Mark S Taylor

Final Fantasy XIV A Realm Reborn Patch 2.3 Now Available

Square Enix announced the newest update to Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, with patch 2.3 also known as Defenders of Eorzea now available. The new update will include many new dungeon environments, quests and side-quests to explore, skills for players to upgrade with, and the highly anticipated Chocobo Raising and Housing (Private Rooms).

The new Raising Rooms as demanded by the fans

The new Patch will also feature a new three-faction PvP called Frontline, where 72 players can fight each other in combat. The battles all take place within the borders Carteneau, as Eorzea’s nations engage in war for the much coveted Allagan Ruins. The story provided is as follows:

When the world is thrown into chaos, who will rise to defend those too weak to defend themselves? The Sahagin summoned Leviathan, Lord of the Whorl, that the unbridled fury of the sea would wash away those who would threaten their livelihood. Eorzea’s people turned to the Warriors of Light, who drove this sinister serpent back into the briny deep. Now, new voices can be heard. From the deserts of Thanalan, to the verdant woods of the Black Shroud, to the snowy peaks of Coerthas, these voices cry out for a champion. Who will heed their call as the defender of Eorzea?

A full list of the content can be found below:

Primal Fight Hard/Extreme Mode: Ramuh
Outdoor-Dungeon: Hullbreaker Isle Dungeon Hard Mode: Stone Vigil!
Dungeon Hard Mode: Tam-Tara Deepcroft
Skill Item: Desynthesis
Daily Hunt
Frontline: Three-faction PvP
Continuation of the Crystal Tower
New Main Story and Side Quests
Chocobo Raising
Housing (Private Chambers)

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Nintendo Post E3 first impressions / Game previews.
I got the chance to play some of the upcoming titles shown during Nintendo’s E3 conference. these games which were all fun to play and I can see myself getting most of them.  I was also glad to see games that took full advantage of the Wii U’s hardware such as Project Giant Robot which used the tablet to see ahead through the eyes of the robot which you created, and it was even fun to play despite not being a big fan of the tablet. This game line-up was what Nintendo needed to help the Wii U off the ground.

 
Hyrule Warriors

Hyrule Warriors is a Dynasty Warrior esque game being produced by Team Ninja. This game is essentially a Legend of Zelda skin placed upon a Dynasty Warriors game, however this doesn’t make it a bad game, it’s extremely fun and combos are easy and fun to pull off.

It also introduces bosses from the Legend of Zelda world such as King Dodongo. Additionally when choosing from Link or Zelda each character could choose a different weapon, and there were a lot of blank spaces for extra characters. Link and Zelda played and felt distinctively different which is great because I felt I wouldn’t get bored of the game.

 
Bayonetta 2

If you liked the first Bayonetta, you will like Bayonetta 2. Simple as, however I should elaborate. There are a few noticeable differences from the first game and the first thing is that you’ll probably notice is that the game’s presentation took a hit as it’s on the Wii U. But this doesn’t restrain it from being an enjoyable experience.

When in water Bayonetta would automatically change form to represent a serpent, hinting at the possibility of underwater exploration. Also when you’ve done enough combos you can activate something called Umbral Climax where all basic attacks will automatically become wicked weave attacks, doing more damage. But I had incredible amounts of fun with the demo and I look forward to the final product.

The differences made to the first Bayonetta that I noticed was the new outfits which allow you to do different combos, however when asked what did I think about these changes I just didn’t really care, I enjoyed the first game and new outfits won’t change my opinion.

 
Splatoon

This is a third person shooter where two teams of six compete to cover the largest amount of areas with their coloured ink. It sounds weird but it’s an extremely enjoyable and addictive experience.

It looks hectic and it needs to be played to fully understand it, you can also destroy enemy players by shooting ink or throwing grenades at them. However this rapidly depletes ink and you need to turn into a squid and travel along your coloured ink to rapidly fill it back up and once covering enough of a single area you can bring out a super weapon which resembles a rocket launcher to fire long strings of ink and to destroy any enemy player in its way. You aim using the gyroscope and it works surprisingly well and didn’t cause any issue for me.

 
Super Smash Bros 3DS/WII U

The demo playable showed a disappointing amount of new characters to play, estimating at around about 5 new characters to play there. However Little Mac was incredibly unique due to a feature where the player is able to move rapidly across the map granted that the bar is filled. I enjoyed the fact that it was playable with the GC controllers as that is what I was used to back when I played Melee.

The 3DS version has a unique game mode where you defeat A.I opponents across an open level for upgrades, and after around 5 minutes you’re pitted against other characters which have been attempting to level up the same way as you, which is an interesting feature however it won’t be present in the Wii U version but apparently there will be other features to compensate. Finally, my favourite new character is Villager.

 Which game are you more looking forward to? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Steam makes it way to handheld gaming with the SteamBoy project
The SteamBoy was announced at this years E3, it aims to take your favourite games on the go. It’s similar to the Steam Box but in a portable form, however it will not be as powerful as the Steam Boxes available, so there will be a limit to the amount of games you can store as well as what the graphics card can support. However it’s been said that the SteamBoy should be able to support most of the games on Steam.

The SteamBoy has two touch screen pads where you’d expect the joysticks to go, eight action buttons on the front, four triggers, two more additional buttons on the back and a touchscreen.

I look forward to Valve taking more of my money on the go as well as at home.

SteamBoy is going to be released during 2015, what quarter however is unknown at this moment in time which will support WiFi and 3G networks, detailed specifications are still unknown, however there has been a small amount of information released by the creators.

It’s aimed to have Quad Core CPU, 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, however this could potentially change once the final product is released. Valve has also stated that SteamBoy will strike a balance between performance and cost, but I can’t imagine this kind of hardware coming cheap. I hope more information such as battery life and expansion of the handheld console is released soon.

I was already looking forward to the idea of being able to play Steam games on my TV through Steam Box, however SteamBoy will satisfy my gaming needs when on the go. It’s a concept everyone has been waiting for, but it can’t perform worse than the Vita? It has the entire Steam library to support

New Grid Autosport Trailer Launch Trailer “This is Racing”
Codemasters has released a new Grid Autosport launch trailer titled, “This is Racing” as Grid Autosport is set to launch in the United States on June 24th and in Europe on June 27th for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Codemasters announced that Grid Autosport would be more of an authentic racing game and based on what we’ve seen and heard, it appears to be that way.

Grid Autosport will feature 78 cars including some such as: Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32), the McLaren F1, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, just to name a few. Also, the tracks you can race at aren’t too shabby either. There are twenty-two race tracks in total including some notables such as: Red Bull Ring, Hockenheimring, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Also, Grid Autosport will have a career mode and you’ll have the ability to just specialize in one area of racing or you can race in all the available modes in your career such as endurance, tour racing, open-wheel racing, etc.

Grid Autosport will also feature online racing. Players will have the ability to compete in races across the game’s five disciplines, plus a range of Party modes and in Demolition Derby mode. And if you join RaceNet, players will be able to track their progress in game, receive new gameplay challenges every week and can join together to form Racing Clubs as clan-style online competition comes to GRID Autosport.

Grid Autosport will launch on June 24th in the United States, and on June 27th in Europe for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. For more information on Grid Autosport you can head on over to the website, follow them on Twitter, and like them on Facebook.

Rebellion, the independent developer behind the hotly-anticipated Sniper Elite 3, has today announced that a limited special edition of the game will be released, though only 1000 copies will be produced.

The Sniper Elite 3 Limited Special Edition will be self-published by Rebellion for the 27th July release date, and is only available from Rebellion’s own Gamestore. It’s currently listed for £89.99 on the site, £50 more than the standard edition.

Though the game is set to be released on most consoles, including the Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One, this special edition is exclusive to the PC version of the game.

The special edition contains huge amounts of content, including some items and in-game content that you can’t get elsewhere. The full contents of the box are:

The Sniper Elite 3 game on 2 DVDs.
Access to all Sniper Elite 3 DLC packs, including any released or announced in the future.
A game tin with an individually numbered card sleeve.
A host of documents including schematics and maps.
A hand-signed card from the Sniper Elite 3 team.
A limited edition Sniper Elite 3 t-shirt.
Playing cards containing hand-illustrated representations of the various forces in the game.
A firing range poster.
A set of 6 Sniper Elite 3 postcards.
A Sniper Elite 3 fabric badge that’s attachable to clothing, bags etc.
A printed version of the game’s instruction manual.

The limited edition can be pre-purchased now from the Rebellion Gamestore for £89.99, and the game will be released on 27th July for all consoles!

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 The GTA Online “I’m Not a Hipster” Update Is Now Available
Rockstar games has announced their new line of DLC in the form of “I’m Not a Hipster”, where players can express their individualism with new t-shirts, jeans, hairstyles, tattoos, animal masks, and much more, including additions to gameplay that brings alive the Grand Theft Auto Online world even further.

The New Dubsta

Players can now choose 7 new vehicles including the classic rides from the Glendale, Warrener, and the Blade and Rhapsody. All of these cars have great potential that can be unlock with several modifications. And for those who care about the environment can choose from the Panto Microcar, or the massive Dubsta which unlocks at level 100.

Ammu-Nation is also including new items with the vintage pistol and cavalry dagger. GTA Online is also adding brand new jobs for players to experience, with over 12 new missions which include races, death matches, and two new capture modes. New gang attacks will also pop-up in Chumash, East Vinewood, and Mirror Park.

Airwaves (Rank 15, 1-8 Players)
Students of style know that what comes up must go down. Drop 4,370 feet while imagining you’re over all the bands you listen to on Radio Mirror Park, as you twist and turn sharply down to the pond below.
Beach Odyssey (Rank 15, 1-16 Players)
Nothing says artistic credibility like a grainy image of trash next to a burnt out RV, so get your butt off a nice beach, and go to a nasty one. This is a Point to Point Race for Sports Classics starting in Chumash, ending in Sandy Shore, mainly on-road with opportunities to hit top speed.
Before It Was Cool (Rank 15, 1-8 Players)
Any skinny jeans wearer will tell you, sometimes things just don’t fit. Try and squeeze up to eight compact cars around the tight corners of this lap Race in Mirror Park.
Caffeine Rush (Rank 1, 1-8 Players)
If your friends caught you drinking anything except a flat white at an independent coffee house it would be social suicide, but when you need java, you need java. This is a Point to Point Sedan Race from Del Perro to Mirror Park passing by four ‘Cool Beans’ coffee shops.
Contend: Condo-monium (Rank 1, 2-8 Players)
Make a statement about late capitalism or income equality or art or pointless statements or something by trashing condos in Puerto Del Sol. This is a Contend style Capture going for the last of the party supplies in the courtyard between two identical apartment blocks.
East Vinewood LTS (Rank 9, 2-16 Players)
They don’t know how it started, maybe two girls got the same tattoo, or reposted a Snapmatic without giving photo credit. What they do know is sides have been chosen and East Vinewood’s gone to hell in this two team Last Team Standing.
Embracing America (Rank 1, 1-8 Players)
All your friends are going East in search of the last un-gentrified patch of turf in the country, and you’re heading West. Load up a so-uncool-it’s-cool Sedan, and race toward Little Seoul. Lots of straights and a few tight turns at the end of this point to point track.
GTA: Grab a Cab (Rank 1, 2-8 Players)
After twelve hours ‘rolling’ at your local post-industrial techno-house night, your tattooed friends will be too wide-eyed to drive themselves. Pick up some taxis for them in this two team GTA-style Capture based around the Downtown Cab Co depot in East Vinewood.
Hip to be Cool (Rank 1, 1-8 Players)
Because driving around Rockford Hills in nice cars is too mainstream, and going through Vespucci Beach in low riders is kinda yesterday… This Compact class Race takes you back and forth over the Los Santos Freeway and in and out of the Casino parking lot.
Legion Square Survival (Rank 25, 1-4 Players)
Freedom of speech is dead as the cops crack down on Legion Square protesters. Battle the police on foot, in SUVs, and eventually in Buzzard helicopters. And remember that the real bad guys are the bankers looking down on the action from their office windows.
Puerta Del Sol (Rank 1, 2-8 Players)
Every artist wanted to die young, then they wanted to mock their predecessors with an ironic statement about dying young, now it’s a post-ironic statement and they might end up actually dying.
Trend Setting (Rank 1, 1-16 Players)
A Lap circuit Race with muscle cars around Mirror Park for simple people who want to seem complicated.

Rockstar is also including ten new game vehicles and several modifications to the gameplay listed below:

Albany Primo
BF Surfer
Bravado Buffalo
Franklin’s Bravado Buffalo S
Bravado Youga
Cheval Picador
Dundreary Regina
Trevor’s Karin Rebel (clean version)
Trevor’s Nagasaki Hot Rod Blazer
Michael’s Obey Tailgater
Pure Gold and Brushed Gold paint colors have been added to LS Customs in the ‘Metals’ category. These unlock at Rank 100.
A new Pure Black window tint has been added to LS Customs, along with four new jazzy vehicle horns (including one which loops and speeds up / slows down as you drive).

Players can cruise with friends in new vehicles

Players will no longer be charged Insurance costs if their vehicle is destroyed by another player who does not have enough GTA$ to pay.
Fixed an issue where, if an insured Personal Vehicle was destroyed, both parties had to pay the insurance costs.
Fixed an issue where some four-wheel drive vehicles had reverted to two-wheel drive.
Players are now able to bookmark Jobs whilst in a Playlist from the Pause menu.
Tear Gas now does more damage and lasts longer.
A small tick has been added to the first screen in the corona if a player has played a Job before, much like in the pause menu or Next Job Voting Screen.
The level of difficulty is now displayed when pressing D-pad down when playing Missions.

For the list of all the complete changes to the game, visit the Rockstar support site, and look for details about updates during the weekend.

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World of Tanks Blitz Release Date Announced. Global tank mobilization on iOS begins June 26

Diverse environments await

Today, Wargaming announced the release date of their new mobile game based off the popular free-to-play game, World of Tanks Blitz, exclusively on iOS tablets and smart phones, coming June 26th. The game was first shown in March 2013, and is the first project from Wargaming that is a mobile game.

During its first week, the game had accumulated 150,000 applications for the closed beta, and had entered a soft launch in Nordic countries on May 5th, 2014. During that launch the game received praised with scores of 4.5 on the app store, and had reached the top 3 in ranking of its region. The game had an average of 70 minutes spent in each game by every player.

Director of Global Operations of Wargaming, Andrey Ryabovol, was excited to share more details about the release:

We are thrilled to finally give players a release date for World of Tanks Blitz.

Following the successful soft launch, we are now putting final touches on the game. We’re really excited about how well World of Tanks Blitz has turned out and can’t wait for players to get their hands on it and engage in tank combat wherever they may go.

During its launch, the new mobile game will have over 90 different legendary armored vehicles from the USA, Germany, and the USSR. Each vehicle will feature four different classes: agile light tanks, medium tanks, and powerful heavy tanks. The new game will feature 7vs7 battles where they can unlock new collectibles and unlocks. For more information visit the following sites.

http://wotblitz.eu (Europe)
· http://wotblitz.com (North America)
· http://wotblitz.asia (Asia)