Bethesda Announces "Hearthfire" DLC for Skyrim

Bethesda recently announced some very unique DLC for Skyrim that will allow players to build and customize their very own house. Hearthfire will allow you to construct your own house outside of city walls on your own plot of land where you can fill the insides with a multitude of items and furnishings. 

  

 

A new drafting and carpenter's table allow you to craft items that will fill your house. Looking at the video that was released with the announcement of Hearthfire, it looks like you'll also be responsible for crafting not only your furniture and decorations, but even the fine details such as locks and hinges for doors will be important in constructing your home.

You'll be able to construct various rooms that meet your characters needs such as an alchemy lab, mage's tower, training room, an armory or even a trophy room. The trophy room in the video shows off some awesome looking trophies which look like preserved enemies ranging from trolls and Draugr, to Hagravens and Dwemer sphere warriors.

The customization doesn't end inside though;outside you can build gardens and other areas responsible for harvesting food and consumable items. Stewards can be hired to maintain your home, provide transport and deliver furniture to your home as well. A new adoption system will allow you and your spouse to adopt children to live in you house. You can raise your children by assigning them chores or playing a game with them. In maintaining your house, it is important to wipe out skeever infestations and fend off those nosy, dumb giants to protect your family and livestock.

This is a new level of customization to The Elder Scrolls and should be popular among players. Allowing players to build a house to their liking is so cool because you can really interject your character's personality and skills into the game. If you're a mage or an alchemist, having a large greenhouse, garden, and mage's tower complete with a lab can be built to meets your character's specific needs. If you have a lot of rare weaponry and armor you want to show off, you can now build an entire room dedicated to displaying your collection. Being outside of city walls and being able to choose your own plot of land is even more intriguing since you can find the perfect climate and piece of land to settle your estate on. 

 

Right now, Hearthfire is only slated to release on the Xbox 360 on September 4, for 400 Microsoft points. As for the PS3 and PC however, there has been no word on when or if they will receive the Hearthfire content. This raises concerns, especially for PS3 players who are still waiting for the release of "Dawnguard" the first DLC released for Skyrim. Dawnguard has been available to Xbox 360 players and recently to PC players but is still not ready for the PS3 due to "performance errors". 

I'm sure Hearthfire will be released on the PS3 and PC eventually but Bethesda is playing catch-up still. Bethesda VP, Pete Hines explains that they "are working on multiple projects, even beyond those two things," and that Hearthfire will not effect the work on Dawnguard for the PS3. No release date on Dawnguard for PS3 has been given but we can only hope that it will be soon.

Star Wars 1313 Takes Players to "Hell"

Star Wars 1313 is a more gritty take on Star Wars that will take players below the surface of Coruscant to the criminal filled, deadly underworld of level 1313. The developer diary below describes the dark world of 1313 as the most dangerous place in the galaxy and it is even equated with Hell at one point. I think it's safe to say 1313 doesn't play host to common thugs but is full of deadly and formidable criminals.

The video also shows off some great looking artwork that'll give you an idea of what to expect from the world of 1313. Unfortunately there isn't any new gameplay but the video is definitely worth a watch. Will you be a resourceful enough Bounty Hunter to survive 1313? Star Wars 1313 doesn't have a release date as of now but will release on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

[source] IGN

New Dishonored Trailer Schools You in Stealth

Corvo, the protagonist of Bethesda and Arkane Studios' new game Dishonored, is a deadly assassin who is out for revenge after being framed for a murder he did not commit. As an assassin, stealth will play a very important role in achieving your goals as you guide Corvo.

A new trailer released by Arkane Studios gives some tips on sneaking around and assassinating unsuspecting guards. Dishonored allows you to employ many traditional stealth tactics such as putting out lights, peeking around corners or keyholes, and using distractions; qualities that are sure to please sneaky players. In addition to these abilities, Corvo can also utilize unique powers that he's been endowed with. You can see everything in the video below which is sure to get you even more excited for Dishonored.

Dishonored hits store shelves October 9 and will be available on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

Routine: An Indie Survival Horror Game

Lunar Software, an Indie game developer debuted the first trailer for their survival horror game Routine earlier this week at Gamescom.

Routine is a first person horror experience that tasks players as a cosmonaut to explore an abandoned moon base from which everyone has disappeared. The game is non-linear allowing players to explore any part of the base to uncover clues that will reveal the truth behind the strange disappearances. What adds to Routine's terrifying experience is that there is no HUD, no health packs, no lives and the game utilizes a perma death system which means when you die in the game, you're dead for good and must start all over. Routine's website states that you may even have to resort to running and hiding to survive.

Don't worry though, you will be able to defend yourself with a weapon known as a CAT or a Cosmonaut Assistance Tool. The tool was designed to perform maitnence work but doubles as a weapon. You can upgrade the CAT using a floppy drive and a 3.5 inch screen on the gun will assist you with aiming. I can already see upgrades for the screen ranging from night vision to Infrared.

Routine seems like an awesome Indie title and the trailer below shows the teams amazing work so far. The chilling gameplay is exemplified perfectly in the video. The design looks like a throwback to old science fiction horror movies like Alien with some modern influence from games like Dead Space. The perma death system is very likely to keep players on edge and the clue searching reminds me of another very popular and successful indie horror title; Slender.

So far release is scheduled for the PC sometime in 2013 and there is currently no price listed either. You can follow the Routine website here and visit the website of Lunar Software here. Keep on eye out for more updates on Routine as I will make sure to update my blog with anything new on the game.

Sony Reveals PlayStation Network game, Rain

At Gamescom yesterday, Sony revealed a new PlayStation Network game entitled, Rain. In Rain, you play as an invisible boy who can only be seen under pouring rain. The boy is not alone however and the trailer below suggests there is an entire world that rain can reveal. As the boy explores in the rain, you can see other invisible characters and even enemies. A four legged invisible creature is seen chasing the boy at one point. Sony is staying tight-lipped about the game right now so not much more is known concerning the actual story or gameplay but the concept is very intriguing. So far there is no release date but I think it'd be safe to say we can expect to see the Rain on the PS3 sometime in 2013. Keep an eye on Game Quest for future updates on Rain.

Capcom Announces Remember Me

At Gamescom today, Capcom announced a new title being developed by Dontnod named Remember Me. The game is set in the year 2084 in Neo-Paris which is much fancier, lighter and cooler looking than regular old Paris. Players will take control of Nilin, a former memory hunter who went rogue after losing her memory and now seeks the truth that has been hidden from her.


Remember Me focuses on human memories and their significance. As Nilin, you can access the memories of other people in the world through a digital disc like object located at the nape of the neck. What Nilin does is presumably not something just anybody could do. Her unique skill to tap into memories allows her to steal the memory which can reveal vital information to her mission or she can alter the memory. Altering a memory can have a variety of different effects depending on how and what is altered. For instance, in the gameplay trailer revealed, Nilin alters a man's memory to make him believe he killed his wife. When the police approach him, he panics and shoots himself. The gameplay sequence in which the memory is altered almost acts as a small minigame. It challenges players with a puzzle; you are given a set of objects to manipulate which may seem insignificant but prove to have more serious ramifications in the end. The trailer demonstrates that choosing the wrong object doesn't result in immediate failure so it poses the question of whether or no there will be a limited number of attempts. 

Other skills that Nilin posses include the ever so popular and useful art of parkour. She can scale buildings, shimmy on ledges and make dangerous jumps allowing her to get around in a variety of ways.You can catch a glimpse of combat in the announcement trailer which shows Nilin utilizing a lot of hand-to-hand melee combat against large groups of enemies.The gameplay trailer shows off some great visuals; the futuristic skyline of Neo-Paris looks stunning. as Nilin roams the streets, we get a good look at all sorts of digital advertisements, commercials and even a wanted ad for Nilin herself. The city is under heavy surveillance and Nilin is forced to evade floating security bots and other authorities. At a couple points in the gameplay demonstration, she uses some kind of scanning device which lets her identify enemies and their fields of view which are highlighted in red.

Announcement Trailer

Gameplay Trailer

Remember Me is a great concept which resonates with something similar to the story of Jason Bourne. The focus on memory stealing and alteration should also provide great plot elements as well for a story more unique to game players. As of now, I have to say that I'm impressed and personally can't wait to see more on Remember Me. The game is slated for a May 2013 release on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC as of now.

Hitman: Absolution Contract Mode

In Hitman: Absolution, you won't be restricted to assassinating but you'll be able to put hits out yourself in the new Contract Mode. This new challenge will allow players to customize a contract in which they select the target or targets, the level, and which weapons the player is allowed to employ in their assassination. You can also customize witness specifications and designate a time limit for the contract as well. Once the contract is created, you can share it online with the world or challenge your friends directly to complete your contract.

You can also browse through other players contracts which have been uploaded. Completing a contract awards you with a unique type of currency, depending on your performance, which can be used in contract mode to purchase weapons or other features to include in you contract to make it even more challenging and diverse. The currency used in contract mode can also be earned throughout the campaign, likely by completing challenges. Hitman: Absolution will come pre-loaded with several contracts that you can use to get started or draw inspiration from.

IO Interactive's Contract challenge is an awesome idea and will undoubtedly add great value to Agent 47's new adventure. Designing ways for people to be killed should provide endless fun. Hitman: Absolution is set to release on November 20, 2012 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Sony Announces Until Dawn

Today at Gamescom, Sony announced Until Dawn, a survival horror title being developed by Supermassive Games exclusively for the PS Move. Additionally, Sony revealed a chilling trailer showing some tense gameplay. Until Dawn is based on cliche teen horror movies such as Friday the 13th, Scream and Halloween, so you can expect a lot of dead phone lines, sudden power outages and a hot, ditzy cheerleader.

The plot will follow a group of classmates (presumably High School) who on the anniversary of a former friends disappearance, decide to visit the last place he was seen. Strangely enough, it was a log cabin in the woods on a mountain side; it doesn't get much more isolated than that. After people in the group start turning up dead though, the teens suddenly regret digging up the past.

You'll be able to play as different characters in the party throughout the game. Sometimes you will be alone and sometimes you will have a partner as you fight to stay alive and frantically search for clues to investigate who is killing your friends. Executive Creative Director Will Byles [expects] that Until Dawn will draw you in with its characters, chilling setting and shocking, twisted story. He also suggests in his statements about the game that as you play, you will make choices which will determine which of your friends survive and what kind of ending you get.

Since Until Dawn is being developed exclusively for the PS Move, players will utilize the move controller to aim a flashlight in the darkness, examine clues and activate things such as levers. Sony promises the move controller will reflect natural movements of players in the game which will even further immerse them in the horror experience of Until Dawn.

So what do you think? Does the prospect of a survival horror title engineered for the PS Move sound intriguing or is it too soon to tell? The last motion based survival horror game, Rise of Nightmares for the Kinect definitely came up short but Until Dawn already looks like it has much more potential. The survival horror genre has been a little weak recently with very few titles or games that don't live up to the survival horror experience; so it is nice to see an original title being developed. Check out the trailer and keep an eye out here for more news on Until Dawn.

New Terrifying Trailer for Dead Space III

If you're excited for Dead Space 3 next year, this new trailer from EA Games is sure to increase that excitement exponentially. The new trailer assures that Dead Space 3 will be full of terror and intense survival situations that the series has become known for executing so well. Isaac Clarke along with partner Ellie and newcomer John Carver is still after the Markers, seeking to stop them and the Unitologists at all costs. The dialogue and visuals of coffins in the trailer implies that wherever the trio are, there seems to have been some kind of mass execution or genocide and then there's a subsequent breakout in which Isaac commands everyone to arm themselves. Who everyone is, we don't know. He could simply be referring to Ellie and  Carver or could he be addressing more people?

Luckily, the wait isn't too long from now. Dead Space 3 has an official release date of February 5, 2013 in North America and February 8, 2013 in Europe for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Check Out Naval Combat in Assassin's Creed III

Protagonist of Assassin's Creed III, Connor is a master when it comes to adapting in the wild surroundings of the colonial New England but when he's not hunting wild game or massacring Redcoats with his tomahawks, he's taking to the high seas to engage the royal navy. Previous Assassin's Creed games have featured vehicles ranging from Leonardo Devinci's war machines to simple horse drawn carriages but the naval battles featured in Assassin's Creed take things to  whole new level.

In the new trailer released by Ubisoft, Connor, in naval garb and a tricorn takes command of a large ship fully equipped with an able bodied crew and canons. As Connor, you take control of the ship, guiding it through the ocean and commending your crew. The trailer features some intense fights full of canon fire, storming seas, mines and even ship commandeering. You can engage enemy ships and board their vessel to put those tomahawks to use.

The naval combat looks like a great addition to the series and will no doubt, distinguish Assassin's Creed III even more from the other games in the series. Look for Assassin's Creed III on the Xbox 360 and PS3 on October 30 and November 20 on the PC. Ubisoft has also announced that Assassin's Creed III will be available as one of the first games on the Wii U.

Mass Effect 3: Leviathan DLC Revealed

Bioware recently announced the first single-player DLC (aside from the extended endings) for Mass Effect 3, entitled "Leviathan". Bioware says the DLC will add about 3-4 hours of gameplay featuring new environments, more cinematic scenes, new characters and two new weapons. Leviathan will provide more insight regarding the origins of the Reapers as Shepard and the crew of the Normandy travel to the darkest reaches of the galaxy in search of the Leviathan.

Leviathan takes place during the events of Mass Effect 3 and can be played from a new game or on your save before the assault on the Cerberus base. An email in Shepard's inbox initiates the search for the legendary Leviathan; a mysterious creature, centuries old, that has never before been seen but is apparently capable of killing Reapers. The Protheans were the first to suspect the presence of the Leviathan when they discovered a Reaper corpse. The creature is believed to be so powerful that it instills fear in even the Reapers.

The search takes Shepard to the distant uncharted reaches of the galaxy. A mysterious planet covered in vast oceans serves as the home for the Leviathan and much of the DLC's setting. In a race against time, you'll explore a derelict ship and even access the Triton; an Atlas that has been modified to explore the ocean floors. Bioware promises the all new underwater sequences will provide breath-taking visuals as you discover never before seen alien life that lurks beneath the water.

Bioware has stated that the Leviathan DLC will have a nice balance of exploration and combat. Bioware has always prided themselves in developing a compelling story driven by charismatic characters and Leviathan will be no exception. The DLC will encourage players to investigate clues to unravel the dark history of the Reapers even further and following leads to discover the extraordinary Leviathan. While uncovering artifacts and learning the history of the beast will be fun, a slightly modified combat experience will spice things up as well. Bioware reports the combat has been amped up to provide more challenging fights against hordes of reaper mutants.The new AT-12 Raider shotgun and the M-55 Argus combat rifle will be able to provide a hand these tougher battles.

Aside from the new planet, players will also be able to explore new areas of the citadel; hopefully this will unlock some side quests to play through. So far no release date has been set but the DLC is reported to be available this summer, so the wait shouldn't be long. Look for Mass Effect 3: Leviathan in the next coming weeks for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 for $9.99 or 800 Microsoft points.

The Amazing Spiderman: Movie Review

When Sony Studios announced that the next Spider-Man movie would be a reboot, most people reacted with confusion. The series had only been dormant for about three years after the third movie and a reboot seemed unnecessary to most; so why was the series rebooted? The third film was arguably the worst in the series and showed considerable signs that new talent was needed. Disagreements between director, Sam Raimi and Sony made Spider-Man 3 into a huge mess with too many subplots. Leading actor Tobey Maguire was being paid upwards of $50 million dollars to come back for another film and rising paychecks for Kirsten Dunst and other supporting actors inflated the budget to a point where it would be more economical to just start fresh.

So The Amazing Spider-Man was born; a new take on the old origin story utilizes smarter writing and a fresh cast to inject new life into the Spider-Man story. Director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) teams up with writer, James Vanderbilt to retell the beginning of Spider-Man.

Left in the care of his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field), the film focuses on Peter Parker's (Andrew Garfield) emotional issues with the mysterious disappearance of his parents rather than his nerd status and bullies at high school. Peter comes across his father's old briefcase containing files on cross-species genetics which leads Peter to his father's friend and partner, Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) at Oscorp. Peter and a one-armed Connors get along great swapping scientific equations and discussing Connor's research but Peter's curiosity at Oscorp leaves his DNA mutated with that of a spider. While Peter copes with his powers, Dr. Connors continues his experiments under the demands of the elusive Norman Osborne and is pressured into prematurely beginning experiments on live subjects, himself first. The experiment results in Connors mutating in a giant lizard man; he's driven mad by the power and craves more of the drug that transforms him and Spider-Man is the only one who can stop him.

This new take on the origins of Spider-Man takes the opportunity to explore Peter Parker's life as a high school kid, before he even became Spider-Man. Peter Parker isn't bitten by a spider in the first ten minutes of the movie, don't expect that to happen until you're about an hour in. No, The Amazing Spider-Man takes the time to show us what kind of person Peter Parker is and Andrew Garfield does an excellent job of fleshing the character out whether he's behind the mask or not.

Peter Parker and friendly neighborhood web-slinger, Spider-Man are played by the leaner and younger Andrew Garfield. He embodies the physical appearance of Peter Parker better than Tobey Maguire and while he's still a debate team participant and mathlete, he has this quality of independence and he's more of an outcast rather than some geeky loser. He carries around a skateboard that he rides along on the streets of New York or around school, until he's warned by a teacher passing by. This new Peter Parker isn't afraid to break some rules or deviate from the status quo. With glasses replaced by contact lenses and calculator by smart phone, it's safe to say that Peter Parker can actually be described as cool. Garfield's more rebellious Peter Parker is still at heart a good kid but is constantly bemoaned with the disappearance of his parents. Garfield really makes you care about Peter Parker so that when we see a nasty argument with his aunt and uncle or hear a gut-wrenching, emotional voice mail from Uncle Ben, feelings of sympathy are amplified.

 Emma Stone is a fresh addition to the cast as well, replacing the boring and annoying Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). She's an adept intellectual science major who works at Oscorp as an asistant to Dr. Connors and she is also the love interest of Peter Parker. Gwen is coincidentally the daughter of police captain George Stacey (Dennis Leary) who aims to arrest Spider-Man. The characters go well together and compliment each other perfectly; they're both model students and have a rebellious side. Some of the best moments of the movie are scenes that focus on the flirtatious couple whether it be Peter sneaking into Gwen's room from the fire escape or the scene in which Gwen is truly worried about the safety of a battered Peter being the hero Spider-Man.Garfield and Stone have obvious chemistry and their scenes together were a joy to watch.

After Peter dons the new Spider-Man suit which has noticeably darker colors, the film shifts to feature more action and combat but doesn't ditch Peter's turmoil between his life as a kid and a hero. Action scenes with the assistance of CGI are expertly shot and won't give you a headache like most films these days. The camera doesn't frantically move, wildly around the screen or from frame to frame in milliseconds. You can actually see what's going on and when you do, you'll definitely notice that Spider-Man actually fights like a spider. His movements are much more agile, quick and unpredictable. His webs, which are now supported by devices on his wrists (like in the comics) come into play during combat a lot more as well, unlike Raimi's Spider-Man who was more of a brawler. This new fighting style definitely comes into play during Spider-man's fights with The Lizard who is rendered perfectly to resemble a man and a lizard.The 3D is also awesome but you might regret choosing so since there's no action or web swinging until about an hour in and the beginning scenes just aren't that interesting in 3D.

The themes of power and responsibility are still a strong element in the movie and play a role in Peter's decision making throughout the movie. Not only are Peter's spidey powers the focus here but his intellectual prowess is also something that he realizes can hurt people. Something I enjoyed more though was seeing Peter return home from his outings as Spider-Man bruised and scuffed up. While he is superhuman and has these powers, he's still taking hits and experiencing pain. It's a clear indication that he's not invincible and that he's putting his own well being on the line to protect the people of New York.

Marc Webb does a commendable job of rebooting the Spider-Man series with much more engaging actors, better writing and direction.Webb and the new refreshing cast do an excellent job of engaging the audience and capturing your attention. There are actually elements of tension, suspense, true romance and you can expect the occasional laugh to relieve some of the more emotional scenes. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone alone made the movie much more compelling and entertaining than their predecessors from Raimi's era. The movie is suitable for the whole family as well. Younger children may find The Lizard a little scary but the rest of the film is appropriate for most ages. And as always, you can expect a brief scene teasing sequel which comes about two minutes into the credits. All-in-All the reboot is great and scores better than the original three. If you like Spider-Man or heroes in general, I would definitely recommend the Amazing Spider-Man.