Most Recent: Xbox One

Sega officially announces Team Sonic Racing for a Winter release

Posted on May 30, 2018 by John Scalzo

After a bit of teasing earlier this year at the SXSW Gaming Expo, Sega has officially announced that Team Sonic Racing will be released for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One this Winter:

Team Sonic Racing arrives this Winter! Race in a team with your friends (or against them) both offline and online, and choose from a variety of characters and tracks in the Sonic universe!

Sega has enlisted Sumo Digital, the team behind both Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, to develop Team Sonic Racing. And the publisher has promised that the game will be fully playable at this year’s E3 Expo.

Presumably, we’ll get a glimpse at a longer trailer next month. For now, fans will have to be content with a new Teaser Trailer, which has been embedded above.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged ,

Mega Man 11 will power slide onto the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on October 2

Posted on May 29, 2018 by John Scalzo

The Blue Bomber returns! Capcom has announced that Mega Man 11 will make its way to the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on October 2.

Fans who pre-order the side-scroller on any platform will receive access to an “Alternative Soundtrack” in the game, but Switch owners will want to make special note of the Amiibo Edition. Mega Man 11’s Amiibo Edition will include a copy of the game, as well as a brand new Mega Man Amiibo figure, a Dr. Wily logo adhesive patch, a set of four stickers, and a Robot Master stage select screen microfiber cloth.

In addition to a launch date, Capcom unveiled a new trailer focusing on Mega Man 11’s Double Gear System. These new special powers will enable the Blue Bomber to slow down time and deliver a more powerful punch with his arm cannon. The publisher talked a bit more about the Double Gear System on the Capcom-Unity blog:

At its core, the Double Gear System has two main functions that empower Mega Man (and players) with brand new abilities. Mega Man speeds up with the aptly-named Speed Gear, causing the world around him move much slower by comparison. If you need a moment to dodge incoming projectiles, make a desperate jump, or simply need a breather to figure out a tricky situation, the Speed Gear is just a button press away to give you a chance to escape and quickly adapt to any situation. It’s great for both newcomers who need a little extra time to figure out enemy and boss patterns, or veterans who can expertly maneuver their way around levels.

The Power Gear pushes Mega Man’s power output beyond maximum, powering up his regular buster shots and allowing him to charge his Mega Buster to an even higher level than before to unleash two charge shots at a time. Special weapons gained from defeated Robot Masters will also power up in various ways when Mega Man has the Power Gear active. Be careful how you use these new skills, though! You can turn each gear on and off at will with a quick button press, but pushing Mega Man to his limit will cause him to overheat, preventing him from using the Double Gear system until he’s cooled off a bit.

If things are looking desperate, Mega Man can also activate both gears at once when his health is critically low to slow time to a crawl and unleash his full potential in one massive, overcharged shot from his Mega Buster! Careful, though – you can’t turn this technique off once it’s active, and Mega Man will be severely weakened afterwards. Make it count!

The trailer also gives us our first glimpse at two of Mega Man’s foes in Mega Man 11. Brick Man can form blocks out of thin air, while Fuse Man moves with electrifying speed.

Mega Man 11 will be playable at this year’s E3 Expo at the Capcom Booth (South Hall, Booth #2223), and a closer look at the Amiibo Edition can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged ,

New Retail Releases: Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, Sega Genesis Classics, Owlboy, More

Posted on May 28, 2018 by John Scalzo

Get ready for another nostalgia-heavy trip to your local game store as this week’s New Retail Releases features a new destination for several big-name titles.

Slapping its way to the top of the pile is Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, a new compilation for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One that brings together a dozen games from the franchise. There’s the original Street Fighter, as well as Street Fighter II (and its four updates), Street Fighter III (and its two updates), and all three Street Fighter Alpha games. Fans will get to relive these famous fighting games with online multiplayer, and explore the history of the franchise thanks to a bountiful batch of bonus content.

Also set to launch this week for the PS4 and Xbox One is Sega Genesis Classics, a new compilation that contains more than 50 games that were originally released for the 16-bit machine. That list includes beloved classics like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Golden Axe, and Altered Beast, as well as more left field fare like Vectorman, Comix Zone, and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine.

Two games coming to new platforms this week retain the retro aesthetic of Street Fighter and the Sega Classics, but they’re both actually less than a year old. D-Pad Studio’s Owlboy originally made its PS4 and Switch debut earlier this year, but now the innovative platformer is coming to retail shelves. And Natsume’s Harvest Moon: Light of Hope was originally released for the PC in November, but a Special Edition of the farming sim comes to the PS4 and Switch this week.

NIS America has packaged together Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire (originally released for the PS4) and Fallen Legion: Flames of Rebellion (originally released for the Vita) on the Switch as Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory. Players will finally be able to play both sides of this RPG story on a single platform.

THQ Nordic will also bring the feline ninjitsu of Legend of Kay Anniversary to the Switch this week. Fans first got to play the game on the PS2 in 2005, and since then it’s appeared on the DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, and Xbox 360.

And finally, if you’re looking for something new this week, Madmind Studio will released Agony for the PS4 and Xbox One. The first-person survival horror game plunges players into the depths of Hell in a story of “horror, eroticism, and damnation” that was inspired by Dante’s Inferno.

That’s all for now, but we’ll be back later this week with a look at all the new additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

Posted in News, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged , ,

Dark Souls Remastered, more added to Xbox Store

Posted on May 25, 2018 by John Scalzo

Bandai Namco is easing Xbox One owners into the long holiday weekend with the long-awaited release of Dark Souls Remastered, and it’s now available to download through the Xbox Games Store.

Dark Souls Remastered includes the Artorias of the Abyss expansion, and features completely remastered visuals throughout the land of Lordran. Xbox One owners will be able to experience the game in 1080p high definition running at a blistering 60 frames per second, but the Action RPG has also been “Xbox One X Enhanced” to run at 4K resolution on Microsoft’s latest console.

You can learn more about the rest of today’s additions to the Xbox Games Store after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox One | Tagged

EA Sports will release Madden NFL 19 for PS4 and Xbox One on August 10

Posted on May 25, 2018 by John Scalzo

With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead to the next big date on the pro football calendar… the next release in EA Sports’s Madden franchise. Now we know when that will be, as the megapublisher announced earlier today that Madden NFL 19 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on August 10.

In an appropriately timed gesture, wide receiver Terrell Owens will appear on the cover of Madden NFL 19’s Hall of Fame Edition. The former 49ers and Cowboys star will be inducted into the actual Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton on August 7. The cover athlete for the Standard Edition (and this year’s potential victim of the dreaded “Madden Curse”) will be announced at a later date.

For this year’s edition of the football sim, developer EA Tiburon will roll out Real Player Motion Technology, a new animation system that promises more precision than ever before. The team is also hard at work on improvements to the Franchise Mode and Madden Ultimate Team:

In Madden NFL 19 Franchise Mode, players can choose the offensive and defensive schemes that best fit their playstyle as they compete in single player and/or multiplayer seasons. Schemes are also linked to a new intuitive progression system… based on authentic positional archetypes… that give virtual coaches the tools and the big decision to either win now or build their squad for the future. NFL fans will also have a top community-requested feature with the introduction of Custom Draft Class Creator where fans can create their own draft classes featuring players from the past and present for use in Franchise.

Madden NFL 19 Ultimate Team gives fans even more ways to choose their path to glory as new training tools let them develop their favorite players their way via Player Upgrades. For players who want to prove they’re the best of the best in Solo Challenges, a new curated single-player experience called MUT Solo Battles provides a leaderboard reward system allowing fans to showcase their skills on the field while competing against other top Ultimate Team players.

EA Sports is offering several pre-order bonuses for players who purchase Madden NFL 19 early, and you can learn more about the different packages at the game’s official website.

Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged

Mega Man X-inspired platformer 20XX will be available for PS4, Switch, and Xbox One in July

Posted on May 23, 2018 by John Scalzo

Capcom is finally bringing the Mega Man franchise back this Fall with Mega Man 11. But PC players who prefer Mega Man X have been able to enjoy Batterystaple Games’s procedurally-generated tribute to that spinoff series, 20XX, since 2014. Earlier today, the developer confirmed that console fans will finally get the chance to play the roguelike platformer this July.

Inspired by classic Mega Man titles, but with modern twists, 20XX remixes retro design with roguelike elements to create an exciting “one more play” experience built around skill growth. In 20XX, players will dash, jump, and blast their way through procedurally-built stages made to test their grasp on controls and situational awareness rather than memorization or trial and error.

This structure ensures every session plays out differently than the last and, along with multiple difficulty settings, daily ranked challenges, and co-operative multiplayer (both online and local), provides a near-endless amount content for players to experience and enjoy while jamming out to the heartwarming tunes of 20XX’s pulsing chiptune-inspired soundtrack.

20XX’s console launch will include the Hawk DLC Pack, which adds a third playable character to the game. Unlike Nina (and her N-Buster) and Ace (and his A-Saber), Hawk uses the whip-like Siphon to steal energy from enemies and “power-up five unique special abilities.”

20XX will be available to download for the PS4 and Switch beginning on Tuesday, July 10. The Xbox One release will follow a day later on Wednesday, July 11.

Posted in News, PS4, Switch, Xbox One | Tagged

Battlefield V gets an Official Reveal Trailer and an October 19 launch date

Posted on May 23, 2018 by John Scalzo

Like last year’s Call of Duty: WWII, EA and DICE will take the Battlefield franchise back to the Second World War in the upcoming Battlefield V. You can get your first look at the game in the Official Reveal Trailer, which has been embedded above.

Unlike Activision’s biggest franchise, Battlefield V will stick with a single-player campaign, bringing back the “War Stories” format from Battlfield 1:

The acclaimed single-player campaign mode from Battlefield 1, War Stories, returns for Battlefield V. Witness the conflict through the eyes of men and women of World War 2 and experience untold stories of human drama, filled with Battlefield moments. Experience the freezing Norwegian landscapes as a young Norwegian resistance fighter or come ashore into the desert heat of North Africa… and more.

But multiplayer is how most players experience the Battlefield franchise, and DICE is promising that fans will get to experience the “most immersive gameplay” ever in Battlefield V:

Battlefield V multiplayer will deliver the most immersive gameplay of the franchise in a sandbox environment that portrays the battles of World War II, allowing players to feel the force of the fight and truly shape the war as the war shapes them. Players’ soldiers can now tow stationary weapons, build fortifications, and repair war-torn structures to turn the battlefield to the player’s advantage. Whether dragging a squad mate to safety or shooting a grenade out of the sky, players will forge a deeper connection to the ever-evolving world around them and achieve victory against the toughest odds. With the freedom to adapt and evolve the battlefield in new and unseen ways, the battlefield will never be the same.

In new and classic multiplayer modes, players can lead their own unique Company to victory in a dynamic multiplayer experience where every battle is unique. The Company allows players to create and deeply customize their soldiers, weapons, and vehicles that will evolve as they progress, covering everything from the way they look to the way they play. Fan favorite modes like the 64-player Conquest return, with the game’s multiplayer culminating in Grand Operations, an all-new live, event-based experience within Tides of War. These multimap, multi-mode dynamic events take players through vast historical battles to relive moments of bravery and desperation while fighting to the final objective.

DICE also confirmed that Battlefield V will not require a Season Pass to play expansion content. In an effort to “keep the community unified,” the developer said that “all players will have access to the same maps and modes.” This new approach lead to the creation of the new Tides of War mode:

Tides of War is DICE’s new approach to live services, where players will set out on an epic journey with their Company in unexpected battles throughout World War II. There will be no premium pass, all players will have access to the same maps and modes, keeping the community unified as they progress through Battlefield V. In Tides of War, their journey through World War II will grow through themed experiences that will include events and all-new ways to play like Grand Operations, while also unlocking the latest themed rewards such as weapons and vehicles to further shape their Company.

While that’s a lot to digest, if you’re looking to learn more about Battlefield V, EA and DICE promised to share more information about the game during this year’s EA Play event on June 9.

For now, you can mark down an October 19th launch date on your calendar for Battlefield V on the PC, PS4, and Xbox One. But players who opt for the Deluxe Edition will be able to play three days earlier, and all players who pre-order the game will receive early access to the planned Open Beta.

Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One | Tagged ,

Gorogoa, I Hate Running Backwards, State of Decay 2, more added to Xbox Store

Posted on May 23, 2018 by John Scalzo

An artistic puzzler, a voxelated shooter, and a post-apocalyptic survival game highlight today’s additions to the Xbox Games Store…

After making its debut on the PC, Switch, and mobile devices late last year, Jason Roberts has brought his visually-striking puzzle game, Gorogoa, to the Xbox One. It’ll be added to Microsoft’s digital storefront alongside Devolver Digital’s crossover shooter, I Hate Running Backwards, and the Standard Edition of Undead Labs’s zombie survival simulation, State of Decay 2.

You can learn more about all of these games, and the rest of today’s additions to the Xbox Games Store, after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, PC, Xbox One | Tagged ,