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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor just jumped toward the top of my most anticipated games list after watching this trailer because it easily looks like the most impressive Lord of the Rings game yet. Shadow of Mordor follows a Gondorian Ranger, Talion, stationed at the Black Gate of Mordor. The game takes place between the events of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings in a time of peace. The rangers guard the gate ensuring that the peace is kept.
While Guarding the Black Gate, Talion and his family are murdered by the followers of Sauron who are making their return. However, the ranger becomes bound to a wraith in the afterlife which returns him to Middle-Earth as half man, half wraith. The wraith gives Talion special abilities which make him incredibly deadly as he seeks his revenge and allows him to walk in the wraith world (like when Frodo would wear the one ring).
The trailer released by Warner Brothers Entertainment and Monolith details the game's nemesis system which allows enemies to remember previous encounters with players. If you encounter an enemy and they happen to escape or best you in battle (your wraith power resurrects you upon death) they go on to become stronger and can even be promoted in the growing army of Sauron. These enemies can attempt to hide from you, or even actively seek you out in this open-world version of Middle-Earth should they decide to hold a grudge.
The trailer shows Talion infiltrating an Orc camp as he hunts Ratbag, a slaver. A fight breaks out and Talion engages several orcs and goblins similarly to the Arkham games or even Assassin's Creed. Countering and grappling play a large role and Talion deals out some devastating damage with his sword in what looks to be some very fluid combat. Combined with his wraith abilities that allow him to warp up close to enemies and even slow down time (similar to blink in Dishonored) he is a force to be reckoned with.
Ratbag attempts to flee but Talion catches up and uses a power central to the game. Talion has the ability to dominate foes with his wraith powers. Players can choose to have an enemy spy on other foes and gather info, or they can command their minion to carry out an assassination. You can even gain a more fearsome reputation if you command the minion to spread word of your deeds. It isn't always that simple however. Based on the minion you recruit, they may lack the skill to carry out an assassination in which case, players can use this as an opportunity to follow the minion thus revealing the location of their leader.
Talion, bending an enemy to his will
I was truly impressed by what I saw in the trailer. It seems to be introducing a healthy variety of gameplay and the original story and characters to Middle-Earth sure look pleasing. The dynamic and ever changing world full of enemies that grow as you level up is also very intriguing and are sure to add some great entertainment and even a good reason to play through the game more than once.
Keep an eye out for Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4 and PC later this year and on this blog as more news becomes available.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
AMC's critically acclaimed thriller, The Walking Dead, will be airing its third season in October; if a few months is a little too long to wait, you can check out this awesome trailer full of zombie killing action to hold you over. The trailer shows off a generous amount of footage and reveals some of the new plot points of the third season. Rick Grimes, his family and other survivors discover a possible safe haven in a nearby prison but they find making the facility safe is more difficult than they assumed. Their struggle to survive is exacerbated by a nearby colony of survivors led by a violent man who some will recognize as Philip Blake, or by his title, The Governor.
The trailer also highlights newcomer, Michonne played by Danai Gurira, who makes her debut in the third season of The Walking Dead. The Katana wielding loner seems to be teaming up with Andrea who was left behind by her group. Also joining the cast, or perhaps rejoining is Michael Rooker as Merle Dixon, brother of Daryl Dixon. It should be interesting to see how he fits into the mix of things.
After watching the trailer, October cannot come soon enough. The Walking Dead looks better than ever and is sure to be the most intense season yet. Be sure to tune into AMC on October 14th to rejoin Rick Grimes and the other survivors this fall.
EA games has released a 20 minute long video showing off the new features, deadly enemies and harsh environment that Isaac Clarke must endure in Dead Space 3. We're also given a closer look at Isaac's companion, John Carter who can be controlled by a second player in a cooperative mode. The single player campaign allows players to play as Isaac without Carter and the co-op campaign allows players to explore new paths, explore the past of John Carter and experience Dead Space in new ways.
Steve Papoutsis, Vice President of developer, Visceral Games gives us the intro to the video. He also gives brief commentary throughout the video, explaining what you're seeing. Dead Space 3 looks great so far and is looking to be the best entry in the series yet!
David Cage, head developer of Quantic Dream, took the stage during Sony's press conference to announce the team's newest project, Beyond: Two Souls. In case you didn't know, Quantic Dream is the developer of Heavy Rain; the interactive thriller that follows an adventure from the perspectives of four different characters who's choices and actions alter the ending of the game. Heavy Rain delivered brilliant visuals and unique but intense gameplay. Beyond: Two Souls seems to be using a similar formula but the story is something completely different this time around.
Beyond follows Jodie Marsh, voiced and acted by Ellen Page (Inception). It is unknown if Jodie will be the only playable character in Beyond but the game spans 15 years of her life. The trailer shown during the press conference revealed that Jodie is on the run from the law. we don't know why but it may have to do with the strange supernatural powers she's been endowed with. No, she isn't super strong and she can't fly but she definitely has abilities beyond that of normal humans.
She seems to have the ability to manipulate objects and people with her mind; at one point a coffee mug is sent crashing into a wall and after a S.W.A.T. team encounters her, their vehicles are destroyed and a nearby clock tower topples over. She is also able to form a force field around her body which seems to act as a protective barrier. Now, it is unclear if these are actually powers or if these strange occurrences have a paranormal origin. Jodie is accompanied by a disembodied spirit named Eiden or Aiden aids Jodie as a companion throughout her life. By the looks of the super natural powers and the police chases, Beyond may be a little more action heavy. You can see the trailer for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Check out the trailer below and keep an eye out for more news on Beyond: Two Souls.
If you aren't excited for Assassin's Creed III at the moment, some new trailers should surely change your mind. Fans have been eager to see what kind of gameplay we can expect from a true sequel to Assassin's Creed II released all the way back in 2009 and Ubisoft really delivered during their press conference. A cinematic, jaw-dropping trailer made Mel Gibson from The Patriot look like child's play as we watch, protagonist Connor, fight alone, through a battlefield of British soldiers to hunt down his Templar target.
Connor wades through a retreating Continental Army, toward the British force, despite the warnings of the revolutionaries. Connor mounts a horse and begins a full on sprint toward the redcoats dodging cannon fire and musket shots until he reaches their lines, unscathed. Armed with his deadly tomahawk and a dagger, Connor is untouchable as he drops soldier after soldier with deadly fluidity. Before long, he fights his way to the Templar Commander and ends his life.
The sequence is truly amazing in terms of visual presentation and just pure awesomeness. Some videos and screen shots of gameplay have shown Connor engaging the Redcoats on an open battlefield similar to the cinematic trailer and I'm sure we can expect the same level of intensity from these battles in game.
The gameplay trailer shows the new 'wilderness' environment which Ubisoft reps explained will be traversed multiple times, through winter, summer, fall and spring. The seasons and weather change and will effect gameplay. For instance, the demo takes place during the winter and high snow drifts impede Connor's movement forcing him to trudge his way through unless he takes another route. The dense forest will provide a completely new Parkour playground for players to explore. Connor swings, jumps and climbs swiftly from tree to tree and the movement looks natural and realistic.
I was almost worried it'd be difficult to make a forest work for the Assassin's Creed style of travel but the demo re-instilled my faith in the setting. The trees don't look awkward or in any way like they are made a special way to enhance the free running. It's almost like the perfect camouflage; the trees make up the forests we will explore but they serve the dual purpose of being the focus of Assassin's Creed III's Parkour. The beautifully rendered forest is teeming with wildlife which we see in the beginning of the demo. Connor hunts down a deer with his bow but the scent of blood draws in a pack of wolves. Ubisoft has explained you'll confront different animals, docile and hostile in the wilderness and that hunting these animals will serve different benefits. You can collect pelts, meat and other materials from the animals you hunt which can be sold or traded.
After hunting the deer and delivering the meat to a nearby, dreary looking Continental camp, Connor speaks with a soldier asking where to find a Templar named Silas. The man answers the question and begins to explain how Connor can help Continental army but the assassin assures him he has no interest in aiding the patriots. Connor sets out into the forest again and locates the the fort, deep in the forest, where the Templar is hiding. From the trees, Connor attacks the group of redcoats guarding the gates and we see the new chain-blade weapon in action here as Connor uses it to strangle one unfortunate soldier.
A slew of new violent kill animations are sure to spice things up; they're one of the first things that caught my during the intense combat. Connor uses his tomahawk and dagger combination to manipulate the bayonet mounted muskets against their users. He directs the fire of the guns at their companions or drives the bayonet into one of the redcoats effectively impaling him. The combat is as fluid as ever and looks freshly satisfying compared to the kill animations of Altair and Ezio which have become stale over the past few years.
Connor makes his way into the fort and locates the target. He causes an explosion distracting the soldiers and throwing them into a disorganized frenzy allowing him to chase after Silas and complete the assassination. The gameplay has so much more to offer this time around and while it's the third game in the series (fourth if you count Brotherhood and Revelations) it almost looks like a new game entirely.
Ubisoft didn't stop there however; they revealed that Connor will take to the high seas in naval combat where you can command your own ship and crew, canons and all. The trailer shows Connor steering the ship as the crew fires off canons sinking several British ships. The action will even include the iconic ship boarding battles that occur in pirate movies. Check out the trailer below and see for yourself. Look for Assassin's Creed III in stores October 30, for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.
Microsoft made it clear that Sam Fisher is still a badass when they revealed Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Sam is making a comeback after the President of the United States assigns him to a 'black than black'
special ops team. The team is formed after a group of hostile nations composes a list containing plans for terrorist attacks to be carried out if U.S. troops are not evacuated from their countries.
A cinematic trailer reveals that Third Echelon has been shut down as Sam Fisher hitches a ride into a Middle-Eastern terrorist compound crawling with goons. Sam uses his impressive, yet deadly skill-set to infiltrate the base and take out some unfortunate guards. It's obvious he hasn't lost his edge after he swiftly kills a group of terrorists in the blink of an eye. The action is amped up when Sam rappels down the side of a building and makes quick work of some more terrorists. A man being held prisoner by the terrorists is freed by Sam and given a gun. The two head into the hallway of the building and engage in a fierce fire fight while Sam's partner provides cover fire with a sniper rifle from a nearby building.
Sam and the man reach the roof and are momentarily clear of the action. The man asks Sam what agency he's with in which he receives the reply, "Welcome to Fourth Echelon."
While the cinematic trailer is great, we see the true brilliance of Blacklist in the gameplay demonstration (posted below). The trailer begins with Fisher using a disguise to gain access to an Iraqi terrorist camp where we see an improved mark and execute system. Sam uses his iconic goggles to survey the camp yard and tracks about seven terrorists. He tags the three closest and exits the tent in which he was hiding. The game enters bullet time and Fisher delivers one bullet to each of the three men while running toward a fourth. The game re-enters real time and the fourth man gets a knife in the neck as Sam marks the last two enemies. He slides over the hood of a pickup and violently executes the last two.
The whole sequence is stunning as Sam flows seamlessly from kill to kill. It all looks so clean and happens so fast, that when Sam had killed the last enemy, the guy was just reaching for his gun. Sam goes on to fight through the camp where he encounters a mounted machine gun and more terrorists. At one point, the player uses a voice command with their Kinect to call in an air-strike which disposes of the machine gun. The action of Splinter Cell has definitely been turned up a notch but still features plenty of stealth opportunities for player who prefer to keep things quiet.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist is slated for a Spring 2013 release as of now. What do you think of Blacklist? Is Fisher too old to still be doing this or does age not even matter at this point?
