Hitman 3 will be an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC – Dartmoor murder mystery level revealed

If you've been playing the Hitman series on PC via Steam up until this point, you'll have to hop storefronts if you want to conclude the trilogy. IO Interactive have announced that, as they self-publish for the first time, they've struck a deal to make Hitman 3 a 12-month timed exclusive to the Epic Games Store.

Thankfully, you will still be able to carry over your current progression and unlocks from Hitman 2 in Steam, and you'll also be able to import locations from the first two games into Hitman 3 from other storefronts. "We want to make it a seamless process for our PC players to enjoy Hitman 3 on a different PC platform and continue to enjoy the benefits of our World of Assassination," IO write.

To help in that regard, the first game in the trilogy will be a free game on the Epic Games Store from 27th August to 3rd September, alongside Shadowrun Collection.

IO also revealed a new location and mission. Set in Dartmoor, England and called The Thornbridge Mystery, it evokes many a classic British whodunnit, with a murder mystery for Agent 47 to solve… on his way to committing another murder.

Nick Price, Lead Writer on Hitman 3 said, "HITMAN missions are very complicated affairs with plenty of moving parts and lots of characters you are able to interact with in a huge variety of ways. In Dartmoor's murder mystery, we are dialing all of that up to 11.

Every member of the family is a possible suspect and it's been quite the challenge to make sure everything doesn't fall apart just because the player wants to play around. In fact, that sort of behaviour should be rewarded in a HITMAN game, so we have been working hard on making sure that depending on what a player discovers during their investigation, outcomes might differ. It's going to be great fun to see how everyone tackles this particular problem next year."

Hitman 3 will be our for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Google Stadia and PC via the Epic Games Store in January 2021. Presumably it'll then pop up on Steam in January 2022.

Source: IOI

The PlayStation 5's first TV advert is here

The first TV spot for the PlayStation 5 is here, as Sony try to describe to people what it will feel like to play games on their next-gen console, wrapping together things like 3D audio, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

It's quite a high concept video, showing a woman adventuring in a weird and mysterious world. The opening line says, "Welcome to a world where you can feel more," and this is a key part of Sony's pitch for the next generation. The DualSense controller features adaptive triggers to relay different pressures to your fingers, while more advanced haptic feedback is to be incorporated to add more nuance compared to the rumble motors found in the DualShock 4. 3D audio with advanced HRTF processing to simulate different ear shapes will also aim to make audio more immersive and spatial, regardless of whether you're hearing sound from a TV, set of headphones or an existing surround sound set up.

All of this is completely intangible to end users at the moment. Literally the only person to have ever touched a DualSense up until this point is Geoff Keighley – I'm obviously being quite hyperbolic there – with the Covid-19 pandemic preventing the wider games press from going hands on at trade shows or smaller private events, and no possibility of public demo booths for fear of the DualSense becoming contaminated and helping to spread the virus.

What's curious about the trailer is that there isn't any sign of actual gameplay that could show off the raw power of the PS5 to deliver next gen graphics at ultra HD resolutions. Thatd would feel much more tangible for people passively watching something on a TV screen, but I guess Sony's focus is on trying to describe the console's other advantages. If this airs during this weekend's Champions League final, it will get those three talking points across to millions of viewers.

Of course, there's also no hint of a release date, let alone a price, with Sony and Microsoft locked in a seemingly endless game of chicken over who will announce the price of their next-gen games console first, so that one of them can try to undercut the other one or something.

The wait continues…

Source: Sony

PGA Tour 2K21 Review

It's the final hole and I'm tied at six under par for the tournament. Big Boy Billy shot his last hole and now it's up to me to finish. The pressure is on. If I can just make this 18 foot putt…

HB Studios and 2K are back after a two year break, transforming The Golf Club into the fully fledged and licensed PGA Tour game with all the bells and whistles you'd expect. Straight away, you are thrown into the character creator to craft your legend with quite a few options on hand – hundreds, in fact. Naturally, I made a version of myself, complete with man bun, before diving into the wide range of licensed clothing. I ended up opting for a shirt/tie/waistcoat combo with a porkpie hat, which made me look absolutely spiffing. If you fancy your Addidas or Polo Ralph Lauren branded apparel, they are of course there with some options being locked until you unlock them through gameplay.

Then, it's onto look at your Golf Bag and the 14 clubs you take with you during your games. You can unlock and buy new clubs with varying stats for different situations, although I'm yet to find a reason to change out my max power driver which I started with. Also, your clubs can be customised with different shafts and handles if you really want to stand out.

All this character creation was immediately followed by a short and fairly robust training session to teach you the basics of swinging that stick to get the maximum distance on your shots.

Pulling back on the right stick brings your club back and then pushing forward once it's reached the power you want in the gauge will see your golfer smack the ball. I thought this would be easy, but there is an art to it. You need to be accurate. An image of the ball with a white line down the middle shows you how precise your stroke is using a blue line, and mine was all over the place. I didn't realise how inaccurate I was!

The problem I had was every time I pushed the stick forward, I always went up and to the right, so naturally, my balls were flying off to the right. It took some real time and patience before I started to nail down the basics. But this a sports sim and that level of learning should be expected.

I jumped straight to a career after that and that's where the salt began. I thought after one training session I was ready to go. I picked the easiest option which was Q-School and spent my first 18 holes embarrassing myself in front of the other up and comers. I ended up 11 over par and failed my first season. I then failed my second.

Back to training.

Another round of truly reading the mechanics and practicing hard saw me finish in the top 50 during my third run, letting me qualify to play amongst the big wigs. I was actually improving. That's one of the main selling points of 2K21 for me, actual trackable self improvement. All of a sudden, I was hitting birdies, reading the wind correctly, judging the lay lines on my putting. It's all mechanically there and it's all very well desgined.

The true shot mechanic is fantastic. The game does a very good job of catering toward beginners by making sure you are recommended a club and shot style to use for every shot (which can be turned off), but if you want to take a risk and push that ball a little further, then the true shot will help you experiment a little. It's as simple as striking the ball in a certain spot to either increase or decrease the loft, enabling you to slice through harsh winds, or adjusting that attack angle to gain a few extra yards.

Before long, you'll be promoted to the PGA tour proper, and that's when the career mode begins to open up. You unlock sponsor goals, which level up your relationship with them, unlocking rewards like new clubs and apparel. The goals are also quite simple, like hit six birdies on your next tournament or hit so many greens in regulation. You can only have one sponsor active at a time, but there are plenty of goals to complete.

The point of all of this is to aim for the FedExCup. Completing events during the tour awards you FedExCup points based on how well you do. Along the way, you can actually strike up rivalries with some of the biggest names in golf like Bryson DeChambeau and Jim Furyk.

When you unlock the first rival, Cameron Champ, the next time you meet him in a tournament, you'll need to score five rival points to complete the rivalry and unlock the set reward. I did this through one tournament on my first go, scoring points for beating him in areas like the total score on the front nine holes, how many Birdies I shot and whether or not I went a full round without any Bogies. It's a fine feature, but I really wasn't trying to do anything out of the ordinary but play my best game. Once that's done, you just unlock the next rivalry in the queue. This feature overall feels a bit undercooked. I would have preferred to have a proper rivalry with another golfer throughout the course of a year, telling a story of how we went toe to toe all year. Instead it's like you have one good game and suddenly you're declared the winner. I doubt Cameron's that fussed, to be honest.

The main problem is that the career just feels a little empty and lacking a little soul. There's no player progression outside your own improving skill, the rivalries feel empty, and so you never feel like you're building anything. You're just playing events to get a trophy in the cabinet. Even the commentary doesn't help, and while Luke Elvy and Rich Beem will sound utterly authentic for US golf fans, the gents consistently made out of place comments, praising me for bad shots and sighing when I scored a Birdie.

Perhaps you can inject some more life by playing with other people. There's a bunch of different game types and online multiplayer, While we were unable to test this before launch, the game also features Societies, where you can set up a golf club with your friends and get together to compete in a relaxed environment. You can make people admins and have them set weekly events if you like.

What we did get to play with was the detailed course designer, which is easily one of the better features in PGA Tour 2K21 and builds off the ones found in previous The Golf Club games. You start off by picking the number of holes and how many par 3's or 5' you want to include before choosing an environment to set it in. I went for the desert because, why not? The freedom you have in this mode is pretty wild. From simple things like weather and time of day, to plonking giant townhouses and crocodiles on the course. With enough time, you could set up some really fun and pretty courses. Then you have the added bonus of being able to upload and share them with the community, which is always great to see.

505 Games explain why only Control Ultimate Edition will get free next-gen upgrades

Last week, 505 Games and Remedy announced a new Control Ultimate Edition release of the hit 2019 game, bundling together all of the existing content with free cross-gen upgrades to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. However, this comes at the cost of leaving behind anyone who already purchased the game on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

You will not be able to upgrade – free, paid of otherwise – those versions of the game. Quite a few people are understandably a bit narked about this, and so 505 Games have now tried to explain the decision:

We spent several months exploring all of our launch options for Control Ultimate Edition and no decision was taken lightly. While it is challenging bringing any game to next gen platforms, we quickly realised it was even more difficult to upgrade our current user base to next gen with full parity across platforms with our year-old game.

Every avenue we pursued, there was some form of blocker and those blockers meant that at least one group of players ended up being left out of the upgrade for various reasons. As of today, we can't offer an upgrade to everyone, and leaving any one group out feels unfair. We understand that is not what you want to hear.

As explanations go, that's as clear as mud.

For those hoping to play the game on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the two options are: play the original current-gen release via backward compatibility, or purchase the Ultimate Edition which will have next-gen enhancements and includes the content of the original release and its DLC expansions.

Outside of the free next-gen upgrade, there's no difference in content between the upcoming Ultimate Edition and buying the current Deluxe Edition or base game with a Season Pass. The major difference is price. Though it has been on sale as low as £15.99, Control is currently sat at its RRP of £49.99, and the Season Pass for £19.99 and the Deluxe Edition for £64.99. The Ultimate Edition is not on sale until 10th September digitally for PS4 and Xbox One, and will cost £29.99 at that time.

I own the Control base game and Season Pass. Is this not the same as Control Ultimate Edition?
The objective of Control Ultimate Edition was not to release new exclusive content on the next gen platforms, but to offer the full Control gameplay experience to new Control players in a single, easy-to-find product. The PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X versions of Control contain the same content as the current gen game, though they do take full advantage of the power and features provided by these new consoles.

The upgrade path that we are offering is only possible when upgrading from the same version of the game. As we are only doing additional development on Control Ultimate Edition on the next gen platforms, we are unfortunately unable to offer an upgrade path to all existing Control players. We understand how this might upset a number of players but you will still be able to play the 2019 edition of Control and each Expansion on the new platforms.

All of this has left me scratching my head a little. Sure, there's Microsoft's assertion to developers that upgrades should be free and not paid DLC, and so that has ruled out the possibility that 505 might have wanted to explore of charging a nominal fee for upgrading. However, Microsoft have a number of games that will or have launched before Series X and get free cross-gen upgrades via Smart Delivery. Developers must enrol to the programme early, but the option is there to gain access to dedicated infrastructure.

While 505 Games have not described what any of the "blockers" are (meaning that they haven't really explained much of anything, it's possible that they might have wanted to explore of charging a nominal fee for upgrading to pay for the additional dev time required. However, Microsoft's assertion to developers that upgrades should be free and not paid DLC probably put paid to that.

If the company wanted to offer the upgrades for free across the board, that is obviously possible, with Microsoft offering Smart Delivery cross-gen upgrades for new and existing games, and Sony accommodating similar upgrade paths without a concerted branding effort.

But basically, 505 have heard that people are a bit miffed about this, but they're not about to U-turn like they've handed out a bunch of duff A-levels to people.

Source: 505 Games

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind – did the infamous gang really exist?

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind has managed the herculean feat of being a licensed video game that doesn't absolutely suck. In fact, perhaps shockingly, it's actually very good indeed, providing both a satisfyingly fresh take on the real time strategy genre as well as being a meaningful addition to the Peaky Blinders continuity.

For those who haven't checked out our Peaky Blinders: Mastermind review yet, this is a heist movie done as a video game. A compelling and brain taxing experience that sees six members of the Peaky Blinders crew pull off near impossible missions thanks to a neat time rewinding mechanic. But as I played through the game it got me thinking – risky, I know – who were the real Peaky Blinders?

The game, and the TV series of course, are based on a sprinkling of people and events from real-life to pepper the drama with a sense of authenticity. But where does fact end and fiction begin? Were the Peaky Blinders a bit like Robin Hood and his Merry Men, protecting the people of Small Heath from rival gangs and authoritarian police? Did the Peaky Blinders really use hats with razor blades secreted in the rim as an offensive weapon?  Did Thomas Shelby really exist, and did he have beautiful piercing blue eyes that seem to gaze into the very depths of your soul through the TV screen? And could the Peaky Blinders control space and time as if they had their own personal Infinity Gauntlet? I set to finding out.

First things first, some back story. Yes, the Peaky Blinders were a real gang that operated in the city of Birmingham from the late 19th century, and such was their rise to power that their name became synonymous with all criminal activity in Birmingham. Indeed, it was the state of the city during the latter half of the 19th century that provided the necessary environment for a criminal organisation to flourish and gain such power. Life in Victorian Britain was hard, and Birmingham was certainly consistent with this rule. The population was exploding. Not literally. I'm not suggesting that Queen Victoria detonated all over Prince Albert – though, that's quite the mental image – but rather the population was booming, with people flocking to the cities seeking work and a better life.

Most didn't find that. There weren't nearly enough places for everyone to live, resulting in crazy overcrowding and deeply unsanitary conditions. There was contaminated drinking water and so diseases were easily spread, leading to horrific child death rates. Birmingham saw epidemics of smallpox in 1871 to 1872, 1874, and 1883. Then there were a pair of epidemics of scarlet fever in 1878 and 1882. Considering this suffering and poverty, it's no surprise that discontent grew and the crime rate rose significantly. The result? More and more draconian policing and public punishment as a deterrent. Those convicted of heinous crimes would be publicly hanged, possibly even tortured too.

These factors – and others which are far too complicated for me to understand – led to even greater discontent, anger and anti-social behaviour. The exact type of anti-social activity that we're interested in for the purposes of the Peaky Blinders is 'slogging'. Slogging is basically stoning but with a much more fun name; sloggers would throw stones – and mud and brickbats and the occasional dead dog – at passers-by, buildings and property. Gangs of young men would roam the street, becoming emboldened through the fear and chaos they sowed; they attacked members of the public during the day and scuffled with the police at night. Slogging became so prevalent that entire riots involving hundreds, sometime thousands, of people would break out over the city.

Gangs began to further establish themselves over time, they became more hierarchical and operated within territories. Some of these slogging gangs grew to become the Peaky Blinders. The Blinders fought and defeated other gangs to establish their territory – notably seeing off The Cheapside Sloggers – to then operate various protection rackets as well as conducting robberies, assaults, fraud, hijacking, smuggling and racketeering.

So, with a predilection to violence and outright criminal activity against anyone and everyone, the real Peaky Blinders were unlikely to have operated with the Robin Hood mentality portrayed in the TV show or the game, nor have the popularity amongst the local population of Small Heath that the game suggests.

How about fashion? Were the real Peaky Blinders as dapper and well-dressed as Tommy Shelby and his cohorts? Absolutely! The Peaky Blinders considered their impeccable style to be very important; it demonstrated both power, wealth and a collective identity. Gang members wore tailored jackets, leather boots, immaculate brass buttoned waistcoats and 22 inch bell-bottom trousers. They also wore a distinctive scarf, called a silk daff, which was twisted twice around the neck and then tied together at either end. Like a shoelace for the head. Then there was their iconic head wear; the peaked flat cap.

These have recently filtered their way back into the wardrobes of fashion conscious men, though historians vary considerably in their opinions of whether they were indeed used as weapons. Perhaps the legends are true, that the Peaky Blinders kept razor blades in the brim of these cap. Whilst it's unlikely they would use the cap to slash and injure their foes as Peaky Blinders: Mastermind depicts, they perhaps could have used the blade to accentuate the severity of an unfriendly head-butt. The bladed skull kiss would cause blood to run down over the eyes of their unfortunate victim; thus the name Peaky Blinders.

Historian, and author of several books on the Peaky Blinders, Carl Chinn, thinks that's an unlikely explanation though. He told Birmingham Live:

(Razor blades) were only beginning to come in from the 1890s and were a luxury item, much too expensive for the Peaky Blinders to have used. And any hard man would tell you it would be very difficult to get direction and power with a razor blade sewn into the soft part of a cap. It was a romantic notion brought about in John Douglas's novel, A Walk Down Summer Lane.

So why the name Peaky Blinders? One theory is that the peaked hat helped hide the wearer's identity. Another is that as the gangsters were dressed so fancily they were considered 'blinding to the eye'. Another – to me fairly ridiculous – idea, is that Peaky Blinders were named as such because they snuck up behind their victims and pulled their hat down over their head. But that sounds more school prank than violent assault. Anyway, let's face it, the razor blade thing is much more exciting for TV and video games.

So what of Tommy Shelby, the genius big brained heist planner of Peaky Blinders: Mastermind. Did he exist? Back to Carl Chinn again:

"There was no real Tommy Shelby."

Yeesh! Thanks for that anticlimactic reveal, Carl! The whole article was building up to that and it went off like a wet firework.

No Tommy Shelby then. And also (and this took me by surprise) no time manipulating super powers for the Peaky Blinders either. Real life, eh? Who'd choose that? I'd rather have my time-travelling, anti-hero, heist conducting, razor blade hat wielding Peaky Blinders any day of the week. Back to playing Peaky Blinders: Mastermind for me then.

Playing with History is our ongoing series spotlighting video games and the real-world people and events that inspire them. From the harrowing historic backdrop fuelling Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, to the existence of zombies in Days Gone, and a deep dive into Jurassic World Evolution's T-Rex, join us as continue to expand our timeline. Why not explore the real-world history behind Ghosts of Tsushima, or learn just how authentic the game is, according to a samurai expert.

Rocksteady post an "unsolicited letter" from their current female employees

Rocksteady were the subject of a report in The Guardian on Monday which accused them of ignoring sexual harassment claims, followed by a emotional video from Kim MacAskil, Senior Writer at the studio until 2019.

Rocksteady have now posted an "unsolicited letter" from seven out of the ten women who signed the original letter which complained about sexual harassment.

Rocksteady have used Twitter's new feature that stops anyone from replying to their tweets, but here are some of the comments from across Twitter.

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind Review

Wouldn't it be awesome to be able to rewind a life? To correct all the big mistakes you've ever made, with the benefit of irritatingly perfect 20/20 hindsight, and make things right? Now, that would be a super power I'd definitely choose. Funnily enough, it's a timey wimey ability that the entire criminal gang of Peaky Blinders possess. Who knew, huh? Forget the Quantum Realm, Shelby and his pals can travel back to the past with the tap of a button.

It's this mechanic the forms the gameplay backbone of Peaky Blinders: Mastermind. This is a real time strategy game based on a popular TV franchise, but it's also a title that attempts to smash together the cinematic genre conventions of an Ocean's 11 heist movie with the try, try and try again structure of the under-appreciated Tom Cruise-athon that is Edge of Tomorrow.

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind casts you as the puppet master pulling the virtual strings of the Peaky Blinders gang. Think of Tommy, Polly, Arthur and the rest as being akin to an overly violent and morally far more questionable version of Robin Hood and his Merry Men; they seek to protect the denizens of Small Heath just as much as they aim to fill their own pockets. Mastermind is set before the events of Peaky Blinders Season 1 – perfect for someone who hasn't watched the show, like me – with Tommy and the other leaders returning to Birmingham having managed to survive the war. The family business is suddenly under attack from a sinister conspiracy, so it's up to Tommy, with his big brain and beautiful blue eyes, to orchestrate a series of elaborate heists and save the day.

It's a simple, but satisfying story, one that is elegantly told by some chunky artwork and well written text. The story really does come secondary to the game play, because this time travelling heist is a joy from beginning to end. Played from a top-down perspective, Peaky Blinders: Mastermind has you take control of up to six members of the gang at once. You must safely guide everyone though brilliantly intricate levels, each filled with sublime puzzles that weave together with a style and pace that seems almost effortless. The true genius of developers Futurlab is by providing the player with the power to manipulate time.

Mastermind may look like a Commandos or Desperados, but the way it plays is entirely different. You can only take control of your gang members independently, using their special abilities to make progress through the labyrinthian environments. Each Peaky Blinder must use their unique skills in concert with the others. For example, Teeny tiny boy burglar Finn can crawl through narrow gaps or clamber through tiny windows to pick pocket an unsuspecting guard, though to achieve this, the alluring femme fatale Ada best be distracting the dim-witted NPC at the same time. The player plots in all of Finn's movements as far as they can before rewinding time to program Ada's, and then letting proceedings play out in real time as the perfect pocket picking ensues.

Futurlab build on this simple example, adding layers and layers of complexity until all six members of the gang are moving through the level independently but cohesively, each requiring the others to overcome their obstacle at precisely the right time so progress can be made.

It's a brilliant gameplay device, one that smartly side-steps the issue that plagues many real time strategy and tactics games – that of having to constantly quick save in case things go awry – whilst also avoiding the tedium that can come with a turn based title. This is a strategy game that manages to both challenge the 'ole brain box whilst also remaining pacey and exciting. It's also a supremely accessible experience; everything is efficiently and clearly communicated to the player, from the manner in which the developers gradually build up the challenge from level to level, to the fact that all an NPC can see is communicated by a 'so bright you can't miss it' line of sight cone.

Now, if you can just rewind time and undo any mistake, you'd be forgiven for wondering where does the actually challenge of the game come from? That would be the fact that each level has a strict time limit, and the player must use their rewind powers to shave seconds off each sequence and solve each puzzle with the most efficient approach possible. The restrictions imposed by these time limits are explored inventively by the game; one level sees you having to track and block an enemy's progress through town, The Peaky Blinders needing to work together to obstruct the villain by orchestrating events so that a van reverses to block his path or a Policeman misplaces his gate keys at the most appropriate time.

I found it so wonderfully liberating as I leapt between protagonists, plotting in all their movements before finally getting to watch the entire escapade play out before my eyes. To witness a massive level being crushed in mere minutes as the team work together in perfect unison is one of the most satisfying gaming experiences I've had this year. In fact, I was having such a great time that it came as a bit of a shock that after ten levels the game came to what felt a rather premature end.

Whilst Futurlab have done a cracking job of cranking up the complexity as they introduce new Peaky Blinders, it comes at the cost of only the final level featuring the entire gang. The game really would have benefitted from a few more levels operating with all these characters in play. Instead I was definitely left wanting more, and not entirely in a good way.

There's some replay value to be had here. There's collectables to find in each level, as well as the opportunity to repeat missions and complete them in less time to unlock gold medals. The problem is that there's only really one way to solve each puzzle, so once you've released those feel good endorphins by successful problem solving, there's not as much motivation to return and try again. All you're doing is finding way to trim seconds off your time by carrying out the solution, rather than finding entirely new methods.

Battletoads Review

It's no surprise that nostalgia is big business these days. People love to cast their minds back to beloved childhood memories and dig out games, films, and toys from the attic, even in the best of times. I've certainly spent more time with my vintage Star Wars collection than in the past couple of decades. Gaming is certainly not immune to this outbreak of nostalgia as reboots, remasters, and remakes seem to dominate most of the release schedule.

One of the most surprising, and eagerly anticipated amongst retro circles, was the return of the Battletoads. This amphibious trio had a glorious few years in the early 1990s, finding infamy for unforgiving games featuring cutting edge graphics and a refreshing variety of genres. Well, the series' revival certainly looks, feels, and plays like a Battletoads game but is this a good thing in 2020?

Seeing the Rare logo on bootup still evokes fond memories of N64 greats for me, especially as I haven't really played their more recent Microsoft output. Though Dlala Studios handled the game's development, it was done in partnership with Rare, and it's great to see such a storied developer able to revisit one of their foundational series.

Graphically, Battletoads really hits the ambition of playing a cartoon that we all dreamed of way back when. Character design, backgrounds, and animations are slick and colourful, levels are bursting with character, and the story cutscenes suggest that the swiftly cancelled animated series is still fresh in the team's minds. The only downside is that the bright and bulky characters can lead to the screen becoming overly busy at times, which can in turn lead to taking unfair damage.

Just like the original titles, Battletoads contains a wide range of different genres across its four acts. The mix of game styles helps to keep things feeling fresh, but does have the unintended side-effect of making much of the game feel somewhat throwaway at times.

The core scrolling beat 'em up gameplay is clearly the main focus, and where you'll be spending most of your time. Combos and special moves are nicely varied and pretty easy to pull off, whilst enemy combinations are well judged to force you to mix things up. If this had been released last year it would have felt like a real breath of fresh air in a relatively under-appreciated genre, but it doesn't stand up to Streets of Rage 4. Obviously they are not direct competition but Axel and co really show up the relative limitations of the Battletoads.

How much you enjoy your time with the Toads will heavily depend on how you find the humour. Combining a heavy dose of ironic 90s attitude with a fair few gross out jokes and some knowing digs at the series' legacy produces a heady mix that certainly isn't afraid to poke fun at itself. I did feel that there was a strange disconnect between the game's presumably adult audience and the very child-friendly aesthetics, but looking back this is actually quite close to the originals (and peers like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). I've been playing the game with my 8-year-old son as well, and he's enjoying it on his own level too. The multiplayer works well most of the time, although it did want to auto-select the keyboard which caused issues skipping through tutorial messages.

The adventures of Rash, Pimple, and Zitz take you through a wide range of the aforementioned genre shifts, some more successful than others. A few are disposable and do little more than continue the story, whilst a couple are just plain annoying. Thankfully none overstay their welcome too much, aside perhaps from a couple of jetbike levels that feel as if they are deliberately hard as an injoke at the earlier game's expense. These sections proved clunky to control, with irregularly spaced checkpoints and too much trial and error involved.

These levels may be enough to turn some players off, so it's good to see that some more contemporary quality of life features have been included. Dying lots of times unlocks an invincibility mode (optional for the more stubborn players) that can help you get through the occasional roadblocks, whilst some fiddly puzzles can be skipped after several failures, which is particularly handy playing with youngsters. They're is a welcome addition, although it almost feels like a betrayal of all that the series stands for.

Ironically, it is these quality of life improvements that expose how relatively slight the game itself is. I'll always take an enjoyable short game over hours of unnecessary frustration, but four hours doesn't feel like long at all. There is replayability through difficulty levels and the local multiplayer but I'm not sure that this entry will achieve the notoriety and fame of the earlier series.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War officially announced

Activision has finally confirmed Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War with a two minute history reel that looks back at some of the events from that era. It is more of a teaser trailer, with Activision confirming the full reveal will take place on August 26th in Call of Duty: Warzone.You can watch the teaser below which is not exactly uplifting.

Earlier this year, a mysterious listing titled "The Red Door" appeared on the Xbox Games Store before disappearing. The Red Door was referenced in a similar listing that cropped up on the PlayStation Store with the file name "COD2020INTALPHA1". After that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War leaked through a promotional pack of Doritos, so this is not exactly a huge surprise.

Typically, the Call of Duty series has been juggled between three Activision studios, churning out one annualised sequel on a three-year development cycle. World War II and Advanced Warfare team, Sledgehammer Games, were originally due to release their next Call of Duty title this year but Treyarch have now taken the reins of development after reports of internal struggles of Sledgehammer's game. Since 2010, they have continued to work on the Black Ops branch of the Call of Duty franchise, and this means that a new Black Ops game is coming just two years after the last, instead of the expected three.

The full reveal next week will likely give us a release date, details about the current gen and next gen versions of Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, whether there will be a free upgrade path, cross play, and of course story and multiplayer details. Call of Duty games typically release in October or November so it would be likely to see Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War be on the PS5 and Xbox Series X day one.

Source: YouTube

Total War Three Kingdoms : The Furious Wild arrives in September

SEGA has confirmed the first expansion for Total War: Three Kingdoms, and that expansion is The Furious Wild, The new expansion will be launching on September 3rd, and it will bring with it four brand new factions, and a map expansion bringing in the jungles of Southern China. The four new leaders are Meng Huo, King Mulu, Lady Zhurong, and King Shamole, who will each have their own strengths to protect their land. Those will include laming mace and blowpipe units, elephants and tigers.

The features include:

  • Four new playable factions embodying the best and bravest of a new culture; the Nanman
  • 25+ new units including exciting and formidable animal units
  • Expanded map showcasing the lush but deadly jungles of southern China
  • A new tech tree and faction mechanics
  • Unique missions and narrative events bespoke for the Nanman culture
  • Playable in 190 and 194 start dates

A free update will also be released alongside The Furious Wild, and that will add new Han Warlord Shi Xie, flame-firing Juggernaut artillery, and Gate Battles. In our review for Total War: Three Kingdoms Jim wrote:

"Three Kingdoms is another solid instalment in the Total War franchise, but lacks a certain wow factor. Creative Assembly has made some clever refinements around the edges of that enduringly addictive strategic core, allowing fans to steep themselves in yet another historic saga. However, there's a chance that some won't gel with this new setting or the way Guanzhong's epic has been adapted. It's another fun and rewarding take on the series, though we'd struggle to call it a must-buy."
You can read the full Total War: Three Kingdoms review here.
Source: Press Release

Fast & Furious Crossroads Review

There is an infamous scene in Fast & Furious 6 where the team of ex-street-racers-come-vigilantes try to prevent bad-guy 'Shaw' (Luke Evans) from taking off in a plane. They do this by driving cars alongside said plane for 13 minutes. This means the runway would have to be around 26 miles in length.

It makes no sense. The stunts defy both physics and logic. The dialogue is cliché after cliché. But, that's kind of the point. No one watches a 'The Fast Saga' film expecting a deep period drama.

Fast & Furious Crossroads takes the essence of this scene and boils it down into a video game. Which sounds like exactly the sort of enjoyable romp you need after a hard day at work. Cars, action and more plotholes than a block of Emmental, it should be time to crack open the Doritos and Mountain Dew, sit back and relax. Except, Crossroads managed to take the best elements of the movies, makes them slightly worse and then garnish them in a sprinkle of unedifying failures.

The game tries to be a seamless cinematic experience. There are cut scenes that feature the voice talent and visual representation of Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson who star in the films, but the plot centres around a bunch of new-to-the-series misfits – whose character models are significantly worse than the Hollywood stars – getting caught up with the deadly Tadakhul gang. This then intertwines with the established stars.

The dialogue in Crossroads is no worse than that of a Fast & Furious film, with "Ooooh, shit!" being the most poignant thing spoken. Much like the films though, you don't play Crossroads for a Christopher Nolan-style labyrinthine plot; you'll want to play it for the explosions and set pieces.

This makes the decision to almost split the game into what feels like a 40:60 ratio between cut scenes and gameplay a rather strange one. The flow is interrupted most of the time by loading screens interjected between the two, which is more jarring than a headbutt from Jason Statham. Gameplay consists of simply fetch quests, two stealth-ish missions and lots of big set pieces like trying to stop a train with roof-mounted RPG or evading the police during a car chase.

Most levels are very short, and when they get longer in the game's final throes, the elongation of gameplay looks desperate. There are visible elements of an underground tunnel, for example, which just seem to be copied and pasted to make it longer. Likewise, during the damp squib of a finale, the level is stretched out seemingly for the sake of it.

Initially, I assumed that the locations were open world – they certainly look that way at first glance – but in truth you are confined to set paths. One mission will have you driving into Barcelona's city centre, the next will have you driving back out, along the same route in reverse. Then you'll do this a further two or three times at night. At one point, a character mentions the familiarity of the route. If this was meant to be a clever quip, it falls flat on its face.

The biggest letdown is the way the cars drive. I was expecting something along the lines of Need for Speed or Burnout, where there's a satisfaction in holding a lurid slide. Alas not. Drifting around the corner feels as if you are on ice, the net result that you will smash into a wall at almost every turn. Being smooth simply isn't an option. At least there is a variety of cars, from an electric Jaguar I-PACE through to the latest Ford GT.

That's a problem, because a lot of the time you are hurtling down a busy road filled with traffic. The imprecision of the controls means avoiding oncoming cars is mostly luck. If you do hit one though, they are lighter than a packet of Quavers, simply being smashed out of the way. Unless you hit a parked car, which is rock solid and will stop your vehicle. Nice consistency, there.

Away from the main campaign, there is also online multiplayer. This is entitled 'Online Ops' and involves three teams – Heroes, Villains and Cops – with three players on each team. You complete missions, such as trying to protect or attack a tank as it tries to reach a location. I found it very difficult to find enough players to get games going and when the requisite number arrived, it took over three and a half minutes for all the players to load into the level.

Here, weirdly, the levels are much more open compared with single-player. There were clearly plans for this to be a signature element, as you can earn XP to rise through levels, unlock new cars and even receive 'drops' with new machines. There's even a season pass plus plenty of online-related trophies. The chances of it building a sustained online community are slim.

I actually believe that Fast & Furious lends itself very well to being a video game. I could see a story-driven single-player action title, a free-to-play multiplayer heist game or an open world Grand Theft Auto rival, but trying to crunch down all of those ideas into one game simply hasn't worked. I don't know of the challenges the development team faced when creating Crossroads, but if I were to guess, it would be scope creep, budget constraints and an ever-oppressive deadline to try and release alongside a now-delayed movie.

Xbox Series X will have a new UI after all, but it's being shared with Xbox One, PC and Mobile apps

Microsoft have opened up a little bit more about what they have planned for the system software of the Xbox Series X when it launches this November, and how that will be part of a unified visual style and approach across generations and platforms.

As explained previously, Xbox Series X will actually share its system software and user interface with the Xbox One, but that has not meant that it is not changing. Microsoft have loved to tinker with their Xbox One system software over the past seven years (probably a bit too much), and later this year will be evolving that further, bringing in the new Fluent Design that Microsoft have recently settled upon.

According to Microsoft, this will mean that "Text is more readable, elements on screen are easier to understand at a glance, and accomplishing your tasks is faster than ever. This includes tile shape, fonts, an updated illustration style, and more. The overall layout of most of the console pages remains familiar, just faster and more focused."

The design language and layout of certain elements will be shared across Xbox mobile apps, Xbox Game Pass on PC and Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles.

The Xbox Series X will have some unique advantages though. Within that unified UI and UX, the Home screen will load over 50% faster than on Xbox One, and it will be 30% faster when returning from a game. There's also Quick Resume that will let you switch between multiple games on the fly.

We can already see this UI in action, with the overhauled Microsoft Store that has been fed out to Xbox One users promising a two second app launch time. On PC, there's also a new Xbox app that's currently in beta and has been designed specifically for Xbox Game Pass users.

Other elements have been tested in Microsoft's Xbox Insider program, such as new illustration styles in the Game Bar welcome screen and light theme in the Family Settings App. Further design tweaks will be demoed for Insiders in coming weeks, leading up to the Xbox Series X launch in November.

So evolution, not revolution is the name of the game at Microsoft. Meanwhile in the land of Sony, we're still almost completely in the dark as to what the PlayStation 5 system software has in store… Surely they'll reveal this soon as well?

Source: Xbox

Void Terrarium Review

Void Terrarium manages to achieve the impossible; it makes the apocalypse and the end of human civilisation really cute. Forget Skynet, The Red Queen and the War Operations Plan Response, the AI that finally rids planet Earth of humankind in Void Terrarium is so darn loveable that you just want to give it a great big hug. Well, you would if the factoryAI hadn't already accidentally killed you and all your family and friends.

And that's how Void Terrarium begins, with the end of mankind. Although, if everyone is very dead, then how does that explain the lone girl that's just been found alive by a discarded janitorial robot? It's a compelling storyline hook and one that kept me playing despite the arduous roguelite mechanics of Void Terrarium – these would usually have seen me quit and play something else quite quickly. The player takes on the role of Robbie the Robot and, with the advice of a repentant factoryAI, must do whatever it takes to keep the girl, Toriko, alive and well.

This involves two distinctive game mechanics. The first sees Robbie search the wasteland for valuable resources in a top-down turn-based action RPG (a genre that just rolls of the tongue; I can absolutely see the TDTBARPG catching on). The second is best described as an advanced version of Tamagotchi, as Robbie must convert the resources he gathers into the means to keep Toriko alive. This means crafting suitable food, medicine and other mundane but necessary devices essential for living. It also means building fun stuff, providing plants, furniture, even stuffed animals to decorate Toriko's vault. Now, one of these gameplay mechanics works very well, the other left me wishing on Armageddon to wipe it from existence.

The exploration and combat elements of the game undoubtedly fall into the latter camp. Robbie must explore a limited selection of environments far too many times in his mission to help Toriko. Whilst, on first impression, Void Terrarium would appear to be a fast-paced action fest, every element is measured in a turn based system that revolves around Robbie's finite endurance meter. Everything the player does, from movement, to attacks, to the use of special abilities, uses up the endurance meter at a frankly terrifying rate. Robbie will meet enemy robots and mutants on his travels and they'll all politely wait their turn before battering Robbie into scrap metal. This will happen a lot because Void Terrarium is unnecessarily hard.

As Robbie explores each floor of each generic level he'll use up endurance with every step he takes, until he runs out of fuel and must start the whole thing again. Occasionally you'll find a battery pick-up to recharge your meter, but these popped up far too infrequently through the randomly generated levels. I had many, many runs where there was barely a battery to be seen – how I found myself longing for a pack of reasonably priced AA to appear like a mirage in the desert before me. Adding to the player's woes, is that fact that your enemy are horribly plentiful and packs of them patrol the corridors. Apparently solely to appear at the most inconvenient time. The turn based gameplay often leaves the player with no chance at all, they'll have too little endurance to unleash any special attacks – frequently I knew that I had no chance but had to wait for the battle to play out anyway.

Each time you die, Robbie is flung back to the home hub to try again, losing every level-up and power-up he'd just gathered. Now, I'm not a fan of roguelites at the best of times, so please take that into account when considering my critique, but the grind in Void Terrarium was almost unbearable. Again and again I threw Robbie into the metal grinder, again and again he was reduced to scrap, and after each expedition I didn't feel like I'd made any overall progress. Sure, the items I'd found where converted into resources to provide for Toriko and in doing so it ultimately boosted Robbie's stats, but this all happened at such a slow rate that my progress felt absolutely glacial. It, quite frankly, sucked.

And then, something rather odd happened. Despite my burning and palpable desire to set fire to my PlayStation 4 and send it out to sea, I kept on playing. And that's when I realised that as lousy as the expeditions, combat and exploration mechanics of the game are, the Tamagotchi-inspired elements are excellent. All of the endless resource grinding is almost made bearable thanks to the delightful relationship that begins to develop between Robbie and Toriko. To see her interact with the small world you've built for her inside the terrarium provides so many magical moments. It is all brought to life by the visually compelling and very cute 2D visuals that stand in stark contrast to the rather bland aesthetics found in the top-down perspective.

Your need to help Toriko also adds more pressure. Toriko's well-being is represented by a retro looking 'Pet Nanny Hub' in the corner of your screen as you explore the world. She'll get hungry and she'll become ill, so once you've gathered what she needs on a level, it's often best to return to her immediately, rather than push on to the end. It all adds to that parental instinct for Toriko, but it is also runs the risk of being yet another obstacle that just adds to the slog like pacing of the game. Add to that the stupid invisible status traps that can only be found by repeatedly pressing the attack button everywhere you go and it's clear to see that the developers have made it far too hard for the player to enjoy the heart and soul of Void Terrarium – the relationship between Robbie and Toriko.

BPM: Bullets Per Minute takes the rhythm shooter to a whole new level

If you listen to the doomsayers and critics out there you'd be forgiven for thinking there is nothing new or original in the world anymore. Originality can still be found in gaming, whether it's a new take on an old theme or a novel blend of ideas and mechanics. BPM falls squarely in the latter camp as it's rhythmical take on the FPS feels like an inspired fusion of Crypt of the Necrodancer (or Cadence of Hyrule) and modern Doom. Having had a chance to spend some time with a preview build, I'm happy to say that it's shaping up pretty nicely, despite my newly discovered lack of rhythm.

The twist to the arcade shooting of BPM is that you need to carry out moves on the beat, whether it be shooting, reloading, or jumping and dodging. The result is a terrifically immersive and adrenaline-pumping experience, albeit one that is currently lacking in variety and is perhaps a little too hard.

The preview build includes the first level, set in Asgard, which sees your chosen Valkyrie blast their way through the assorted enemies for the sheer hell of it. Narrative takes a back seat here, as the roguelite procedurally generated levels make sure that the focus is on the gunplay. The finished game will have a choice of characters and take you through a series of techno-flavoured Norse environments, all to a thumping hard rock soundtrack.

The aesthetic approach here has the potential to be quite divisive. Everything in the Asgard levels looks like a red filter has been slathered over the screen. This is certainly distinctive, but feels quite repetitive after a while. When combined with the lack of pure level design that is the unfortunate side effect of procedural generation, this does make runs blur into one another. Enemies are nicely designed and pretty varied, so using some more building blocks in the level design should improve this. To be fair, though, this is as much a criticism of the genre as it is of BPM in particular.

Given the focus on shooting to the rhythm, it's pretty obvious that the music plays a massive part here. The preview build includes one main track (at least as far as I was able to get) although that isn't as limited as it sounds. The track reminded me of the fabulous Mick Gordon Doom soundtrack as it adapted to the action – although that could have been a side-effect of my levels of concentration rather than any actual changes in the music itself. It remains to be seen whether the music ends up being linked to the level or the character choice though. The downside, of course, is that hearing the same track will get repetitive, though changing it too much could make hitting the beat more difficult, even if the BPM stays the same.

My overriding impression of BPM is that it is tough; I haven't yet managed to beat the first boss after multiple runs. There is a real brick wall to your first few runs as you adjust to playing on the beat, and until you get the hang of it there will be more than a few deaths as your pistol clicks impotently. Once you get into the rhythm of things, the gunplay is solid and enjoyable and has a level of engagement over and above the usual FPS fare.

BPM is shaping up to be a really interesting twist on the FPS and is certainly one to keep an eye on. I hope that the finished build tightens up the level design and lessens that red shifting filter, but the core game is a refreshingly metal take on monster shooting that'll have your head banging and your trigger finger twitching to the beat. As Gloria Estefan prophesised in the 1980s, the rhythm is gonna get ya.

Senior writer on Rocksteady's Suicide Squad posts an emotional video detailing sexual harassment at the company

Kim MacAskil, senior script writer at Rocksteady until 2019, has posted a video stating she wrote the original letter than formed the basis of The Guardian investigation that was published yesterday. She has asked to be removed from the credits of Suicide Squad, "As one of your longest serving writers, I no longer want to be associated with the abuse I tried to stop."

Be warned the video is upsetting, but if you are planning to buy Suicide Squad then you probably should watch this.

"When I left, I thought things that had improved, I now have learned that the haven't.. I am so angry, so angry," she says. She states the the vast majority of people in the company are "wonderful, talented, and made me feel included", but the company is "so inept" at dealing sexual harassment.

She goes on to describe finding a female member of staff crying in the bathroom because a man was repeatedly groping her, sending her messages in the evening, and when drunk claiming he was sleeping with her to other colleges. The staff member went to HR to ask for an investigation but was told while that was going on she still had to work with the man.

She states she spoke to everyone woman in the company and "every single woman, except one" had experienced harassment. One person had therapy due to harassment, and the ladies avoided social gatherings due to "the repetitive behaviour of a few bad apples."

Kim states that higher management and a director were harassing the females, with a male colleague complaining about a female employees work after she rejected her advances.

She goes on to say she "redrafted and redrafted" the letter, during which the HR department tried to stop her twice, and members of higher management told her that if she did finish the letter her position in the company would be in jeopardy and that her future prospects at other companies would be jeopardised as she might be seen as "a trouble maker" .

Kim has posted her video as despite the accusation of harassment dating back to 2015 and her letter in 2018, Rocksteady only took steps three days ago. "It's only took a phone calls to understand this behaviour is still happening," says Kim

Rocksteady, I am formerly asking you to take me name off of your game, I do not want to be associated with your game, I do not want to be associated with your company, my entire memory of being in your company as one of your only senior females is trying to protect the women in your company while you allowed them to be continually assaulted, abused, and harassed. The whole time, the whole time, you were protecting the people that were doing it.

Source: YouTube

Baldur's Gate 3 will head into PC and Stadia Early Access in September

Baldur's Gate 3 will be entering Early Access for PC and Google Stadia on 30th September, Larian studio have announced at their The Panel From Hell livestream. The 90 minute stream also showcased some new parts of the game, fresh narrative details, and dove into what players can expect when they can get their hands on this earliest section for themselves.

Originally announced for an August release, Larian were always quite tentative about being able to meet that release date, citing the impact of COVID-19 and the scale of their ambitions. That turned out to be quite wise, helping to set expectations.

The panel opened with a stunning CGI intro that shows the start of your journey in Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. This location featured in the Descent Into Avernus module for D&D, seeing the city of Elturel almost dragged into hell, and this event shapes the events of Baldur's Gate 3.

You start captive aboard the nautiloid, but break free and seek to gain control of it, presenting you with a moral choice when addressed by an exposed brain in a corpse. What is it, and will you… free the brain that's talking to you?

While classes and races available in the Early Access release will be confirmed closer to release, Larain did reveal the five initial Origin Characters: Astarion (Elf/Vampire Rogue), Gale (Human Wizard), Lae'zel (Githyanki Warrior), Shadowheart (Half-Elf Cleric) and Wyll (Human Warlock). These will all give you different permutations in encounters and dialogues, with the game flowing around your choices.

While the game is heading into Early Access, the scope is going to be huge in comparison to that of Divinity: Original Sin 2's Early Access. Creative Director Swen Vincke outlined the much wider scope through four stats:

  • Number of combat situations: 22 in DOS2 EA vs 80 in BG3 EA
  • Number of dialogue lines in English: 17.600 in DOS2 EA vs. 45.980 in BG3 EA
  • Number of characters: 142 in DOS2 EA vs. 596 in BG3 EA
  • Number of spells/actions: 69 in DOS2 EA vs. 146 in BG3 EA

While they missed their original August target, it's clear to see that Larian have not been resting on their laurels with Baldur's Gate 3, which is already sounding pretty darned epic. We look forward to seeing the game in action and more details as that 30th September date approaches.

Source: Larian

FIFA 20 title update #21 is out, patch notes here

EA have released a new patch for FIFA 20 and it is.. tiny. It is out now on PC and consoles, here are the full patch notes.

Hey FIFA Fans,

The latest Title Update for FIFA 20 is now available on PC & console and includes the change below.

FUT:

Addressed the following issue:

  • When searching for Player Items with the Defender/Midfielder/Forward modifier, the Special Quality Filter would display unselected Item rarities.
  • Removed an unused tab in the Special Quality filter which appeared in some languages.

We are aware certain clothing items cannot be saved to your Avatar in VOLTA FOOTBALL and are working on addressing the issue through a future release update.

Thanks to those who've provided feedback. Throughout the course of the FIFA 20 season, we'll provide you with more information and updates if and when they become available. Be sure to follow @EAFIFADIRECT on Twitter for the latest news and updates.

– The FIFA Team

Looking ahead, EA have revealed a bunch of new features coming to FIFA 21's career mode in the latest trailer for the game. With more flexibility with match simming, improved training, new transfer options and more, it's looking like a decent update on one of the series' main game modes.

The Interactive Match Sim allows you to simulate a match in the career, but keep an eye on how things are progressing from a simplistic mini-map. At any time, you can hop in and have the game load up the full 3D engine and start playing, letting you pull off a late game comeback if the sim wasn't going quite as you'd planned.

As a manager, you'll have more hands on opportunities to shape the players your in charge of. New position training lets you switch a player's specialty position to another, while development plans can let you focus a squad's growth to match an overall style of play. There's also tweaks for transfers, with Loan to Buy offers and AI managers able to propose player swaps to you.

Getting ready for an individual match, you'll get to see your squad's performance levels with the new 'match sharpness' attribute. That can be trained up in a new Active Training System, and can help strikers score goals or defenders make those clutch tackles that require them to be at their best.

Meanwhile, you'll hopefully notice the enhanced opposition AI, geared up to be a bit more intelligent in both defence and attack.

It definitely feels like EA are cribbing from Football Manager's homework for FIFA 21, but that can only be a good thing for diehard FIFA fans, considering the depth and simulation on offer in Sports Interactives' series.

FIFA 21 will be out for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 9th, with free upgrades to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X via EA's homegrown Dual Entitlement scheme. This will allow free upgrades to take place from the launch of the next-gen consoles up until the release of FIFA 22 next year.

Source: EA

SWORD ART ONLINE: Alicization Lycoris Review

The first, and lasting, impression that SWORD ART ONLINE: Alicization Lycoris gives is anime, and plenty of it. All of the well-trodden tropes are present here. Blue-haired swordsman protagonist? Check. Fast-paced and heavily over-cut intro? Check. Inexplicable amnesia? Check. Anime waifu goodness? Check, check and check. 

This also means, however, it suffers a couple of the pitfalls too.

After the soft opening, in which you're thrown into a battle with the first of many waif characters liberally spread throughout, the narrative kicks off properly, with our milquetoast protagonist, Kirito awakening in a forest with no memory of how he got there. He does remember that he is in a video game world, which is the universe of the franchise, but little more than that.

In this compromising position, he is discovered by Eugeo, a character so alike him in appearance that I find it hard to believe that he isn't simply a palette swap. They appear to have some sort of shared experience as children in this world, but it's not made clear if these memories are real. Then, swords in hand, they embark upon one of the dullest prologues in gaming history.

The game genuinely becomes better after Chapter 1, but getting to that involves trudging through the Sword Mastery Academy segment. I understand, to an extent, why this needed to exist – it serves as a huge exposition dump about the world and tutorial for the combat system – but the narrative and gameplay in this entire chapter (around 15 hours) is a slog to endure.

The segment is written as a kind of commentary on class divide, but the writing itself is so hackneyed that it results 90% of the characters being distinctly unlikeable and the remainder are so flat it's hard to care about them. Worse is that there's very little actual gameplay here to break up the monotony outside of a couple of hunts for an enemy or training sessions.

Even on these occasions, the moment-to-moment combat is clunky and slow, which is completely at odds with the dynamic visuals. This eases up once you unlock a few more abilities and weapons later in the game, but doesn't excuse the frustration of having to go so long with such a dull combat system for so little gain.

The combat, even once evolved a little, isn't without problems. The lock-on in SWORD ART ONLINE: Altruistic Lemurs is temperamental, occasionally throwing your attacks in the wrong direction or refusing to lock-on to other enemies in a group. The party commands have to be set up again at the beginning of every encounter, otherwise your party just do nothing to help out. The clash system is a quick-time event mess that works… sometimes, I guess?

If you're a junkie for menus, this game has you sorted. There are so many menus in this game, with every one giving short and sweet instruction on using them effectively. The same could be said for the new systems that SWORD ART ONLINE: Acrobatic Lasers never ceases throwing at you. It is a testament to the game that this never quite falls into overloading the player.

As another positive, this game is (mostly) a gorgeous experience. The world is beautifully realised, and the characters are reasonably well-designed, with special attention paid to the female characters (of course). The 2D visual novel style cut scenes are beautiful, which is more than can be said for the poorly synchronised 3D cut scenes, though all the visual and aural effects are great.

Also, if you do manage to get through the opening, you are then able to customise Kirito and engage in the online co-op multiplayer. This improves the game a lot more than it should, and it's bordering on a criminal act that the option comes so late in the game.

Playing on PlayStation 4, the frame rate tanks at the slightest provocation. Even something as banal as rotating the camera while exploring the overworld causes the game to become practically stop motion. Adding to this is the egregious pop-in, with occasions where the quest marker above a character spawns in significantly before the character appears. Game updates are promised for September to try and fix this.

Sticking with the game itself as a whole, I can't say I am a fan of there being an online store right on the title screen either. It doesn't really feel like something that should exist in a full-priced mostly single-player experience, but here we are.

My final impression of SWORD ART ONLINE: Angry Librarians is one of frustration. I can genuinely see a good game here, but the overall choppiness of the experience in every single facet of it holds it back from greatness. The great things it does are either few and far between or take far too long to get to. Also, the name of this game is stupid, and I play anime fighting games.

Microsoft Flight Simulator and the simple joy of flying over your own home

Microsoft Flight Simulator is remarkable. A recreation of the entire world that you can explore at your leisure, whether you want to put on a faux-airliner captain's hat and take on some intercontinental flights, or just hop in a prop plane while wearing your pyjamas. As you will have seen over the last year or so, it can look absolutely stunning.

While we technically had access to the game over the weekend prior to today's release, we found it impossible to review. I mean, Dom could tell you about the torturous install process, with the initial app download followed by a further in-game install of over 90GB that is torturous in duration thanks to each file being downloaded and then decompressed in sequence, stretching out the install far further than speedy internet connections would otherwise be able to handle. He could also tell you about the lovely splash screens for Xbox Game Studios and Asobo before the game crashes. Then there are the joys of going through numerous troubleshooting steps, restarting his PC time and again, of reinstalling drivers and core runtimes – the joys of PC gaming. Let's assume that the process will be much more concise and trouble-free when Microsoft Flight Simulator comes to Xbox.

I've personally had much better luck, installing the game as a troubleshooting guinea pig and giving it a quick go for half an hour. I don't have a flight stick though, and certainly not the kind of set up with rudder pedals and a two-handed yoke that I got to briefly try at last year's XO19. So instead I plugged in an Xbox One controller and just loaded into the game.

Where do I want to fly when I have the whole world at my fingertips, though? Well… as I'm sure literally every computer-literate person did when Google Earth first appeared, I decided to fly over my home, taking off from Gatwick Airport and taking a sharp turn south toward Shoreham, Brighton and the coast.

I've not really touched flight simulators before, my airborne escapades typically taking place in a fighter jet or… X-Wing. So perhaps the first surprise for me was just how involved flying actually is. Admittedly, I totally skipped any of the tutorials, so my trip was more like a passenger in a Hollywood action film stepping up to the plate when the pilot has been taken ill after having the fish for dinner, diving into the menus and checking controls, getting constantly beeped at and warned about flying too high, too low, too fast, too slow, too steep, too level. The only thing my plane seemed happy about was that it was slowly drifting on the wind to face west, forcing me to right my course every few minutes. For a supremely chilled out and relaxed concept, there's a lot to do.

Playing on an Xbox One controller, it's just a bit fiddly, with the game really wanting to have small and subtle inputs for those corrections that would be best done on a larger joystick, instead of on the edges of the dead zone of a little analogue stick. It's still enjoyable though, once you've been taught or given up and looked up exactly what does what. A little extra refinement and the game could live quite happily on Xbox One.

Well, maybe with some extreme optimisation, because Microsoft Flight Simulator is a bit of a resource hog if you want it to look its best. On the whole, my Ryzen 3600 and Vega 56 combo can take it in its stride at 1080p, but loading times are long, even when installed to an SSD, and there can be some noticeable hitches, whether that's down to my computer or the way the game loads in data from the internet. It feels like there will be some wizardry required for Asobo to scale this all the way back down to the base Xbox One with half decent performance.

We've all seen the game looking at its absolute best in trailers and screenshots, with stunning rain and lightning when flying through a storm, gorgeous recreations of some of the most iconic airports around the world. You soon discover that this has been built on top of a world that is decidedly flight sim-y. The AI world generation that's been applied to satellite and flyover imagery is incredible, figuring out where roads go, which parts of the world to cover in trees, and filling in cities with little buildings and houses.

At a distance, it's incredibly effective, but it's clear that there's still work to be done to refine this process, and a human touch is almost certainly needed in more places. As soon as you reach somewhere that you're familiar with or look a little more closely, you'll spot the generic buildings that are dropped in, turning terraces into detached houses in some places, blocks of flats in others, creating the feeling of flying over Cities: Skylines, where the roads have been laid, and then AI citizens and housing developers have bought plots of land and built the city afresh. This is part of the compromise of designing the game with a global perspective, but it's still a slight shame that there aren't more local landmarks like Brighton Pavilion that have made the cut. While some London landmarks have been captured, even Buckingham Palace has been reduced to being a boring old office block, unless you buy a DLC pack from Orbx, available via an in-game store.

Buckingham Block of Flats

I don't think that undercuts what Microsoft Flight Simulator offers though, and it brings me back to that early sense of wonder that Google Earth provided in the mid-2000s. Sure, that was free, and Flight Simulator comes with a $60 ticket price for the standard edition, and a decade ago that would have kept this as a niche product geared toward those flight sim diehards. Game Pass and the mixture of first-month discounts and discount price for the PC-only Game Pass brings this much closer to free, so that more people will consider just trying it out and exploring the world.

I think that's a fantastic option now, for anyone with a decently powerful PC, and in future when the game comes to Xbox. I doubt I'll ever play it seriously enough to buy a flight stick, but it could just be an occasional haven where I can just go and visit some of the many cities around the world that feel so much more distant in 2020.

Before I get to that, I'm off to try and find where my parents live… in the dark.

Unboxing the sleek Death end re;Quest 2 Limited Edition

I was blown away by Death end re;Quest 2 when I reviewed it a little earlier this month. The horror-inspired JRPG has a lot of unique ideas and addictive gameplay, but it also has sharp character designs and an incredible soundtrack. When I come across a game like this that sticks with me long after I've played it, I can't help but want some physical merchandise of it to display on my shelves. If you've got similar feelings about the eerie world of Death end re;Quest 2, then Idea Factory International has you covered with their upcoming Limited Edition release of the game.

Idea Factory International has been putting together some beautiful collector's boxes for their last few Limited Edition releases, and the one for Death end re;Quest 2 is no exception. The front of the box features a beautiful illustration of the main characters that also serves as the reverse cover art for the standard edition of the game. It's a beautiful piece of art, and as you'll see with the rest of the contents of the Limited Edition – they get plenty of use out of it. The box also features the sharp logo for the game on the sides, as well as a really cool emblem on the back of it.

As nice as the box that all of these goodies come in is, though, the goodies themselves are the stars of the show. I'm especially fond of the Steelbook case for the game, which features some gorgeous holographic printing on both sides. The layout of the Steelbook and the emblem printed on the back actually mirror the design of the Steelbook for the first game, which I thought was a nice touch. That illustration featured on the front of the collector's box is also the cover of the Steelbook, as well as the art featured on the pack-in collectible card.

If you want even more art to appreciate, there's a wonderful miniature art-book featured in the Limited Edition release of Death end re;Quest 2 as well. This 64-page book includes a wonderful sampler of all the art you could want out of a compiled book like this. There's environmental concept art, package illustration designs, character profiles, and even some event CGs. My favorite thing to peruse in art books is always character concept art, and thankfully there's a section of the book dedicated to just that.

This isn't the only book that comes with the Limited Edition, though. There's also Death end re;Quest 1.5, a 48 page novel that helps bridge the gap between the first and second games. The mystery of how these two seemingly unrelated stories tie into each other is a big part of Death end re;Quest 2, so it's probably best not to read this novel until you finish the game. It's so rare to see something like this translated and released as a bonus for the western audience, so I'm really happy Idea Factory International decided to include it.

The other unique item included with the Limited Edition of Death End re;Quest 2 is actually so big it wasn't even included inside the collector's box at all. It's a full-sized black messenger bag with unique art of the four protagonists of the game printed across the front. As much as I love repping my anime game pride, I don't often bust out bags with full art like this on them. Thankfully, if you're someone who decides they want a more discreet bag to bring to work or school, the flap with art printed on it can be removed by a velcro strap, leaving behind a simple black messenger bag with plenty of storage space.

The Limited Edition of Death End re;Quest 2 from Idea Factory International is no basic cash-in or bare minimum release. It's a passion-fueled collection of unique physical goods that any fan of the series or first-time player can appreciate. The standard stuff like your Steelbook case and game soundtrack are welcome additions, but the inclusion of things like a fully-translated light novel and a deluxe messenger bag set this apart as one of the most interesting and worthwhile collector's editions I've seen all year.

Xbox Game Pass update adds Microsoft Flight Simulator and Spiritfarer, Resident Evil 7 coming soon

Microsoft has confirmed the games that will be added to Xbox Game Pass on both PC and console over the next few weeks, with the first big addition landing today. Microsoft Flight Simulator is available now through Xbox Game Pass on PC along with Spiritfarer, which is also available on Xbox One. Then on August 20th Battletoads will hop onto both PC and Xbox One through the service, as will Don't Starve: Giant Edition. Crossing Souls and Darksiders Genesis will be available on Xbox Game Pass PC on the same day. New Super Lucky's Tale joins the service on August 21st.

That is half the list. Hypnospace Outlaw joins the line up on both PC and console on August 27th, as does Tell Me Why: Chapter One. Then on August 28th Wasteland 3 and Double Kick Heroes will be added. On September 1st PC subscribers will be able to access Crusader Kings III, and then on September 3rd both Xbox One and PC subscribers will get Resident Evil 7 Biohazard as a choice. The next few weeks are pretty stacked for Xbox Game Pass subscribers then. As games join others leave and the list of leavers is below.

Leaving August 31

  • Creature in the Well (Console & PC)
  • Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams – Director's Cut (Console)
  • Metal Gears Solid 2 & 3 HD (Console)
  • Metro: Last Light Redux (Console)
  • The Jackbox Party Pack 3 (Console)

Leaving September 1

  • NBA 2K20 (Console)

Leaving September 7

  • Red Dead Redemption 2 (Console)

In our review for Spiritfarer, Miquel wrote:

"Spiritfarer has a soft, caring, bittersweet tone that I've rarely encountered in video games. For a game all about death and dying, I only ever felt calm and relaxed when playing it. The management gameplay is varied and engaging, and even though the scope if it leads to the game getting a bit too long in the tooth, it helps connect the incredibly emotional story beats together so well. Mix that up with its beautiful art style and enchanting music, and you've got one of the most emotional management games I've ever played."
You can read the full Spiritfarer review here.

Source: Microsoft

Hyper Scape adds a timed limited Faction War mode

Ubisoft's battle royale title, Hyper Scape, is getting a new timed limited mode called Faction War. 96 players, in teams of three, will be split in to four factions, the last faction with players on the map wins.

You can grab Hyper Scape from the download links below.

Hyper Scape Season One introduces cross progression so it does not matter which platform you play everything you unlock will carry over. While cross play is not yet available in Hyper Scape, Ubisoft has confirmed and it will be optional. Hyper Scape season one also adds a new weapon and that is the Dragonfly. The weapon is described as a silenced, semi-automatic precision rifle, and that means the number of weapons has gone up to 11. The Magnet hack has also been added which traps enemies if they get near it. A player reporting tool will allow players to report others in their own squad if they are cheating or breaking other rules of Hyper Scape.

Season one of Hyper Scape brings with it 100 tier battle pass with both free and premium content available, with all that being cosmetic only. A shop is also being added so players can buy cosmetics from there, including items that were in the original beta. New memory shards will appear in matches to which will give more insight in to the lore of Hyper Scape. When it comes to the streaming side of things Twitch streamers will be able to vote on nine different event cards that can change the environment of a match, while the newly introduced Kudos system that will trigger different visuals such as a thumbs up. Finally, Streamers will be able to anonymise their names so other players don't know who they are.

Source: YouTube

Rocksteady face sexual harassment accusations ahead of the reveal of Suicide Squad

The Guardian has reported that more than half the women employed at London based Batman developer Rocksteady Studios signed a letter "accusing the studio of failing to prevent sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour in the office." The letter was sent two years ago and resulted in a one hour training session for staff, it is reported that multiple signatories of the letter left the company due to inaction by the management.

The letter, dated November 2018 and signed by 10 of the company's 16 female staff at the time, raised complaints about behaviour including "slurs regarding the transgendered community" and "discussing a woman in a derogatory or sexual manner with other colleagues", and sexual harassment "in the form of unwanted advances, leering at parts of a woman's body, and inappropriate comments in the office".

Rocksteady have well over 200 staff, with only 16 female employees they were clearly in the minority. The person who contacted the Guardian, encouraged by the changes going on at Ubisoft, pointed out that the developers "dismissive attitude towards women" could clearly be seen in it's games.

"Rocksteady doesn't have the best reputation for representing women," she said, citing the highly sexualised design and costuming of  Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. "Sometimes you could see the surprise on their face when you said that's not how women dress."

Last last year someone swapped the character models of Batman and Catwoman and you can see just how over stylised the female character is.

After the Guardian contacted Rocksteady "management called an all-staff meeting where they discussed the letter for the first time. New initiatives were promised to prevent further discrimination, the Guardian understands."

Up to that point it is claimed the letter was kept secret "because staff members feared that if they left on bad terms they would be denied credit on the company's upcoming game, an adaptation of DC Comics' Suicide Squad."

Rocksteady gave The Guardian the following statement.

From day one at Rocksteady Studios, we set out to create a place where people are looked after, a place fundamentally built on respect and inclusion.

In 2018 we received a letter from some of our female employees expressing concerns they had at that time, and we immediately took firm measures to address the matters that were raised. Over the subsequent two years we have carefully listened to and learned from our employees, working to ensure every person on the team feels supported. In 2020 we are more passionate than ever to continue to develop our inclusive culture, and we are determined to stand up for all of our staff.

Suicide Squad is set to be revealed at DC Fandome on August 23rd at 01.00hrs BST. It will be interesting to see how the female characters in that game are portrayed.

Source: The Guardian

Spiritfarer Review

From the very first minute, Spiritfarer makes its serene and welcoming atmosphere known. Sure, you're cruising down the River Styx and being confronted by the ferryman Charon, but instead of the dark and foreboding locale you might expect, with Charon being a sinister spirit, this is a colourful Ghibli-esque world.

The River Styx is a gorgeous melody of blue waters and gorgeous greens. Charon is big, but certainly not bad, as the ancient ferryman is simply a tired soul preparing to finally pass on to the final stages of the afterlife. He's passing his grandiose responsibilities as spiritual ferryman to the lost souls of the world on to Stella, an unassuming little human who serves as your window into the equally sweet and solemn world of Spiritfarer.

As the newly appointed ferryman, Stella (and her fluffy cat Daffodil, who was also granted the spiritual powers of Charon) must assemble their own sea-faring vessel to serve as a temporary home to the various spirits they'll encounter and recruit during their time as spirit farers. This translates to a healthy amount of management-style gameplay not unlike something like Stardew Valley or Story of Seasons. You've got gardens to tend, fabric to thread, houses to build, ore to mine, and even mouths to feed as you begin bringing spirits aboard your ship.

While life-simulation games are usually laid-back and cheery affairs, the time limit that these micro-management elements put on you can usually be a little stressful or nerve-wracking. Spiritfarer eliminates all of these sweat-inducing road-blocks, though. Crops can't go bad and there isn't any sort of stamina meter or time-limit forcing you to stop playing. If you want to play music to your carrots or cook delicious apple pies long after the sun goes down, nothing is going to stop you.

The only thing that the curtain of the night puts a halt to is your ability to sail the spiritual seas, which is how you make most of your progress in Spiritfarer. As you across the unmapped regions of the game, you'll come across new towns, settlements, and islands to dock at and explore. Almost every inhabitant of these little pockets of civilisation is an identical block-shaped buddy with a silky cloak draped over their entire body. Imagine a Shy Guy that's swallowed a PS4, and you're there. Some of these four-cornered friends have a whispy aura hovering above them in the shape of something else. Speak to them and develop enough trust with the wayward spirit, and they'll join your ship, transforming into their true form.

One might reveal themself to be a meek little anthropomorphic snake in a robe, while another might be an armadillo with an adorable church hat. All of these spirits were once human, but in the in-between-world of Spiritfarer their physical forms are a variety of adorably designed animals. It was always a delight to see what kind of creature each spiritual companion would reveal themselves to be.

There's a minor overarching story throughout Spiritfarer concerning the newly appointed ferrymen Stella and Daffodil, but most of the game's narrative meat revolves around the journeys of each of your spiritual companions. As you meet and bond with them, they'll reveal more of their backstory to you and open up further as they begin to come to terms with their own death. Eventually, you'll need to bring them to The Everdoor, allowing them to pass on to the great beyond once they've fully come to terms with the end of their life.

So many games focus on the grimness of death, or use it as a shocking twist or plot device. For a game that is about nothing but death and dying and the afterlife, Spiritfarer never once adopts that kind of atmosphere. Instead, the tone of Spiritfarer is more like that of a loving family member resting their hand on your shoulder as they explain a loved one's passing to you. It hurts to know these people are gone, and it can be sad to think about that, but in working through these things slowly and softly, Spiritfarer develops a message about comfortably embracing the inevitability of death. It's a message that anyone can be touched by.

You would expect an intimate experience like this to be a brief, story-driven game, but Spiritfarer is dozens of hours long. That surprisingly lengthy run-time is certainly kept interesting by the variety of activities in the game. The way you engage with each activity on your ship is different, going beyond just mashing the A button until a task is completed. There's also a steady and satisfying sense of progression as you map more of the world and greatly expand your ship. The presentation of the game also does wonders to keep you engaged, as the gorgeous and colourful hand-drawn art of the world mixes with silky smooth animation and calming music perfectly.

Still, for as rewarding and enjoyable as the gameplay is, I can't help but feel like the unique and emotional narrative elements of the game are the star of the show. A version of this game with less of a focus on upgrades and management could have a shorter runtime and help those story beats land even harder.

Spiritfarer has a soft, caring, bittersweet tone that I've rarely encountered in video games. For a game all about death and dying, I only ever felt calm and relaxed when playing it. The management gameplay is varied and engaging, and even though the scope if it leads to the game getting a bit too long in the tooth, it helps connect the incredibly emotional story beats together so well. Mix that up with its beautiful art style and enchanting music, and you've got one of the most emotional management games I've ever played.

Untitled Goose Game is getting a free co-op update in September

What's better (or more mischievous) than one goose? Two geese! House House and Panic have announced that Untitled Goose Game will be receiving a free two-player update next month on 23rd September.

Further to this announcement, the game will be coming to more storefronts, with Steam and Itch releases on 23rd September, and a physical release of the game for Nintendo Switch. The game is already out for Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One, and for PC and Mac via the Epic Games Store.

Untitled Goose Game was one of the indie hits of last year, racking up over 1 million sales in its first few months on sale. It spawned a bunch of memes and saw geese appearing at The Game Awards, among other memeable places.

The Goose was also one of the few gaming characters to reveal their political allegiance and urged gamers to vote Labour during the 2019 general election. Unfortunately, despite his popularity the Goose's powers were still limited when it comes to politics.

"At the end of the day – the long hard day of being a naughty little goose – Untitled Goose Game is something truly unique and special," we said in out 9/10 review. "It's a beautifully clean and simple puzzle game which will have you howling with delight, both when you play it through for the first time, and when you pass the controller to your partner saying, "You absolutely need to play this game where you're a naughty little goose…"

At the time, we pondered whether or not House House would see fit to spin the game into a series with a sequel, though they would still have had the headache of being the creators of a game with no name, and the added problem of deciding whether to not have a number, or if they should not have a colon and subtitle. It seems that, for now, they've just decided to not have a sequel at all, with the co-op mode sure to allow more people to enjoy the game and its dastardly goose shenanigans than ever before.

Source: Twitter

PlayStation 5 launch exclusive Deathloop delayed until early 2021

Bethesda have announced the delay of Deathloop from Holiday 2020 alongside the PlayStation 5, for which it is a timed console exclusive, to Q2 2021.

The delay follows in the footsteps off another big next-gen launch title, Halo Infinite, with Bethesda also citing the need to polish their game further (Arkane's games often lean on more emergent gameplay which can be difficult to polish and refine) and the challenge of working remotely to keep employees safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The decision is a bit of a blow for Sony, who had secured Deathloop as a timed console exclusive for PlayStation 5, and would surely have been eager to tout it alongside whatever first party games they are able to release, such as Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

The game is set on the island of Blackreef, with protagonist Colt trapped here in a mysterious Groundhog Day-style timeloop. Instead of trying to find love, he's trying to take out eight targets across Blackreef before midnight. It seems simple enough except Blackreef has its own guard, Julianna and she enjoys killing Colt over and over again.

Colt appears to have various abilities including the Blink ability from the Dishonored games allowing him to teleport around Blackreef. Another ability allows him to flick enemies away, including out of windows. Players will have to learn the patterns of Blackreef and discover different paths to work out how to best move forward. There will be a lot of dying but each death will bring knowledge.

Deathloop does mix the singleplayer and multiplayer. While players experience the story of Colt others can take control of Julianna to hunt Colt through Blackreef and stop his progress. It is an optional choice as players can keep it so Julianna remains AI controlled instead of player controlled.

Deathloop will now be coming to PlayStation 5 and PC in Q2 2021. Any time-restricted release on other platforms, such as Xbox Series X, will likely also have been delayed.

Source: Twitter

First Elite Dangerous: Odyssey dev diary shows planetary exploration with boots on the ground

Frontier Developments have revealed more of the huge step forward that Elite Dangerous is going to take next year with the release of Elite Dangerous: Odyssey. For the first time you'll be able to step out of your space-faring vehicles and set foot on the landscapes of the millions of planets in the game's recreation of the Milky Way.

This is the first dev diary that Frontier will be releasing in the run up to the expansion's release, with Game Director Piers Jackson leading the explanation of what they're trying to achieve.

Odyssey will bring with it newly enhanced rock and ice planets. Rocky planets will now be covered in more realistic canyons, ridges and barren seas, while ice planets bring with them the risk of cryovulcanism. However, across the board, your interactions with planets will be transformed.

Planets will be able to have light atmospheres, tapping into data that Frontier already had for each planet and now presenting it to players. They will also be able to play host to buildings and settlements that are on a "human scale" compared to the scope and size of the planetary bodies that they're built upon.

There will be new flora, which has all been designed to be a blend of recognisable to us as plants, and seem plausible while remaining alien. A new sampling tool will let you extract genetic data that can then be traded for rewards at starports. Sounds just a little bit No Man's Sky, in my opinion, but these days that's no bad thing!

But the real focus is in letting you truly appreciate the scale of the first time. They want to capture the "Neil Armstrong moment" of stepping outside of your space ship for the first time, beholding just how big your craft is, and feel the cold void of space through hearing the breathing of your character in their space suit.

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey arrives early 2021 for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Source: YouTube

Hands on Transformers: Battlegrounds – a turn-based strategy for Transformers fans of all ages

When the trailer for Transformers: Battlegrounds dropped,  it showed a game that was remarkably different to previous titles. Instead of an action game, the robots in disguise were instead dressed up in what looked like a turn based strategy game. It turns out that's exactly what it is.

It's an interesting choice and combination. The designs of the robots are lifted from the current Cyberverse cartoon which is clearly aimed at kids, but the tactical strategy genre is typically more suited a more mature audience. The developers, Coatsink, wanted to do something new with the Transformers license and took inspiration from Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, which they saw was very popular with a younger audience despite it being a more thoughtful, slower game.

You play as the last human in the deserted Central City and are recruited by the Autobots' AI, Teletraan X, to help the six remaining heroic Autobots thrash the pants off the evil Decepticons. You begin with just Bumblebee, but pick up Arcee, Optimus and others along the way, and will be facing off against six Decepticons. They act as boss and mini boss characters, with Seeker drone clones there for cannon fodder. The battles rage across four chapters, each with a number of episodes, culminating in a return to Cybertron as Megatron closes in the All Spark, the Transformers series' default MacGuffin.

One thing the developers Coatsink have definitely got right is the characterisation, the cast of the cartoon are voicing their respective characters and there are short cut scenes between battles which look just like cartoon. It's a friendly and inviting art style that will definitely appeal to younger players.

The play area is split in to a square grid and each Autobot gets a number of action points per turn to spend. These can be used to move to a new position, find cover, or attack the enemy using standard blasters, or a special attack which uses a lot more points. These special abilities include Optimus targeting a Deception, jumping to his position, picking him up and throwing him back to where Optimus was previously standing, while Grimlock can breathe fire across a large area, damaging all the Decepticons at once. Tranforming occurs automatically, so if you character has a large distance to cover they will switch to vehicle mode.

Unfortunately I only had a very brief time playing the game, but could still see some of the depth within the gameplay. As well as finding cover there are crates of Energon scattered across the play area, which lend your Autobot if you stand near them. The Decepticon drones will also heal other enemies and team up, so you really do need to get rid of them first before attacking the major Decepticons.

I was playing on PC, but the simple controls should map well to consoles as there are only a few buttons to select attacks or change characters. You can also zoom around the battlefield to plan ahead, since there is no 'fog of war' restricting your view. There are a number of difficulty levels, the easiest of which will allow younger players see the story, but I'm told the harder levels will really test the most seasoned tactical player. The game also has local co-op so you can team up with chums and play across generations of Transformers fan.

All in all, the game is coming together quite nicely, taking the franchise to a genre that it's never really visited before. The cartoon art style will appeal to the younger generation, while the gameplay should reach older fans who've rinsed everything they can out of XCOM. Through there's a Transformers story and characters that all fans of robots in disguise should enjoy.

Transformers: Battlegrounds is coming this October, for PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC.

Apex Legends' new character Rampart is British Indian, so why doesn't she sound British?

Representation is important. Having characters from different backgrounds allows all of us to experience things from different points of view. Whether that is playing as someone like Arthur from Red Dead Redemption 2, Franklin from Grand Theft Auto V, or in the latest case someone like Rampart who has joined the Apex Legends roster with today's launch of Season 6 – Boosted.

Ramya 'Rampart' Parekh is described as a 21-year-old British Indian business owner, which is great. There are few representations of Indians in gaming and even fewer of those are women, so attempts at increasing how inclusive games are with characters such as this are always good to see. However, that representation also has to be accurate.

Skip ahead to the 55 second mark in her introduction trailer, or any of the videos that feature her, and you can hear how Rampart sounds. Despite being British Indian, she has the same kind of accent found in Bollywood movies when Indian characters speak English. Coming from a British Indian background myself, I can tell you without a doubt any Indian person born in Britain does not have an Indian accent, making Rampart sound like a poorly researched and considered caricature, regardless of the intent.

Since Rampart was first revealed, we've regularly reached out to EA for comment and clarification over the creative process, but are still waiting for a meaningful response at the time of publishing.

Accents are quite pure in depending on where you were born and where you live. My accent is of someone born in South East England, but British Indian people who grew up in Birmingham will have a Brummie accent. Of course, Rampart could be British Indian through getting citizenship after moving to the UK from India, but then why emphasise that she is British Indian in the first place? And what's the point of such a distinction when this is a science fiction universe in the far future and her Home World is listed as Gaea. Surely that would make her a Gaean Indian?

British Indian culture is different to Indian culture in some ways. After all, we British Indians are heavily aware of our Indian heritage and all of what comes with it, but we do not live in India so it is impossible to be fully immersed in that culture all of the time. That comes from growing up in two different cultures: Indian and British. Even within that there will be differences as Indians are not one giant mass of people who share the same cultural beliefs, religions, or languages. Growing up in a Sikh Punjabi British Indian family will have slight differences to growing up in a Hindu Gujarat British Indian family, not to mention the regional differences across Britain also impacting that identity.

Rampart is voiced by Anjali Bhimani, the same actor who voices the Indian character Symmetra in Overwatch. She voices the character very well in the game, and it's likely that this was part of what led to her casting as Rampart in Apex Legends. Of course, none of this mischaracterisation should be blamed on Anjali, especially as we don't know the character's evolution through the creative process. For all we know the original character sheet described Rampart as Indian and the change to British Indian could have come after the recordings were done.

I don't believe that this would come from a place of malice from Respawn, but labelling someone as British Indian and giving them stereotypical Indian accent is ignorance at best, and creating a caricature at worst. There probably aren't many British Indians in California to consult about this issue. However, we are at time when representations of race and treatment of minorities is a major social point. Movements like Black Lives Matter prove that society in general is not perfect and there are issues that need addressing. For EA and Respawn, companies that have spoken in support of BLM, to then stumble on another issue of representation shows that the industry still has a long way to go.

We eagerly await Respawn's response to our requests for comment.

Ghost of Tsushima art book goes on sale next month

Ghost of Tsushima is hands down one of the most gorgeous games of 2020, splicing samurai cinema with stunning natural backdrops.

Next month, Dark Horse Comics will launch The Art of Ghost of Tsushima – a 200 page showcase laying bear the inspirations behind Sony's latest PlayStation exclusive.

Available from September 3rd, the book will be available digitally with a hardcover edition also on sale, complete with fancy slipcase. Amazon UK currently have The Art of Ghost of Tsushima on pre-order for £34.02. Here's the official blurb direct from Dark Horse themselves:

Step into the role of Tsushima Island's last samurai through a vivid showcase of detail in a vast and exotic locale, featuring elegant illustrations of dynamic characters, spirited landscapes, and diagrams of Samurai sword-fighting techniques. Inspired by traditional Japanese art, this gorgeously designed art book showcases every vivid detail of Ghost of Tsushima!

Ghost of Tsushima has been a major success for Sony and developer Sucker Punch, both critically and commercially. Sitting on an OpenCritic average of 85, it is now the fastest-selling PS4 original IP, even beating Horizon: Zero Dawn by selling 2.4 million copies in its first three days.

Yesterday, Suck Punch revealed Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, a surprise multiplayer mode coming later this year. Legends will be part of a free update that includes missions crafted for two players as well as a wave-based survival game type that accommodates four.

Source: Dark Horse Comics

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