December 2020

Densha de GO!! by Square Enix Gets New PS4 Gameplay Showing NieR: Automata Producer in Action

3 years 3 months ago

Today Square Enix revealed even more gameplay of the upcoming train simulation game Densha de GO!! Hashirou Yamanote-sen.

This time around, it’s Yosuke Saito’s turn to take on the role of the conductor on the Yamanote Line.

You may likely know him as the producer of NieR: Automata (and the upcoming NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139) on top of his work on the Dragon Quest series.

Apparently, he’s quite a lot better at making great games happen as opposed to nailing the stopping point at a station’s platforms, as you can see in the video below.

If you’re wondering, the main point of the gameplay is to stop your train as close as possible to the mark without being late. At the very least, Saito-san’s attempt included no delays for the passengers.

Author
Giuseppe Nelva

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New Nintendo Switch Update Offers An Easier Way To Share Content

3 years 3 months ago

A new Nintendo Switch update is now live and while it offers a ton of helpful new tweaks, including an easier way to share content. The only downside is subjective, some players are tagging Twitter online with complaints about how the Nintendo Shop Online icon now stands out. 

The biggest highlight from the most recent update is the ability to transfer screenshots and video to any smart device wirelessly with the additional avenue of PC transfers via USB. The newest update also allows users to prioritize their downloads, in addition to more playful additions like new icons and UI tweaks. 

While most of the new additions have Nintendo fans excited, the change to the NSO icon seems to be a sore spot for many: 

Author
Liana Ruppert

UK retailer Box opens a ballot for its next Xbox Series X stock allocation

3 years 3 months ago

Online tech retailer Box is asking wannabe buyers to enter a ballot for a chance to purchase the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S when stock becomes available later this month.

Box will be receiving additional allocations of both new Xbox consoles in the weeks commencing 7th and 14th December, with delivery set to be made before Christmas. Instead of the usual chaotic scramble to purchase one, though, those who are picked in the ballot will be sent an invite to buy a Series X or Series S.

Here's where you'll need to go if you want to put your name in the hat. Good luck if you do so!

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A scalper group claimed to secure 1000 Xbox Series X orders - then the retailer cancelled them

3 years 3 months ago

Since the launch of both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, stories of scalping groups and extraordinary third-party prices have hit the headlines - and it's often felt like little has been done to prevent the practice. But today's scalping story ends somewhat differently, as a group that boasted about securing 1000 Xbox Series X orders has found them all cancelled.

The scalping group - the same one that claimed to have ordered 2500 PS5s at launch - yesterday posted on social media it had secured "over 1000+" Xbox Series X consoles from a "very well known online retailer". The scalping group charges a £29.99 monthly subscription (or lifetime membership of £399.99) for its members to get information on how to carry out scalping themselves, and reportedly uses bots to automatically find cheap prices and complete mass purchases. The group claimed to have notified its members of a restock at the retailer, and urged its followers to buy a subscription for the information.

The retailer in question, it seems, was Very - which normally limits console purchases to one per address. It seems likely the scalping group was able to find a way around this restriction: but unfortunately for the scalpers, the company has now cancelled all the orders.

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Red Dead Online's standalone version has arrived

3 years 3 months ago

A couple of gunslingers from Red Dead Redemption 2.Red Dead Redemption 2

‘s online mode has been separated from its singleplayer cowboy adventure today, offering Red Dead Online as a standalone game. You can still get it all together in one big RDR2 package if you’d like, but if you’re more into the idea of roaming around as a cowpoke in multiplayer, you can do just that now for a mere $5 as part of its introductory sale.

Today’s update also expands the Bounty Hunter role, so players old and new have more pesky outlaws to bring in, and higher ranks to reach.

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Author
Imogen Beckhelling

Please, stop Fall Guys from calling its next obstacle “Ringus Dingus”

3 years 3 months ago

Icy escapades in artwork for the Fall Guys winter season, Winter Knockout.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful. But more harrowing still are the names Fall Guys is polling for next season’s vindictive new hammer. Following the announcement that Season 3 will be giving the stumbling obstacle course a wintry theme, Mediatonic have given us a peek at some of the new dangers arriving next season – assuring us that it’s entirely not their fault if one of these hazards has an utterly unbearable name.

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Author
Natalie Clayton

I couldn't stop laughing at Twin Mirror's Mind Palace

3 years 3 months ago

Sam enters his Mind Palace having discovered a bloodied shirt in his bathtub after a heavy night out drinking.

I’ve spent some time with Twin Mirror, Dontnod Entertainment’s upcoming adventure game in which you play as a fella called Sam. Sam, an ex journalist, has returned to the sleepy town of Basswood to attend his friend’s funeral, and he latches onto the possibility that his mate may have been murdered. The game centres around uncovering the truth. If you’ve played the likes of Life Is Strange, it’s a similar narrative-heavy, click-a-bit, watch-lots-of-cutscenes experience.

From the outset it is made clear that Sam struggles with his mental health – he takes some pills to keep himself in check on the way to the wake, which is a sure fire visual shorthand for said struggles. This is a topic that has not always been handled well in games (like how every game adapting a Lovecraft property has to have some kind of sanity metric). But because of Life Is Strange, Dontnod have a reputation for approaching difficult topics with some nuance. I thought that maybe they’d be able to whip together a thrilling story that tackled mental health with tact. But nah. My hopes were dashed pretty quickly.

Author
Ed Thorn

This Warcraft fan-film recasts Cyberpunk 2077 with orcs and goblins

3 years 3 months ago

It wouldn’t take too much to push World Of Warcraft in a cyberpunk direction. After all, Blizzard’s increasingly comic-book plot has already taken us far beyond the simple scuffle of orcs and humans with time-travelling, alternate universes and honest-to-god spaceships. Now, a fan-made trailer reimagines the game set in the grim, neon-splattered streets of Cyberpunk 2077‘s Night City – albeit, a version of the dystopian metropolis cobbled together by goblins and gnomes.

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Author
Natalie Clayton

(Update) PSA: You only have a few more days to get Borderlands 2 DLC for free on Switch

3 years 3 months ago

[Update: As a reminder, you still have a few more hours to get the DLC for free from the eShop!

Wait, Borderlands 3 is on Switch? No! We're talking about Borderlands 2 today! I know, re-releases in this modern era have made everything pretty confusing. Often times we're talking about the old more than the new these days.

Anyway, here's a bit of a PSA. If you own Borderlands 2 on Switch, you can get the Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary DLC for free. Is it particularly good? Nah. But it's free! And it serves as lead-in for Borderlands 3, which...isn't on Switch. Still, it's free! You just need the Legendary or Handsome collections to play it.

In fact, you can download it regardless of your ownership of Borderlands right now. Just head to the eShop landing page for Borderlands 2, and scroll to the bottom. Find "individual DLC" and click the Fight for Sanctuary link. Get it even if you have no intention of buying Borderlands 2 on Switch: just in case you get it for free one day.

To access the DLC, you'll need to be level 30, but you can also take advantage of an in-game option to create a level 30 character from the main menu, which will automatically warp you into the new stuff. You have until December 3, 2020 at 8:59 AM PT to get it!

Commander Lilith DLC [Gearbox]

Author
Chris Carter

Review: Twin Mirror

3 years 3 months ago

Things have gone from bad to worse, from unfortunate to bizarre, and from Kinda Suspect to Super Murdery. That's Dontnod's MO, and everyone should know it by now. The French developer loves examining personal relationships, amplifying them through the lens of a much larger conflict, and then heaping an avalanche of emotion on top of it all. 

Twin Mirror is Dontnod's first attempt at explicitly leaning into the psychological thriller label, something it toyed with in previous games but never outright committed to. In a lot of ways, it feels like Alan Wake by way of Life is Strange. However, Twin Mirror is also Dontnod's first self-published game and that might be the reason it falls short of its promise. Everything isn't quite alright in the end.

Review: Twin Mirror screenshot

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Author
Brett Makedonski

UK mobile game spending broke records on Black Friday

3 years 3 months ago

Last week, lockdown legislation and Black Friday's hypnotic "I must spend money" vibe combined to take their toll on the wallets of UK mobile owners. Mobile game spending reached a record high, with almost £5 million GBP, (approx. $6.5 million USD), raked in by a selection of titles on November 27.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz - and confirmed by the number-crunchers over at Sensor Tower - the UK spent the staggering seven-figure sum on popular titles including Roblox, King's Candy Crush, and Moon Active's ironically titled Coin Master, (the latter of which is the UK's highest-grossing mobile title). In addition, 2.2 million games were newly downloaded onto iOS and Android devices.

The spending spree represents an increase of 16% on Black Friday 2019, with the UK's current lockdown legislation keeping many in their homes and away from the workplace. Notably, sales of physical games were actually down when compared to the same time period last year, no doubt due to the current shutdown status of the UK high street.

But with multi-millions raised by a single territory in a single day, it's no wonder why developers and publishers continue to clamber atop of one another while grasping for a piece of the mobile gaming pie.

UK mobile game spending reaches new record on Black Friday [GamesIndustry.biz]

Author
Chris Moyse

Monster Hunter Rise for Nintendo Switch Gets More Art & Video Showing Armor, Magnamalo, & Wirebug

3 years 3 months ago

Capcom is preparing to launch Monster Hunter Rise in just a few months, and it’s continuing to share new art and assets.

This time around, we get to see concept art of the female version of the Kamura armor (following the reveal of the art for the male version), on top of more designs for the flagship monster Magnamalo.

On top of that, we also get a brief video showing the wirebug in action, acting as a new traversal tool for enterprising hunters.

You can check them all out below.

Author
Giuseppe Nelva

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Doom Eternal Adds New Master Level: Super Gore Nest; Will Come to Xbox Game Pass PC Soon

3 years 3 months ago

Doom Eternal players have even more content to sink their teeth into from today as Bethesda has announced a new Master Level called Super Gore Nest.

As in previous Master Levels, the Super Gore Nest is essentially a remixed level that adds new enemy encounters and ups the intensity for a fresh, new experience. Players are able to work through the mode’s various difficulty levels to earn unique cosmetic rewards, including the Super Gore Nest’s ultimate prize: The Gold Combat Shotgun skin. 

There’s also a new Classic Mode to enjoy, which tasks players with starting with limited supplies as they work toward regaining their arsenal and beating the level. Successfully doing so will earn them the Classic Green Slayer skin.

You can check out a glimpse of the action below. Before you do, though, it’s worth noting that Bethesda has also confirmed Doom Eternal will coming to Xbox Game Pass PC later this week, Dec. 3.

Author
Alex Gibson

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Red Dead Online Standalone Launches Today With Trailer All About the Bounty Hunter Role

3 years 3 months ago

Rockstar Games has released a standalone version of Red Dead Online for those who don’t already own Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s now available to download from the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Rockstar Games Launcher, Epic Games Store, and Steam.

The news was revealed last week that this version of the game would be coming out, but Rockstar has also released some new trailers to hype up the standalone release.

The first trailer gives players a glimpse into the new Bounty Hunter role, which lets folks live out their dreams of tracking down criminals in the wild west. As for the other video, it simply shows off some of the missions from Red Dead Online and what new players will expect going in.

You can watch both of them down below:

Author
Greysun Morales

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Microsoft Flight Simulator Gets Newcastle Airport Add-On by Orbx

3 years 3 months ago

Today Microsoft Flight Simulator addon developer Orbx released a brand new airport for the popular sim.

We’re talking about Newcastle International Airport (EGNT), one of the busiest airports in the UK (the 11th busiest to be precise) and a definitely interesting proposition while we wait for the next free World Update which will improve the whole country.

The scenery certainly looks great, and can be found on Orbx’s own shop for $18.37.

You can enjoy a few screenshots below to see what it looks like, alongside an official list of features.

  • Faithful recreation of Newcastle International Airport
  • Detailed PBR texturing
  • Ultra-high quality modelling work throughout
  • Stunning 3D modelling
  • Custom ortho
  • Highly detailed GSE and static aircraft

Speaking of Microsoft Flight Simulator in general, during a livestreamed event earlier this week, the developers shared a lot of details about the future of the sim, including the next world update focusing on the United Kingdom.

Author
Giuseppe Nelva

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6 Reasons to Be Hyped for Immortals: Fenyx Rising

3 years 3 months ago

A Smaller, More Condensed Map

With its Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs series, Ubisoft has perfected its style of open-world adventure. The map’s always teeming with things to see and do — and in the case of the Assassin’s Creed games especially — the maps almost feel overwhelmingly massive.

Author
Chris Jecks

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Twin Mirror Review

3 years 3 months ago

After waking up in a hotel room early on in Twin Mirror, your shirt covered in blood and the memories of the previous night’s events shrouded in fog, developer Dontnod’s latest adventure initially seems less like a whodunnit and more like a you done it. Unfortunately, that’s about as suspenseful things ever get. While there’s no shortage of intrigue at its outset, Twin Mirror’s lean running time leaves little room to flesh out all the characters in its small town setting or introduce any form of misdirection to its mystery, robbing the reveals in its closing chapters of any real weight or surprise as a result.

Author
Tristan Ogilvie

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King of Seas: 15-Minute Developer Gameplay Walkthrough

3 years 3 months ago
King of Seas is an intriguing new pirate-tastic action-RPG set on the high seas. It's due out in early 2021 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Take a look at the video above to get a great idea of what King of Seas is all about from game designer Luca Cafasso as he walks you through about 15 minutes of higher level gameplay from the game. The world needs more good pirate games, and hopefully this will be one of them! King of Seas kicks off our December IGN First month of coverage on some fantastic "Games to Watch in 2021." While we certainly won't be spotlighting all of them (there are only 31 days in the month after all), we'll be bringing you exclusive new looks at a number of big games you'll be playing next year throughout the month of December. We've done this in years past and had a lot of fun with it, so we're doing it again! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=king-of-seas-screenshots&captions=true"] And if you're shopping for the best deals this holiday season, don't miss the IGN Deals team's ongoing coverage of the very best holiday gifts to shop for! [poilib element="accentDivider"] Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.  
Author
Ryan McCaffrey

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Sony Made PS5 Activity Cards as a Response to Single Player Problems

3 years 3 months ago
The Activity Cards that appear as part of the PS5 user interface were created by Sony in response to player complaints about single player gaming. A new report from Vice details an internal Sony document that the company used to explain its new Activities and game help systems. The documents reportedly begins with Sony explaining that “single player is thriving” and that PlayStation owners regularly spend more time playing offline games than online ones. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/15/first-look-at-the-ps5-ui"] To ensure offline games were better catered to, Sony had gathered some criticism of single player gaming which needed to be addressed on PS5. The problems included players saying they “don't play unless I have 2+ free hours” because of being unsure of how long a game may ask of them, that they “Forgot what I was doing in this game last time”, and that it “Takes a lot of time to scan through long help videos when stuck”. Players were also concerned about using social tools because of game spoilers. In response, the document presents the PS5 Activity Cards. As you may know, Activities provide on-screen card prompts for different aspects of a game, often along with an estimated time for completion. When playing Spider-Man: Miles Morales, for example, you can see that a side quest will take five minutes, or a main quest that will need 45 minutes.
Author
Matt Purslow

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EDM-themed Rocket League season 2 blasts off next week

3 years 3 months ago

Footballing car game Rocket League will begin its second season next week, on 9th December.

Rocket League is getting on for five years old, though recently relaunched as free-to-play with a seasonal battle pass and an eye-catching Fortnite promotion to encourage in new blood.

Next week's new season will bring the second Rocket Pass, themed around music, with items to unlock that react to menu and arena tunes.

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Twin Mirror review - a pale imitation of better detective adventures

3 years 3 months ago

A car drives down a quiet road, past rows of trees, until you eventually glimpse a town, its long-abandoned factories stretching into the skyline. The images are accompanied by a sombre song by folk artist Sean Rowe. Welcome to Basswood, West Virginia.

It's an impressive way to start, not least because of how good Twin Mirror looks, and Dontnod knows it - just a few minutes before reaching his destination, protagonist Sam Higgs gets out of his car and glances down at Basswood from a viewpoint awash in the rays of the setting sun. But then Sam opens his mouth - and things inevitably go downhill from there. Sam has returned to his hometown to attend his best friend Nick's funeral. Trouble is, as Sam puts it, he's ghosted Nick for two years after leaving Basswood in a hurry, and now Nick's ghosting him by being dead. This, maybe five minutes into the game, is the first moment I put the controller down and looked into an imaginary camera like I'm on The Office, because this is the type of writing you are in for.

Sam used to be an investigative reporter at the Basswood Jungle, where he uncovered the local mine's violation of safety protocols. His reporting led to the closure of said mine, and to a lot of angry miners, who greet Sam with the mating call of every fictional bully to his victim of choice: "Well, well, well, look who we have here!" It emerges rather quickly that no one in Basswood is strictly speaking a nice person, not to each other and certainly not to Sam, who most residents have decided was single-handedly responsible for the demise of the town.

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Doom Eternal Arrives To Xbox Game Pass PC This Week, New Master Level Available Now

3 years 3 months ago

Doom Eternal is already stretching its demonic wings over to Nintendo Switch next week, but Xbox fans on PC get to play even sooner. The acclaimed shooter is heading to Xbox Game Pass PC this week. Meanwhile, a new Master Level arrives today to challenge experienced Doom Slayers in both new and familiar ways. 

The game comes to Xbox Game Pass PC on December 3rd. This comes two months after Eternal hit Game Pass on console. Meanwhile, the new Master Level, the Super Gore Nest, is available to play. Like previous Master Levels, this tougher variation on the campaign level remixes combat encounters by adding more enemies to the fray. The Master Level features various difficulties and modes with cosmetic rewards for completing each, the ultimate of which being the Gold Combat Shotgun skin. 

Author
Marcus Stewart

Xbox Game Pass Is Adding 17 New Games This Month With 10 Leaving

3 years 3 months ago

Xbox Game Pass is a constantly evolving library of free games that players can enjoy at no additional cost outside of the established membership price. This includes day-one first-party titles, DLC, and more. Now that we're in the thick of December, Xbox Game Pass is adding a few new titles to its library, with a few on their way out to make room. 

Doom Eternal arrives on the PC version of the Xbox Game Pass this month, as well as Control, Greedfall, and more. Control is arguably the most exciting addition, especially with the fanfare revolving around the game and its Alan Wake-connecting DLC. 

Author
Liana Ruppert

EA Sports Lawsuit Alleges FIFA 21 Difficulty Is A Deliberate Push For Loot Box Purchases

3 years 3 months ago

It's the Star Wars Battlefront II launch all over again. A new EA Sports lawsuit is alleging that the publisher deliberately pushed difficulty spikes in order to pressure players into buying loot boxes for the Ultimate Team mode (FUT). 

When Battlefront II first launched, it was discovered that there were in-game adjustments made to persuade players into purchasing loot box items to increase skill and up the play experience. Following the backlash, the publisher quickly removed that mechanic, instead, moving back into the cosmetic-only territory. With the new lawsuit helmed by Pranko Lozano, Danyael Williams, and Jason Zajnock in California, the trio is alleging that EA is using AI tech to scale up the difficulty in this mode in order to invest money into the Ultimate Team loot box packs. 

The Zajonc vs. Electronic Arts case has moved to a court in California, alleging that the publisher is utilizing "deceptive practices" and "false advertising" specifically to drum up more revenue in the FUT mode. “Unbeknownst to most… EA utilizes technologies like ‘Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment’ and ‘Adaptive Difficulty.’ These technologies use heuristic prediction and intervention to dictate or even influence outcomes, thereby keeping gamers more engaged,” the suit reads. 

Author
Liana Ruppert

Giveaway: Middle-Earth Trilogies 4K Ultra HD™ full digital bundle

3 years 3 months ago

Return to the stunning locations and epic adventures in Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth™ saga THE HOBBIT™ and THE LORD OF THE RINGS™. Now more stunning than ever before, the films have been beautifully remastered in 4K UHD, under the supervision of Director Peter Jackson, and include Dolby Vision and Dolby ATMOS. Click to see more!

We have 5 digital copies of this amazing digital bundle for your viewing enjoyment in 4K Ultra HD ready to give away, all you have to do is enter below by 12/14/2020 for your chance to win one. Come back daily as some methods you can enter once a day. Winners will be selected by random drawing from all eligible entries on 12/15/2020. Movies are rated PG-13 to R so winner must be 17 years of age or older. Full rules available with each entry method below. Good Luck!

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Game Informer Contests

Don’t Miss December 2020’s Biggest, Must-Play Games You Can Pre-Order Now

3 years 3 months ago

December is typically a barren void for new games, as publishers push most of their big releases out in October and November to make the most of the holiday shopping season. But with delays likely due in part to the impact of the pandemic, December 2020 still has at least a couple of big aces up its sleeve thanks to

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Author
Andrew Hayward on The Inventory, shared by Jordan McMahon to Kotaku

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