As an extension to yesterday’s big Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves reveal, Bungie Community Manager “DeeJ” shares a few more details on how weapons and gear will be upgraded once the DLC lands on all platforms May 19.
Commendations, which have been with Guardians since the game’s The Dark Below update, were originally introduced as a way to extend the life of Destiny’s economy. However, most players either simply found earning them a little too time-consuming, or now simply have too many of them.
According to DeeJ, “they’re going away” in Destiny Update 1.2.0, which will launch with The House of Wolves DLC.
“You’ll no longer need them to acquire new weapons or gear,” he said. “If you have a bunch of them stockpiled, you can burn them for reputation. Gaining reputation will speed you toward your next promotion, thus earning you another reward package. To prosper and equip yourself with new stuff, just earn Marks!”
Though the Iron Banner PvP event was absent this week, it will return upon Destiny’s next activity reset, along with a piece of gear many of you might have been waiting for, DeeJ added in his update.
According to him, the studio held off because they “wanted some time to fully understand the impact that Update 1.1.2 would have on the Crucible.” If you missed it, you can read up on the entire list of changes Update 1.1.2 introduced to Destiny right here.
As a side note, Next Week’s Iron Banner will only be accessible from the main Director interface, not from the Crucible menu.
“Due to a navigation bug, the only way to access Iron Banner will be to select it from the main Director interface. Look to the left margin for the Featured activities. You won’t be able to select Iron Banner from your Crucible menu.”
Keep your sights on MP1st for more Destiny updates. Go here to have a look at some of the new gear and locations that were revealed yesterday.
UPDATE: Sledgehammer has updated fans on Twitter, saying that this weekend’s Double XP weekend event in Advanced Warfare will also including an increased chance to score Elite gear in Supply Drops.
Rainbow Six Siege tasks the world’s best counter terrorist units with dangerous hostage rescue missions and, just like real like, only one life to live.
Playable in the final game are 20 different Operators from 5 different counter terrorist units, each with their own unique strengths. Ubisoft’s latest trailer profiles the British Counter Terrorist Unit and explores the tactics it trains in and the abilities it employs while in combat.
According to the trailer, Operators like Smoke, Mute, Thatcher, and Sledge specialize in skills like rappelling, aerial attacks, gas attacks, and light armour. You can see the unit in action in the trailer above.
Rainbow Six Siege launches on PC and next-gen consoles later this year.
You can read our thoughts on the Rainbow Six Siege Closed Alpha that came and went earlier this month.
Battlefield Hardline developer Visceral Games has announced that the game’s first big patch will arrive on PC and all consoles by the end of this month, on April 28.
Three days ahead of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’s official global reveal this Sunday, April 26, Activision has released yet another teaser trailer, this time diving into what looks like the game’s potential setting and story.
Made up of both historical and fictional live-action footage, the teaser documents mankind’s experimentation with technology, implants, and cybernetics in between the year 1993 all the way up to the year 2065.
As the rumors have suggested, the trailer seems to indicate that Black Ops 3 will revolve heavily around the use of neural control, limb replacements and their application in civilian life and in the military. The very end of the trailer hints that enhanced player movement will once again play a role as a soldier with prosthetic arms and legs dashes up to the cameraman at blazing fast speeds, knocking him or her over.
The trailer does have a few notable ties to some of the previous teaser material that has been revealed thus far, including images of the recent Call of Duty Snapchats. A few locations that were clearly labeled in the footage include Ethiopia, Singapore, Cairo, and Zurich, are all also coordinates that were spotted in Black Ops 3’s first teaser trailer.
The new video also appears make references to Element 115, a possible link to Black Ops Zombies or a hint that the substance might have something to do with the game’s main story arch.
“Element 115”
“115”
The Unmarked Man Twitter handle, created specifically for Black Ops 3’s reveal, may have also been referenced with this image:
The Unmarked Man
“//:Bluebird” is also clearly referenced, but more on that in just a bit.
//: Bluebird
Interestingly, a mysterious new website called Courtoptic has also surfaced, which is the same brand of retinal implants advertised in the teaser trailer. The URL is http://www.courtoptic2055.com/, but within the site’s source code, you’ll find this password, once again referencing “Bluebird”:
Where it leads or what it unlocks is unclear. Historically, Bluebird the acronym for a CIA mind control program that surface in the early 1950’s from which additional programs like Artichoke and MK Ultra also stemmed. It’s suggested, as the trailer hints, that some form of mind control or memory manipulation will play a part in Black Ops 3’s story.
According to YouTuber MrRoflWaffles‘ conversation with TheUnmarkedMan on Twitter, Call of Duty fans will need the hints gathered from all of these teasers in the near future, including two mysterious Black Ops 3-related sound clips from SoundCloud user Jaxiplanet.
Finally — and this is pure speculation — it might be worth noting that both Black Ops 3 teasers thus far have had no signs of Xbox branding and were both advertised on the official PlayStation YouTube channel before Xbox One’s. Could this mean a shift in marketing focus from Xbox to PlayStation? It’s at least something to think about.
All — or at least much more — will be revealed this Sunday when Activision and Treyarch unveil Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 to audiences for the first time.
The very first work-in-progress build of Battlefield 4’s Community Map Project, announced back in February, is now available to test inside Battlefield 4’s Community Test Environment.
The layout, inspired by a jungle setting, is based on Concept C that was put up for vote earlier this month, and includes points of interest like a water fall, ghost town, and logging camp. The current build is very, very early, meaning only the map’s geometry is in place without any textures or other details.
The number of servers currently hosting the map is very limited, but luckily, Battlefield YouTube commentator Westie was able to get inside and take a look, which he ever so kindly recorded. Have a peek:
[youtube id=”Im5RXilt0AM”]
UPDATE: DICE LA Producer David Sirland shared a full-size image of the mini-map in its current state.
The design is not final, of course, and will be tweaked throughout its testing period, but being invited to test its progress as a community is a pretty cool way to get an inside look at the production of a Battlefield multiplayer map from the ground up.
Today, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare developer Sledgehammer Games is giving fans the opportunity to outfit their in operator with new gear.
“As a special thanks to our fans and to celebrate Earth Day, we are giving everyone that plays Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare today (from Wednesday, 4/22 at 9AM PDT to Thursday, 4/23 at 9AM PDT) the ATLAS Intel EXO as an exclusive reward just for playing,” developer Sledgehammer Games announced in a blog post today.
Additional Intel-themed gear is also now a permanent part of the assortment of items available in Advanced Warfare’s supply drops, so you can complete the full set by simply playing.
For those that missed it, Advanced Supply Drops are now available in the PlayStation 3 version of Advanced Warfare. These can be both purchased or earned and include rare weapons and items more commonly than regular Supply Drops. You can read more about it here.
Following the conclusion of Bungie’s recent live stream event, which offered a tour of new content coming to Destiny in the House of Wolves expansion, the game’s official website has been updated with new descriptions and images you’ll definitely want to check out.
Teasing the upcoming DLC, the site now contains new screens of some of the fancy new weapons and armor arriving with House of Wolves. Some are clearly inspired by the race of scavengers known in Destiny as the Fallen, while others are items you’ll earn through new activities like the Trials of Osiris or the Prison of Elders.
Here’s what the website was updated with:
“New weapons, armor, and gear to increase your Guardian’s power, including Fallen and Osiris-themed collections earned as top-tier rewards in new activities. New Activity rewards will enable Guardians to upgrade old favorites. Legendary and Exotic gear from Destiny, The Dark Below, and House of Wolves can be boosted to the current maximum Attack, Defense, and Light values.”
“The Guardians have grown strong, and now the Queen of the Awoken has called upon them to hunt down the House of Wolves, Fallen subjects once loyal to the Queen before their violent rebellion. Meet with the Queen’s emissaries at Vestian Outpost in the Reef. Hunt down their Fallen betrayers and earn great rewards.”
Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on May 19.
Broadcasting to audiences live through the power of the internet, Destiny developer Bungie shared a first look at The Reef, a brand new social space arriving with the House of Wolves expansion on May 19.
The presenters, including Bungie’s Christopher Barret, Creative Director, and David Dague, Community Manager, offered viewers a tour through the new space while visiting the expansion’s new vendors. There were also a ton of new details to catch on some of the upcoming PvE and PvP events, as well as the new ways Guardians will be upgrading their weapons and armor once the new DLC lands.
We recapped everything that was mentioned below, so get reading and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments.
The Reef
According to Bungie, The Reef will appear in rougher condition than The Tower with a darker and more dangerous atmosphere, which will also be reflected in the music. The area might hold a few secrets with additional areas that could potentially open up during special events, similar to The Tower.
All Guardians are welcome to the Reef, says Bungie. Even non-DLC owners. Those with the House of Wolves expansion will receive their first bounty upon setting foot in The Reef for the first time.
Some of the new vendors include:
Petra Venj, Queen’s Wrath – She will act as the main story agent, providing Guardians with new quests and bounties. These will differ from the bounties offered during the Queen’s Wrath event. Her inventory will be made up of new banners, shaders, and ships, including a new model called the Ceres Galliot.
Variks, the Loyal, House of Judgment – Variks will be the primary point of contact for the new 3-player Prison of Elders arena activity. He’ll sell Prison of Elder gear, class items, ships, and shaders.
Brother Vance, Disciple of Osiris – Acting as the emissary for the new Trials of Osiris PvP activity, Vance’s inventory will include trial rewards, trial supplies, and trials passages which are needed to gain entrance to the tournament. He’ll also sell consumable items that Bungie says will affect Trials of Osiris progression.
In addition to the new vendors, a new Bounty Tracker, Postmaster, and Chryptarch, will also be available in The Reef while the previous ones will remain in The Tower. The Vault will also be accessible in The Reef. Bungie revealed little on Xur, Agent of the Nine, other than mentioning he’ll likely continue to show up on Fridays, but can appear anywhere.
The Tower
While The Reef will be an exciting new place to visit and explore for all players, Bungie is making sure there’ll still be reason to visit The Tower and interact with its vendors.
The Speaker – The speaker will now allow Guardians to exchange all material, including material earned from the vanilla game or from The Dark Below expansion. With a little Glimmer, it will be possible to exchange Ascendant Shards into Ascendant Energy, for example, or Radiant Shards into Radiant Energy. Some materials can be turned in for extra Glimmer or bought with Glimmer.
New Vendor Gear – All factions, including the Crucible and Vanguard vendors, will offer brand new, upgraded gear, including new weapon and armor models with new statistics and perks.
New Activities
Though more specifics will be revealed in the coming weeks on the the Prison of Elders and Trials of Osiris PvE and PvP activities, respectfully, Bungie let out a few snippets of information in today’s stream.
Prison of Elders – As with Heroic Strikes, Nightfall Strikes, and Raids, the new 3-player Prison of Elders arena activity will reset weekly. Each week, there’ll be multiple challenges to partake in as well as new rewards to earn. Bungie explained that players should be able to earn a full set of new armor and weapons over time directly from the Prison of Elders by participating in its weekly challenges.
Trials of Osiris – The Trials of Osiris will takes place every weekend, Friday to Tuesday, and may possibly overlap with the monthly Iron Banner PvP event.
Upgrades
Bungie is offering a new, simplified way to upgrade all the gear you’ve earned throughout your experience with Destiny so far, including launch day vendor items.
Etheric Light – Available to everyone, Etheric Light can be attained in Nightfall Strikes, Iron Banner events, the Prison of Elders, and the Trials of Osiris. Requiring a small cost of basic materials and Glimmer, Etheric Light can be used to “Ascend” old and new Legendary and Raid gear at the press of a button without resetting weapon or armor progression. Exotic gear will require an additional Ascendant Shard to upgrade to new damage levels.
Old Vendor Gear – All old Legendary vendor gear that is still in your Inventory of Vault can be upgraded to new House of Wolves standards.
Reforge Vendor Weapons – New Legendary vendor gear introduced in the House of Wolves update will be reforge-able at a cost. This will reset weapon progression, but will imbue it with new perks and abilities
Xur – Xur will no longer be needed to upgrade Exotic weapons, though he’ll continue to sell rare items and materials.
New Level Cap – All Guardians, DLC-owners or not, will be able to reach the new Light Level cap of 34.
For more details and a visual tour through all the new content, you can catch a full replay of Bungie’s live stream below:
[youtube id=”rbvaGSEekb4″]
House of Wolves is on course for a May 19 launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. More details, including info on the the Trials of Osiris PvP activity and Prison of Elders PvE activity, will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Halo 3: ODST, as well as the Halo 2 Relic multiplayer map remake for Halo 2 Anniversary, will be arriving in a new content update some time next month, developer 343 Industries announced earlier today.
As promised last December, the ODST campaign remake will be a free download for anyone who purchased Halo: The Master Chief Collection on or before December 19, 2014. Relic will join Halo 2 Anniversary’s map roster via a free update for all owners. Both recently got a batch of brand new screenshots, which you can check out below:
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, Halo fans have something to look forward today in the form of a hefty new content update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection that includes updates to ranking, quitting, and betrayals, as well as individual title improvements. You’ll be prompted to download it upon your next visit. Patch notes were also released, which you can check out below.
Halo: MCC Content Update – April 21
Ranking
Made a variety of improvements to ranking consistency and penalties.
Resolved an issue that could cause a player to rank down excessively, such as dropping multiple levels after a loss.
Resolved an issue that caused a player’s rank to appear incorrectly.
“Based on these improvements and updates, we’ll be resetting ranking for Halo 2: Anniversary, and separately, will begin to roll out ranks to additional playlists soon (we’re aiming for the next day or so), starting with the addition of ranking to the Team Slayer and Halo Championship Series playlists,” writes Community Manager Andy “Bravo” Dudynsky. “We’ll be actively monitoring the ranking system across these playlists over the next few days to ensure that everything is working properly before adding ranks to additional playlists.”
Quitting & Betrayals
Added new quit and betrayal penalties to matchmaking:
In ranked playlists, quitting a match is now treated the same as a loss. Quitting is defined as exiting the game in any fashion. If you quit a match, your ranking will be impacted, and this may result in dropping a level.
All quits and betrayals are being tracked automatically, and action is being taken against offending players who commit these offenses more than what is considered normal behavior.
Halo: CE
Resolved an issue that was causing off-host players to deal more damage than the host in peer-to-peer custom games.
Updated Derelict to include the Rocket Launcher when selecting the “Classic” weapon set.
Made improvements to vehicle weapon accuracy.
Resolved an issue that caused incorrect bullet and grenade collision with an invisible object on the map Derelict.
Update the “Boxer” controller layout by switching the “switch grenade” and “throw grenade” buttons.
Halo 2 Classic
Resolved a hitbox issue where shooting an enemy’s weapon from the front would not cause damage.
Corrected the matchmaking Team Ball respawn modifier from “Inheritance” to “None.”
Halo 3
Updated Halo 3 Forge to include editing for all game types.
Made significant improvements to Halo 3 audio, specifically in regards to weapon fire and sound effects.
Made improvements to Halo 3 multiplayer networking stability.
Made improvements to Halo 3’s controller “deadzones.”
Resolved issues that were causing Halo 3 multiplayer stats to not track correctly.
Resolved lighting and shading issues occurring on the “Sandbox” multiplayer map.
Resolved an issue where the “Begins with a Single Step” achievement did not unlock correctly.
Resolved an issue where the Golf Club object did not appear correctly in Forge.
Halo 4
Resolved an issue where Primary Weapons could display in the Secondary Weapon slot after removing the Firepower Tactical Package.
Parties
Made improvements to voice chat consistency, specifically in team-based matchmaking games.
Resolved an issue where a player may not hear another player via voice chat after completing a game.
Improved party functionality, specifically in regards to game invites and joinable states.
Increased the speed at which the roster populates with Xbox Live friends after completing a game.
Resolved an issue where players could get stuck on the “Leaving Matchmaking” screen for longer than usual.
Resolved an issue where players were unable to join immediately after becoming Xbox Live friends.
Achievements
Resolved an issue that caused “The Guardians Are Coming” achievement to not unlock correctly.
Resolved issues that caused complications with Spartan Ops achievements unlocking.
UI, Stability & Misc.
Made a variety of improvements to UI throughout the title, specifically in regards to notification messages and stability.
Improved Playlist and Campaign Career Stats tracking for Halo 2, Halo 3 & Halo 4.
Made a variety of significant improvements to stability throughout the title.
Tripwire Interactive is back with Killing Floor 2, a sci-fi, horror, co-op FPS follow-up to the original PC shooter back in 2009.
It’s available now on Steam Early Access for $29.99 and includes three levels, four perks, 27 weapons, 11 enemies, 1 boss character, 7 playable characters, custom level creation support, and a lot of blood and guts.
“With the Early Access release of Killing Floor 2, we’re starting with a really fun core game,” Tripwire President John Gibson said. “We’re looking forward to dialing in that fun with community feedback during Early Access, and of course expanding that experience with awesome free content!”
If you have feedback of your own to provide, it can be given on the game’s official forums. You can keep up with some of the issues the studio is currently tracking right here.
New content, including new maps, monsters, perks, weapons, and game types, will be added to the Early Access version which will carry over to the full release, after which additional free content is also planned.
Killing Floor 2 Early Access Features:
3 non-linear levels – the dark streets of Burning Paris, the ice covered Outpost and a re-imagined version of the original Biotics Lab
4 perks – Berserker, Support, Commando and Medic classes
27 weapons – ranging from shotguns to assault rifles to crazy makeshift hybrid weapons!
11 deadly and terrifying Zeds – all determined to destroy you
7 playable characters – including fan favorites Mr. Foster and Constable Rob Briar as well as a new female character – Ana Larive
1 new boss character – Enter Hans Volter and his arsenal of devastating weapons and attacks
It’s been over 15 long years since the Mortal Kombat franchise was even considered to be at the top of the fighting game genre, during which time the controversial fighter went through some very big changes.
In 1997, Midway Chicago did away with the digitized sprites that MK fans have become accustomed in favor of 3D models, bringing forth changes that left the community with mixed reactions. Fast forward to 2011 where a newly formed NetherRealm Studios released what most would call the long-awaited rebirth of the franchise with Mortal Kombat 2011. Going back to its roots as a 2D fighter, it gave fans a great re-telling of the first three Mortal Kombat titles leading up to the four-year wait for the next Mortal Kombat game that we would eventually come to know as Mortal Kombat X.
It has Begun!
Finally, Mortal Kombat X is here. The agonizing wait is over, but was very well worth it. NetherRealm Studios has taken notes over the years and has done its homework, learning from the past successes and failures of the franchise’s previous titles. As a result, developers at the Chicago-based studio were able to deliver what the Mortal Kombat community has been waiting for.
MKX includes new mechanics to the game that push the series forward, such as the Character Variation system and a new breed of Brutalities. But before I go on, It’s worth mentioning that among its best-selling features, it’s the smaller details that really elevate this fighter above and beyond the rest in the genre.
The intro dialogue for each fight is highly personalized and properly contextualized. Each interaction is different from the previous match, which keeps things interesting and engaging. When you select a fighter in the character select screen, he or she will interact with the other – a great example being Cassie Cage, one of the newer faces in MKX, giving her opponent the “bird” before walking off. During fights, characters take visual damage, sweat, and bleed – all details captured by a highly modified Unreal Engine 3. Arenas are just as full of life with objects, and even people, to interact with. Visually, MKX is truly a next-gen fighter that finds a welcoming home on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
As for the core gameplay, NetherRealm’s latest is the smoothest fighter in the series to date. Animations flow into each other and fights feels much faster-paced, which is in part due to the return of the run mechanic and the other part due to a smooth 60 FPS refresh rate. Running isn’t the only thing that’s making return from older titles in the series either.
As in MK9, players must manage their ‘meter’ in order to either enhance special moves, break combos, or perform everyone’s favorite X-Ray moves. The the long-requested Brutalities are back, completely reworked from Mortal Kombat 3, and as brutal as ever. Instead of inputting a series of long button strings during the “Finish Him/Her” screen, they now require you to meet certain conditions once your opponents reach below the ten percent health threshold, as seen in the video below:
While sometimes more difficult to pull off, the rewarding feeling is met with an equally satisfying amount of extra experience points. More of these finishing moves can be unlocked throughout general gameplay, but more on that later. No Mortal Kombat game would be complete without brand spanking new ways to finish off your opponents for good. Fatalities in MKX can be simply described as “not for the faint of heart,” as you’ll bear witness to some of the most stomach-turning finishing moves the series has ever seen, all thanks to the new technology at NetherRealm’s finger tips.
Roster And Variations
The first thing most will notice about MKX’s roster, especially if you haven’t been keeping up with the news since the initial reveal trailer, is the handful of fresh faces to the franchise. With a total of eight new characters that comprise a little under one third of the full selection, there’s a high chance your favorite fighter may be absent, especially after the events of MK9.
Thankfully, NetherRealm did such a fantastic job with the new characters that it won’t take long to find someone that fits your play style or that will replace a favorite of yours that didn’t make the cut. Making the transition easier, a few of the characters pay homage to some of the more classic fighters. A perfect example of this is Jade who, despite being excluded from the list, is well-represented by her long-time friend Kitana. She can utilize her staff and glaive weapons in a similar move set thanks to the one of MKX’s newest and most defining features, the Character Variations system.
Variations enables each and every character in the roster to choose between three very distinct versions of themselves, each one providing the opportunity for new combos and new special moves. It essentially allows every character to be counted as three, making Variations one of the most innovative features introduced to the series yet. It also has a huge impact in competitive play, as one variation of a character may prove more effective against another, while others won’t fair as well. This was seen during the ESL tournament a few weeks ago in which MIT defeated Perfect Legend after he made a simple switch to a different Scorpion variation after being down a few games.
Features And Game Modes
If you’ve played MK9 or even Injustice: Gods Among Us, you were likely pleasantly surprised at the impressive amount of content NetherRealm was able to stuff in to both games, despite the genre’s typically shallow offering. MKX is no different. It boasts more content than the previous two NetherRealm titles both in offline and online modes, including a multi-chapter story mode with hollywood-level voice acting and animations that will keep you busy for hours.
Traditional Towers are there for that classic MK experience, including Klassic, Endless, Survivor, and Test Your Might modes as well as my personal favorite, Test Your Luck, which is also available as a one-off match in the main menu. The mode pits two kombatants against one another with either randomized or cherry-picked modifiers that can greatly change tide of battle in an instant. Some of the modifiers can either kill you in one hit or randomly put you in a dazed state to meet your end via Fatality. Unfortunately as fun as this game mode is, it isn’t available to play via online.
The new Living Towers present rotating challenges that refresh weekly, daily, and hourly, providing players with something new to do every time they log in. Tower Challenges allow players to challenge friends after conquering a randomly generated Tower.
Online multiplayer in MKX has been reworked completely from the previous games and offers a few interesting new game modes in addition to 1 vs. 1 matches and King Of The Hill. Tower Battles offer a more relaxing distraction from competitive matches, pitting you against six other online opponents in a challenge to beat a 5 CPU kombatant ladder filled with random modifiers and special challenges. In addition to fending off everything MKX has to throw at you while competing with several others, you’ll also need to beat the 10:00 minute timer that’s allotted to complete all five matches to end up on top.
The end screen for a tower battle
Regardless of whatever you wish to partake in, offline or online, you’ll be involved in a much bigger feature called Faction Wars. Faction Wars can be best described as the backbone of MKX. Whatever you do in any online or offline mode will net you experience points toward one of the five factions you picked when you first booted up the game. As you rank up, you are given a new finishers to show your opponents that your Faction is indeed greatest. In fact, if your faction does win the weekly Faction War, you’re rewarded with a fifth Faction Kill.
Taking things a little further, it’s also possible to set-up a Faction-based team battle where you and four other members of your Faction team up and take on a group of a five kombatants of a rival Faction, facing off in a series of 1v1 battles.
Netcode
What keeps MKX from being all that it can be is its one very big Achilles’ heel: its online netcode. It’s no real secret that, despite NetherRealm’s ability to pump out some great fighting games recently, the netcode for each has been less than ideal and could really use a re-working. This holds true for MKX, sort of.
From my experience thus far, the netcode has been very hit-or-miss. It feels at times as if I’m playing Russian Roulette whenever being matched up against a new opponent. I never know whether or not the game will run silky smooth or be riddled with odd pauses and half-second input delay. It leads to annoying moments mid-match as the input delay can severely slow down reaction time, making it extremely difficult to punish any blocked combo strings or even perform long combos.
As of April 18th, and update to MKX’s online has resulted in an improved experience, even when playing against people with a yellow bar connection. Still, it needs a bit of tweaking as anyone with a red bar or lower will likely get disconnected mid-match.
Final Thoughts
Overall, MKX has taken the franchise leaps and bounds in the right direction. With exciting new features, as well as returning elements that have been requested by fans for years, it may very well the best Mortal Kombat to date. Quality of life improvements and engaging mechanics that have been added to the game will ensure that it has the legs it needs to survive longer than a year.
Despite the latest update’s most recent efforts, online netcode could still use a tweaking to make MKX the online experience it should be. While NetherRealm is at it, it would be fantastic to throw in the ability to play Test Your Luck matches online. Sadly, the PC version of MKX is also riddled with random crashes, frame rate issues, and odd visual errors, and could use a few good updates to get it up and running normally.
4 / 5
With that said, Mortal Kombat X gets a very well-deserved 4 out 5 stars.
Mortal Kombat X was reviewed on the Xbox One platform with a copy provided by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
A note to PC users: I highly suggest waiting until the current issues are addressed. In its current state, the game can be nearly unplayable for some.
With the arrival of Destiny Expansion II: House of Wolves this May 19 comes a brand new social space located in The Reef where Guardians will be able to attend to new business and take on new quests.
A full reveal is coming tomorrow, April 22 on Bungie’s official Twitch channel, says the studio, but you can catch the short teaser trailer released earlier today above. The live stream will also cover how you’ll be able to upgrade your current weapons and gear to match the powerful new items that will be introduced in House of Wolves.
The first House of Wolves trailer launched earlier this month as Bungie announced new Story missions, Strike missions, Crucible maps, Crucible modes, and a new 3-player arena activity called The Prison of Elders, in addition to the new social space.
The mini-documentary highlights a few game clips you may have already seen, but it also offers a glimpse of some of the studio’s work-in-progress, including a first look at the third-person and first-person views during a co-op match at the 1:55 mark.
Here’s a look at a few more of the in-game models:
The footage above is from Game, a UK retailer, so the launch date will differ from North America’s November 17 release date on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard’s upcoming, free-to-play, team-based brawler is officially launching on June 2, the studio announced today in a brand new cinematic trailer featuring iconic characters from the Blizzard universe.
“It’s been a jam-packed year for Heroes of the Storm, and now it’s time to rally your fellow heroes and get ready for battle, because the portal to the Nexus is about to burst wide open,” Blizzard wrote. “We’ve just announced that Blizzard’s worlds will collide when Heroes of the Storm officially launches on June 2, following an open beta testing period that begins on May 19.”
To sign up for the open beta, simply head on over to the game’s official website, sign in to your Battle.net account, and update your beta preferences.
In Heroes of the Storm, players pick and choose fan-favorite heroes from over 20 years of Blizzard games and battle it out in several key locations. Matches play out quickly, are heavily reliant on team tactics, and are well-suited to competitive eSports matches.
GameStop has announced a new pre-order bonus for Halo 5: Guardians that rewards buyers with day one access to the HUNTER-class armor set in multiplayer, the same set of armor worn by newcomer Spartan Locke.
The new trailer above gives you a pretty good idea of what it might look like, as well as what sort of new abilities you’ll be able to perform in Halo 5: Guardians.
Fans who reserve Halo 5: Guardians at GameStop in the U.S. will get access at launch* to the pre-order exclusive Spartan Locke, HUNTER-class armor set for use in multiplayer**, including:
For those who enjoy playing as the classic ‘ninjas’ of the Mortal Kombat franchise like Scorpion and Sub-Zero but miss those retro costumes, here’s some good news for you.
Recently data mined files for Mortal Kombat X has revealed that Sub-Zero quite possibly won’t be the only ninja who will get to wear their memorable retro costume in MKX. The latest patch, which you can read more about here, appears to have added files mentioning that Ermac, Scorpion and Reptile will all be receiving an unannounced skin in the near future.
These have a high possibility of being klassic versions of themselves that could be added to the game when a new compatibility patch hits before a new DLC character is released. This was the case for DLC characters for Mortal Kombat 9, in which said costumes were made available at no extra charge. It looks to be the case that Sub-Zero’s ‘Klassic’ costume was made free with the Jason Voorhees patch in MKX.
Elsewhere, SteamDB also mentions some rather interesting upcoming items such as another unannounced skin pack titled “Brazil Pack” and two mentions of Klassic Fatalities.
Additionally, with Jason Voorhees’ release right around the corner, his variations have been quietly revealed thanks to the latest in-game kombat card borders which states they will be:
Slasher
Unstoppable
Relentless
If you also happen to be lucky, Jason has been magically showing on the character select screen recently with what appears to be a silhouette of Tanya:
Mortal Kombat X is available for the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
A participant for a survey allegedly concerning BioWare’s next Mass Effect title has come forward with information that details nearly all aspects of the game, which we previously learned will take place on a new timeline with new characters.
“Sometimes I take surveys online for a little extra money. One day last month I got one with this,” the user who posted the information wrote. As All Games Beta notes, this is the same way that the first legitimate details for BioWare’s Dragon Age: Inquisition leaked back in August of 2012. This considered, as well as how specific this reddit user’s information gets, we have some faith that these rumors will reveal themselves to be truth later on.
The original post itself is overflowing with spoiler-free notes that paint a clear picture of the game’s setting, mechanics, and activities, but we’re choosing to focus in on the next Mass Effect’s multiplayer offerings. So, gulp down a small teaspoon of salt and read on.
The original poster notes that BioWare’s next Mass Effect game will include a co-operative, horde-style multiplayer suite, similar to what was introduced in Mass Effect 3 in 2012.
“The next Mass Effect’s ‘Horde’ multiplayer pits you and up to three of your friends against waves of enemy troops on various battlefields throughout the galaxy,” the notes read.
“Players fight together to survive increasingly difficult enemy attacks and accomplish objectives, like disabling a bomb near a colony base or assassinating a target. Progress through multiplayer missions to gain XP and earn new multiplayer specific weapons, characters, weapon mods, and pieces of equipment, which can be customized between matches. Multiplayer play will also earn you APEX funds (in-game currency), which can be used to purchase items and gear in the Single Player game.”
Similar to Mass Effect 3, the notes suggest that the game’s multiplayer will have some sort of tie-in to single player. In this case, certain missions in single player can be tackled with your multiplayer crew, or cooperatively with others.
“When you encounter a Strike Team mission in the Single-Player mode, you can leave your Strike Team at their base and decide to tackle the mission yourself with your Multiplayer roster of characters,” it explains.
“You also have the option of tackling the mission by yourself, or recruiting up to three friends to play with you. The more friends you bring, the greater the challenge and the greater the reward. These missions will play out using the Next Mass Effect’s multiplayer Horde mode.”
“These missions will include a variety of thematically appropriate objectives, like defending a Settlement against Khet attacks, or recovering a Remnant artifact off of a planet before an outlaw gang gets there first. By taking an active role in strike team missions, you can earn special Single-player rewards in addition to the usual multiplayer specific characters, weapons, weapon mods, and pieces of equipment which can be customized between missions. Additionally, players who join another person’s Strike Team mission will receive bonus in-game currency and multiplayer XP for helping others with their missions.”
Since we’re still a ways out from receiving solid details on the next Mass Effect from BioWare or EA, only time will tell if these rumors will prove legitimate, as likely as they sound.
Earlier this year, BioWare confirmed that multiplayer is in for their upcoming Mass Effect title. More recently, a job listing described a game with ‘connected experiences’ and ‘online features’. BioWare also explained that cooperative multiplayer is “bigger” for the team, as opposed to competitive multiplayer experiences.
What were your thoughts on Mass Effect 3’s objective-based, horde-style multiplayer? Would you like to see something similar return to BioWare’s next space epic?
With Mortal Kombat X launching earlier this week, the long-awaited fighter was been well received except for one big issue; its netcode.
Numerous MK fans have made it very known that the issue with the netcode for NetherRealm’s latest brawler made the online portion of MKX nearly unplayable, as it was plagued with noticeable input lag and stuttering mid-match.
Thankfully, the troubles have been somewhat addressed with the latest patch that players were prompted to download earlier this morning. You can view the patch notes here:
Improved online stability
Multiplayer invite improvements
Gameplay fixes and balancing
Localization languages fixes
Play Go Fixes
WB Play Fixes
General Bug Fixes
As for my experience, playing a two hour session earlier this morning I found that my opponents had yellow or green bars which made the online portion of the game enjoyable for once:
It should also be noted that, from the games I’ve played, it seems that the input lag has also been addressed and is barely noticeable as it was before, even with playing against people from across the country. It’s definitely a step in the right direction.
Additionally, this beefy patch also seems to have added files for Jason Voorhees, the first DLC character for the Kombat Pack, and gives us a glimpse of two skin packs below:
Star Wars Battlefront Design Director Niklas Fegraeus has kicked off a post-trailer reveal Q&A session on Twitter, where he goes by the username @DICEfigge, answering a few burning questions from Battlefront’s biggest Twitter fans.
We’ve rounded up the replies below so you don’t miss out on any of the details. We’ll keep adding more as they come.
Star Wars Battlefront Q&A With DICE’s Niklas Fegraeus
Q: Is there only 4 planets[?] – @Jack_Holeo424
A:We have 4 iconic planets & on those many maps to play on. We’re going to take you places you’ve never been before.
Q: map size? – @Bozisaur
A:We have varying map sizes, from large to small, to cater to different experiences and different modes
Q: 2 maps per planet: 8 multiplayer maps at launch[?] – @BFBulletin
A:There will be more maps than 8, and more than two per planet at launch.
Q: Will there be some sort of instant action mode with bots? – @piggy5990
A:We have a feature called Missions that allow you to play solo or cooperatively with bots on or offline
Q: will two people be able to play on the same console? – @tman 34611
A:Yes, you can play our Mission feature in local splitscreen on your console, or online coop
Q: Will you be able to play split-screen while playing online with friends? – @grantrichardi
A:Split-screen is for local play only, so it is for when you play Missions with a friend
Q: Will we be able to pilot/drive AT-ST’s? – @WynnePope
A:You will be able to pilot AT-STs, as well as many more iconic vehicles, like X-wings and Tie fighters
Q: options for 1st and 3rd person view? – @TheoDangerous
A:When playing as a soldier, you can freely choose between 1st and 3rd person views whenever you want
Q: are we going to be able to participate in space battles? – @Biggzy96
A:You will be able to take to the skies over our planets and dogfight with squadrons of starfighters
Q: I don’t like the idea of day 1 dlc – @nforgrav
A:The battle of Jakku is not a day one dlc, it is free content we want you all to have as soon as it is done
Q: Were those graphics shown in the trailer in-game? – @Segmatron73
A:Yes, the trailer was filmed in engine, using our in-game models
Q: why no prequels? – @Bumi_Bandias
A:I love everything Star Wars, but for Battlefront, we have focused on the original trilogy
Q: apart from graphics and online how is this different from the original games? – @dreeewmay
A:It is both different and similar in many ways. This is why we have done a reboot instead of calling it Battlefront 3
Q: How to play Darth Vader, Boba Fett and co’ ? – @SangraL_
A:Heroes depend heavily on the game mode. We will tell you more about heroes at a later date
Q: in the game can we play like jedi and sith? – @montiel115
A:You can play more than that, but so far we have only revealed Vader and Boba Fett. More will come.
Q: in the trailer we saw a deployable shield used, is there other new equipment like this? – @qtguyswag9000
A:Yes, the shield is a Battlefront powerup, and we have many more to reveal in the future
Q: What character customization will be available in game? Surely there will be character/load out choices? – @TheChromeKing
A:You will have great freedom in customizing your own playstyle, essentially creating your own playstyle
Q: will there be a sort of progression system to level up and unlock new guns/upgrades? – @kersp3dy
A:Yes, there will be plenty of things to unlock, achieve and collect. More on this will be revealed at a later date!
We gathered a few more details on DICE’s Star Wars-themed shooter earlier today, including info on console frame rate, first-person and third-person modes, user interface, and much more.
Star Wars Battlefront will launch on November 17 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in two different editions. The Battle of Jakku DLC will launch for free three weeks later, or only two for those who pre-order the game.
