectivity issues in multiplayer along with items being invisible momentarily, this is a known behavior and can be fixed by restarting the game. This issue will be addressed in another patch in the future.
Those who find their inventories wiped after this patch are advised to report the same to the developer. People Can Fly will be "monitoring the situation" over the weekend to ensure that everything is in order. From there, it will move on to restoring any lost items, which is done via the server database and won't require a patch.
Outriders released on April 1st for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Stadia and PC. Despite positive reviews, it's faced a number of server issues and bugs. This wasn't helped by Bullet Abilities and the Vulnerable status being nerfed just a week later. As for what the future holds, stay tuned for more details.
SaGa Frontier Remastered is Out Now
The 1998 PS One classic finally comes to current-gen platforms with a fresh coat of paint. SaGa Frontier Remastered is now available for PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android. The characters and environments have seen visual improvements but the core gameplay is still intact. Check out the main cast and gameplay in the trailers below.
Taking place in a system of planets called The Regions, the story features eight playable characters. The player is free to start with any one and go anywhere they like. Though relegated to an NPC role in the original, Fuse is now playable and has his own unique quest. Depending on your actions, characters' fates may intertwine in different ways.
SaGa Frontier Remastered also provides new story events for Asellus along with additional scenarios and cutscenes. Quality of life features include 2x speed and a revamped UI. For a more in-depth look at the game and its characters, check out the overview trailer here.
Resident Evil Village Runs at 4K/45 FPS With Ray Tracing on Xbox Series X, PS5
Capcom dropped a whole lot of new details for Resident Evil Village, from a new gameplay trailer and upcoming demo to the reveal of The Mercenaries. The second demo goes live on May 1st but PS4 and PS5 players will have early access to its first stage tomorrow. In the meantime, the company has also confirmed the frame rate and resolution for the title across multiple platforms.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions are capable of hitting 4K/60 FPS with HDR but turn on ray tracing and that becomes 4K/45 FPS with HDR. The Xbox Series S version delivers 1440p/45 FPS with HDR and drops to 1440/30 FPS HDR with ray tracing enabled. On Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, the title runs at either 1080p/60 FPS or 4K/30 FPS with HDR while the PS4 has to contend with 900p/45 FPS.
On the lowest end is the Xbox One version which runs at 900p/30 FPS. Stadia may provide a viable alternative seeing as the game runs at 1080p/60 FPS or dynamic 4K at 60 FPS. Resident Evil Village is out on May 7th for all platforms – stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
Hood: Outlaws and Legends – 15 Features You Need To Know
There's an abundance of excellent multiplayer games to play out there right now, but with that sort of popularity, a lack of creativity can also be a side effect in many new releases. Fortunately, it seems like that's a problem that Hood: Outlaws and Legends is going to sidestep. With a unique medieval setting, this PvPvE heist simulator is looking to deliver something that pretty much no other game is doing right now, which means we're obviously keeping a keen eye on it. Ahead of its imminent launch, here, we're going to talk about a few key details that you should know about the game.
SETTING
Hood: Outlaws and Legends is going to be a multiplayer-only, which means it obviously won't be putting too much emphasis on story- but its compelling setting it still looking like a crucial element of the experience. The game takes place in a medieval world with fantasy elements. The world is a brutal and harsh one, where an oppressive regime rules over the people with an iron fist, while looking to sate its own needs and desires even at terrible costs to the people it rules over.
PREMISE
Your goal in Hood: Outlaws and Legends is to fight against this oppressive regime- and that manifests as heists. This right here is a PvPvE game. Two teams of four players each enter one of the game's maps with the ultimate goal of stealing the treasure. Players have to fight through and make their way through AI-controlled enemies guarding the treasure, and you have to make sure that you do that before the other team beats you to it.
STRUCTURE
Every game in Hood: Outlaws and Legends will be structured similarly, and will be divided into three separate phases. In the first phase, you will have to locate a special enemy known as the Sheriff and steal the vault's key from him before the opponent team. The second stage will see you breaking into the vault, where enemies have gone on high alert, and stealing the chest of treasure. At the same time, you'll also have to be on the lookout for ambushes or attacks from the enemy team of players. Finally, the third phase will task you with making it out alive with the treasure in your possession. In this stage, not only will the Sheriff and other enemies be looking for you and trying to hunt you down, you'll also have to make sure that the enemy team doesn't spot you and try and steal the treasure from you.
SCALES OF JUSTICE
As evidenced by the game's name, in Hood: Outlaws and Legends, you're basically playing as Robin Hood characters, which means you're not just stealing stuff for the heck of it- you're stealing from the rich so you can give to the poor. However, exactly how well you do that (or don't do that) will depend on you. After every successful heist, you'll visit the Scales of Justice, where you'll have to decide how much of your stolen riches you want to redistribute amongst the poor, and how much of it you want to keep for yourself. While the former is how you unlock more new items and gear to use in future heists, without money for yourself, you won't be able to buy any of the stuff you unlock, which means striking the right balance is always going to be crucial.
THE SHERIFF
We've mentioned the Sheriff a few times in this feature so far, but who exactly is he? Well, in simple terms, he's the big bad in each heist, and a proper force to be reckoned with. The Sheriff roams the maps on randomized routes with his own retinue tagging along, and your first task in every heist is to steal the key and the location of the Vault from him. In the following two stages, the Sheriff will act as a pursuer enemy, and will constantly be on the lookout for you as he tries and hunts you down. He's capable of taking his foes out with a single deadly blow, so running and hiding and re-entering stealth is usually the best way to deal with him- though nothing's stopping you from taking him on head-on, of course. Even at that point, if you do manage to best him, he will only be downed temporarily, and cannot be killed- Mr. X-style.
RANDOMIZED ELEMENTS
Avoiding repetition is also key for any multiplayer focused game, and developer Sumo Digital is promising that in spite of the structured nature of each heist in Hood: Outlaws and Legends, there will be plenty of randomized elements to keep each game fresh and unique. Game director director Andrew Willans himself explains it best. Speaking in an interview with GamingBolt, he said, "Even when repeating the same map there are so many unpredictable elements: The vault key needs to be stolen from the Sheriff, he has different patrol paths which are randomly determined when the map loads. We have up to 3 treasure buildings which can house the treasure vault. The treasure vault has 5 possible spawn locations within each of these 3 buildings. We have multiple extraction points on every map (which the players can choose from). There are multiple capture point locations which can be claimed by your team for respawning, and on top of all this we have randomized AI patrols and a dynamic escalation system which will react based on player positions."
MAPS
At launch, Hood: Outlaws and Legends is going to launch with five maps. There's Gwydion's Rest, which is an ancient and fortified graveyard; Newton Abbas, an old town in a marshland that was flooded long ago by the State to silence dissidents and outlaws; New Barnsdale, a trading outpost fortified by the State with palisades and a garrison; Lionsdale, a prosperous citadel with an imposing castle at its heart; and Caer Merthyr, a heavily defended castle on the coastal region of a peninsula. According to game director Andrew Willans, map design in the game is also going to be varied, dense, and layered. Speaking to GamingBolt, he said, "We have small, medium and large maps, but what more important is the density of level design ingredients and routes through the environments. Players can expect to find hidden tunnels and access points which are great for avoiding detection. We have ladders, and ropes for scaling the walls as an alternative to taking the main paths. The maps were all designed with the character classes in mind, so you can expect some objective locations to be more open, while others are more shielded and enclosed."
CLASSES
As you may have put together given the game's core premise and the structure each of the heists will adopt, Hood: Outlaws and Legends is going to put quite a bit of emphasis on both stealth and combat. And with the four playable classes the game is launching with (each of whom also has quite a bit of lore attached to them), there will be several ways to go about both those approaches. The four classes in question are the Ranger, the Hunter, the Mystic, and the Brawler. In the next four points, we're going to talk about each of them in details.
RANGER
The Ranger has been believed to be dead for a long time, owing to a public execution by the State, but returns as a mysterious hooded figure. Equipped with a longbow, the Ranger is, as the name implies, perfect for long-ranged combat, sniping, and infiltration. On top of all of that, this class also comes equipped with flashbangs and explosive arrows, the ability to tag enemies for long periods of time, the ability to use arrows as a melee weapon, and more.
HUNTER
Formerly the heir of an influential nobleman, the Hunter has now become a shadowy hero of the people. She wears a contraption on her arm that serves as both a crossbow and an arm blade (which is a lot like the Hidden Blades in Assassin's Creed). With her invisibility abilities and smoke grenades, she is a master of stealth, while her crossbow's fast rate of fire and the ability to silently assassinate enemies up close also make her a deadly fighter.
MYSTIC
Once a tool of the State, the Mystic was disillusioned by the cruel rule of the government he once served, and now wrecks battlefield with his abilities. He can use poison bombs, has the ability to quickly regenerate stamina, and is also able to heal his allies while spotting hidden enemies in the environment. He's also a formidable attacking threat, thanks to his vampiric abilities that allow him to leech life from his enemies and restore his own health, and his flail, which he can use for an old fashioned pummeling.
BRAWLER
A former blacksmith with a tragic past, and now a hulking warrior. The Brawler, as the class' name implies, is your go-to tank character. He wields a sledgehammer to deal deadly blows in up-close combat, his ability allows him to enhance both his offensive and defensive capabilities, and since he's as strong as he is, he can also move at a quick pace while carrying heavy objects- like a treasure chest, for instance. And in case none of that works, he's also equipped with explosives.
PROGRESSION
Progression and the meta game are crucial for any multiplayer-focused game, so what's that going to look like in Hood? We've already spoken about how players will be able to unlock and purchase new items and gear with stolen riches. On top of that, classes will also have several unlockable perks that players will have to unlock by leveling up and spending currency. Meanwhile, the game will also have several different cosmetics, such as costumes, weapon skins, and more.
POST-LAUNCH SUPPORT
Of course, post-launch support is also crucial for any multiplayer game (at least if it wants its player base to stick around and grow). We do know the game will have post-launch seasonal content, but beyond that, details are scarce. In an interview with GamingBolt, game director Andrew Willans said that those details will come later, but did suggest that the developers have plans for new characters, abilities, environments, and game modes. Here's hoping Sumo Digital can maintain a good cadence of post-launch releases as far as major content updates are concerned.
PRICE AND SPECIAL EDITIONS
Perhaps one of the most alluring aspects of Hood: Outlaws and Legends is its price. The game sounds as fascinating as it does, and will be launching for only $30, which sounds like a pretty great deal right off the bat (and hopefully, post-launch support will not disappoint). Meanwhile, players can also purchase the Year 1 Edition for $50, which will include the base game itself, four each of exclusive outfits and weapon skins, battle passes for the game's first three seasons, and three days of early access.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition – 15 New Things You Need To Know
One of the greatest gaming trilogies of all time is coming back soon, and it seems BioWare and EA are giving it the respect it deserves. Based on everything that we've seen so far, it's looking like Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is going to remaster and improve the already amazing original trilogy in notable ways (especially the first game). We've spoken about plenty of those improvements at length over the last few weeks, but with many new details having recently emerged, ahead of the remastered trilogy's launch, here, we're going to talk about a few more key details you should know about.
WEAPON ACCURACY
Combat in Mass Effect 1 was quite clunky even when the game launched, but now, it feels horribly aged. While Mass Effect 2 and 3 were straight up cover shooters as far as combat was concerned, the first game relied on traditional RPG mechanics, leading to randomness and that aforementioned feeling of clunkyness. Though Legendary Edition isn't going to turn its RPG combat into shooter combat, it will be tweaking some things to make it feel snappier. The most crucial of these tweaks has been made to reticle bloom and weapon sway across every weapon in ME1, which will make weapons feel much more accurate. Meanwhile, aiming down sights will also be much more accurate and will have a more zoomed in perspective, bringing it closer to ADS in Mass Effect 2 and 3.
REBALANCED ABILITIES
Abilities are just as important as traditional firepower in Mass Effect, and those have been rebalanced as well in Legendary Edition, especially in the first game. According to BioWare, multiple abilities have been tweaked, and the one notable example we have of that so far is for the Immunity ability. While in the original game it would give you a slight defensive buff that would last indefinitely, now, it will give you a much larger buff, but it will only last for a brief period of time.
COVER IMPROVEMENTS
Another aspect of combat that has seen some tweaking and rebalancing is the cover mechanics- which makes sense, given how crucial those are in Mass Effect's combat. Across the entire trilogy, entering and exiting cover is now going to be more responsive and reliable. Though BioWare haven't specified this, we're assuming (or hoping, at least) that Mass Effect 1 in particular will have seen notable improvements in this area, since taking cover wasn't always as snappy in the original game as it was in its sequel.
COMBAT TWEAKS
Plenty of other smaller yet significant changes have also been made to make combat a much more balanced experience in Mass Effect 1. This includes being able to sprint out of combat, enemies now taking headshot damage when applicable, better balancing for medi-gel usage, melee attacks having their own dedicated button like in ME2 and 3, increased drop rate for ammo in Mass Effect 2, and more. Notably, all classes can now also use any weapon in the game without penalties- though specializations will still be class-specific.
MORE QOL UPGRADES
We're not done though. There's other improvements to speak of as well. Unlike the original Mass Effect 1, where ammo drops would stop at higher levels, in Legendary Edition, they will now drop throughout the whole game, and can also be purchased from vendors. Inventory management has also been improved. Items can now be marked as junk, and junk items can all be sold to vendors or turned into omni-gel at the same time, rather than you having to go through them one-by-one. The inventory now also has a sorting feature.
MAKO IMPROVEMENTS
Mass Effect 1's jank and clunkyness wasn't just restricted to its combat- it was pervasive in the Mako sections as well. In fact, it was much more prevalent in the Mako sections. The Legendary Edition version of the game is looking to make improvements here as well. Its physics have been improved to make it heavier, so that it will drift and slide less and feel less floaty, making for improved handling. Other smaller changes have also been made, which fans of the original game will really appreciate- touching lava while driving the Mako will do damage to your health rather than instantly giving you a game over screen, fights against Thresher Maws will have attacks that will be visually telegraphed so that there will be no more random and abrupt deaths, camera controls have been improved, and the shields also recharge much faster. Additionally, the Mako no longer has an XP penalty either.
MAKO BOOST
The biggest change that's being made to the Mako – other than the improved handling – is a new boost functionality. In Legendary Edition, the Mako will have thrusters on its rear, which will allow you to use a boost for sudden bursts of speed, which should be pretty handy not just for navigation and getting around cliffs, but also in combat scenarios. Meanwhile, BioWare have also confirmed that they've improved the camera control in the Mako sections- here's hoping it won't be out of control while using the boost functionality.
REWORKED ENCOUNTERS AND BOSS FIGHTS
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is, of course, not a remake, but it's also not just a simple remaster. All of the visual upgrades, improvements to art and environments, and gameplay tweaks and updates make that abundantly clear, but BioWare have also taken this opportunity to improve the trilogy's design where necessary as well. Throughout the entire trilogy, for instance, BioWare have placed additional places where you can take cover in various combat encounters. Meanwhile, some boss fights and enemies in Mass Effect 1 have also been nerfed to make those fights fairer and less frustrating. In the boss fight against Matriarch Benezia, for instance, the arena is now larger to make it feel less cramped, while there are quite a few places to take cover as well.
SQUADMATES
Commanding squadmates in the midst of combat was quite limited in Mass Effect 1. The mechanic was still in there, but unlike in Mass Effect 2 and 3, you couldn't command them individually. Legendary Edition, however, is all about delivering a more cohesive, consistent, and unified experience. As such, the remastered Mass Effect 1 will now allow you to command both your combat buddies independently of each other, giving you greater tactical control over the situation.
XP REBALANCING
XP rebalancing is one of the most significant tweaks BioWare is making to Mass Effect 1 in Legendary Edition. There is no level cap in the game on your first playthrough anymore. Meanwhile, XP rewards have also been increased, which means you will be able to get to much higher levels by the time you've ended the game than you could in the original Mass Effect 1, which pretty much made repeat playthroughs a necessity. Of course, that will depend on whether or not you're just sticking to the main story.
GALACTIC READINESS
Mass Effect 3's co-op multiplayer mode is not part of the package in Legendary Edition, and given how much of an impact that had on your Galactic Readiness rating in the original game, it's no surprise that that system has been reworked as well. Now, the decisions you make and the activities you do throughout the entire trilogy will affect your Galactic Readiness rating, which, in turn, affects what ending you get. Playing through the entire trilogy and undertaking all the crucial quests will result in a good rating, for instance, while if you're only playing Mass Effect 3, you'll need to do just about every activity available in the game to receive a decent ending.
MASS EFFECT: GENESIS
With Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, BioWare clearly wants you to play through the entire trilogy as a single, unified experience- but if you want to start with Mass Effect 2 or even with 3, you can obviously do that. And if you do that, you'll have the option of making use of Mass Effect: Genesis as well. Included originally in the PS3 launch of Mass Effect 2 and the Wii U launch of Mass Effect 3, this interactive comic allows you to make crucial decisions from events in the first game (or the first two, if you're starting with Mass Effect 3), and take those forward into your new save.
UPDATED TROPHIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Trophies and Achievements have also been updated in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. There are, of course, a few new ones, while descriptions and names of a few existing ones have also been updated. On top of that, other notable changes have been made as well. Some, for instance, will track your progress throughout the entire trilogy rather than in a single game (such as killing a certain number of enemies). This unification of Trophies and Achievements also means that individual ones from each game that have now been made redundant have been removed.
PC REQUIREMENTS
You won't need an awfully fancy rig if you're planning on playing Mass Effect: Legendary Edition on PC. On minimum settings, you'll need an 8 GB RAM, either an Intel Core i5 3570 or an AMD FX-8350, and either a GTX 760, a Radeon 7970, or an R9 280X. Meanwhile, on recommended settings, you'll need a 16 GB RAM, either an Intel Core i7-7700 or an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, and either a GTX 1070, an RTX 200, or a Radeon Vega 56.
NO SWITCH VERSION PLANNED… YET
EA's support for the Nintendo Switch has improved a little bit of late, but the bar was pretty low to begin with. All things considered, their support for the Switch is still pretty disappointment, and that disappointment is continuing with Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. BioWare currently has no plans to bring the remastered trilogy to Nintendo's hybrid- but they have left the door somewhat open for a Switch version down the line. Project director Mac Walters said in an interview with Eurogamer, "Personally, I'd love it. But ultimately, I think we had a path set and it was like, let's finish that, then let's see sort of where we're at."
Resident Evil 4 Announced for Oculus Quest 2
Resident Evil 4 is back but not quite in the way you'd imagine. During its second Resident Evil Showcase, Capcom was announced to be working with Oculus Studios and Armature to bring Resident Evil 4 to VR. The title will be playable on Oculus Quest 2, taking place from the first person perspective. Check out the trailer below courtesy of GameSpot.
More details and gameplay footage will be provided on April 21st at the Oculus Gaming Showcase. Resident Evil 4 originally launched for the Nintendo GameCube in 2005 before heading to PS2 in the same year. It would subsequently arrive on nearly every major platform throughout the years with the Nintendo Switch version being the latest.
Rumors have stated that a remake for Resident Evil 4 is currently in the works but it may be a while before it launches. It's reportedly been overhauled and is now expected to release in 2023 with Capcom's Division 1 spear-heading development. In the meantime, Resident Evil Village is out on May 7th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Stadia with a new demo coming May 1st. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.
Resident Evil Village – The Mercenaries Mode Confirmed
Resident Evil introduced a little mode called The Mercenaries with Resident Evil 3: Nemesis back in 1999, and surely, Capcom wouldn't have expected that it would go on to become as popular as it did. Fans took to The Mercenaries immediately, and the mode returned with new iterations in several more sequels in the years afterward, even going on to spawn a standalone spinoff game on the 3DS.
Mercenaries has been missing for a while now, and its absence in last year's Resident Evil 3 remake in particular stung a little, but it's going to come back- and very soon. Capcom have confirmed that the upcoming Resident Evil Village will have a Mercenaries mode. Players will move from area to area and take on increasingly more difficult groups of enemies. Between each area, you will be able to meet up with The Duke and use the currency you've earned to either buy new weapons, or upgrade the ones you have.
Also new this time are Abilities, which you can acquire to give you various boosts, including increased guard strength, being able to do more damage with particular weapons, enhance your movement speed, and more. Check out the reveal trailer for Village's Mercenaries mode below for more details.
Resident Evil Village launches on May 7 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia. A second demo is going live on May 1.
Resident Evil Village – Second Demo Coming May 1st for All Platforms
After revealing a new trailer for Resident Evil Village, one that showcases the madness taking place in the titular village, Capcom outlined the second demo for the game. It announced that two stages would be available, one in the village and the other in the castle. PS4 and PS5 players will get early access to the first stage tomorrow at 5 PM PDT till April 18th, 1 AM PDT.
This stage will be available for 30 minutes but there will be another demo on April 24th, 5 PM PDT to April 25th at 1 AM PDT that explores the castle. PlayStation players can pre-download the demo now. All platforms – including Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC and Stadia – will gain access to the demo on May 1st, 5 PM PDT to May 2nd, 5 PM PDT in North America.
Both stages will be available for 60 minutes but you can spend your time however you'd like. You can check out a more detailed schedule of the upcoming demo below.
Resident Evil Village is out on May 7th. Stay tuned for more details on the title, like the recently revealed Mercenaries mode.
Resident Evil Village Trailer Sets up an Intense, Harrowing Adventure
Resident Evil Village's hotly anticipated launch is just around the corner, and it's not just Capcom that has high expectations from the game- based on everything that we've seen so far, it looks like the game's certainly shaping up to be an exciting new entry in the series. To kick off their recent Resident Evil Showcase, Capcom premiered another new trailer of the game, and it continues to look impressive.
Several new locations and areas are highlighted in the trailer, with what looks like a network of mines being shown quite a bit- most likely, this is the location called "Heisenberg's Factory" seen on the game's map. Meanwhile, plenty of new combat and gameplay sequences are shown off, while the story in particular teases out several new bits of information, with characters like Lady Dimitrescu, Chris Redfield, and more showing up. Take a look at the full trailer below.
Resident Evil Village launches for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia on May 7.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Will Have a Photo Mode
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is shaping up to quite a significant upgrade over the original trilogy that it's remastering. Numerous visual enhancements have been confirmed across all three games. Crucial gameplay changes and improvements have been made as well, especially to Mass Effect 1, and to some other overarching things, such as the how the progression over the course of the entire trilogy will affect Mass Effect 3's Galactic Readiness mechanic in the absence of its multiplayer mode. But that's not all.
A photo mode has been a heavily requested feature for the remastered trilogy since pretty much the moment it was announced. Taking recently to Twitter, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition project director confirmed that there will indeed be a photo mode in the trilogy, while also providing a screen shot to give us a sneak peak of what that will look like. Specific details on what the photo mode will entail have yet to be shared, but here's hoping they arrive soon.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition recently went gold, and will launch for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on May 14.
We were just calibrating, but #MassEffect Legendary Edition will have a photo mode. https://t.co/QghTqwS4Ah pic.twitter.com/tfNKcgyplu
— Mac Walters (@macwalterslives) April 15, 2021