Planet Coaster's next paid DLC update, which comes to PC on July 10th, offers a celebration of theme parking's "golden age" in the early 20th century. It's called the Vintage Pack and introduces seven new rides, "dozens" of scenery props, new visual effects, vending machines, and some old-time musical ambience, including barbershop-quartet-style harmonies - all intended to capture "the spirit of the timeless golden age of outdoor entertainment" and enable players to create nostalgic parks inspired by the likes of Coney Island, town fairs, and end-of-the-pier seaside amusements. On the coaster front, there's the Zephyrus - from the 1920s, and one of the world's first high-speed wooden coasters - and Aces Sky. New rides include Round the World (a Ferris Wheel paired with rotating gondolas), the twin cabin inverting Loop Da Loop, an inverting plane ride known as Test Flight, the twisting Hurricane, and, finally, the classic centrifuge ride Centrum.
GTA is well known for its jokes and spoofs, but this week it would appear someone has beaten Rockstar at its own game by falsely advertising the next installment in the GTA series. Over the past few days, GTA Online players have seen messages supposedly advertising GTA6 appear on the side of their screens. On the surface, the announcements appeared to be fairly legitimate: they used a font similar to the official Rockstar branding, and even included a link to Rockstar's website. Unsurprisingly, this was enough to hoodwink many players, who were ecstatic at the news of a new GTA game and rushed to Twitter to express their excitement.
Bungie is launching a new version of Destiny 2 for South Korea. It's named Destiny: Guardians, is exclusive to PC, and launches on 5th September. The game includes all Destiny 2 content released so far up to and including this September's Forsaken expansion, Korean esports site reported. It also includes a new microtransactions merchant. Destiny: Guardians' new shop character has been designed specifically for this Korean version. Her name is Yuna, and she will act as Korean players' merchant for the real-world money service Eververse. Here you'll be able to obtain XP boosts, weapons and armour.
Sega has given a final release date for its Shenmue HD collection, with the bundle that pairs the original two games with a gentle makeover coming to Xbox One, PS4 and PC on August 21st. The collection will release with a physical version on PS4 and Xbox One, with the PC remaining digital only - and by pre-ordering now for your platform of choice you can get a 10 per cent discount. The remasters allow players to enjoy a new interface, plus the ability to play with either the English or Japanese dubs - the first time players in the west will have had that option for the first Shenmue. Shenmue first came out for Sega's Dreamcast in 1999, its sequel following a couple of years later in 2001, and at the time it was the most expensive video game developed, and the last high profile game that legendary creator Yu Suzuki would make for the company that made his name.
Josef Fares, the lively and outspoken director of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out, was not on EA's E3 stage this year, but he did get a mention. During , chief creative officer Patrick Söderland said: "A Way Out is such a huge success [having sold 1 million copies in roughly two weeks] that Josef and his team are expanding and moving into a new studio. Stories like this drive our industry, and it's why we will continue to work with independent developers to help them realise their dreams." A Way Out was published on the EA Originals label, hence the mention, but Söderlund's comments about the studio's future suggested the partnership lived on.
Players of the recent Battlefield 5 alpha have been witness to quite a treat. Building on DICE's excellent work in BF1 and Battlefront 2, we're looking at an exceptionally handsome game that, small bugs aside, almost feels like the finished article. It's visually outstanding in fact, the only disappointment - if you can call it that - being that the signs are pointing towards an evolution of the Battlefield formula and its Frostbite engine, as opposed to a full-on next-gen revolution. Some might say that expectations of a wide-ranging revamp of the tech might seem somewhat optimistic, but there is a strong precedent. In 2011 - a full two years before the arrival of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One - DICE unleashed Battlefield 3, the game that laid the foundation for the series entries to follow, certainly from a technological perspective. Based on 64-bit processor support along with a requirement for DirectX 11 class graphics hardware, this was a developer essentially laying the foundation work for the console generation to come, with a cutting-edge PC version taking point. At the same point in the current console generation, Battlefield 5's closed alpha - released only on PC - shows key embellishments, along with some crowd-pleasing enhancements to the destruction model. However, the overall aesthetic and some of its most impressive tricks will be familiar to those who've played Battlefield 1. The alpha reminds us of how good Frostbite is in dealing with massive, open levels. Select your capture point, click, and the overview of the map swoops down seamlessly into the in-game view - a cool trick from BF1 that still impresses in its successor.
Epic has see-sawed once again to re-release Fortnite's Playground LTM (limited time mode) after the initial update encountered matchmaking issues. The LTM, which allows players to build and practise their skills in a relaxed environment, was originally released in last week's patch; but was mere hours after release when players encountered long queue times and error messages. According to Epic's official post on , players may still encounter some of these issues due to high player numbers. The developer has advised players to set their regions to 'auto-select' and re-queue if they encounter problems joining.
As part of this month's festivities, Twitch and Amazon are offering a whole batch of games to Prime members at no extra cost. This marks the beginning of Amazon's Prime Day offers for this year, with more to come over the next two weeks as we approach the faux-holiday itself. Starting right now, you can get yourself a Prime membership (which can be done or ), which will then get you a membership and thus, access to a month's worth of games at no extra cost.
I love passing the time in Flat Earth's . In fact, I love passing the time in Objects rather more than I love actually achieving things in many other games. An absorbing blend of submarine and space sim distinguished by some decadently throwback interface design, it sees you hauling passengers and cargo across 2D star systems while dodging pirates or indulging in a bit of skyway robbery yourself. These journeys can take upwards of 10 minutes from system jump to system jump, and once you've given the autopilot a heading, there's essentially nothing to do save twiddle your thumbs and luxuriate in the retro ambience of your ship, with its chevron-fringed levers, neon grids and see-saw hum of cooling fans. You might hop back to your comms room and check your email (best not to do this while the engine is firing, however, as the FTL modem drains power and your reactor can only handle so much in one go - I once managed to paralyse myself by downloading a newsletter in the middle of a braking manoeuvre). You could also turn on the MP3 player for a little light synth, or study the peeling posters in your bunkroom. Or you could click away from the game entirely, leaving it to tick over in another window till a rumble of thrusters indicates that you're approaching your destination. Objects in Space is discreetly composed of tabs, with different parts of your ship (or any space station you're aboard) accessed by hitting right or left arrow. Switching to your computer's desktop feels oddly like a continuation of this: it's as though the very hardware running the game were just another boxy nugget of 80s technology, lodged in amongst the raster displays and light-up buttons that comprise your bridge. Out now in Early Access, Objects in Space lacks the more obvious grandeur of an Elite: Dangerous - there's no 3D galaxy map, no panoramic third-person view, just a spiral of pixel stars through the comms room viewport - but its grubby pocket of space-time feels every bit as lively as Elite's universe, and no less Dangerous. Each system is aswarm with merchant craft, enforcers, military ships, smugglers and banditos, their interactions tracked by your bridge sensors and hailing screen. Eavesdropping on those interactions is another great way of whiling away the longer voyages. As I write these words, the captain of the nearby Pygmy Giant is having a particularly terrible day - fined for possession of contraband just after leaving port, only to fall afoul of a pirate in the shadow of a nebula.
For two games that are pretty much nothing alike, it's suprisingly easy to find yourself pondering the differences, large and small, between Tetris and Lumines. Yes, one is a marathon while the other is a sprint. And yes, one is about things that collapse while the other is about things that, often maddeningly, remain fixed in place. Playing Lumines Remastered over the weekend, though, sat cross-legged on the bed as though it was 2005 all over again, I was struck by a new point of difference - or rather an old point of difference that I had simply never really noticed before. Something about the texture of your mistakes, I think. Oh yes, it's this: your mistakes feel very different in Tetris and Lumines. A mistake in Tetris is a terrible thing indeed. This is because of the sprint-like nature, I guess, the fact that Tetris is really the survival horror of the puzzle world. Mistakes stick around in Tetris for a very long time: those gaps remain in the bedrock beneath you, a bit like a group of old friends who are always ready to remind you of a terrible faux pas you made when you were 12 (just me?). The mixture of sprint and fixed in place means that Tetris doesn't forget anything. And it in turns means so much of the game is spent trying to undo earlier mistakes in a bit of a sweaty panic. And of course, because you're in a sweaty panic you make more mistakes. Tetris thrives on mistakes. So does Lumines, I think, but in Lumines your mistakes are often on your side. Lumines isn't about building a wall to unbuild a wall, it's about growing territory of a certain colour. You rotate the coloured sections of the blocks that fall so that the two colours for each stage will match up harmoniously before the timeline sweeps through. This is why some people get a bit bored with Lumines. They think you can beat the game indefinitely by dividing the screen up into sections and storing block types in specific silos, and inching your way to victory. I have never played golf, but I wonder if these Lumines min-maxers also turn up at Pebble Beach in early Spring or whenever it is people play golf and ask Ed "Porky" Oliver - I Googled him - if he'd considered just faxing the ball over to the hole.
Updated story (June 28th): We've heard back from Daybreak regarding the possibility of the new map launching on PS4. H1Z1 Producer, Terrence Yee had this to say: “Outbreak will launch first on PC, where our community has been eagerly anticipating it for some time, but we're open to bringing it to PS4 in the future.” Battle royale game H1Z1 has just launched a huge update that brings with it a brand new map and a raft of enhancements to the core mechanics.
Here's a turn-up for the books: Konami has got David Hayter to voice Snake again - in Bomberman. A new patch for Super Bomberman R adds a raft of new Konami characters, such as Raiden Bomber, Bill Bomber, Lance Bomber, Vic Viper ZERO Bomber, Ayako Katagiri Bomber and Ebisumaru Bomber. But it's the addition of both Naked Snake and Solid Snake Bomber we're most interested in, because they're both voiced by David Hayter, the original voice behind Snake. You can hear Hayter's familiar tones in the video below (also note the new Mother Base stage, which looks pretty cool!).
Those of you daring enough to build your own gaming PC have stumbled onto a moderate amount of luck this week, as there's a range of different PC parts and accessories up for grabs with decent discounts, which is extra nice considering the absurd prices that graphics cards have reached over the past year. Starting things off with one of the pricier pieces here, you can currently pick up a . While that's still costing you a pretty penny, this is the lowest price this card has been available for since release and, terrifyingly, this exact card was being sold for £600 back in March and over £960 a year before that. If you'd like something a little less intense, you can head to Overclockers and pick up a , a discount from its original £329.99. The Zotac version of that card is , too.
Microsoft has announced some more games coming to Xbox Game Pass - and it's a tidy list of titles. At E3, Microsoft announced Fallout 4, The Division and The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited would come to Microsoft's Netflix-style subscription service. Also coming in July are Warhammer: Vermintide 2, DiRT 4 and Zombie Army Trilogy.
The developers behind PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds have changed the game's controversial Event Pass for the better. Last week, PUBG got its first ever Event Pass. The £7.49 DLC is, clearly, inspired by Fortnite's hugely-successful Battle Pass, and lets players unlock premium loot, including themed cosmetics and items. To do this you need to take on exclusive challenges and gain experience points as you play. , with some complaining about the slow rate of progress possible.
You'd be forgiven for missing Tunic's appearance during Microsoft's E3 2018 media briefing, sandwiched as it was between reveals for mega blockbusters such as Halo and Gears of War. But this indie game, which one developer has spent over three years crafting, is certainly worth a closer look - and it's got one unique mechanic in particular I think is super cool. At first glance, Tunic looks like Zelda viewed from an isometric perspective, except instead of playing as a young elf-like boy you play as a fox. There's more to the game than that, of course, but the influence of Nintendo's early Zelda games cannot be denied here. I mean, it's called Tunic, after all.
The timer has counted down, the circle has shrunk, and the biggest lawsuit royale of all - PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds versus Fortnite - has concluded in a surprise draw. PUBG Corp. has this week dropped its legal case against Fortnite maker Epic Games, according to a report published today. The company behind PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds had sought damages from Epic for ripping off the now well-established battle royale formula.
It seems only yesterday we were watching the skies for Fornite's big meteor and then getting beaten up by Thanos. But Fortnite season four is now drawing to a close, and season five is right around the corner. Developer Epic Fortnite season five's arrival: for 12th July at 8am UK time. That's just over a fortnight away! There's no word yet on what season five will bring next following the current batch of space rocks and superheroes.
Hi, I'm Wesley, and I was addicted to World of Warcraft. I'm not talking about a, 'I played this game a lot because it's fun' kind of thing. I'm talking about a good old-fashioned, almost ruined my life kind of thing. Hold onto your legendary hats, things are about to get serious. In early 2005 I started playing World of Warcraft with a few friends. I was living at my family home in South London with my then girlfriend of over five years. I was trying to make it as a journalist at a mainstream Sunday newspaper, but was told that in order to progress, I'd need to get some proper journalism training. So, I dropped down to one day a week at the paper, got some freelance media analysis work for some extra money, and thought about doing a course.
Is there anything more wonderful in gaming than those rare moments where hardware and software come together in perfect unison? Call it synergy, if you must, but really it's some fantastical alchemy at work where both parts help elevate each other, until you've got something truly special. Back in 2004, Q Entertainment and producer Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Lumines offered up one of those moments, arriving in tandem with the PSP and becoming an unexpected highlight of the handheld's launch line-up. Perhaps it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise. The PSP was billed as nothing less than Sony's attempt to do for portable gaming what the Walkman had done for portable music players, though that message got lost in a muddy mob of ill-advised attempts to get big console gaming on the go. Mizuguchi got it, though, and set about creating something in tune with that ideal: a puzzle game for the MTV generation, complete with pulsating pop art visuals and its own impeccable sense of style. Lumines was to be to the PSP what Tetris was to the Game Boy, or at least that's how the theory went. And at least that's how it played out in my house, where an import PSP left wanting for new games in the fallow first few months for the handheld became, quite simply, the Lumines machine. Other great games eventually came along to the PSP, of course, but an indelible connection had already been made; that glorious 16:9 TFT LCD screen was always meant to be paired with a decent set of headphones for a serious Lumines session.