Why You shouldn't Worry About The Exclusivity Of The New Tomb Raider

It was recently announced at Gamescom earlier this week that Rise of the Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics' sequel to the 2013 reboot, will be released exclusively on the Xbox One. The announcement was certainly unexpected. Playstation 4 fans of the series are crying foul and have already started a petition or condemned Microsoft and the series altogether. However, one key fact you may have overlooked would go to show there's no reason to get your panties in twist.

Fortunately for PC and PS4 players, the deal Microsoft and publisher Square Enix agreed to was to release Rise of the Tomb Raider as a timed exclusive for the Xbox One. Phil Spencer broke the news during an interview with Eurogamer where he confessed, "obviously, the deal has a duration. I didn't but the IP perpetuity." This means that the game will only remain exclusive for a certain period of time. Whether the period of exclusivity will last for six months, an entire year, or even longer has not yet been revealed. So while PS4 and PC players will have to wait, they will likely see Lara raid her way onto their platforms after the exclusivity period has expired. That part is up to publisher Square Enix.

Gamers are an irksome bunch however and many are asking why the sequel to a game that was released on multiple platforms would suddenly become an exclusive. Well there could be a few reasons for that. Perhaps Microsoft and Square Enix saw an opportunity to help one another out. Microsoft's Xbox One has been trailing behind Sony's PS4 in system sales for the seventh month in a row. Nabbing exclusive rights (albeit timed) to a big franchise and a sequel to one of the highest rated titles of 2013 could certainly help tilt the scales in the Xbox One's favor. Tomb Raider also stands as a staunch contender for the Uncharted sequel which is arguably Sony's most popular exclusive. And it seems more than coincidence the very comparable adventure titles are both being released in the 2016 holiday season.

Coming in the 2016 holiday season, who will prevail?

After a rocky year in 2013 with both Hitman: Absolution and the Tomb Raider reboot not meeting expected sales, Square Enix could have also spied this deal as an opportunity to make up for some of the money they may have lost. Crystal Dynamics' Darrell Gallagher also explained via Tumblr that he believes Microsoft will be able to market the game to players more effectively and provide the support the game needs to contend with other well-known franchises.

So, in a nutshell, it all boils down to money. Microsoft wants to increase system sales and Square-Enix wants to make up the money they lost in 2013 and see Tomb Raider become a contender for big action titles like Uncharted and Assassin's Creed. And really, no one should be surprised by that; no one is getting ripped off and in the end, Square Enix and Microsoft are businesses and businesses need to make money. What's important is that it seems very likely, everyone will get to play the game on the platform of their choice, eventually.

Source: Eurogamer

Alien Isolation Developer Diary: The Stuff of Nightmares

While Sega's Aliens: Colonial Marines game was an utter failure, Alien: Isolation certainly looks like a step in the right direction. Developed by Creative Assembly, the team best known for the Total War games is developing Alien: Isolation to be much more of a survivor-horror adventure experience where players are fighting to survive a single unpredictable Alien.

Players take control of Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda approximately 15 years after the events of Alien. Amanda is searching for information regarding the disappearance of her mother when one of her leads take her to a space station. Unbeknownst to her however, the station has been overrun by a Xenomorph. According to Creative assembly, the Alien cannot be killed and players must use stealth tactics to survive. Weapons in the game are sparse and are only used to fight non-alien enemies.

Alien: Isolation can be compared to games like Amnesia or Outlast where players need to monitor how much noise they make and hide using their surroundings to escape enemies. One significant change which makes the idea of playing Alien: Isolation terrifying is that the Alien A.I. has been programmed to learn from the player and use the senses of sight, smell and sound to hunt down the player. The Alien is also programmed to not follow a predetermined path making it's movements and behaviors unpredictable which will certainly add to the scare factor and give the game some originality on subsequent plays.

I have much higher hopes for Alien: Isolation than I did for Aliens: Colonial Marines. The game is being designed to fit the horror genre more and emulate the look and feel of the original Alien movie with the retro sci-fi technology. I'm a survival-horror junkie and Alien: Isolation looks like it has the potential to be a truly definitive title for the Alien franchise. What do you think? Will Alien: Isolation be a success or is it destined to flop like its predecessors?

Batman: Arkham Knight Announced with Trailer

Rocksteady has wasted no time in their development of another Arkham title with Batman hitting the streets of Gotham once again to round up the criminals. The trailer lasts an awesome four minutes and  depicts Gotham, overrun with criminals and villains like Two Face and Penguin. The city seems to be in the process of being evacuated as citizens flee in terror. Thomas Wayne, father of Bruce narrates the trailer as Batman jumps into sweet looking new Batmobile and kicks some butt.

The trailer looks great and the game is looking a little different from the previous Arkham titles. Bruce, while still muscular looks a little slimmer. He's not quite as buff and his arms don't look to short for his body. His body looks more realistic and more proportional than it had before. That kind of bothered me in the other games and I thought he always looked a little strange. His suit also looks, Blacker? There's definitely something cooler looking about the suit but I can't quite pinpoint it.

Despite how awesome it looks though, this announcement is also very surprising, especially after Arkham Origins was just released in October. Arkham Knight is already available for pre-order and is currently slated for a October 14th release. That's a pretty fast turn around for a game. I'm wary for what this means for the Arkham series. Arkham Origins was met with generally postive reviews, but many noted the game was more of the same and did little to mix things up.

So what does that mean for Arkham Knight? Is it too soon for another Arkham game, or does it just need to be done right? Will Rocksteady take the advice of the fans and change things up a bit, or should we expect more of the same? And on that note, what do you want from this new entry? What would really get you excited for this game? Speaking of exciting things, I almost forgot to mention, Rocksteady also revealed that sweet new Batmobile is integral to the game and Gotham is being built to accommodate some driving! Yeah, just think about that for a little bit.

Dark Souls II: Strategy Guide Debate

As the release date for Dark Souls II draws closer (March 11) and my anticipation builds, I've been considering whether or not to purchase a strategy guide. When I jumped into the first Dark Souls game last year, I was lucky enough to be able to reference a number of online, user submitted guides whenever I ran into trouble, which was a lot. Finding strategies for bosses, weapon locations, examining character builds, bugs and exploits, and which way to go next where all invaluable pieces of information as I played through the game.

Now with Dark Souls II on the horizon, I have the chance to go in completely cold since it will take quite some time for walkthroughs to make their way onto the internet. I could of course buy the strategy guide, but I'm afraid it would ruin the experience. I could easily use the guide to find out if I'm going the right way, missing a weapon or a secret area or just doing everything wrong. It'd be so convenient, which is part of the problem. It might sound kind of masochistic, but I want this kick to kick my butt. I think that's a good deal of where the fun will emanate from. Having the guide would just give me all the answers, like cheating on a test. I could also resort to purchasing the guide and using it only for emergencies, when I get stuck and I feel completely and utterly hopeless.

That's where I'm at with my internal debate. I'm leaning toward going in completely cold but I don't want the game to frustrate me to the point that I just end up hating it and giving up. What do you think? Does Dark Souls II warrant an occasion to grab the guide or should I go in blind.

I'm Suddenly Excited for Guardians of the Galaxy After this Trailer

The first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy hit the web last night after it made its debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live and its full of awesome looking space-pirate, alien prison, and ship battling action. The movie follows a space pirate, Quill played by Chris Pratt who prefers to go by the moniker, Star Lord. Quill finds himself on the run after he steals a mysterious orb from the film's villain, Ronan (Lee Pace) who desires the orb to complete his evil plans, threatening the universe. Quill is forced to join forces with a rag-tag band of misfits and become the titular Guardians of the Galaxy.

Judging by the trailer, the Marvel movie directed by James Gunn seems to follow the the same style of the Avengers movie. Combining an all-star cast of heroes for an action packed adventure with some quirky humor rubbed in for comic relief. Bradley Cooper will be voicing the animated and snarky, Rocket-Raccoon and is teamed up with the tree-like alien, Groot voiced by Vin Diesel. Ron Pearlman, Zoe Saldana, and Dave Bautista are just a few of the other stars with roles in the movie. 

Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't originally on my movie radar but after watching the trailer, I'm feeling very hyped and I can't wait to see the movie in theaters on August first. What do you think? Does this movie look awesome, or are you still skeptical. 

Dark Souls II Gets 'T' Rating: Is ESRB Becoming More Lenient?

Dark Souls II, now less than a month away has received an official rating from the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board). The surprise however is that the game has only received a 'T' (teen) rating for blood and gore, mild language, partial nudity and violence. Its rating is particularly interesting because the title's predecessors, Demon's Souls and Dark Souls where both rated M. It is also worth noting that Dark Souls II has all the same content descriptors as the first Dark Souls with the addition of mild language.

Based on game-play trailers and other demonstration videos, Dark Souls II doesn't look any less violent or gruesome than it's predecessors. Even The ESRB's description of the game notes content that is very similar to the first Dark Souls game.

ESRB Description:

This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of an undead fighter in the realm of Drangleic. Players traverse dungeon-like settings and battle a variety of fantastical enemies (e.g., ghouls, zombies, skeletons, giant rats) to gain souls. Players use knives, swords, and arrows to defeat enemies. Combat is highlighted by cries of pain and small splashes of blood. Some locations depict instances of blood and gore: a giant snake boss holding its severed head; a giant boss creature composed of hundreds of corpses; dead ogres near a pool of blood; a torture device with streaks of blood. During the course of the game, a boss creature appears partially topless (e.g. hair barely covering breasts). The words 'bastard' and “pr*ck” can be heard in the dialogue.

With plenty of blood and gore and even the presence of nearly exposed breasts, it is a wonder why the game is only rated 'T'. I'm not disagreeing with the rating nor am I upset about it, just confounded. Could this be a sign the ESRB is taking it easy with the 'M' rating? Perhaps the 'M' rating is being reserved for games with more gun violence?

 I wouldn't worry about what this means for Dark Souls II however. I'm sure the game will deliver the same experience that fans love and expect from the series despite the 'T' rating. It'll be interesting however to see how this effects the future of other game ratings and if the ESRB will be more tolerant in their upcoming ratings. 

Thief: Explore the Possibilities in this New Trailer

Over the past few months, I have been skeptical about the Eidos Montreal reboot of Thief. I played the original Thief games on the computer back in the nineties and the fantasy and fun that they created for me will be hard for this reboot to follow up. If you've been keeping up though, Eidos Montreal has flooded the web with walk through videos and demonstrations showing a variety of new possibilities in the upcoming reboot. Now, a new trailer released earlier today ties them all together for one big trailer filled with plenty of thieving.

The new trailer has me anticipating Thief more than I had been but I'm still cautious. Incredible looking visuals made possible by modern technology certainly breathe new life into the series. The last Thief game, Thief: Deadly Shadows was released nearly 10 years ago in 2004 so the jump of an entire generation of game consoles is quite the face lift. Eidos Montreal seems to have done a great job with the environments which capture the pivotal dark, steampunk atmosphere. They also seem to have adopted the ever popular free running style of navigating buildings and rooftops which is appropriate for someone in Garrett's line of work. Garrett's arsenal of tools and weapons at his disposable also seems to have been expanded allowing for plenty of ways to reach your goal. 

My main concerns aren't with visuals however, the size of the city or how many tools Garrett has in his inventory. I could return to the original Thief games on the computer and enjoy it for hours. What matters to me is the story and the true feel of Thief. Many have pointed out it looks Bethesda's Dishonored when in fact, Bethesda has admitted to having been heavily inspired by the early Thief games. I don't want Eidos Montreal to feel like they have to live up to Dishonored. 

No, Eidos Montreal needs to live up to the original Thief games by crafting Garrett as the character he was originally conceived as. He's a true anti-hero; a cynical loner shrouded in mystery. He does things his way, because he wants to. His interests serve only himself. He doesn't steal because he needs to, he steals because he wants too. He craves the challenge and the excitement of stealing. He's been compared to Robin Hood but he's more like a medieval Han Solo if you think about it. I think if Eidos Montreal can pull off the creation of Garrett the game will be a success. 

I'm sure many early fans of the Thief series feel the same way and they will have very high standards for this game. What do you think, fan or not are you looking forward to Thief? The game will be available on the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and PC February 27th. 

New Walking Dead Mid-Season Return Trailer

[SPOILERS]

AMC has released a new trailer for the Walking Dead showing what fans can expect when season 4 returns on February 9th. The show looks like it'll pick up right where the first half of the season left off, the group of survivors scattered and the Prison destroyed. Now on their own paths, the remaining members are forced to survive out in the wilderness without shelter against hordes of walkers. Rick and Carl are still together while Daryl and Michonne seem to be fighting to survive on their own.

With the threat of the Governor and his army neutralized, we're left to wonder what new enemies the groups will encounter. Or perhaps being scattered, in the open and vulnerable to the elements will be their greatest challenge yet. Either way, Season 4 is looking to be a great improvement upon a lackluster season 3 with much more thrills and excitement.What do you think?

Angelina Jolie Seathes Pure Evil in New Maleficent Trailer

The most recent interpretation of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale is a much darker looking take that focuses on the villain, Maleficent which literally means, "to do evil." The dream trailer weaves together scenes of Angelina Jolie as the wicked mistress of all evil over Lana Del Rey's signing of the classic Disney song "Once Upon a Dream." Del Rey's cover of the song indeed creates a very creepy atmosphere, perfect for setting the mood of the movie. The trailer first aired on Sunday during the Grammy's, showing bits of rising star, Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora.

Sleeping Beauty isn't the only fairy tale to get a modern interpretation as of late. Snow White and the Huntsman featuring Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth came out in 2012 receiving less than stellar reviews. Hopefully Maleficent doesn't fall to the same fate. The movie is slated for release on May 30th.

Jonathan Banks Joins Cast of Better Call Saul

Jonathan Banks has reportedly signed on to reprise his role as Michael Ehrmantraut on the Breaking Bad prequel series, Better Call Saul. Deadline is reporting that Banks will be a series regular in the Vince Gilligan conceived production which will chronicle the beginnings of ambulance chasing Laywer, Saul Goodman  before he was recruited by Walter White. Banks starred as the cold and calculating cleaner/enforcer who worked for methamphetamine drug lord, Gustavo Fring on Breaking Bad or as he liked to put it, head of security for Los Pollos Hermanos.

A former police officer, Michael also worked as a private investigator for Saul Goodman and got the criminal lawyer out of some sticky situations. Bank's performance in the first half of season five earned him an Emmy nomination so it'll be great to see him join Bob Odenkirk in this Spinoff series. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul have also expressed their interest in reprising their characters but as a prequel it is unlikely their roles would be much more than cameos, but who knows. It remains unclear as to who else may join the cast. I feel Gustavo and Hank are strong possibilities for characters we could see return but I'll definitely be looking forward to some original characters as well.

Better Call Saul is slated to premiere on AMC later this year in November.

New Concept Art for Dragon Age: Inquisition

Bioware has been dropping screenshots and concept art on the web for the past month. A new batch of concept art showing off a variety of landscapes and locations hit the their website earlier today. The art depicts some beautiful scenes and impressive mountainscapes which players will be able to explore along their quests.

There are also a couple of scenes that depict some rather grim looking areas of the game, one of which looks like a murky lake in an underground cavern! It's good to see some variety and that Bioware is interested in keeping things fresh in the upcoming game. The vastness of these scenes should also be taken into account and assure us that there will be plenty of exploring to do when Dragon Age: Inquisition is released later this year!

Xbox One controllers receiving custom treatment with Titanfall

The paint job does evoke a more futuristic look

If you're excited for multiplayer mech shooter, Titanfall, you'll be thrilled to hear that a limited edition Titanfall controller will be released on March 11th, the same day as the game itself. It sports a slick paint job that Respawn entertainment lead artist, Joel Emslie says resembles "a piece of military spec hardware transported from the universe of Titanfall." It is specifically meant to resemble a C-101 carbine, (which is stenciled on the right) a rifle favored by mech pilots.

There currently is no set price for the controller. Some reports say $59.99 while others suggest a price of $64.99. I suppose it would make sense with this being Microsoft and all for them to charge five extra dollars for a controller that doesn't include any rechargeable battery pack but then again, that five dollars gets you a sleek paint job on the first ever limited edition Xbox One controller. What do you think? Is the controller worth it or are you fine just playing with plain old black controllers? Also, did this controller make anyone think of paint jobs you might see on a star fighter in Star Wars?

profile view

Packing for the controller

New Dark Souls II trailer prepares players to be cursed

I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot of this

Dark Souls II isn't far off from release and before today, there were only a couple of trailers to show off the majesty of this upcoming title. The trailer also takes plenty of time to show off all the ways it will crush your soul and frustrate players as they traverse through a land filled with a new collection of horrible monsters including giant spiders, a giant lava demon and another giant composed of bound-together undead bodies.

However, the more intriguing bits of the trailer shed some light on the mysterious plot of the game. The voice of an old woman, similar to the voice from the opening of the first Dark Souls, narrates the pre-rendered cinematic which is breathtakingly beautiful. Players will take control a cursed hero who travels to a legendary forgotten kingdom by the name of Drangleic (spelling credit goes to IGN). The kingdom of Drangleic has some resemblance to Anor Londo of the first Dark Souls game, except it looks a little scarier, especially with all the dragons flying around it. The game's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki has made promises the game will be more challenging and this trailer does a fine job of showcasing what players will be up against. What do you think? Will you muster your courage and get Dark Souls II or would you rather avoid difficult and frustrating games?

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.

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.

Hitman: Absolution Video Walkthrough

Hitman: Absolution release date in October isn't far off but Square-Enix decided they want to give players an even greater look at Agent 47 in action despite the countless other videos and Sniper Challenge mini game. Game director, Tore Blystad and Travis Barbour provide commentary as Agent 47 searches for answers concerning the whereabouts of Victoria. In the level entitled "The Streets of Hope" he's after Lenny "The Limp" Dexter, the leader of a local street gang that goes by "The Cougars". In addition to kidnapping Lenny, you are also tasked with taking out the members of his gang.

The non-linear style of play allows you to approach in your missions in your own unique way and at your own pace. You can explore the environment and find tools and other assets that will aid you in your completion of the mission. Improvised weapons and disguises are two of the biggest assets you will come across. These improvised weapons will prove invaluable to making quick kills or creating accidental deaths to drawing suspicion. Disguises, as always will be your key into restricted areas. In some cases however, characters can see through your disguise if you aren't careful or linger in their line of sight too long, so they aren't fool-proof this time around.

A new notebook feature, similar to the PDA from Blood Money, allows you to track your progress in the current mission. You can see your completed objectives and view challenges in the notebook as you play. Challenges are similar to those in the Sniper Challenge game and if completed will earn you more money. The notebook tracks how much money you've earned for the current mission as well and tells you what negative and what positive scores you have received. Playing more stealthily and covering your tracks will earn you more money.

The new instinct feature shows off how it can be utilized to discover hiding places, weapons and to locate targets. Instinct can be turned off however along with other various advice tools and tips that display on the screen. A new "trespassing" alert will appear if you're in an area that you aren't supposed to be so you know to be careful or to find a disguise. Unlike other Hitman games though, trespassing won"t instantly get you shot at by armed guards. In Absolution, you're simply escorted out of the area, permitting you didn't see any potentially incriminating material. The other alert lets you know that there is a visible weapon equipped so that you can put it away before you're caught. The tips and instinct can all be disabled though for veteran players or those who want more of a challenge.

The trailer shows off a couple of other new features but i'll let you watch to discover those yourself. the visuals look better than any Hitman game before it with excellent lighting effects, facial detail and general body movement and environment detail. Look for Hitman: Absolution on November 20, 2012 and be sure to pre-order the game to earn one of four cool in-game bonuses.