GamesCom Day Two Recap.

GamesCom Day Two Recap

Originally published on and copyrighted by Blast Away the Game Review on 8/21/2013

Written by Dustin Murphy

    As we know GamesCom is one of the biggest gaming conventions in the world, it quickly takes on size like that of E3 as well as PAX, but managing to keep if not bigger. Rivaling many of the other game conventions GamesCom with being closer to the fall is where we see many of our bigger announcements and this year is no exception. Yesterday we saw Microsoft and Sony pull out their big guns and fire off at each other. Sony having seemed to deliver a bit more of a stronger position against that of Microsoft, but in retort we did see Microsoft announce several things, and one is exclusive day one content for several titles. Those titles that got day one exclusives include Battlefield 4, Titanfall, Watchdogs, and Call of Duty Ghosts. With the speech from Microsoft and DICE players were introduced to the options available via the premium pass for Battlefield 4 and what it offers with the Beta. The list here will show that it is once more worth quite the value for those willing to chip out the 50 USD.

• Battlefield 4 Second Assault – Includes four fan-favorite Battlefield 3™ maps now re-imagined with the power of Frostbite™ 3. Available first on Xbox One.
• Battlefield 4 China Rising – Players fight for dominance across the vast and majestic Chinese mainland. Available December 2013.
• Battlefield 4 Naval Strike – Experience dynamic ocean combat as the Chinese armada takes the fight to the sea. Available Spring 2014.
• Battlefield 4 Dragon’s Teeth – The US strikes back engaging in all-out urban warfare. Available Summer 2014.
• Battlefield 4 Final Stand – Bring the war to its epic conclusion. Available Summer 2014.

  With this overlook we expect DICE is going to try and pull big gloves off against Sony for exclusive content or early launch. Hopefully Sony can pull it off against Microsoft as this seems to be Microsoft's only leverage against them. We also saw Yesterday several huge announcements from Sony including a Borderlands 2 Vita coming sometime in 2014, which just makes the Vita all the better, and of course the price drop to 200 USD for those of you who don't own one yet. This should be the leverage you need as the Vita is showing its stronger support for triple a console titles. This alone has been enough of a boost to make Sony run ahead as well as their strong support for a 33 launch title list. Some disc and some also online, and it hasn't varied much from that of Microsoft's, but the free to play shooters, MMOs and of course betas for games like The Elder Scrolls Online should be enough tow in you over. Did we also mention that they announced Hotline Miami will be coming to a PS Vita and PS4 near you this winter? Hope so, because it looks amazing and some speculate it will come with cross-play compatibility.

Blizzard Delivers... Reaper of Souls

   Diablo 3 has already remained a huge success for some, while others found it lacking and not like the others, it remained Diablo at the core. With having had a huge success with the real money auction house (controversial to many players and game breaking) players have spent millions of hours all together to bring it to one of the most played games. Only around two years out Diablo 3 has finally gotten an announcement for the first expansion - Reaper of Souls. In Reaper of Souls blizzard has announced that it will take place shortly after the events of Diablo's imprisonment, players are witness to having seen Malthael, the fallen Angel of Wisdom (turned Angel of Death). In it players are also sent in to make a new class that resembles the Paladin from Diablo 2 known as the "Crusader". The "Crusader" is a mid-range melee class, which leaves us to expect we will see a renamed "Paladin" play style. In it the level cap has also been raised to 70 with a rebalancing that added new runes, weapons, legendaries, new profession items, and of course an adjustment to all existing content. Blizzard Entertainment has announced that we will see much more coming up this fall so stay tuned to the official Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls page and of course you can always just stay tuned here or at Blast Away the Game Review (follow the page on Facebook for daily updates) and I'll keep you all updated!

Sources: Blizzard Company Press Release

XBox One to Get Max: The Curse of Brotherhood

    Originally announced as an XBox 360, Max has managed to make its way over to XBox one, this possibly giving players better graphics and play style types. The story is based after Max has wished for his little brother, Felix, to be taken away by an unknown evil, he gets more than he had actually wished for. Armed with his only weapon, a marker, and a hope of undoing what he has done, he sets out on his perilous journey across deserts, hauntingly eerie lantern-lit bogs, ancient temples, and of course beautiful lush forests to get that annoying little brother back. In the story Press Play has ade it known he will gain powers to mainpulate his enviroment and eventually overcome his obstacles to save his brother. Read the official statement to see what Press Play says about this.

"We have some extraordinary news to share. We are proud to announce that Max: The Curse of Brotherhood will be released on Xbox 360 and Xbox One! Our target launch date is early 2014.

To bring Max: The Curse of Brotherhood to the next generation of Xbox and to be a part of the launch lineup is very exciting and – we believe – great for the game. We are extremely proud of the gameplay experience we’ve developed on the Xbox 360 and are presently focused on developing the Xbox One version in order to take full advantage of the powerful new technology.

Please note that our current art is optimized for the Xbox 360. We will be sharing the latest Xbox One art in the next few months. Our whole team is laser focused on finishing the game and bringing it to the next level. We hope you can join us on this fun and crazy ride into the future. More updates to come!" - Press Play

Original Source: Press Play

XCom: Enemy Unknown First Major DLC Announced

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is getting its first gigantic expansion later this year on November 12th. In this expansion you will be able to add a "Genetic Lab" to further extend your base so that you can create gene mods, as well as a new Cybernetics lab where you can create powerful suits that are Mechanized Exosekeletal Cyber-suits. Your enemies will also be able to get the same upgrades, giving the a lean on you, and your team. It will be available for PS3, 360, PC, and Mac.

  Ratchet and Clank into the Nexus Announced

   

    Earlier today at GamesCom Sony stepped to stage with Insomniac in order to show off their debut trailer for the latest Ratchet and Clank title - Into the Nexus. The video demoed new enemies, weapons, and puzzles in the upcoming title, which seems to returning to the roots from Ratchet and Clank Full Frontal Assault. The story continues with the arc established in the Future series. In the video shown, Ratchet and Clank have stowed away on an enemy ship before they land on a haunted planet in search of an escaped being convicts by the new enemy. Into the Nexus from what we've seen in the video shows off a strong use and undeniable need to control gravity with available weapons and gadgets. With it the goofy weapons as always will be making their return into the latest tyle, and of course he will be featuring his Winterize to turn his foes into Christmas Carroling Snowmen who will assail his enemies with their Christmas songs.

 

     We also expect to see the return of old enemies such as Doctor Nefarius and his cohorts as possible allies after the events of Ratchet and Clank All-4-One. Hopefully we will also see the old weapon leveling system as well as the original weapon modifications that came with it. For the official trailer - Ratchet and Clank Into the Nexus Official Sony Trailer. The game will be available exclusively on PS3 this holiday, in stores and on PlayStation Network for an MSRP of 29.99 USD.

Rain for PS3 at GamesCom 2013

 With Gamescom 2013 now well underway Sony has been showing off titles for both the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and unsurprisingly the PS Vita. PlayStation CAMP's Rain  is a tale of two children exploring their stormy world while trying to find out why they have become invisible. The title is in the process of being co-developed with Aquire who has been assisting in this, they are well known for their franchise Tenchu.

  For fans like myself of the title Ico, this game includes the relationship and communication between boy and girl, and the essence of exploration as well as tension. In the title the boy will explore the world, encounter monsters that chase him, and inevitable attempt to escape. According to Nariko Unemora this title will be all about controlling how the boy is seen through his visibility, in his interview with Game Informer. The game will not be focused on combat, instead it will be about making him hide himself. He of course is only able to be seen while in falling rain, so hiding under awnings and other shelters will keep him concealed for his safety. The control scheme shouldn't be to hard from that of what Ico was. 

   

   From the game play footage seen the entire game will take place at night, during a storm, but with a variety of environments to keep players from repetitious sight seeing. The relationship between the boy and girl will seemingly blossom through the game place as players experience what is said to be an approximate four hours when constantly moving and striving to play through the game. According to multiple sources it is to keep from exhausting players who want to experience the story. Players will be able to return to the game, grab items, and of course fill in plot holes they didn't through these items so to give it a replay value. Rain will be released on October 1, 2013 for $14.99 in the United States. Pre-orders are opening today, with a music montage, avatar pack, and dynamic theme available as bonuses.

Lords of the Fallen Announced for PS4

 

   The title Lords of the Fallen is being executively produced by Tomasz Gop who was known for being the senior produced of The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings. Gameplay-wise the two games will be much the same, at its core Lords of the Fallen is claimed to be a very hardcore action-RPG title featuring advanced combat systems and class trees.  Lords of the Fallen is set in a medieval fantasy world plagued by a supernatural being called the Fallen God. The world's inhabitants are divided into supporters and detractors of the Fallen God; the game's human protagonist, Harkyn, falls into the latter category. Game Informer luckily as a several page article exclusive about Lords of the Fallen on their interview with Tomasz Gop - Lords of the Fallen GI Exclusive Coverage. 

Stay tuned for my articles regarding Guns of Icarus, Defiance's DLC Enter the Castithan, which is a re-release of the title, and more to come.

For more on the PlayStation announcements at GamesCom check out their official Sony PlayStation Blog!