It seems that speedrunner Allakazzaror has set a new Dark Souls II record, beating the difficult game in just under an hour without exploiting any glitches.
That last part makes a big difference. Other speedrunners have finished the game in as little as 17 minutes, but only by taking advantage of glitches that allows them to skip entire section. Beating the game without that advantage is impressive, though there’s an even more challenging speedrunning category in which players try to defeat all the bosses in the game before they finish it.
You can watch the amazing run in the video above, though sadly we don’t get to hear the excitement in the end since Twitch cut off the last four minutes of audio.
If you want to know how Allakazzaror did it, you can read about his route through the game here, and a summary of his strategy courtesy via Reddit.
One out of every five copies of Destiny was sold digitally, according to a study by SuperData Research.
That’s significantly higher than the year’s other big titles, which on average sold 12 percent of total units via digital downloads on consoles.
According to the report, Destiny also accumulated 9.5 million registered users.
Across the industry, digital console sales reached $96 million, and the digital games market overall reached a combined total of $957 in October, up 12 percent from the same month last year. SuperData attributes this increase to the adoption of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and major publishers getting behind digital distribution.
“For the holiday season we conservatively forecast the share of direct-to-consoles downloads of full games to double, as consumers seek to avoid the inconvenience of having to wait for delivery or stand in line,” SuperData said. “That said, GameStop has so far proved to be well-positioned to capture a piece of this uptick in digital games revenue. We do, however, anticipate lower-than-expected game sales over the winter break for online retailers like Amazon.”
Not even the most optimistic Sony executive would have dared imagine the PlayStation 4‘s extraordinary success during its first year on the market. By October, PS4 sales soared past 13.5 million units in its first eleven months, meaning it is currently outpacing the best selling console of all time, the PS2, and even aligns it with the stupefying early success of the Nintendo Wii.
But for those who haven’t yet bought into Sony’s next-gen system, is it time to make the jump?
Today, to mark the first-year anniversary of the PS4 launch, GameSpot is providing a comprehensive buyer’s guide that dissects and scrutinises every key aspect of the console. From the hardware, to the software platform, to the games library itself, GameSpot is evaluating each of these aspects to help answer one simple but important question for any gamer: Should you buy a PS4?
On Tuesday November 18, GameSpot will mark the two-year anniversary of the Wii U‘s release with a similarly styled analysis. Then on Saturday November 22, we’ll conclude with a breakdown of the Xbox One.
The Hardware Gets Everything Right
PS4 carries a meaningful raw power advantage over its peers, whilst also managing to be one of the smallest and sleekest systems available, and almost paradoxically, isn’t particularly more expensive either. It is difficult to recall a games console over the past 40 years that has achieved these key hardware objectives in unison so harmoniously.
These advantages have been paying off for Sony from day one, and continue to do so: Some, but not all, multiplatform games render at a superior frame-rate and resolution on PS4 than on Xbox One. That’s worth considering if you’re eager to buy a new games console soon. The difference isn’t night and day, but considering the endless similarities between the Xbox One and PS4, a small differentiator can seem like a big advantage.
However, the PS4’s upper hand in this regard won’t last forever, especially as coders begin to master the Xbox One’s hardware. Then again, when first-parties begin to harness the full potential of PS4, the results could be quite striking.
Of all the flagship creations in Sony’s history, it is no exaggeration to say PS4 stands as one of the finest
The shell that surrounds the PS4 is another triumph. The rhombical casing is compact and unassuming with a dash of flamboyance, and versatile enough for kids’ bedrooms, dirty college dorms, or a thirtysomething’s IKEA-inspired living space. PC systems may be able to outmuscle the PS4 in terms of horsepower, but not quite at this price and certainly not at this size.
Additional benefits become more appreciated over time; such as the generally impressive install speeds (certainly when compared to the Xbox One), or the relatively quiet manner in which the system operates. It’s also now available in white.
One negative consideration for those wanting a 4K future: PS4 only supports video and images in this high-end resolution, not games. Also, it’s not compatible with Bluetooth remotes or mice, but keyboards work.
Those minor caveats aside, PS4 is a console with remarkably accomplished foundations. It is a poignant reminder that Sony is not just a struggling electronics empire, but an institution of consumer hardware design and innovation, one that happens to pre-date the moon landing.
Of all the corporation’s flagship creations in its 68-year history, it is no exaggeration to say that PS4 stands as one of the finest.
The DualShock 4 is a Major Upgrade From PS3…
Sony has embraced the west’s increasing dominance as a games market, not just as a painful reality, but as a pillar ideology that informs its decisions. Few things typify this better than the PS4 controller; an enlarged gamepad that fits perfectly in American and European palms, designed with first-person shooters in mind.
Consequently, the analogue sticks and triggers have made significant strides since the PlayStation 3, now resplendent with enhanced grip and curve for control and comfort. Perhaps most significant is a subtle difference; the handles have been lengthened and moulded into a more cylindrical shape, and are slightly narrowed in angle too, which makes for a marvellous fit.
As a bonus, the charge and headphone inputs are non-propriety, meaning any micro-USB cable and headphone jack can be used with the controller. The system comes packaged with these, but if you have an Android phone with a hands-free kit, you’ve probably already got some reliable backups.
It’s also an ideal controller for those trying to keep quiet at night, thanks to a brilliant feature that allows the audio to be redirected solely through the headphones. And although the pad’s internal gyrometer doesn’t feature in many games, it does make typing on the virtual keyboard surprisingly fast and straightforward.
…But It’s Not Perfect
The battery life is unequivocally poor, and some would say it’s outright awful for a modern games controller. In practice, it doesn’t last half as long as its predecessor, and dies far quicker than the Xbox One and Wii U Pro Controller. The official line is that it offers eight hours of use from a full charge, but our experiences suggest this is a slightly optimistic figure, with the battery recharge usually becoming necessary on the sixth or seventh hour. The DualShock 4’s battery problems are partly due to it being burdened by the power demands of an internal speaker, a somewhat worthless light bar at the front, additional rumble motors, and a touchpad.
The battery life is unequivocally poor, and some would say it’s outright awful for a modern games controller
Speaking of that touchpad, few developers have found inspiration from it. Games such as Destiny and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes simply map it as an extra button or two. While the touchpad is perfectly functional as an additional button, it’s also a missed opportunity. Sony needs to set a better example of its unique potential.
Meanwhile, over time, the analogue sticks’ rubber coating will likely begin to break apart. Only slightly at first, but in some cases quite drastically. If you’re not seeing some signs of this problem by the end of your first year, consider yourself fortunate.
If you’re keen on getting a PS4 and have cash to burn, it’s worth thinking about buying a second controller that you can swap while the other charges. (Pro-tip: You can use a PS Vita as a rudimentary second controller.) There’s also a range of third-party micro-USB cables that, while not a perfect solution, can be handy.
The PlayStation Camera is Somewhat Pointless
Though the PS4’s add-on camera can cleverly recognise your face as the system boots up, you’ll still need a controller to log in, so it’s tricky to find much value in it. The set of voice commands are basic, though reliable, yet it’s likely that you’ll naturally stop using them over time.
Very few games use the peripheral, and it’s hard to imagine too many more will. Those who like to stream games via Twitch, however, may find its basic webcam function as a useful bonus. It’s also worth considering that the camera will likely be a necessity for Sony’s VR headset, Project Morpheus (that is, of course, if the peripheral is ever released).
Bear in mind too that the PlayStation Camera is a grand master at dislodging itself if placed atop the TV. The heat emitted from a television will easily loosen the tiny square of glue that is supposed to be holding the unit in place, and it will routinely fall off unless secured in position through improvised means.
The PS4 is a Mediocre Media Player
The PS4’s reluctance to read media from external hard-drives is a clear stance against piracy, yet also an honest inconvenience for those who missed an episode of Game of Thrones and want to stay in the loop. It’s an understandable position for Sony to take, but one that inevitably makes the Xbox One, and even the PS3 and Xbox 360, more suitable for modern lifestyles.
At the time of writing, the system supports music playback, but only via USB. It doesn’t read CDs either, though it does offer a paid-for Music Unlimited subscription service. As executives from Sony have previously hinted, future firmware updates may open up more of the PS4’s media capabilities, or at the very least DLNA support for network media streaming, but for now the system could hardly be recommended as an all-encompassing media playback solution.
The updated Live From PlayStation app, meanwhile, offers Twitch and UStream footage, though usually at unwatchable resolutions. If you have a capable internet connection, the Xbox One tends to stream Twitch gameplay at noticably superior quality.
For most people, these setbacks won’t be too major a problem. PS4 is an adequate Blu-ray and Netflix machine, plus it has YouTube, Amazon Video, Crackle, Crunchyroll, EPIX, Hulu Plus, Vudu, YuppTV, the WWE Network, and apps for live footage of NFL, NBA, MLB, and HNL. Sony’s own video store isn’t too shabby either. Meanwhile in the UK, PS4 also has the BBC iPlayer, and is set to introduce Sky Go for the first time, which is a coup for Sony (the Xbox 360 had this service exclusively for several years).
PS Vita Remote Play is a Neat Party Trick, But No Revolution
It seems unfair to dismiss an audacious technology that so capably streams PS4 gameplay onto the PS Vita handheld. But performance is not the problem with Remote Play. The real issue is purpose.
It takes a specific set of circumstances for Remote Play to enter into the equation: If you really can’t use the TV, and if you have a fast home network, and if you want to play a game that doesn’t demand lightning-quick reactions, and if that game does not require more than two shoulder buttons, or the analogue stick buttons, and if you’re sitting close enough to your PS4 (or router), and if your Vita has enough charge, then feel free to indulge.
But even then, it’s hard to ignore how you are shrinking the full-screen splendour of a PS4 game onto a handheld, complete with all the imperfections and inevitable artefacts one should expect with streaming high-density content.
It can still be fantastic on the right occasion; listening to all those secret tapes in Ground Zeroes whilst doing the dishes in the kitchen offers a moment to ponder just how far we’ve come since the Atari days.
With compatibility expanding to the PlayStation TV microconsole, and the Xperia Z3 smartphone, Remote Play could still have a bright future ahead. For now, it’s cool, but only a few will swear by it.
Everything in Its Right Place
When an operating system works, you shouldn’t notice. So it should be taken as the highest praise possible that the PS4’s software platform is effortlessly, naturally inconspicuous.
That famous Jobsian principle, “it just works”, is entirely applicable here. The OS is littered with little ideas and evidences that someone, somewhere, had designed them all with that indistinct notion of “the experience” in mind. It manifests in all the small things, such as the option to delete or pause apps mid-download. Or the seamless switching between game and front-end. Or the depths of customisation, right down to tweaking what the PlayStation can do on standby. Or the option to share your games to all users of the console, each with their own save files. Or the option to access your digital library on another PS4. Or the notification centre which helps you stay on top of everything. Or even the life-saving cut-copy-paste options in the text window.
But the perhaps the greatest achievement of all is how everything manages to be presented in such a straightforward manner. The home page displays a horizontal belt of your most recently used software, be it games or apps. Meanwhile, a smaller row of system icons (options, the PlayStation Store, Friends etc) is fixed atop the screen. Very quickly it’s understood that one line is for content and the other is for the system, and due to this single rule, navigation becomes a breeze.
Thanks to the 2.0 Masamune update, as many as 15 of your most recent items can be displayed on the homepage belt. However, at the time of writing, there is still no folder support, nor the option to ‘pin’ your most important game or app.
A Console That Prioritises Speed
Top of the (many) complaints regarding the PS3 was the unbelievable number of mandatory updates that acted as roadblocks. This curse has finally lifted with PS4, as the system can download updates when on standby, and for PlayStation Plus subscribers, can automatically upload and patch them too. It’s touches like these that make the PS4 a system that clearly prioritises your free time. As such, it is one that revitalises that God-given impulse to take a game for a quick spin without fear of console admin work.
Perhaps an equally impressive feat is the play-as-you-download feature, which allows access to games long before they have finished downloading. EA’s PS4 launch game Need For Speed Rivals weighs about 16GB, for example, but only 3.75GB is required to start playing. Understandably, with only a fraction of assets downloaded, at this point only two levels of the game are playable.
No Lie: PS4 Has Genuinely Useful Social Features
The games industry’s first ‘big idea’ for social media was the same approach it takes with all other non-games services: Just throw it in.
Evidently, this was a mistake. No one with a smartphone and an IQ wanted to browse a rudimentary Twitter client on their Xbox 360 or PS3, nor write with an on-screen keyboard that is navigated by d-pad.
PS4 is the first console that takes a common-sense approach to social media. First, Facebook profiles can be tied to PlayStation Network accounts, which means your real-life profile can, if you wish, be your avatar that appears throughout the service and on friend requests (this also automatically updates whenever you change your Facebook profile pic–a neat touch).
Second, and more importantly, is the Share button, which allows players to publish snapshots of their in-game moments onto Facebook and Twitter. Right now you won’t see these images too often in your Twitter feed, and even less so on your Facebook timeline, but the key is that Sony has made the process easy. It’s a matter of time before developers begin to exploit the console’s innate sharability, and hopefully in a way that people can enjoy.
Facebook can also publish video clips of in-game video, though unfortunately these can’t be published on Twitter yet (which ironically is the better platform for sharing video snippets). Yet perhaps the most impressive addition is Twitch integration, where players can begin to broadcast their games at a touch of a button.
YouTube uploading is also a simple process, further enhancing the PS4’s position as a superior platform for people who like to publicise their gaming feats.
The more rudimentary social features are still intact, by the way, such as party chat and messages, all of which work perfectly. Meanwhile, with the right settings enabled, players can buy games via their PlayStation smartphone app and prompt their PS4 to download the content remotely. Like magic, when you arrive back at home, the game will be ready.
Share Play Lets Friends Trade for Free
Perhaps the most strikingly generous of all PS4’s features is Share Play, which allows friends to share their games across the internet.
One PS4 owner can invite another to privately watch gameplay footage remotely and–providing their connection speed is up to the job–can even allow them to take control of the game.
There are numerous security features that ensure this process is safe and won’t compromise privacy, and only the host needs a PS Plus account for it to work. (Share Play can also allow players to take part in co-op, but both accounts need PS Plus for this).
What is most extraordinary about Share Play is how unrestricted it is. Players can share a game for sixty minutes before the connection is severed, but this can be re-established immediately afterwards, and there are no limits to how many times this can be done. Ultimately, the outcome is that players can legally play through entire games without ever buying them.
Of course, the hourly interruptions discourage this, and the streamed data runs at a lower frame-rate and resolution, meaning that buying your own games still come with distinct benefits. But for free, users could hardly be offered much more than this.
However, at the time of writing, various publishers and developers have blocked Share Play on as many as 14 games. The idea of sharing a game freely over the internet is, understandably, not something that the publishing industry is unanimously in favour of.
Finally, a Digital Store That Rivals Steam…
The PlayStation Store has embraced the buying and playing habits of the modern consumer in the same spirit as Valve did about half a decade ago. Better late than never.
Not only are there exclusive discounts for PlayStation Plus subscribers across the library, but on a regular basis Sony will host limited promotions where a collection of digital games will be slashed in price. It doesn’t come close to the value on offer on Steam or GOG.com, but Sony is certainly guiding its digital store in the right direction.
The PS Store doesn’t come close to the value on offer on Steam or GOG.com, but it’s certainly going in the right direction
As a bonus, there are no adverts populating the screen, though the store does sometimes promote content available from its partners.
…And It Boasts Uncommon Generosity
Cross-buy is also a major benefit. Purchasing a game on PS Vita, PS3 or PS4 sometimes means that it will also be accessible for free on other Sony platforms too (that is, of course, if the game code has been ported). At the time of writing, more than 18 PS4 games feature Cross-Buy support, such as Hotline Miami, Child of Light, Sound Shapes and OlliOlli. However, the service isn’t mandatory, with the likes of Fez and Minecraft not featuring Cross-Buy support.
PS Plus is an Offer You Can’t Refuse…
It is hardly a surprise that at least half of PS4 owners pay for PlayStation Plus. Not only does it offer additional system-wide features, such as auto-uploading patches when on standby, but members are given discounts on digital game purchases too.
But key to the service’s appeal on PS4 is the Instant Game Collection, which gives subscribers at least one free game per month, and on occasion two. Crucially, these are games that absolutely deserve your attention. Often they are acclaimed indie titles, and sometimes quite recent ones too.
As a testament to the service’s value, some of the best PS4 games available today have been free on PS Plus. Subscribers have been given fantastic titles such as TowerFall: Ascension, Fez, Resogun, Velocity 2X, and Sportsfriends.
… But It Could Be Better
Ironically, a third-party subscription service that Sony blocked from PS4, claiming it “doesn’t represent value for money,” actually offers a superior service in some respects. EA Access, which is exclusive to Xbox One due to Sony’s snub, offers a small-but-constantly-expanding library of games that will be permanently free to subscribers. PS Plus, by contrast, swaps out its free games each month and requires you log in and manually download them.
Meanwhile, EA Access also allows subscribers to play new games several days ahead of their release (for a limited time), with saved data carried over if the full game is purchased. Furthermore, EA Access offers a ten percent discount on all its digital games, whereas PS Plus discounts are only applicable to a small portion.
Granted, many of these offers would be difficult for Sony to implement simply because it doesn’t own the majority of the games in its catalogue. But there are still aspects of EA Access that Sony can learn from, particularly for its first-party software.
Also, it shouldn’t go unmentioned that PlayStation Plus is now required to play most multiplayer game modes on PS4, whereas this was free on PS3. Not too many complain about this, but nevertheless, it is a clear step backwards in terms of value.
PlayStation Now Isn’t Worth Your Time
There’s no need to scrutinise the performance of games streamed from distant servers onto the PS4. No need to ponder the usefulness of a select library of old games on a high-end system, or question whether new ones will arrive at all. There’s no need to analyse any of PlayStation Now’s potential drawbacks, because Sony’s price model ensures that the service shouldn’t be considered in the first place.
For example, it costs $5 to play a mere four hours of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, whereas a brand new boxed version costs just $7 more on Amazon. Though this is one of the more criminal examples of PS Now’s library of more than 100 games, there are many price discrepancies on the service. A 90-day subscription for the likes of Darksiders 2, Saints Row The Third and Ben 10 Omniverse 2, for example, each cost $30. Sony has said it is reviewing the price structure for PS Now, but until sweeping changes are made, the service represents particularly poor value for PS4 owners.
It costs $5 to play a mere four hours of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, whereas a brand new boxed version costs just $7 more on Amazon
PSN Outages Are a Recurring Nightmare
Despite everything Sony gets right in terms of consumer hardware, its own network infrastructure is a dependable nuisance. Major game launches and hardware updates frequently precede sporadic connection issues, or even prolonged downtimes.
That’s not including the semi-regular routine server switch-offs required for maintenance, along with the occasional unexplained hiccup. How this affects people, and to what extent, is difficult to quantify, but put it this way: If you told other PS4 owners that you’ve had no connection problems in six months since owning the console, they outright wouldn’t believe you. Had you said the same thing about Xbox One or Wii U, they likely would.
Right Now, There Are No Defining PS4 Exclusives…
Of all the reasons to be dissuaded from buying a PS4 right now, the scarcity of an essential game is the most convincing. Most of the PS4’s third-party games can be found on Xbox One, although the tremendously terrifying P.T. is a notable exception. Microsoft’s next-gen system also edges ahead in terms of exclusive titles, particularly with the likes of Forza Horizon 2 and Titanfall (though the latter’s exclusivity extends across all Microsoft platforms). Meanwhile, the Wii U is in a different league when it comes to essential games (although Nintendo’s console has major problems with its third-party line-up).
The Last of Us Remastered might swing it for you, but Sony’s first-party studios have generally created somewhat underwhelming PS4 games so far, none of which carry long-lasting appeal. Killzone Shadow Fall and Driveclub are not bad games in their own right, but they are examples of how hard it is to build new games on uncharted hardware.
PS4 is an Indie Games Haven
One possible defining story of this generation will be the indie developers’ gradual inheritance of the earth, as triple-A colossi collapse under increasingly unsustainable business models. Maybe things won’t quite go that far, but certainly, the lowering of barriers for independent developers will continue to result in more expressionistic, individual and idiosyncratic games. And if such indie games play even a minor role in your hobby, or if you’re open to the idea of them, the PS4 is an easy choice.
The rise of indies is something that Sony has chosen to embrace rather than attempt to control. The corporation is proactive in helping independent studios throughout the process, from signing deals with undiscovered talent, to sending out dev kits with minimal fuss, to building relatively straightforward hardware in the first place, to offering previously unimaginable placement on the PlayStation Store. And the indie community has followed in kind, with a striking number of key games arriving on PS4 before any other console, usually for six months or longer.
The rise of indies is something that Sony has chosen to embrace rather than attempt to control
That’s not to say Xbox One and Wii U will be barren wastelands when it comes to indie games (the Xbox One titles Ori and the Blind Forest, Below, and Cuphead each have tremendous promise in particular), but when it comes to indie game catalogues, the PS4 is leagues ahead.
VERDICT: Is It Time to Buy a PS4?
The PS4’s first year has not featured a single must-have exclusive game, but it is one where Sony has created the best foundations possible for a future filled with them. Its hardware and operating system has already accomplished so much, its commercial reception has been so outstanding, and its love affair with developers has been so intimate that one cannot doubt how important the console will be in the years ahead.
But that’s for the future, and it’s the key point, because buying a PS4 will likely be a wiser decision to make next year, and the year after that, and the year after that.
The PS4 is an accomplished, superior games console, but not yet an essential purchase.
Make no mistake, you won’t feel short-changed for buying a PS4 right now. It’s one of the most impressively assembled games consoles in history, but if you hold off until the right game arrives, you shouldn’t feel like you’re missing out too much either. More time is needed to (hopefully) solve the controller battery problems, to fix PlayStation Now and the quality of live feeds, to take a second look at PlayStation Plus and EA Access, to revise the media capabilities, to fix the problems with PSN, and most importantly, to build a desirable library of games.
Sony has made incredible strides in the past several years, but it cannot stop now. The PS4 is an accomplished, superior games console, but not yet an essential purchase.
The Halo Championship Series, the official eSports league dedicated exclusively to the popular sci-fi shooter franchise, has been postponed due to ongoing matchmaking issues with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, developer 343 Industries has announced.
“We know that Halo fans around the world are excited for the launch of the Halo Championship Series, and we are too,” 343 said in a post Halo’s official website. “The first pre-season online cup was originally scheduled for 11.16, however, we’ve decided to postpone until the following week, as 343 Industries is focused on resolving existing matchmaking issues. This delay will ensure that the first pre-season cup is up to the standards of our fans and competitors.”
343 said that it’s now targeting November 23 for the pre-season cup. It will provide updates via HaloWaypoint.com/HCS and ESL.gg/HaloeSports should that change.
Late last night, 343 also released a content updated that addresses campaign, UI, and some Matchmaking and party issues. A larger Matchmaking performance-focused update is currently planned for release next week.
As written by 343, here’s what’s included in the most recent update:
Fixed a variety of issues that caused players within the same Matchmaking party to be placed on different teams. In rare cases, this issue may still occur, and we are investigating additional fixes.
Fixed a Matchmaking issue with behind the scenes team skill matching, allowing team skill matching to be more accurate in both ranked and unranked playlists.
Fixed an issue where the campaign HUD did not reset from level to level with scoring or time HUD enabled. This will clear out the full visualization of level segments, which was previously not reset.
Fixed a variety of issues with campaign leaderboards and scoring HUD, so now when scores are posted, score, kills, time, deaths, and penalties will be reported correctly for new mission leaderboard entries. We are still working on additional fixes for playlist leaderboard entries.
Fixed an issue with competitive HUD time split. Now, when players have competitive time HUDs on with a rival set, they will see per-segment split times for whether they are ahead or behind at each segment.
During the recent launch event for the Halo: Master Chief Collection, Microsoft also offered attendees a chance to try out the Halo 5: Guardians beta ahead of time. We talked with Josh Holmes, studio head at 343 Industries for Halo 5 about how exactly the next major release in the franchise will tie into the existing universe.
It was interesting to see Halo: The Master Chief Collection juxtaposed against the new Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta to see just how similar the combat in Guardians is to early Halo: Combat Evolved multiplayer. Combat in Guardians is raw and unadorned, at least in the beta I saw. All players start with the same set of equipment and abilities; there aren’t armor abilities as there were in Halo 4, for example. New in Halo: Guardians is the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare-esque Thruster Pack, which allows players to boost jump up into the air (and slam down onto their enemies), as well as to dodge rapidly to one side or another, or even briefly levitate while you aim using stabilizers.
While Halo 3 featured 5-v-5 multiplayer, Guardians is strictly 4-v-4. “We debated it a lot,” said Holmes, “between 4-v-4 and 5-v-5. Ultimately, we just liked that, in 4-v-4, each one of the team members is responsible for a quarter of the team’s success, and can contribute in a very meaningful way. That, I think, brings the team together in a really important way. It requires coordination, there’s a bit less chaos [than 5-v-5], and it rewards teamwork, especially in some of the new modes, like Breakout.”
“Ultimately, we just liked that, in 4-v-4, each one of the team members is responsible for a quarter of the team’s success.”
Breakout is Guardians’ new elimination mode, in which player death in a given round is permanent, and the goal is to completely eliminate the other team. Think Counter-Strike, but without the bomb placement or hostage rescue. Players begin equally equipped and have to work carefully together to avoid getting killed and to control the map space, especially the good weapon spawns. Holmes states that Breakout has “higher lethality,” due to players having less shield power to block damage, and he went on to say that the mode was inspired by competitive paintball.
The cover art for Guardians showcases a new weapon called the Hyrda, but I didn’t see it used in game. I did get a good look at the game’s new melee weapon, however, the Prophets’ Bane sword. The blade is not only super powerful, but it also lets you move faster when it’s equipped, giving you an edge over gun-wielding foes.
Before playing Guardians, though, I watched the first two episodes of the TV series Halo: Nightfall. Expanding on the Halo universe’s backstory, the show follows intelligence officer Jameson Locke and former Spartan Randall Aiken as they try to stop an apparent Covenant plot to destroy humanity with a disease that only afflicts humans. Without spoiling anything, the series definitely returns to some key Halo locations and themes and features plenty of CGI-based action scenes interspersed with fleshy backstory about the people and worlds of Halo. The TV series will tie-in to Halo 5’s single-player, according to Holmes, who remained close-mouthed about further details. Even the character who plays Locke has been reticent about how his character interacts with Master Chief.
“There’s more to that story: it continues through Halo 2: Anniversary, actually — there’s a tie-in to the prologue and epilogue there — and all that ties into the story going forward.”
Holmes did discuss, however, the close relationship between 343 Studios and Scott Free Productions in the making of the TV series: “Kiki Wolfkill, the Executive Producer on Nightfall, worked very closely with Scott Free… same with Frank O’Connor [franchise development director] and our franchise team. They were heavily involved with the project in pre-production, and both of them were on set throughout the shooting, to ensure that the scenes were lining up properly with the canon. It was very important in Nightfall to tell the story of Locke in a way that would feed into the campaign of Halo 5: Guardians. [Locke] is going to be a pivotal character in that experience, and Nightfall gives us the opportunity to tell that backstory and set him up. Of course, there’s more to that story: it continues through Halo 2: Anniversary, actually–there’s a tie-in to the prologue and epilogue there–and all that ties into the story going forward.”
While Halo: Nightfall may be more glorified cutscene than honest-to-goodness TV show, it’s something fans
of Halo — especially those anticipating Halo 5: Guardians’ single-player — will need to watch. As for Guardians’ multiplayer, the beta is available next month (along with all of Nightfall, which runs through December 9th) to anyone who purchases The Master Chief Collection.
Driveclub developer Evolution Studios will give all players who purchased the full game its premium DLC packs for November for free following a troubled launch and persisting server issues.
“We know you have all been extremely patient and understandably frustrated during Driveclub’s launch, and to show our appreciation for the support during this challenging time, we will be offering the premium DLC packs for November,” Evolution said in a post to the game’s Facebook page.
November’s premium DLC packs—The Ignition Expansion Pack and Photo-Finish Tour Pack along with two livery packs—add five new cars, 22 new tour events, 10 new trophies, and 10 new livery items to play with online and offline.
To insure that players who already purchased the Season Pass get everything that they paid for, the game’s Season Pass will be extended to include four extra packs in July 2015. With the free DLC, the Season Pass still includes 38 cars, 176 tour events and 80 unique liveries.
Evolution Studios also said that it’s releasing a game update on Tuesday which will add a Photo Mode, improved multiplayer collision physics to reduce spin-outs, adjustments to the corner cutting penalty system, and more. The update also includes three new tracks first announced in September.
Finally, Evolution said it still doesn’t know when it will launch the PS Plus Edition of the game.
“Although currently we do not have an update regarding the timing for the launch of the PS Plus Edition, we are continually working on improving the server capacity to enable us to launch the PS Plus Edition as quickly as possible,” it said.
You might have seen reports circulating that Windows 7 won’t support DirectX 12, Microsoft’s next, “low level” graphics API that will introduce several improvements to existing graphics cards and the Xbox One.
The news is based on a video of AMD Chief Gaming Scientist Richard Huddy speaking at the PDXLAN event. During the video of his presentation (which has since been removed from YouTube) Huddy plainly says that Windows 7 will not support DirectX 12. However, AMD has told GameSpot that Huddy simply “misspoke.”
“There have been reports based on a video of Richard Huddy of AMD making speculative comments around DirectX 12 support on versions of Windows,” AMD said in a statement. “Richard Huddy does not speak for Microsoft, and he was unfortunately speculating from Microsoft’s publication of key dates and milestones for Windows 7 lifecycle and mainstream support policy. Richard has no special insight into Microsoft’s Windows or DirectX roadmaps. Microsoft is a key, strategic partner for AMD and we’re continuously collaborating with them on DirectX 12.”
PC gamers are worried about the possibility that DirectX 12 won’t work on Windows 7 because as new games start to take advantage of DirectX 12 for better performance and improved graphics, they’ll essentially be forced to upgrade to Windows 8 or the upcoming Windows 10.
Microsoft previously said that DirectX 12 will work across PC, tablets, phones, and Xbox One. It didn’t say if it will support Windows 7, but that it’s aware of the demand for Windows 7 support.
It’s a little late to the party at this point, but Sony has officially announced its two $400 Black Friday PlayStation 4 bundles, each of which comes with two big games.
First is the Grand Theft Auto V PS4 Black Friday Bundle, which includes a 500GB PS4 and a copy of Grand Theft Auto V, as well as a digital download voucher for The Last of Us Remastered. With the exception of The Last of Us voucher, it looks a lot like the GTA V bundle the company already announced in Japan.
Sony may have only made it official last night on the PlayStation Blog, but we already knew via promotional materials that retailers like Target and Dell would offer bundles that include the same items for the same price for their upcoming Black Friday deals.
The PS4 may have beaten the Xbox One in October, but since Microsoft cut the Xbox One price by $50 earlier this month, the tide has turned. Microsoft announced this week that the Xbox One has been outselling the PS4 for two straight weeks now in the United States. The company cited excitement over the $50 price cut and the array of Xbox One bundles as fueling the turnaround. Microsoft also announced this week that it’s now shipped 10 million Xbox Ones, behind PS4’s 13.5 million. But with the busy holiday shopping season still in front of us, can the Xbox One finally catch up to and maybe overtake the PS4?
More talk about resolution and frame rate this week. 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight is aiming for graphical parity across all platforms, developer Rocksteady Studios announced this week. Final specifications aren’t locked down yet–the game doesn’t launch until June 2015, after all–so it’s too early to say if it will be 1080p/30fps or some other variation.
The Other Stuff (Stories We Like, But Didn’t Cover With a Standalone Post):
Fast and Furious fan? This one’s for you. Mobile game developer Kabam on Monday released its latest licensed game, Fast & Furious 6: The Game, for Windows Phones and tablets running 8.0 or 8.1 operating systems. The game had already been released on iOS and Android devices (with 20 million downloads in its first month), but this marks Kabam’s first game ever for Windows devices. Download the free game here.
Ahead of Dragon Age: Inquisition‘s release next Tuesday, free digital card game Dragon Age The Last Court was released this week. Described as a story-driven game, the title will fill in the gap between Dragon Age 2 and Dragon Age: Inquisition. Play it now right here via Origin.
Although Super Smash Bros. for Wii U won’t be released until November 21, one fan has created a video showing off all 51 characters’ Final Smashes. It’s a fascinating thing to watch, even if you’re a purist who doesn’t play with items or Final Smashes. Watch video below.
Fans of Brutal Legend developer Double Fine can now play the studio’s next game, as Massive Chalice is now available through Steam Early Access. There’s even a 25 percent launch week discount offer, which lets you buy the game for $22.50 instead of $30. You’re playing an in-development version of the game, though Double Fine says it’s “pretty well complete” and already playable from start to finish. Work still to be done ahead of its 2015 release comes down to balancing, tuning, and polish, Double Fine said. Download the game on Steam today here.
PC MMO WildStar developer Carbine Studios on Wednesday released the game’s biggest patch ever. Called Mystery of the Genesis Prime, the update adds new zones, areas to discover, quests, treasure, and more lore. It also fixes a range of bugs. You can read more about it at WildStar’s website.
Sony this week published a list of panels that will take place at its two-day PlayStation Experience event in Las Vegas next month. Developers behind games like Far Cry 4, God of War, Little Big Planet, The Order: 1886, Diablo III, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will also give presentations at the event. There will also be a live, in-person Ask Me Anything-like session with various PlayStation executives, including Shuhei Yoshida, Adam Boyes, and Scott Rohde. Head to the PlayStation Blog to see a full rundown of what to expect from PlayStation Experience.
Blizzard Entertainment scored a legal victory this week, as a court ruled against a Chinese Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft clone that was trying to (illegally) piggyback on the overwhelming success of Blizzard’s free-to-play digital card game. Not only is the Hearthstone clone getting shut down, but its creator must pay Blizzard and its partners $1.6 million for copyright violations.
Tickets for next year’s PAX East in Boston, Mass. went on sale Wednesday. Three-day passes sold out almost instantly, though you can still buy one-day passes for Friday and Sunday (one-day Saturday tickets are sold out) for $45 each. PAX East comes to Beantown March 6-8, 2015. Buy your tickets here.
In its next step toward world domination, mobile game developer King this week announced a follow-up to the incredibly popular Candy Crush Saga. The new game is called Candy Crush Soda Saga, and yes, it’s another match-three game. This time, though, the hook is that your goal is to make matches to pop soda bottles, per a report from Touch Arcade. You can download it today for free on iTunes and Google Play.
After nearly 1 million downloads across Xbox One and PS4, intriguing downloadable game Chariot has arrived on PC through Steam. The couch co-op game that’s drawn the praise of Microsoft’s top gaming executive features a princess and her fiance adventuring through dangerous worlds to find a final resting place for the King. The game is also coming to Wii U. You can buy Chariot today on Steam for $15.
A game based on the over-the-top and out-there animated show Adventure Time is coming to PlayStation TV next week, publisher Little Orbit announced on Wednesday. The game, Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom, will be available on November 18, developed by WayForward in association with Cartoon Network Enterprises. It’s a top-down action adventure game with puzzle-solving elements.
D.I.C.E. Summit organizers this week announced a slew of new speakers for this year’s show, which comes to Las Vegas in early February 2015. One of the most interesting presentations will no doubt be the event where Oddworld creator and industry veteran Lorne Lanning interviews PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida about all-things PlayStation and the future of the brand. Other speakers include Call of Duty developer Treyarch Studios boss Mark Lamia, Super Time Force developer Capybara Games co-founder Nathan Vella, Star Citizen creator Chris Roberts, and UC Santa Cruz program director Brenda Romero, who is married to gaming legend John Romero.
That Dragon, Cancer, an indie game about a family’s struggle with their young son’s cancer, has turned to Kickstarter to complete its funding. Developers are looking for $85,000; and as of this writing, they are more than halfway there. The subject of the game, 5-year-old Joel Green, passed away earlier this year. That Dragon, Cancer is a tribute to him. “A video game developer’s love letter to his son; an adventure game to inspire us to love each other; a voice for those fighting cancer.”
Next week will be absolutely crazy for new video game releases, and, as you might expect, retailer GameStop is gearing up for it in a big way. The retailer announced this week that 4,000 of its US stores will hold midnight launch events on the evening of November 17 to mark the arrival of six huge games that go on sale at midnight. These include the Xbox One and PS4 versions of GTA V, Far Cry 4, Little Big Planet 3, Dragon Age: Inquisition, WWE 2K15 (Xbox One and PS4), and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox 360 and PS3). Interestingly, GameStop will start selling all games at 12 Midnight Eastern–regardless of where you live.
We learned a lot more about the Call of Duty Endowment, Activision’s initiative to help place military veterans in jobs, this week thanks to a great story about it. Polygon interviewed the folks behind it, and found that the group has tripled the number of veteran job placements since the effort launched in 2009. CODE helped 19,000 military veterans in 2013, and 5,600 found jobs. And not just any jobs. The positions paid an average salary of $46,000, which is $1,000 better than the national average.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
Over the course of three weeks, you’ll get ten figurines:
Donkey Kong
Mario
Kirby
Pikachu
Princess Peach
Yoshi
Fox
Samus
Luigi
Zelda
Of course, it wouldn’t be Loot Crate without secrets, and the company promises “several other exclusive and super rare items, including a t-shirt.”
Two payment options are available. Either $50/week plus $5 shipping and handling, which comes to $165 total. Or you can opt for a $10 discount by paying $140 plus $15 shipping and handling up front. Note that Amiibo figures will retail for $13, so you’re not getting a discount; you just need to weigh the potential value of the exclusive items you’ll get.
The first set of characters from Loot Crate will ship on November 20 and includes Mario, Kirby, DK, and Pikachu. New Amiibo characters will be rolling out in waves over the coming months, but Loot Crate has not yet announced whether they’ll continue the service past the initial offering of 10 characters.
