Scavenger Studios have announced that their Battle Royale style game Darwin Project is moving to a free to play model on July 4th. Creative Director Simon Darveau updated the official website by saying “We are super excited to release the game free to play on Xbox. We made sure you guys can have a great social experience. We optimized the game and added the friend system. Can’t wait to have your feedback! See you in the arena !‘ The Darwin Project takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic landscape in the Northern Canadian Rockies. As preparation for an impending Ice Age, a new project, half science experiment half live-entertainment, is launched. It's called the "Darwin Project" and it challenges participants to survive the cold and fight to the death in a treacherous arena. The Darwin Project offers a competitive multiplayer third person survival experience featuring at its core a new gameplay innovation: the manhunt. In his or her path to victory, a player must survive extreme environmental conditions, track opponents, and set traps in order to win. The current version of the game will disappear from the Xbox store on June 22nd and gamers who have already purchased will receive a founders pack in recognition of their purchase. Anyone who wishes instead to get a refund of the original purchase can contact Xbox Support. Bridge Constructor builds a Portal package of titles
Its that wonderful time of the month where we get to see what our free Xbox Games with Gold are. For the month of July we are getting Assault Android Cactus and Death Squared for the Xbox One, and for you 360 owners (and available on the Xbox One via Backwards Compatibility) are Splinter Cell Conviction and Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown. Assault Android Cactus is an arcade style twin stick shooter set in a vivid sci fi universe. Junior Constable Cactus is outside her pay grade when she responds to a distress call and ends up stranded on a crippled space freighter under attack by its own robot workers. Utilising a draining battery mechanic in place of lives, Assault Android Cactus challenges you to think fast and keep the bullets flying, blending the gameplay of western styled arena shooters with aspects of Japanese style bullet hell as you charge head first through transforming stages, massive boss battles and an eclectic cast of characters on the way to saving the day. Death Squared is a cooperative puzzle game for 1, 2 or 4 players, best enjoyed with loved ones who don't mind a little arguing for the greater good. Prove your teamwork skills in Death Squared as you solve puzzles together or die trying! Each player needs to guide a robot to a colour-coded goal, but the path is beset with deadly traps and hazards. Teams of players will need close observation and communication to keep each other alive and discover a solution together. Complete the main campaign in single player or with two players, then take a group into four-player Party Mode for the ultimate teamwork trial! For those that can't get enough, head to the ‘Vault' to find extra experiments recommended only for the brave.
"Just one more go" was a true statement of the arcade classic Tempest, so it's apt that Tempest 4000 gets "one more go" with a new lease of life on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Releasing this summer – July 17 – for $29.99, the classic vector based arcade game is getting an overall of bright neon retro vibes. “Modern home consoles are the descendants of arcade gaming,” said Jeff Minter, Executive Producer of Tempest 4000 and founder of Llamasoft. “We wanted to bring the classic arcade experience into players’ homes, so both franchise legacy fans and new gamers can test their mettle.” With over 100 levels to beat, Tempest 4000 includes Classic, Pure and Survival game modes set against a ‘retro techno soundtrack'.
Today SEGA have confirmed that Shenmue I and II will hit console on August 21. Originally released on the Dreamcast, Shemnue hit cult acclaim and for years fans have been calling for a third title to finish off the story. Eventually this became a reality when Shenmue III appeared as a kickstarter. Now that the first games are slated for an Xbox One release, will the third title also find its way onto the console?
Locked and loaded for a September release, Mutant Football League is getting a Dynasty Edition. The updated edition includes a new mode that see you on the other side of the football playing as the GM over several seasons and managing not just the rooster of players but also salary, playbooks and agent signings. The edition also comes with two new species to wrestle play with. “We’re looking forward to introducing Mutant Football League to an all new audience with its debut on the Nintendo Switch,” said Michael Mendheim, Creative Director of Digital Dreams. “With the Dynasty Edition, old and new players alike can really build onto the core game to make their own unique experience. The only predictable element across the board is broken bones and fun.” You can check out what we made of the original game – minus all the Dynasty Edition goodness – right here.
War Thunder, which will enter a free-to-play format later this year, is now available for Xbox One. The cross-platform war ground between land, sea and air comes in three purchasable packs, which start at £15.99/19,99€, each with their own unique vehicle, decals and player titles. With over 1,000 military vehicles to choose from, the MMO takes place across 80 maps that have been created from real-life battle scenarios across our history. Playable in both PvP or PvE, War Thunder will appeal to those after an intense battle against other players online or for those wanting to partake in historical campaigns. With land and air squared away, War Thunder Naval Battles is the last piece of the puzzle for Gaijin Entertainment, with Xbox One players able to get access right away, while PlayStation 4 and PC players need to be owners of a Naval Pack for access to the closed beta.
The Portal adaptation of the addictive Bridge Constructor is one of the best game mash-ups I've played – you really can't go wrong with Portal – and now a physical release of the game is headed to stores. If this wasn't reason enough to pick up the bridge building puzzler, there's two more reasons why you should buy this – Bridge Constructor and Bridge Constructor Stunts are also included! “We love seeing the highly creative and unique approaches players take in the Bridge Constructor series,” said Gregor Ebert, PR Manager of Headup Games. “You can really innovate and create your own victory path in each of these games, so we’re excited to share each of these challenging experiences in a single bundle.” Coming late Summer, 2018 the trio of titles will cost a measly $29.99 – that's a whole lot of puzzling for your dollar. Check out the launch trailers for all three titles below.
Launching on July 13, All-Star Fruit Racing will race on to Xbox One and PlayStation 4. While the name may sound a bit silly – childlike even – the game looks like it will be a ton of fun, just check out the trailer below. Including split-screen for up to four players, the karting racer is set within lush vibrant environments that could have been plucked straight from Wreck-It Ralph's Sugar Rush world. As you progress through the career mode, which is set across the four seasons of the year and in ‘Special Islands', the action unfolds over 21 tracks. As you progress, kart parts are unlocked so you can really pimp up your fruity vehicles with over 32,000 possible kart combinations. And no kart racer would be complete without the obligator weapons arsenal. Once powered up, the juicer can unleash a wave of fruit-based attacks to cripple your foes with individual shots as you gain juice or with an almighty attack once it is full to bursting. With Dragster races, Hill Climbs, Elimination races, Time Attacks and modifier modes, there seems to be plenty of juicy content in All-Star Fruit Racing.
Action-RPG Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr has been slated for a digital release on August 23, with the physical launching the very next day. A release date for North America and Latin America is yet be confirmed. The latest game set in the Warhammer 40K universe has a "strong focus on a persistent online world" and it's this core mechanic that has led the game's release to be pushed back – which isn't the first time the developer has requested the title be delayed. Let's hope they can stick to the new August date.
Hot off the heels of their E3 reveal, Capcom have released a five minute 4K gameplay trailer of Resident Evil 2 and it looks absolutely chilling. Rebuilt from the ground up, Resident Evil 2's re-release is so much more than just your standard HD remix. With fresh horrors and a new over the should camera angle, the scares will be that much tense – to be honest – it looks scary enough with the new lease of life that has been given to the game courtesy of the power that Xbox One and PlayStation 4 brings. Penned for a January 25, 2019 launch, there's a lengthy wait for this one that will see many clawing in anticipation for its release… especially our own Greg Giddens! Check out the 5 min gameplay trailer below, which where available, is also viewable in glorious 4K.
I do love a good puzzle game, more so when it's in VR and Coastsink Software are bringing their popular mobile VR puzzler, Esper, to PSVR next week and it looks like great fun. Like something from the minds of Aperture Science Laboratories – it seems that you are cast into a whole sequence of testing on account of an unusual telekinetic ability to move objects – there's the point of reason of context for PSVR. Essentially it's a cool set of puzzles in VR. “Esper is where the VR journey began for Coatsink and it holds a dear place in our hearts. Having Oculus approach us in the early days of modern day VR and trust our then small team to build and create an acclaimed VR game for Gear VR was nothing short of incredible." Tom Beardsmore, CEO of Coastsink Software Esper launches on June 29th, 2018.
To kick off Sony’s E3 2018 press conference, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II was shown, with a new cinematic furthering Ellie’s characterisation into the realm of a lesbian relationship, and gameplay footage showing off the brutal combat you’d expect from the series but revealing the protagonist to be, in fact, Ellie this time around. Stealth mechanics, distracting whistles, salvaging for weapons and equipment, world-class voice acting and desperately intense combat is certainly the order of the day. Be sure to check out the trailer below:
The four classic maps Jungle, Summit, Slums, and Firing Range are being remastered for Call of Duty Black Ops 4 and, surprisingly, also Black Ops III . Further to that, Black Ops 3 will be available through PS Plus imminently as a dropped in extra game to the subscription service. Update: The trailer just hit the web. Enjoy:
New footage was revealed of Sucker Punch’s Samurai adventure game Ghost of Tsushima. A beautiful field full of flora and fauna, followed by a dark forest and some glorious combat means to, and succeeds in, whetting our appetite. A little storytelling, some fluid parkour, a takedown and parry system not unlikely the Batman Arkham games, followed by a dash more storytelling and one-on-one combat, and the footage came to a close. Want to see if for yourself? Check it out below:
Finally, after years of waiting we got to see something of the Resident Evil 2 remake. Pretty visuals, shots of Sherry, Ada, and Leon, zombies and a licker, I’m sold. And we won’t have to wait too long either, as a release date of January 25th 2019 finished off the reveal. Update: We've got the trailer now for you. Check it out below:
Rick and Morty creator, Justin Roiland, brings us a new comedy sci-fi game for PSVR and PS4, Trover Saves the Universe, developed by Squanch Games, we see what you did there. Check out the reveal trailer below:
Sony have delivered on the gameplay footage we’ve all been waiting for, footage for Kojima Production’s Death Stranding. It looks gorgeous, eerie and confusing, precisely what we expected. A few more story and setting details were revealed in the footage but so many questions still remain. A new cast member has also joined the production, Lyndsey Wagner. Check out the footage below:
The Sony E3 2018 press conference delivered some more Spider-Man footage, revealing several classic villains will be involved in the adventure. And with the title hitting shelves in a few weeks, we won’t have to wait long before we can swing around dish out justice as everybody’s favourite, friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Check out the footage below:
A third-person action game with physics manipulation, possibly also some time manipulation, was shown off at the E3 2018 Sony press conference. A new title called Control from Remedy. It looks a bit Quantum Break to us, which makes sense with Remedy. You can check out the reveal trailer below:
Nioh 2 got a quick reveal teaser in the Sony E3 2018 press conference. A really quick teaser. I'm sure it'll pop up online shortly, but as of yet nothing, and my bed beckons. I'm sure we'll have an update in the near future, but until then the take away is simply that Nioh is getting a sequel, yay!