April 2020

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplay confirmed for next week

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Update: Xbox general manager Aaron Greenberg provided some small details on what next week's Inside Xbox livestream will include. Greenberg said the livestream will focus on the company's third-party partners as "the Xbox Game Studios teams are hard at work on some big summer plans." More details on this will come sometime soon.

Original story below the video...

Xbox has announced a brand-new Inside Xbox livestream set to go live on Thursday, May 7 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 3 PM GMT that will give us a glimpse at some upcoming Xbox Series X games.

Borderlands 3 is getting a new hotfix today, which as always means changing up some limited-time mode offerings. Besides that, Gearbox will be making some adjustments to the newly revised Mayhem 2.0 mode along with various other fixes.

According to the patch notes, the hotfix will be live on all platforms by 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET on April 30. It will move the Loot the Universe event to Promethea, so you'll need to visit that planet to get your increased loot drops for the week. However, the much bigger changes are to the Mayhem Mode. It disables two Mayhem Modifiers: Boundary Issues and Drone Ranger. Those were apparently too resource-intensive and disabling them has helped improve performance. It also adjusts drop rates and Anointment rates.

The Co-Op Loot Drop limited-time event will end when the new hotfix goes live. You'll have one week to grab loot from Promethea before the Loot the Universe event moves to Eden-6.

People will get a chance to take a first look at Xbox Series X games during a Microsoft showcase on May 7, 2020. Prepare for reveals!

The post Xbox Series X Games Showcase Will Be Held May 7, 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

Capcom has shared Ace Attorney backgrounds for people to use with their video conference calls for work or with friends.

The post You’ll Surely Have No Objection to These Ace Attorney Backgrounds for Calls appeared first on Siliconera.

With a new Legendary Event comes a new Legendary Sync Pair: Silver and Ho-Oh.

The post Legendary Sync Pair Silver and Ho-Oh Join the Roster of Pokemon Masters appeared first on Siliconera.

Microsoft has announced an Inside Xbox presentation featuring Xbox Series X games on May 7 at 8 a.m. Pacific for the upcoming holiday console.

The teaser doesn't list any specific titles, but already confirmed games such as the recently announced Assassin's Creed Valhalla, as well as Cyberpunk 2077 are easy candidates.

Aaron Greenberg from Xbox Games marketing, added that Microsoft's first-party devs are "hard at work on some big summer plans."

You want to see games for the Xbox Series X? We want to show you games for the Xbox Series X.

Check out First Look next-gen gameplay from our global developers partners within #InsideXbox on Thursday, May 7 at 8am PT. pic.twitter.com/xVdgIeRBJX

— Xbox (@Xbox) April 30, 2020

[Source: Microsoft]

If you have a VR headset then Phantom: Covert Ops should be on your radar. This stealthy VR game places you into a kayak and then asks you to complete a number of black op assassinations. It sounds a bit like Metal Gear in a boat, so it's fitting that the original voice of Solid Snake – David Hayter – is joining the cast. Hayter plays the part of a disgraced ex-Soviet named General Zhurov, who hopes to rewrite history and change the outcome of the cold war. 

"He's very different [than Snake]," Hayter told us. "General Zhurov was a ranking Soviet officer in the '80s who fought in various conflicts and was a huge believer in the Soviet Union, but he was defeated by these stealth Phantom Ops people and they left him for dead.

"When the Soviet Union crumbled, he never let that go. He's also never let go of his hatred and lust for vengeance against the Phantom Ops guys, so he's on his way to insane. He's obsessive and he's out of control, but he has a plan to take over the world, and he's not gonna let you and your kayak stop him."

We had a chance to play Phantom: Covert Ops at E3 last year, and felt that it was the most exciting VR project on the horizon – awarding it VR game of the show. We loved shooting out lights as we paddled our way through industrial facilities, and we're excited to see what Hayter brings to this new kind of roll. 

With its story having being penned by esteemed writers like Chris Avallone (Fallout series) and Mike Laidlaw (Dragon Age series), The Waylanders’ story and the characters are features that RPG fans will surely be looking forward to. Today, a new trailer introduces the voice actors bringing those characters to life, giving us a flavor of how their performances will help animate the game’s main protagonists.

A press release sent to Twinfinite provides an overview of the actors featured in today’s video, which reads:

“The Waylanders team has assembled a powerful cast of veteran voice actors with casting credits from RPG classics like Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, as well as TV and film roles.

Simon Templeman, Ash Sroka, Sara Kestelman, Rosalind Eleazar, Colin Salmon, Lisa Jacobs, Fred Tatasciore, and  Ralph Ineson, as well as many others, have all come together to lend voices to Celtic heroes, villains, and mythological creatures.”

You can check out the video for yourself below.

The Waylanders is the story of an adventurer untethered by time and fate who travels between a mythological Celtic age and the stone and mortar construction of the Medieval era.

Vicarious Publishing and Two Star Games have today confirmed the Steam Early Access release date for their upcoming psychological horror game, My Beautiful Paper Smile. The story-driven game, which is set in a supernatural universe and features an eye-catching hand-drawn aesthetic, will release on Steam on June 19 for $14.99.

For those who would prefer to try before they buy, Vicarious Publishing has also released a short demo for the game on Steam, available to download now on Steam.

My Beautiful Paper Smile takes place in an eerie supernatural dystopia in which young children, called the “joyous,” are trapped and raised according to a twisted vision of “perfect.” They strive to survive within the research facility they live in, under the scrutiny of the Authorities and where failure means being led away to a “session”, never to be seen again.

Today Microsoft announced that the first look at Xbox Series X gameplay will be revealed soon. 

To be precise, the reveal is going to come on May 7 during a new Inside Xbox livestream.

The games will be from “global developers partners” (IE: third-party studos) and the broadcast will be at 8:00 am PDT. 

We also hear from Xbox Games marketing boss Aaron Greenberg that Microsoft’s own first-party studios are hard at work on “big summer plans.”

Moving Out on PlayStation 4

With Get Packed, Totally Reliable Delivery Service, and Moving Out all being released or revealed around the same time, it seems like a few different development teams all had the same idea to try and recapture what’s special about the Overcooked series with a game about playing as a professional mover.

Coming from Team 17, the publisher of the Overcooked games, Moving Out would probably be the most exciting of the trio and the most likely to be the next great couch co-op game.

For the most part, it’s a great reimagining of the race-against-the-clock formula, but it doesn’t quite have the special something that the stressful cooking games do.

Moving Out sees you play as a newly qualified FART (Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technician) and you’re put to work in the town of Packmore to move out a variety of occupants’ stuff.

The idea of the gameplay is that you try and move out every item (usually between 15 and 25) as quickly as you can, smashing whatever might be in your way. There are three timed goals for you to try and beat, with gold, silver, or bronze being awarded if you do so.

Some items can be thrown, some have to be pulled from the wall before you can carry them, and others are awkwardly big. It’s frenetic fun, with you having to run around like a headless chicken, grabbing everything you can, smashing every window, and trying your best to beat the gold time.

Run around and get stuff is the basic aim but, just as there is in Overcooked, there are tactics that you need to employ to complete levels quickly.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was revealed properly for the first time earlier today in a cinematic trailer, and new information on the game’s various editions has quickly followed.

As is standard now for the AAA video game industry, the game can be purchased in several different editions, from a basic Standard Edition to $199.99 Collector’s Edition (pictured above), complete with a large statue of female Eivor.

The full list of editions and their contents is as follows:

Standard ($59.99) – At this stage, the standard is seemingly just the game itself — though you can expect some form of pre-order bonus to be announced in the near future.

Gold ($109.99) – The game + the season pass, likely available in both physical and digital guise.

Ultimate (price TBC) – This version comes with the game, season, and the following extras:

• Berserker Gear Pack
• Berserker Settlement Pack
• Berserker Longship Pack
• Set of Runes for gear upgrades

Collector’s ($199.99) – The most expensive edition comes with all the content in the previous editions, including:

• Ubicollectibles 30 cm replica statue of female Eivor on her longship
• Collector’s case
• Steelbook case
• 5 cm Statuette of Eivor with his Raven and Dane axe
• Exclusive lithographs
• Selected soundtrack
• Numbered certificate of authenticity

Most editions are already available to pre-order over on Ubisoft’s website.

Microsoft will finally show gameplay from Xbox Series X games, including our first look at Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in action, on a new episode of Inside Xbox airing May 7.

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A selection of the world's finest tennis pro's - alongside a number of celebrities I'm too old to know - will come together this weekend for a Mario Tennis Aces charity tournament.

The "Stay at Home Slam" event is a joint promotion of Facebook Gaming and IMG Tennis, and will see court legends such as Maria Sharapova, Naomi Osaka, Kei Nishikori, and the indomitable Williams sisters rally with singer Seal, DJ Steve Aoki, supermodel Karlie Kloss, and NFL star Ryan Tannehill. Match commentary will be provided by the natural pairing of '80s champion John McEnroe and popular tech blogger iJustine.

Twitch Prime is back in May with more free stuff for subscribers, and although the game list isn't killer at first glance, there's a few gems in there, lying in wait.

First, the list (which will be available from May 1-30): Avicii Invector, Fractured Minds, Pankapu, Urban Trial Playground, The Little Acre and Snake Pass. That list probably isn't the AAA-laden collection you were hoping for, but upon further inspection, nearly all of those games are highly rated on Steam.

Avicii Invector is probably the bell of the ball here: a rhythm-action game that was made in collaboration with the late DJ (RIP). Snake Pass, for as flawed as it is, is a great free puzzle game. Fractured Minds is also worth a look with its unique puzzle-based approach to mental health. See! I told you this month had variance.

Naturally, "loot" (read: DLC) is also a part of Twitch Prime's monthly festivities, which includes the headliner of more Destiny 2 loot: the fourth of six total drops in Twitch's big partnership with Bungie. Fallout 76 is also getting a few extras, as is the customary League of Legends DLC (which is joined by Riot's Legends of Runeterra).

You can find the full list below.

Microsoft will show off the first Xbox Series X games in an Inside Xbox livestream next Thursday, 7th May at 4pm UK time.

There's no official word on what exactly we'll be seeing, but Eurogamer understands a number of third-party games will be showcased.

Obviously, fans are also looking forward to see more of flagship title Halo: Infinite, only teased until now, but also some of the many projects Microsoft's array of games studios have been quietly building and keeping under wraps.

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Nintendo's plans for its annual E3 broadcast have been pushed back due to complications arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

That's according to Venturebeat, which first reported on the story this afternoon, and which Eurogamer sources have also been able to corroborate.

While Nintendo has long held its presentations digitally, Eurogamer understands it has told publishers set to reveal games during its showcase that it needs more development time on its first-party games. Work is currently being held up as the famously-secretive company adapts to staff working remotely.

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Sip tea in Sophie Hatter’s hat shop alcove and journey into the forest with Totoro

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She’s also got some kind of score to settle with Revenant

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A new book excerpt looks back at the origins of one of Nintendo’s strangest Zelda games

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We must be strong, we must be brave

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Even this early in development, Gun Jam looks ace. It’s Thumper with guns. It’s Doom Eternal played to the beat of its soundtrack. A metronome deathmatch. After a brief tease on Twitter lead to a collective response of “hell yeah!”, Gun Jam has made the leap from concept to real, actual game – with devs Jaw Drop Games announcing their beat-blasting shooter earlier this week.

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A new batch of challenges has arrived in Fortnite. In addition to the usual weekly missions, developer Epic has been rolling a handful of "secret" challenges to complete throughout the season. The latest, called No Right to Bear Arms, is now live following the game's 12.50 update, and it asks you to disarm the gnomes and bears and prevent them from going to war (which could be an ever-so-slight nod to Fortnite's new no-combat Party Royale mode). If you need help tracking them down, this guide will show you where to go and how to complete the challenge.

Where Are The Gnomes And Bears Location?

After weeks of quietly feuding with one another, the gnomes and the bears have finally drawn a battle line. Both sides are lined up on a grassy field, ready to go into battle, just north of Weeping Woods in grid square D5. You can see their exact location on the map below.

A cinematic trailer for Assassin's Creed Valhalla has debuted after its recent art and title reveal, but we didn't see the game in action. That will be coming next week, with footage shown as part of a Microsoft event, Ubisoft has announced.

Microsoft teased an Inside Xbox presentation to take place Thursday, May 7 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET, which is centered around gameplay debuts on the upcoming Xbox Series X. The official Ubisoft Nordic account was quick to retweet it with a note that it will be part of the event with the first gameplay trailer for Valhalla.

While in an entirely new setting like most Assassin's Creed games, Valhalla will continue the cliffhanger ending from Odyssey's Fate of Atlantis DLC. That put the modern-day protagonist Layla in a precarious position, so resolving that story may be why Ubisoft says this will be a "good capper" for the franchise.

Burnout Paradise was one of the very first games to deliver on the promise of open world street racing, and now its remaster is making its way to Nintendo Switch on June 19. This version of the over-the-top racer includes all the DLCs for the game, including the Big Surf Island and Cops and Robbers.

According to a blog post, Burnout Paradise will run in 60 FPS on the Switch, and will feature significant improvements over the original, such as pinch-and-pull map controls and high-resolution textures. It will also include online multiplayer for up to 9 drivers. It's currently listed for pre-orders at $50--for comparison, the PC version of the remaster is currently listed for $20.

Though it's well over a decade old at this point, Burnout Paradise is generally considered one of the best racing games of its era. However, despite its success over the years, we have yet to see an official follow-up to the Burnout series.

Trials of Mana launched with numbers comparable to Bravely Default and higher than most of Square Enix's other mid-budget RPGs.

The post Trials of Mana Sales Look Pretty Good in Japan. Here’s How it Did at Launch. appeared first on Siliconera.

Developer The Outsiders, a Stockholm-based indie studio founded by former Payday 2 and Battlefield talent, has announced it is halting development on Darkborn, the dark fantasy title it initially announced as Project Wight. Just over a year ago, the studio shared gameplay footage where you play as a Grendel-like monster capable of brutalizing those who would hunt you. The footage was promising and exciting, but unfortunately the game does not look like it will come to fruition.

Dear Outsider friends and monster- lovers: pic.twitter.com/NRTwNUHxSp

— The Outsiders (@outsidersgames) April 30, 2020

The good news is the statement released by the studio says it is working on "something new. Something awesome. Something we really love." While we will likely have to wait a while to see what that "something new" is, you can learn more about what Darkborn was planned to be, or watch the gameplay trailer for what could have been below.

Valve just launched the Golden Week sale on Steam, and there is plenty to enjoy for fans of Japanese games.

The sale will continue until May 6, so you have plenty of time to shop.

If you’re wondering, the “Golden Week” is a series of public holidays in Japan that, together with the attached weekend, provides locals with plenty of days off work in a row.

Usually, Japanese people use this annual opportunity to enjoy traveling, but this year is a little different. Luckily this sale provides a lot of opportunities to enjoy games for cheap while staying at home.

Just to bring up some examples, the Valkyria Chronicles series is 66% off, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is 67% off (with all DLC 50% off), while the Yakuza series is discounted between 66% and 33%.

The Muv-Luv series is 30% off (41% of you get the bundle), Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is 75% off, Code Vein is 40% off, and Devil May Cry 5 is 50% off.

Respawn has been teasing some sort of Apex Legends announcement with cryptic tweets for days now. With the current Battle Pass ending in about two weeks, fans were speculating that this reveal would be the introduction of a new character to lead into Apex Legends Season 5.

As it turns out, the fans were spot on. Today’s Stories From the Outlands video focuses on the young girl who is seen at the end of Revenant’s Season 4 launch trailer. She’s all grown up now, and she appears to be out for revenge against him while he’s out for revenge against Hammond Robotics.

Her name is Loba Andrade, and the trailer shows her honing her skills as a thief until she eventually finds out that Revenant is participating in the Apex Games.

The trailer ends with a date, implying that she’ll be fully shown off in-game on May 5 in the Season 5 launch trailer, with the new season starting on May 12.

To see everything detailed above and more, check out the video below:

Hello, all you intertube skinbeasts of sexcrime, and welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the only advice column to help you manage your relationship in the new post-apocalyptic land we find ourselves in.

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Predator: Hunting Grounds takes the original film’s concept—a small squad of soldiers on a mission in the jungle are ambushed by a deadly alien hunter—and turns it into an asymmetrical multiplayer game. It seems like a logical and fun adaptation, but some mediocre gunplay and long waits bog the whole experience down.

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We're back! This is probably the most poppin' week since Animal Crossing: New Horizons arrived, as the eShop has several unique offerings, a port that was actually released at the same time as other platforms and not years later, and a special demo.

That latter title is actually "special," as the full title is Splatoon 2 Special Demo 2020. In a bid to revive the game while everyone is quarantined, you can access the demo from now through May 6 at 6:59AM PT, which will allow you to play through 4v4 turf war battles, as well as ranked play and Salmon Run (co-op), so long as you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership. The good news is that you'll get a week-long trial by downloading the demo if you aren't a member yet.

The big release this week is decidedly Streets of Rage 4, with Levelhead also making its Switch eShop debut.

I can't believe how much I'm enjoying Predator: Hunting Grounds, a 4v1 multiplayer game in which one player – if they're patient enough to sit through lengthy matchmaking queues – can stalk a crew of four well-armed, mud-caked soldiers in a dense jungle while they mess with guerrillas and drug lords.

It's not a great video game – and I'm not here to argue otherwise. But man, it can be so riveting.

[Update: Microsoft is calling this Inside Xbox episode part of the "Xbox 20/20" initiative, which will keep people up to date with information "throughout the rest of the year in the lead up to the launch of the Xbox Series X."

The publishing giant says that the global pandemic has caused them to "rethink the way we come together," which will result in updates "every month." In addition to the confirmed Xbox Series X gameplay, we'll also get info on specific Series X features from developers, Smart Delivery title confirmation and games that are "all Xbox Series X optimized."

Additionally, Halo Infinite is still on track for this year despite the pandemic, "all 15 studios" are still working, Project xCloud is expanding to new countries and devices and as of this week, the Series X is still coming this holiday.]

Man, I have to get used to using the "Xbox Series X" tag and not "Xbox One" all the time!

A new generation is nearly upon us, but before then, we still need firm dates and prices for the Xbox Series X (I did it) and the PlayStation 5. Sony and Microsoft have been playing chicken for months now, but Microsoft is now ready to strike with some gameplay that isn't behind closed doors.

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