I’m not embarrassed at all to say that I can’t play Activision’s upcoming online only shooter DESTINY, although I’d LOVE to. The game is Bungie’s first since breaking off from Microsoft and the multi-million selling HALO franchise, but it’s not coming packed with an offline mode at all and my connection isn’t up to snuff at all. As with Titanfall (which I eventually played a chunk of at a friend’s place), ANY online-only console or PC game limits its audience by not including some sort of offline content, meaning a few million people WON’T be playing these games that NEED as many players as possible to enjoy them so that development money can be made back FASTER. Of course, that the game is for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 Xbox 360 and Xbox One means it’ll have a few million more active users at launch than other big franchises did when they got started (another great thing for Activison and Bungie to crow about), but the lack of solo play unless one is connected to the internet interests me not in the slightest. It’s too bad for me, I guess – this sure looks pretty damn cool.
Tag Archives: Online Games
E3 2014: Sony’s E3 Experience: Greatness Inbound, Warts & All…
SO much good going on here, it’s hard to know where to begin, although this presser’s a bit long and has some snoozy moments. Then again, unlike Microsoft forgetting ALL about it’s “last-gen” consumers, Sony gets in nods to the ps3 while expanding the base with that lovely $99 Vita TV, coming sooner than many thought. I’ll shut up now and let you watch it all, but expect some commentary later on individual titles as I find time to talk about them… enjoy!
Rainbow Six Siege: Ubisoft Resurrects Their Big Baby Back To Its Former Self (And Then Some)…
Of all the games Ubisoft showed off at its briefing, this one was the most surprising for a few reasons. Clearly packing some inspiration from Valve’s fast-paced multiplayer focused Left 4 Dead games, Rainbow Six Siege is a bolt of lightning wrapped in a baseball bat and will hopefully look just like what was shown a the media briefing when it hits Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC sometime in 2015. I’d imagine everyone will forget all about the frozen in time Rainbow Six: Patriots now that this game has been revealed and even more trailers and screens start popping up all around the internet. More to come on this one…
E3 2014: Star Wars Battlefront: DICE Is Still Working Away On A Guaranteed Winner…
Yeah, that classic John Williams music got me as well, as did all the work in progress footage that’s way too early, but looks fantastic. Every gamer drooling over this one seems to be holding out for 60fps, but I’m not sure that’s possible with the multiplayer modes in this one. I’ll take a rock-solid 30 with no pop-in or other annoyances, the best visuals the developer can bring to the table, a solo offline mode and whatever multiplayer madness they can add to the mix, thank you much. Of course, I’m a patient guy, so that nebulous Spring 2015 teased at the end can creep up on me and I won’t bat an eyelash. I suppose I could just get myself frozen in carbonite until then, but then someone would forget to thaw me out and I’d miss more than this game when it finally ships…
Homefront: The Revolution Trailer: Crytek Finishes The Fight (Maybe)…
Warts and all, I rather liked defunct publisher THQ’s Homefront for what it was. original (and also defunct) developer KAOS Studios cooked up an interesting alternate future where some very well-armed North Korea soldiers managed to overrun America and you played as one of a group of resistance fighters trying to drive them away. It was a LOT more serious than either Red Dawn movie, but the campaign was a wee bit on the brief side thanks in part to multiplayer modes I felt took too much away from the story.
Anyway, now that new publisher Deep Silver and seasoned developer Crytek are on the case, Homefront: The Revolution is coming in 2015 to PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and I guess we’ll see how the gameplay reveal is at E3 this year, as this trailer looks okay but a bit generic in its storytelling. I do believe those may be in-engine visuals, as if there’s anything Crytek is well-known and respected for, it’s making some mighty amazing looking games using their proprietary tech.
I guess we’ll see how well this plays soon enough and whether it separates itself from other shooters in such a supremely packed market full of them. My fingers are crossed for the moment…
Bugbear’s Next Car Game: Still On The Way, But Getting There Is Half The Fun…
Yes indeed, Bugbear Entertainment’s Next Car Game STILL needs a proper title, but that’s not stopping it from becoming a big favorite among pretty much anyone who’s gotten the chance to try out one of the many tech demos or preview builds. The developer is still taking pre-orders for the game (which is also coming to Steam) and even offering up Kickstarter-like bonuses to those who spend a bit more loot such as getting their names in the game or allowing a set number of users to design their own custom rides for all to use. One of the coolest things anyone can grab of (if they have the money to buy and space to use it) is Fanatec’s SPECTACULAR selection of racing game seats, wheels, shifters and such that make any driving or racing game an even more realistic experience. As you can see in that video above, The setup Bugbear is using (which includes Fantec’s Universal Hub) is quite modular, allowing many steering wheel variants to be used.
Now, the only thing the game needs is a proper console version, although the original crowdfunding drive fell short of that goal. My hope is that the PC version does well enough and gets enough attention that at least ONE of the big three companies sees that as a chance to get a great destruction derby racer back on the market for their systems. Granted, both Sony and Microsoft have marquee racers and may pass on this one (and too bad for them if they do!), but Nintendo hasn’t had a GOOD first-party realistic racer for ages (although Need For Speed Most Wanted U is hands-down the best racer with actual licensed cars in YEARS on a Nintendo platform), so a big fat pipe dream is seeing them wise up and at least look into sending Bugbear a few dev kits so they can either port thew game over or come up with something new and just as fun on that hardware. Granted, that’s a slim chance, but hey – one can only hope, right?
Get A Bit Of Reverb in Today’s Humble Daily Bundle…
Short and sweet: pay what you want for Guncraft, the DIY block-based shooter that’s more or less Minecraft meets Counter Strike, pay $2.38 or more and get that plus Ravaged: Zombie Apocalypse, the online only shooter that also packs in some nice vehicle action. Make it nine or more bucks and get the gassy hack & slash game Orc Attack: Flatulent Rebellion (which I need to go review at some point just because my inner 8-year old says it needs to be PLAYED). Your purchase helps out Child’s Play and The American Red Cross and The Humble Daily Bundle more than happily resets itself tomorrow with even more games to spend some (but not too much!) cash on…
Today’s Humble Daily Bundle Will Send You To The Stars (Forever) With EVE Online!
Yikes. I’ve only watched people play this DEEP space simulation that’s insanely hard, but has been a massive hit among its millions of loyal fans for a few years now. Anyway, today at the Humble Daily Sale you can get CCP Games’ EVE Online for a buck or so, $3.41 unlocks the Vanity Pack and if you shell out $20 or more, you get both of those and a 30-day EVE Online PLEX trial. In case you’re wondering what the heck EVE Online is, I’d say hit the Google or whatever search engine you use and see that’s it’s a pretty darn intense online experience with a steep learning curve among many other things that will EAT YOUR LIFE. Eeeek! Anyway, it’s your coin to flip today, so do that if this one’s up your alley.
Today’s Humble Bundle Will Send You Flying (And Shooting)…
I actually learned to drive a little thanks to a few video games (notably Hard Drivin’ and Race Drivin’ back in the arcades), but other than a few actual lessons some years later from a willing friend and me actually driving a van around a block to look for a new parking space, I really haven’t been behind the wheel in a “normal” situation. I’d say you’re absolutely NOT going to learn to fly anything with these three games in today’s Humble Daily Bundle, but never say never, I guess. Now, if you DO buy these games and get the wild idea to scoot over to the nearest airport and swipe someone’s Piper Cub or Lear jet in order to do some fancy flyin’ of the real life variety based on these games, you in NO way, shape or form can or should blame me for that nonsense (nor send me any medical bills should you survive) . I’d be the one tying you down and calling the men in the white coats after you fessed up your plans to get airborne on the cheap.
Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment Update: There’s A Tale With A Twist Or Three Coming…
As promised, here’s updated info about the PlayStation Vita exclusive, Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, coming to PSN this summer. Apparently, it’s a twofer as the press release says the PSN-only download will contain an HD version of the previous game in the franchise titled Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment, which was originally released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable.
In a few respects, the game will probably seem quite familiar to those who played and loved the .hack series of games on the PlayStation 2, as SAO takes place in a “virtual MMO” world where players are trapped and are required to keep fighting enemies in order to survive. Some press release action for you? Sure, why not? Read on, MacDuff:
Take on the role of Kirito, the main character of Sword Art Online, who has been locked into the VR world of Aincrad by the creator of the game along with thousands of other players, including popular characters from the original anime series. To escape the fantastical and dangerous world, players must explore and defeat the enemies contained within. Players will actively engage monsters and characters and experience aggressive battles with breathtaking attack actions, exhilarating combos and powerful burst attacks. Continuing to fight is essential when locked in the VR world – if players die in the fantasy world, their character will die in real life.
Sounds like fun… except for the dying in the real world part. Eeek. Anyway, more on this one as news rolls in.
