During their Live @ EA PLAY, Electronic Arts, in collaboration with Lucasfilm, announced that fresh new content will be released in Star Wars Battlefront II through themed seasons that will allow players to continue their Star Wars Battlefront II hero’s journey in a world that is constantly growing.

All players will have access to these free content drops that will include a mix of new locations, characters, vehicles, modes, weapons, star cards, and more. Players will also be able to participate in regular live events and challenges that will come with their own special rewards. The first free season will be coming in December (2017) after the game’s launch and will be inspired by the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Through the relationship with Lucasfilm, this season will include Finn and Captain Phasma as new playable heroes, a new planet location known as Crait, a new space map above D’Qar, new events, rewards and more.

“With Star Wars Battlefront II, we’ve really taken feedback from our players to heart, and you see that in the base game, which has so much more content than the first game – a new authentic single player campaign, epic multiplayer, starfighter battles, and solo or co-op PvE on console – a huge game across all eras of the Star Wars films,” says Matt Webster, Executive Producer on Star Wars Battlefront II. “But just as important is how we support the game after launch. Our live service is built around the philosophy of keeping our fans playing together, with seasons that will add meaningful content and in game events on a regular basis.”

Fans will have the chance to get hands-on with Star Wars Battlefront II multiplayer for the first time at EA PLAY 2017. Here, they will be able to experience the Assault on Theed demo, which features the updated signature multiplayer mode, Galactic Assault, on the Naboo: Theed map set in the prequel trilogy era. Players will get a sample of the new class system, ground and air vehicles like the AAT-1 and Naboo N-1 starfighter, a larger focus on team-play and heroes from all eras including Boba Fett, Darth Maul, Rey and Han Solo.

Star Wars Battlefront II is being developed by three powerhouse studios – Motive Studios, DICE and Criterion Games – each with a rich background of creating award-winning games, to bring the most robust Star Wars game to date. Star Wars Battlefront II will allow players to experience the untold story of Iden Versio, an Imperial elite special forces soldier, in an all-new single player campaign. The game will also allow players to experience epic multiplayer battles where they can pilot a First Order TIE fighter through intense dogfights in space, and play as ground troopers or iconic heroes and villains, such as Yoda and Kylo Ren, across all three Star Wars eras.

This Spring, players will be able to jump into a galaxy far, far away with the Star Wars Battlefront II multiplayer BETA on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Origin for PC. All fans who pre-order any edition of the game will get into the BETA early. In addition, anyone who pre-orders will get instant access to an upgraded Epic Lightsaber Mastery Star Card for Yoda, available while supplies last,

Star Wars Battlefront II will be available worldwide on November the 17th, 2017 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and on Origin for PC.

The post EA ANNOUNCES A NEW WAY OF DELIVERING POST LAUNCH CONTENT FOR STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

At the Sony PlayStation Press Conference at E3 in L.A. today Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) unveiled Hideo Kojima’s first Kojima Productions title DEATH STRANDING for PlayStation 4 (PS4) and its first teaser trailer. As with all of his past masterpieces, the latest title will be produced, written, directed and designed by Hideo Kojima himself. The lead character will be played by Norman Reedus.

“Today I am very excited to be able to deliver this teaser trailer of DEATH STRANDING, which marks a fresh new start for Kojima Productions,” said Hideo Kojima, Game Designer, Kojima Productions. “Since the establishment of Kojima Productions last December, I have been fully focused on what lies ahead. Thanks to our fans and everyone at SIE who has been supporting us as our partner, and we look forward to delivering ground breaking ‘play’ to our users worldwide.”

Aswell as DEATH STRANDING there was also debuted a line-up of premier content for PlayStation 4, including Days Gone (SIE Bend Studio), Spider-Man (Insomniac Games), LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (TT Games and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment), God of War (SIE Santa Monica Studio), FINAL FANTASY XV (Square Enix), RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard (Capcom Co.), and many more.

SIEA also announced the North American launch date as October 13th, 2016, for the release of PlayStation VR (PS VR), a virtual reality system that takes PS4 to the next level of immersion. PS VR will also launch in Australia and New Zealand on October 13th, 2016.

Along with the launch date announcement, SIEA unveiled a breadth of unique PS VR experiences, including Farpoint (Impulse Gear), Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission (Electronic Arts), and Batman: Arkham VR (RockSteady and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment).

“PlayStation’s heritage has been built around innovation and ground-breaking gaming experiences, and today’s reveals of new PS4 and PS VR content speaks to our continued commitment to this evolution of gaming,” said Shawn Layden, President of SIEA and Chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios. “From the reimagining of God of War to the brand new world of Days Gone, this E3 marks one of the best content line-ups in PlayStation history. With the launch of PS VR on the horizon, innovation also has never been stronger at PlayStation as developers, from smaller independent teams to larger studios, have been able to quickly leverage the technology and create unique experiences that truly embody VR’s potential.” PlayStation 4 continues to remain the fastest-selling console in PlayStation history with more than 40 million units sold worldwide, and new game announcements revealed on stage at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles demonstrated how PS4’s library will further expand with an unparalleled line-up of games.

SIE’s Worldwide Studios (SIE WWS) unveiled three new ambitious games during the show — God of War, Spider-Man and Days Gone. Developed by Santa Monica Studio, God of War opened the show with a reveal showcasing a refreshed gameplay experience that continues the next chapter for iconic character, Kratos. As part of the reveal, renowned musical artist Bear McCreary, composer for God of War, shared his score for the game while conducting an incredible live orchestra.

The debut of Spider-Man for PS4 introduced players for the first time to an authentic new Spider-Man story and universe being developed through a close collaboration between Insomniac Games, Marvel and San Mateo Studio. Additionally, Days Gone marks the long awaited return of Bend Studio, who debuted a trailer highlighting a story about loss and regret set in a stunningly realistic high-desert of the Pacific Northwest, and closed the press conference with a live demonstration of emergent, open-world gameplay.

Other featured titles from SIE WWS included highly-anticipated titles Horizon Zero Dawn, Detroit: Become Human, and The Last Guardian. SIEA also announced that The Last Guardian will launch on October 25th, 2016 (October 26th in Australia and New Zealand).

It was also announced that PlayStation has worked with Activision to bring back one of PlayStation’s most fan favorite characters, Crash Bandicoot.

Coming to PS4 first this October, Crash appears in Skylanders Imaginators, the latest game from one of the most beloved franchises. Additionally, in 2017, fans can play Crash 1, Crash 2, and Crash Warped, fully remastered for PS4 by Activision and Vicarious Visions.

SIE will also continue its partnership with Activision on Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, ensuring once again that PlayStation is home to one of the world’s biggest franchises. PlayStation 4 gamers will be the first to play all downloadable map packs from Infinite Warfare, and those who prepurchase select editions of the game for PS4 will be the first to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered’s campaign 30 days prior to launch on November 4th, 2016.

The post Kratos Returns – PlayStation Conference Announcements @ E3 2016! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

2015, what a year. It’s been a year where I spent many an hour retreating old games with shiny new visuals, but also one where I experienced gameplay and graphical fidelity unlike anything I’d seen in the thirty-five years that I’ve been playing video games. Here are some of the highlights of my gaming year.

PlayStation 4 exclusive The Order: 1886 broke new ground in interactive storytelling. A visual feast depicting characters and Victorian London with almost photo-real clarity, sadly it didn’t get the acclaim I thought it deserved.

Press coverage for The Order, instead of lauding the interesting story and beautiful visuals, decided to slaughter the game, deriding it for is brevity, excessive quick time events and lengthy cut-scenes. I think they missed the point, myself, but it meant that the game was practically stillborn. Such a shame.

Despite my misgivings based on playing a preview build, Techland’s Dying Light managed to reinvent the open-world zombie game that the developer practically invented with their Dead Island series. Intelligent, interesting and above all pretty frightening, Dying Light immediately took my top spot when it comes to surviving a virtual zombie apocalypse.

EA’s Battlefield Hardline didn’t quite do it for me. Whilst I salute Visceral Studios for trying something different with DICE’s Battlefield series, Hardline was perhaps too much of a departure. In swapping huge battlegrounds for urban cops and robbers, the game lacked the scale and excitement of it’s military-themed predecessors. By all accounts, still a good game, but not a good Battlefield game.

Cities: Skylines on PC was a pleasant surprise. The city building game manages to take everything that was wrong with SimCity (a game that I personally still enjoyed) and create a nigh-on perfect example of the sometimes embittered genre.

Easy to get to grips with, beautiful to look at and relatively bug-free, Cities: Skylines has become my go-to city building game. With the introduction of a day/night cycle later in the year, the game became even more beautiful to look at.

Ori and the Blind Forest provided a charming break from the AAA action-fests that dominated 2015. Taking more than a little inspiration from the visual style of Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli animated movies, Ori and the Blind Forest follows the trials of the orphaned guardian spirit, Ori.

It sends players on a magical journey and is full of emotion. At its heart, though, Ori and the Blind Forest is no more than an old-school platformer which with repeated plays felt more and more derivative. A great game if you are looking for something short and sweet.

As a gamer that likes a bit of story with my action, 2K’s multiplayer squad shooter, Evolve didn’t really do it for me. It’s nice idea, being a member of a group of mercenaries charged with hunting and killing a gigantic player-controlled monster, but it lacked that Left 4 Dead feeling of comradery.

I’ve returned to the game many times over the year and enjoyed my time with it, but there are plenty of other games that I’d sooner be playing. To all intents and purposes, Evolve is still a great game, but not necessarily my sort of game.

The classic fighting franchise, Mortal Kombat made it’s new-gen debut in 2015 with Mortal Kombat X. With new-gen visuals, the series gruesome finishing mores were too much for Australian censors which slapped it with an R rating.

With a great story featuring character both old and new, beautiful graphics and some fantastic gameplay, Mortal Kombat X is the best fighting game I’ve played in a long time.

In real life I’d say that two wheels are better than four when it comes to having fun on the road. I’ve never really found a game that has managed to capture the excitement of motorcycling. Milestone S.r.l.’s Ride comes close.

Building on their successful Moto GP franchise, the Italian developers have, with Ride, created a game that celebrates the motorcyclist, their machine and racing on the open road.

Whilst it was released in 2014, Dragon Age: Inquisition dominated my playing schedule throughout 2015 due to the great DLC release during the year that bought the amazing story to its conclusion. The game received seven expansions during 2015, from the beautiful and varied terrain in the Jaws of Hakken to the conclusion of Trespasser. The Black Emporium gave players opportunity to change their character’s face (something that my unfortunate-looking Inquisitor was in dire need of).

The crowd funded / developed Project CARS really upped the ante when it comes to racing games. It the tradition of Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport and GRID AutoSport, Project CARS is a driving simulator rather than an arcade racer.

Project CARS copped a lot of flak for being virtually unplayable on a gamepad. With a decent steering wheel and shifter, however, the game is in a league of its own. Add a couple more monitors for a panoramic view of the track and it’s just like being there, sitting in a race car.

May 2015 finally saw the release of one of the year’s most anticipated games, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This is the game that I still return to when I game in my own time. CD Projekt RED polished up the gameplay that they had been developing over the last two games and dropped players in a gorgeous open-world.

The vast world of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt offers player hours and hours of adventure, which the developers augmented with 12 free DLC packs and an expansion called Hearts of Stone.

Warner’s Batman: Arkham Knight managed to polarise the fans. Not a game that I had to review, but one that I purchased myself, on PC. Whilst the console version was, for the most part, celebrated, the PC version was not. PC gamers reported performance issues and missing effects indicated a badly-ported console to PC game.

Running Batman: Arkham Knight on a PC-rig bordering on the un-natural, my 32 gigs and 2xSLI GTX980 machine never really had any problems running the game, much to the ire of my peers. Still the PC version was a massive fail for both Warner Interactive and nVIDIA, whose Gameworks code seems to be a root cause of many of the problems. To this day, Batman: Arkham Knight still doesn’t run as intended on PC.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour kicked of EA Sports’ annual barrage of sports sims. The franchises two-year break allowed the developers to rebuild the game using Battlefield’s Frostbite engine and even including the Battlefield 4-themed Paracel Islands course.

I found the fantasy courses in Rory McIlroy PGA Tour more interesting than the real-life course which is probably because I don’t follow the game on TV. Still, PGA Tour is a good game and a was a great start to the 2015 EA Sports season.

I feel that I’d played every game that’ll ever be made. Most games wear their inspiration on their sleeve to such an extent that they seem like no more than derivative rehashes. Original gaming experiences are few and far between. Sony’s Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture is one of the most original games that I’ve played in a long time.

Derided as being no more than a walking simulator by those that fail to be engaged by the game’s subtle storytelling, Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture is an apocalyptic game with a difference. Set in a deserted English village, the game reveals the tragic events that befall on the people at the end of the world. It’s a very British horror story in the vein of Nigel Kneale’sQuatermass and one that keeps you thinking about it long after you’ve switched it off.

The PlayStation 4 exclusive Until Dawn was a bit of a surprise. Perfectly capturing the teen slasher movie look and feel, the game put the lives of a group of friends trapped in a mountain lodge in the hands of the player. Everyone that I spoke to about the game had a different experience with it. Not the longest game out there, but certainly nigh-on perfectly formed.

2015 saw the release of a game that seemed to have taken forever to arrive. Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain arrived in a storm of controversy that, for a change, had nothing to do with the game’s female lead wearing next to nothing. The launch was overshadowed by the seemingly very public, and rather unprofessional, spat between the game’s publishers, Konami, and the Metal Gear series’ creator, Hideo Kojima.

Regardless of the politics surrounding the game, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a superb effort, with the open-world gameplay taking the series’ tried and tested mechanics to a new level.

As accomplished as it is, I thought that Microsoft’s Forza Motosport 6 failed to live up to the excitement of 2014’s Forza Horizons 2.

Still a beautiful game, possibly the best-looking racing game ever, Forza 6 felt held back by the real-life locations that we’ve seen countless times before. The end result is a very accomplished game, but one that still feels a bit sterile.

Destiny: The Taken King proved to be more than just an expansion for Activision’s acclaimed shooter. Destiny’s second year of adventure kicked off by wiping Game of Thrones actor, Peter Dinklage’s much-maligned voice-over work from the game and replacing it with that of Uncharted’s Nolan North.

The inclusion of a revised leveling system, more akin to traditional role-playing games in Destiny: The Taken King as well as new missions, locations and a sinister new foe makes the game feel fresh again.

In a seemingly desperate move to shake their alleged misogynistic reputation, EA’s FIFA 16 includes, for the very first time, a selection of Women’s international teams. I found it to be a rather welcome move, making the 2016 entry more than just a roster update with a few token gameplay changes.

EA Sports’FIFA 16 is also the best looking entry in the series, the developers really starting to embrace the new-gen console’s graphics abilities.

Rock Band 4 re-introduced a new-generation of gamers to the rhythm music game. As I said in my review, Rock Band 4 was likely borne out of necessity over anything else as the die-hard Rock Band fans replaced their PS3s and Xbox 360s with new-gen consoles.

Rock Band 4 really doesn’t bring anything new to the table, apart from freestyle solos, which allow you to basically go mad with your instrument and still make a sound that seems like real music. Despite the lack of innovation for this fourth outing, Rock Band 4 is still an excellent game. The fact that you can still use your old instruments and previously purchased music make the game an essential purchase for fans.

I wasn’t particularly happy when I found out that Rise of the Tomb Raider was being release, initially anyway, as an Xbox exclusive. I’d been playing the Tomb Raider reboot on PC, with all its exquisite graphics cranked up to the max. I just could help but think that the Xbox One version’s visuals could be anything other than a disappointment.

Of course, I was wrong. The Rise of the Tomb Raider development team had been working closely with the guys at Microsoft to ensure that the latest adventure of Lara Croft looked nothing short of fabulous on the Xbox One. Whilst lacking a bit in the story department, the inclusion of more tombs to raider was welcome, even if the puzzles are still a lot easier that they were back in the day.

Likely in response to Harmonix and their rebooting of the Rock Band franchise, Activision countered with their Guitar Hero Live. Whereas Rock Band was essentially the same as before, it was all change for Guitar Hero.

With an almost retro feel, Guitar Hero Live uses real-life video from the point of view of the guitar player to put you right into the performance. The Guitar Hero TV experience allows players to stream official music videos and play them on the redesigned Guitar Hero guitar.

Fans of post-apocalyptic role-playing games got everything they could wish for with the release of Fallout 4. Not only does the game offer players a vast world to explore and a superb story, but you can also spend literally hours building things.

In previous games I’ve often wondered why the developers littler the world with useless objects. In Fallout 4 I could break items down to material and create all sorts of things from essential water purification systems to rather extravagant outdoor lighting.

In the build-up for the release of the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, the release of EA Games’ Star Wars Battlefront was perfectly timed. The free DLC, The Battle of Jakku, offered players their first peek at a key new location from the film.

With visuals plucked straight from the movies, Star Wars Battlefront, pressed all the right buttons for me and many of us that had been waiting nearly forty years to step into the movies. Many, however, were a bit upset with the lack of content included in the retail package and the price tag that EA put on the game’s season pass.

When it comes to over-the-top action, the Just Cause series turns it up to eleven. With Just Cause 3 Avalanche Studios took what was best about the other games- blowing shit up, and basically made the game all about that. The result is a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but offers players a crazy amount of fun.

You can spend hours in Just Cause 3 just designing mayhem. Be it tying stuff together and watching what happens or putting rocket mines on cows’ butts and having them fly about before exploding in a red mist. Naughty, but nice.

I’m still putting the finishing touches together for my Call of Duty: Black Ops III review. A far cry from last year’s Advance Warfare, Black Ops III has, in my mind, finally pushed the series too far away from its original premise and turned Call of Duty into a sci-fi shooter.

With an enjoyable if incomprehensible single-player campaign and a multiplayer experience that feels borrowed from Titanfall (but without the big robots), Call of Duty: Black Ops III really jumps the shark, giving us a fun, if totally brain-dead entry in to the series.

After last year’s critically panned game, I was surprised to find that the Victorian London-based Assassin’s Creed Syndicate shared most of its gameplay with the very similarly styled Assassin’s Creed Unity. It was interesting to find that whilst one game was derided regarding awkward controls, this new, much-lauded entry seemed to share most of the same mechanics.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate did, however, work right out of the box on both console and PC. Personally I found the brother / sister team of Jacob and Evie Frye not as interesting as previous protagonists (notably Edward Kenway, who they will forever have trouble following) and the setting, Victorian London a bit too familiar and not as exotic as, say, the pirate-ridden Caribbean.

Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six: Siege, for me, suffers in a similar way that many found with Star Wars Battlefront. In leaving out the traditional single-player experience, the game just did sit well with me. Here was a full-priced game to all intents and purposes missing half of its content.

Don’t get me wrong, the multiplayer experience in Rainbow Six: Siege is very well honed, but with only a handful of maps, I’d hardly have called it complete. Add the real need for online co-operation into the mix and you’ve got a game that can really only be played within your circle of friends.

It was the year of the remaster and resurrecting games that were originally released in previous years I’ve deliberately left them out of the list above. I took a look at Saints Row IV: Re-Elected, DMC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition, Borderlands: The Handsome Jack Collection, Journey, God of War III Remastered, Rare Replay and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. With the exception of Journey and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, none of the others really did it for me. Rare Replay was an interesting trip down memory lane, but there was no way I was playing a thirty-five-year-old game for hours. Borderlands: The Handsome Jack Collection was good, but these where game that were still fresh in my mind and, quite frankly, looked just as good on the last-gen consoles.

2015 has been an epic gaming year, with the release of many games that we had been waiting quite some time for. There was very little to be disappointed with, either, with most games living up to the hype, the notable exceptions being Star Wars Battlefront (which could never have lived up to that sort of hype) and the disappointing PC port of Batman: Arkham Knight.

I’m going to close this feature with a list of my top games for 2015:

Best Story –Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture

Best Graphics – Star Wars Battlefront

Best Shooter/Combat Game – Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Best RPG – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Best Sports Game – FIFA 16

Best Music Game – Guitar Hero Live

Best Racing Game – Project CARS

Best Action Game – Just Cause 3

Best Sci-Fi Game – Fallout 4

Best DLC – Dragon Age Inquisition: The Jaws of Hakkon

Best Remaster – Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection

Game of the Year – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Here’s to a great 2016!

The post 2015 – A Gaming Year in Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

With the Disney takeover of the Star Wars franchise and all the new merchandise and a new movie on the verge of release it only made sense for the gaming world to take advantage of this cash cow. EA did so when they got exclusive rights to making games for the Star Wars universe. But have they been responsible with this great power?

The new Star Wars Battlefront was developed by EA Digital Illusions CE, if they sound familiar it is because they are also responsible for the Battlefield series. Who better to have create the next Battlefront game than the experts in First Person Shooters, though you can play in third person if you so choose.

Unfortunately, while being known for solid shooting mechanics, they are not known for fantastic storylines. This sadly shows strongly in the latest Star Wars Battlefront. It can be said the game is Battlefield, but with a Star Wars skin. Though this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Star Wars Battlefront has two play options. Multiplayer and Missions. I will start with Missions. This is essentially the offline component they provide. Missions allow you to select from three objective types.

Training, which is simply learning combat and using vehicles.

Battles, which is a bit more interesting, offers two types. Simple Battles where you can verse a friend or AI in small arena type maps with the objective to collect tokens from the enemies’ corpses. This was fun against a friend but playing against only the AI didn’t go down as well. There are different difficulties if it all gets a bit too easy but overall it just lacked excitement. There is also a Hero Battle mode with the same objective but you can play as one of the iconic Star Wars characters be it Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. This does add to the fun but once again playing against the AI wasn’t as exciting as destroying a good friend.

Survival, the last of the three overall modes, pits you, and possibly a friend, against 15 waves of the Imperial army. Each wave is abit harder with tougher and more enemies being introduced.

There are 3 difficulties and I would recommend starting on the Hard difficultly if with a friend, as it lacks a bit of challenge. Playing solo on the other hand is just a bit dull. Running in circles around a tree to avoid the AT-ST shots is not as exciting as it might sound. There are only four Levels to play in. After playing through each Level once there isn’t much to bring you back to play it again.

You do unlock stars for certain objectives but this is not enough to get me to sit through it all a second time. Sadly, these Missions are as close as the game gets to a Campaign mode.

The multiplayer is the more weighted section of the game.

There are 11 game modes and some of those cover the more generic FPS modes from the team death match (Blast) to a capture the flag game type (Cargo). The most fun and engaging mode would have to be Walker Assault. This is where they actually incorporate what the Star Wars universe has to offer. You play an intense battle where one side has to stop the AT-AT advance and the other has to do all in their power to simply destroy the enemy and defend the AT-ATs. This is easily the most fun of all the modes. Either crushing the rebel scum or destroying those AT-ATs as the rebel scum is all very satisfactory.

There is a couple of game modes that allow you to cycle through playing as Star Wars heroes and villains.

It was fun to play as Emperor Palpatine or Princess Leia and to likewise defend them when not your turn but this only held so much entertainment. Except for Darth Vader, as choking people with the force never gets old. The character models are amazing but this isn’t enough to keep the modes interesting for too long. There is one game mode that has you jump into air craft of some kind and fight in the skies. This too was okay but lacked in fervor.

The game does offer new equipment and items through Star Cards. These can be unlocked and purchased by playing the online multiplayer to level up and earn credits. The most useful and fun upgrade would be the jetpack which allows a much higher level of maneuverability and access to previously inaccessible vantage points.

Star Wars Battlefront is outright beautiful. It is just a gorgeous game. The environments are stunning and character models hold great level of detail as well.

The iconic Star Wars universe is very well portrayed. Visually I can’t pick fault with this game. The Levels are large and visuals are excellently done in every inch of them. Being in the middle of an epic battle in these well-presented environments had me feeling I was there and it was brilliant.

Star Wars is a very in depth universe and there is just so much on offer I felt it was seriously a missed opportunity. They could have provided players with a truly impressive Star Wars game that had a bit more to it than online multiplayer. Their game has not been out long and yet there are already game modes that don’t always find a match.

The online multiplayer is great but I would have liked more from a full price game. The offline content is certainly not worth the price tag and neither is solely the multiplayer… infact even together I wouldn’t say this content quite equates to a full game. The game is beautiful and gameplay mechanics are solid but there is quite a limited selection of game to actually play. It lacks personality. Playing Battlefield with a Star Wars skin is a lot of fun but it soon wears thin and you find yourself sick of sitting in the shallows. It does what it does well but I wish it did more.

The post Star Wars: Battlefront Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Turtle Beach have announced the Star Wars themed Sandtrooper and X-Wing Pilot gaming headsets are now available at retail. In celebration of the soon to be released Star Wars Battlefront video game, the Sandtrooper headset is themed after the squad of Stormtroopers donning the signature orange shoulder pauldron.

Additionally, in anticipation of the theatrical release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the X-Wing Pilot headset is themed after the signature orange jumpsuits worn by Rebel Alliance pilots and is based on Turtle Beach’s all-new lightweight and comfortable entry-level Recon series design. The X-Wing Pilot headset offers a handful of features and functionality no gamer should be without.

“Star Wars is one of the hottest, must-have consumer brands heading into the holiday season and we’ve got two truly unique, high-quality Star Wars-inspired headsets fans will definitely want to add to their collections,” said Juergen Stark, CEO, Turtle Beach Corporation. “Turtle Beach is filled with hardcore fans, so it’s been a real pleasure for us to design these two headsets that will let gamers further immerse themselves in the Star Wars universe.”

Turtle Beach’s Sandtrooper gaming headset works great with PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and mobile/tablet devices and features an over-ear design for extended comfort, plus a removable high-sensitivity boom mic, and thundering 50mm speakers to deliver sound the way Star Wars is meant to be heard. The Sandtrooper headset will be offered exclusively at EB Games in Australia.

The X-Wing Pilot headset is an entry-level gaming headset that works with PS4, Xbox One and mobile/tablet devices and is built on Turtle Beach’s all-new lightweight and comfortable Recon series headset design. The X-Wing Pilot headset features over-ear, synthetic leather-wrapped ear-cups with big, booming 40mm Neodymium speakers that deliver sizzling highs and thundering lows.

It also comes with a removable high-sensitivity boom mic and convenient in-line controls for Master Volume and Mic Mute. Fans can use the X-Wing Pilot headset for playing games like Star Wars Battlefront, and also use it to enjoy their favorite movies, music and more.

The post Turtle Beach Release Headsets for Star Wars Battlefront appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd. (SCEE) has recently announced the future of PlayStation 4 (PS4), with a huge range of exclusive software announcements from both first and third party studios, as well as brand new content announced for PlayStation VR.

On stage at the PlayStation Media Preview in Paris, France, SCEE unveiled new details and PlayStation – exclusive features for over 20 games, with 9 of these newly announced, demonstrating why PS4 is the best place to play this holiday season and beyond.

In addition to this, Jim Ryan, President and CEO of SCEE celebrated twenty years of play and the success of PS4, the fastest selling system in PlayStation history with a global sell-in set at 25.3 million as previously revealed (Number as at June 2015). In addition, he commented on the impressive range of network services offered across the region.

A number of exciting new exclusive games for PS4 were revealed for the very first time, including the latest title from critically acclaimed studio Quantic Dream, Detroit, as well as a brand new racing simulator from Polyphony Digital, GT SPORT. A beta test for GT SPORT was also announced for early 2016.

New footage from other exclusive titles was also shown during the conference, including the multiplayer premiere of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (SCE Worldwide Studios), as well as a look at the gameplay vision for Michel Ancel’s WiLD (WiLD Sheep Studios).

In addition, exclusive content was revealed for the latest installment in one of PlayStation’s most revered franchises, Tekken 7 (Bandai Namco Entertainment), with a launch date provided for Street Fighter V (Capcom). Finally SCEE debuted exciting new downloadable content for PS4 exclusive, Bloodborne (SCE WWS) and, DRIVECLUB BIKES (SCE WWS), which will be available either as a standalone or as an expansion pack.

PlayStation’s enthusiasm for the best games is also shared by the publishers of this holiday’s biggest blockbusters, with downloadable content for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (Activision Publishing, Inc.) available exclusively for 30 days only on PS4, as well as a partnership with Electronic Arts to release a limited edition Star Wars Battlefront PS4 bundle this November (2015).

Away from PS4 software, SCEE also offered the latest glimpse of PlayStation VR, a breakthrough innovation that will take the PS4 experience to a new level of immersion.

New software for the system was shown, including a global announcement of Until Dawn: Rush of Blood from Supermassive Games as well as never before seen footage of Guerrilla Cambridge’s VR shooter, RIGS and a brand new title from Crytek, ROBINSON: THE JOURNEY partnering the famous CRYENGINE and the PlayStation VR system’s ground breaking technology.  SCEE demonstrated that VR offers a wide variety of completely new experiences above and beyond gaming, by blowing away viewers with a special trailer for the film that’s getting cinema-goers talking: The Walk (Sony Pictures Entertainment).

Demonstrating a clear vision for the future of PlayStation with blockbuster franchises and all new IPs, as well as revolutionary ways to play, the conference demonstrates why PS4 is the best place to play for next year and beyond. Jim Ryan, President and CEO of SCEE, closed the presentation by saying: “PlayStation remains devoted to the Players. We thrive on our ability to delight you with extraordinary games, franchises, and experiences, and we remain focused on providing you the most sought-after exclusive content and breakthrough innovations.”

With a focus on games, SCEE’s PlayStation Media Preview showcased a total of 22 games which are all either exclusive to PlayStation or feature exclusive content.

The post Exclusives for PlayStation Announced appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

It was 2004 when the first Star Wars Battlefront graced our consoles and PC’s with Star War Battlefront II doing the same the next year in 2005. Fans have been waiting ever since for the next instalment in this franchise.

There have been ups and downs over the last decade for the next Star Wars Battlefront instalment but finally the planets aligned and EA announced they have the rights to make Star Wars games. It was only a matter of time until the next Battlefront was announced, and so it was.

The task of developing a new Battlefront game has been entrusted to EA DICE, the makers of the Battlefield franchise. In terms of developers though, I cannot think of a more suitable studio than the creators of Battlefield, a game that very much feels inspired by the original Battlefront games.

My biggest worry however is that Battlefront would echo more of a Battlefield game with a coat of paint. Well, due to waiting in line at E3 2015 for over an hour, I was finally able to find out for myself.

The short snippet of the game I played took place on Hoth, very much an iconic Star Wars location. I was assigned to the Empire to destroy the rebel base. There were few other smaller objects including destroying strategic satellites and assisting the AT-AT walkers in their advance.

Initially, playing as a Storm Trooper, it did feel a bit like any other FPS shooter with a Star Wars skin. The gun mechanics were great and movement was natural. I can say when it comes to the FPS part, EA DICE really know their stuff but it indeed was reminiscent of Battlefield more than I’d have liked.

After running around and shooting anything that moved, which was easy enough to spot as snow makes for poor cover, I found a token that allowed me to pilot an AT-ST. Here I felt a little bit more immersed in an actual Star Wars universe.

Jumping into the very iconic Star Wars machine and shooting my powerful blasts at the puny rebels and attempting to simply smoosh some of them was fun indeed. I may have gone to the dark side, but I’ll tell you, it’s a lot of fun.

The next machine I got a small go in was the AT-AT. You couldn’t really control these but shooting presented some difficulty. Aiming was much harder than I thought and you only get a short period of time in it.

I appreciate that while still making both the AT-AT and AT-ST fun to play, they also made them harder to manoeuvre and contro, which I guess gives a good balance to the overall gameplay. If everyone could just get in high powered agile AT-STs all the time I feel it may not be as fun for the other team. Though I still would have loved to be destroying everything and everyone.

Moving on, visually the game looked great and it managed to perfectly capture the scenery of Hoth with its pretty snowy environment and outcropping rocks. I can say they managed to recreate the classic Star Wars universe quite well.

Unfortunately I was thrown straight into a match so there wasn’t much time to fiddle around and explore the smaller things that might be on offer. I hope we get to see a bit more of that side of things as the release date approaches.

Overall, I came away with somewhat mixed feelings about the game. The lack of a proper single player campaign means the game must survive on the multiplayer alone. While the game was definitely solid, I worry that it may fall down the same path as other big online focused titles like Titanfall and Evolve with the community dying mere weeks after launch.

These concerns though won’t be enough to keep me from playing it. I hope they have something special that keeps players coming back for more. Star Wars Battlefront launches on PC, PS4 and Xbox One in November 2015.

The post Star Wars Battlefront Preview appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

I had a few appointments my first being with Wargaming known mostly for the War series with World of Tanks, World of Warplanes and soon World of Warships due for release in July 2015.

I did ask Wargaming if they ever considered putting all these war games into one big battle of the century game. Turns out it wasn’t a new idea, they just realise the technological challenges. It will be some feat having all the elements running smoothly and making sure it is a balanced experience but they didn’t seem to say it was definitely off the table. One can always hope.

Another game that definitely ventures away from their usual style is Master of Orion.

This 4X title is a reboot and I got some personal introduction to the current level of gameplay available. It did look impressive and I’m glad to say I will be covering this particular game in a bit more detail but with great E3 comes little time so onto the next one.

Gaijin Studios showed off an MMO war game of their own, Crossout. This one had some familiar features and look that echoed popular titles such as Mad Max and Twisted Metal.

It is a car combat game with a big focus on creativity. All vehicles need to be created as there is no pre-set blueprints or cars. Basic level components are provided to start off with.

The maps and environments are on the duller side of things as it is set in a post-apocalyptic world, textures and detail weren’t the best but I don’t think you’d be focusing on this come game time and the game is not yet finished either.

There are a broad range of weapons to attach to your homemade vehicles allowing to cater to your destruction needs. After creation you can test them out and see issues or weak points your vehicle might have.

The game seemed to have a good balance system. The more fire power or heavy duty ware you used the more power and framework the vehicle might need. New and better parts are randomly dropped in gameplay and improved items can also be created by combining old ones. I like the creativity and destruction meeting in one place. You create to destroy.

Virtual Reality is all the rage at the moment and I also had a go with PlayStation’s take on it with Project Morpheus.

I played a few simple demos simply showcasing the idea. Kitchen was an interesting experience.

You found yourself sitting tied up on a wooden chair in a dank and dirty kitchen with your assumed companion in the corner. Soon it all takes turn for the worse with an almost The Ring individual dragging him away and soon returning his head your feet.

Now while I was fully aware this was all fake it certainly didn’t stop my heart from beating just that much faster.

The other game The London Heist also managed to very quickly give a new level of immersion that wasn’t so comfortable. Watching a big burly bald guy coming at you with a blow torch was an intimidating experience to say the least but I loved that something could do that to me so quickly. I mean, you know in your head it’s not real but VR really does seem to give a whole new level of immersion.

A couple issues I had was while what they showed was emotionally invoking I wasn’t sure where they could go from there. I simply couldn’t imagine a full length game.

I do sincerely hope all those currently developing VR games for Project Morpheus prove me wrong.

The other downside was motion sickness. I do like to pride myself on not being the kind of person to get it. After playing a few minutes of Eve Valkyrie I was more than glad when the demo was over as I couldn’t help but feel very nauseous. Maybe it was just the lack of good coffee but it wasn’t pleasant all the same.

One very big upcoming title I got my hands on was with EA’s Star Wars Battlefront.

Even with a VIP/Media access I still waited over an hour to get some hands on time with this much anticipated title. I can say it was worth it as I quickly forgot how long I had been waiting once in gameplay. The teams were massive. Playing as the Storm Troopers coming to destroy the rebel base on Hoth was a fun experience.

The gameplay was fluid and textures and general environment were detailed and gorgeous. A particular fun point for me was obtaining an AT-ST and destroying the enemy by using both my high powered weaponry and simply stepping on them.

Star Wars Battlefront did of course have your generic FPS aspects but at least they were all well done.

How can anyone complain about a game set in the amazing Star Wars universe? Even being the bad guys was so much fun. I got to experience both the AT-ST and AT-AT and it was a fun and empowering experience.

I feel it has good potential but I am still skeptical, as with any mostly multiplayer online FPS, about this games lasting appeal.

My last order of business was an unnamed experience which I was super excited to find out was a close up and personal tech demo using Halo Warzone to showcase Microsoft’s new Hololens.

This technology had already impressed me but I was beyond astounded to see this for myself. Seeing a mission briefing for a Warzone game showing a 3D layout of the map and targets, seeing the holograms was an experience on a whole new level.

This was so far (and I’m sure will stay as) the biggest highlight of my E3 experience.

I had long day to say the least but getting to experience and see what the next big things will be in the world of video gaming was and honour all of its own. I hope to be sharing a lot more of the upcoming games and experiences E3 had to offer this year.

The post Reflecting Back to Day One – E3 2015 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

EA Australia hosted an E3 2015 replay at the Standard Bowl in King’s Cross last night to promote their upcoming games for 2015 and into 2016.

Attendees were treated to a special screening of the press conference, including a special introduction from the Australian EA CEO, and from the Matilda’s, one of whom will be on the cover of FIFA 2016 with Lionel Messi.

Read on below for some of the biggest highlights of their press conference.

First up Mass Effect is back. EA showed the newest entry into the franchise, Mass Effect: Andromeda in a brief clip to attendees, receiving a hearty response from the audience. Not much is known about the newest game in the series, but it looks to be more of what gamers have loved from the series. For once the term “epic” seems appropriate at E3.

EA’s flagship car game, Need for Speed is getting a reboot. After the disappointing Need for Speed: Rivals the series is stepping back, taking stock and moving in a new direction.

The reboot is focusing more on the urban car culture elements of previous entries, specifically about customising cars, and racing with friends in style against the law. The game’s video looked impressive and if the graphical fidelity of the demonstration can be maintained across consoles it will be a worthy entry into the increasingly-crowded car racing genre.

An extremely nervous Swedish man announced Unravel, a side scrolling platformer that looks to have similarities to Nintendo’s upcoming Yoshi’s Wooly World. Unravel seems to have more complex, physics-based puzzles though and perhaps a more mature theme to the story and gameplay, so it’s a game I’m extremely interested in checking out.

In one of the more exciting announcements of the night another reboot, that of Mirror’s Edge; Mirror’s Edge Catalyst was announced. More of an origin story for protagonist Faith, it looks to incorporate the same parkour mechanics of its predecessor without the gun violence that always felt a bit unfaithful to the main character’s persona.

In a sequel that nobody expected and perhaps nobody was really asking for, a follow-up to last year’s underplayed Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare has been announced: Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2. If you’ve ever wondered what was happening on the Zombie side of Plants vs Zombies then this is the game for you. Instead of the focus being on the plants,

Before the official FIFA 16 announcement there was a lengthy and awkward conversation with football legend Pele, which was a shame because FIFA 16 seems to bring with it some real enhancements, least of all is the inclusion of women in teams for the first time in the franchise’s history. This game will be bought and played by millions and the inexorable advanced in technology in this sort of game are always welcome.

Star Wars Battlefront finished up the presentation and was undoubtedly the highlight of the night. Despite the complaints on the internet about what isn’t in the game compared to its predecessors what was in the trailer was tense, fast paced and extremely good looking.

It was good to see the game introduced by a woman, breaking up the monotony of pale white men. Again, this was pre-rendered footage of pre-release code, so take everything you saw with a grain of salt.

But if EA can truly deliver what they promise with this game it will be a highlight of the entire year’s gaming calendar.

So the E3 conference is what you expected it would be. Sequels, reboots, attempts at pressing the same nostalgia buttons that Nintendo has hammered at for the last ten years.

With some of the biggest game series in its vaults now, EA looks to continue mining them for years to come. Nevertheless, quirky games such as Unravel, though admittedly an indie game simply published by EA, demonstrate the company is looking outside its comfortable AAA staples.

EA’s a bit like a Mazda 3, safe, reliable and everywhere.

The post EA Australia’s E3 Press Conference appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Dice, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio, and Lucasfilm announced today that Star Wars: Battlefront will be released beginning November 19th, 2015 in Australia and November 20th in New Zealand.

Combining an unprecedented collaboration with Lucasfilm and the award-winning Frostbite game engine, Star Wars: Battlefront will deliver an incredibly authentic and immersive interactive entertainment experience featuring photorealistic visuals and epic action in iconic Star Wars locations.

“Like so many others around the world, everyone at Dice is a tremendous fan of the Star Wars universe,” said Sigurlina Ingvarsdottir, Senior Producer of Star Wars: Battlefront. “To be working on a Star Wars project and knowing we are helping to represent the universe we love to our generation and a legion of new Star Wars fans is truly an honour. Thanks to the access and knowledge shared with us by Lucasfilm, and the passion and talent of our team, we plan to deliver an amazing game that puts you right in the middle of the Star Wars battles you always imagined playing.” 

Star Wars: Battlefront will allow fans to live out a wide range of heroic moments and intense battle fantasies of their own, firing blasters, riding speeder bikes and snow speeders, commanding AT-ATs and piloting TIE fighters and the Millennium Falcon.

These battles will take place on some of the most iconic planets in the Star Wars universe, including Endor, Hoth, Tatooine and the previously unexplored planet, Sullust.

Gamers will be able to play as some of the most memorable characters in the original trilogy such as Darth Vader and Boba Fett.

Star Wars: Battlefront will feature a wide range of modes tailored for different types of battles, from larger 40-person competitive multiplayer to crafted missions that are played solo, with a friend via split-screen offline or co-operatively online.

Fans who pre-order Star Wars: Battlefront will be among the first players to experience the Battle of Jakku, the pivotal moment when the New Republic confronted key Imperial holdouts on a remote desert planet on the Outer Rim.

Taking place in the aftermath of the Rebel victory in the Battle of Endor, players will experience the events that created the massive, battle-scarred landscape of Jakku shown in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Players who pre-order Star Wars Battlefront can fight the battle one-week early starting on December 1, 2015. All other players will get access to this free content on December 8, 2015.

Star Wars Battlefront will be available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and on Origin for PC.

The post Star Wars Battlefront Launching Across the Galaxy in 2015 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.