News:: 4-player co-op and a December 2018 release date confirmed for MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries

Last year at MechCon 2016, the teaser announcement trailer for MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries debuted to a hardcore crowd of fans. The announcement brought the house down and damn near ruptured my ear drums.

This year at MechCon 2017, fans were treated to a longer, more detailed trailer. One focusing on a family legacy of blood, a mercenary company passed down to the next generation, and of course, plenty of mechs getting blown to hell. The biggest news however came after the trailer.

MechWarrior 5 will feature full 4-player co-op support, allowing players to drop a full lance of friends into their campaign missions. A dream come true for all the fans here. My ears hurt. Again.

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News:: Sony may finally let you change your PlayStation Network name

Many a gamer has had regrets about their choice of username -- xXxDeathCrusher420xXx might not be quite so appealing in adult life as it was in your teenage years. And for PlayStation fans, that's been a big problem when your PSN name has always been set in stone. Sony may have seen the light, though. In an interview at PlayStation Experience, the company's Shawn Layden said he hoped to have a name change option available by next year's Experience. So what's the holdup? Layden didn't dive into specifics, but he said the technical solutions were "more complex than you think."

Source: Gamespot

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News:: What news and announcements this week pressed your buttons?

Well, it was big week for news this week. The Game Awards 2017 and the PlayStation Experience, among other headlines and streams, have brought hot gossip and exciting images for 2018 and beyond.

We got an eight-minute head-scratcher in the form of Kojima's Death Stranding, a brand new Soul Calibur and the return of MediEvil. Mega Man fans were finally given something to look forward to with the announcement of Mega Man 11, we learned Bayonetta will be dusting off Scarborough Fair for a another round of S&M action, and the Zelda: Breath of the Wild DLC dropped onto us from outta nowhere. We were also told to Fuck the Oscars.

We've seen a plethora of trailers for future release. Some of which were announced, such as Saber Interactive's World War Z title, while some remained a mystery, like From Software's "Shadows Die Twice" project.

All in, it was a week intended to get the hype train in motion for an exciting new year of gaming, although there are obviously many more announcements to be made as 2017 draws to a close. What gaming news excited you this week? or did you find it all a little blah?

Let us know what news, if any, got you tingling. Have a great weekend folks!

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News:: Patapon 2 is also getting the remastered treatment on PS4

During the opening ceremony of the PlayStation Experience Friday night, there was a lot said about Sony's position in the marketplace right now. The PS4 is doing wonderfully, its VR headset is probably the best selling VR machine on the market, and fans are flocking to play remakes and remasters of their favorite games on the system. With its massive install base, the PS4 is in a great position to revive franchises we haven't seen in a while. It's doing it with MediEvil, LocoRoco, Crash Bandicoot, and Patapon.

The original Patapon found its way to the PlayStation 4 earlier this summer. Next year, Patapon 2 will be making its way there as well. It's been a hot minute since the game released on the PSP, but when it arrives in 2018 it will bring with it a new 4K presentation on the PS4 Pro.

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News:: The Forest gets a new trailer and 2018 PS4 release window

It has been a long damn time since we last spoke of The Forest, the new open-world survival game that... and I've already lost some of you, haven't I? Anyway, it's been a long damn time since we spoke of it, but today at the PlayStation Experience we were given a look at how it's been developing in the run-up to its release on the PlayStation 4.

This new trailer showcases the game's multiplayer mode, as well as bodies -- dead and alive -- monsters, darkness, caves, trees, logging, and some sweet-ass house-defending Home Alone antics.

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News:: Hands on with MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries

Sitting down to demo MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, the first thing that struck me was the scale of what I was seeing. The demo I played didn’t start at the helm of a mech, it started in a garage. A hanger bay I explored on foot as a tiny, delicate human, staring up at the colossal multistory walking fortresses I’d soon be taking into battle. It was humbling, intimidating, and as someone who has played MechWarrior games for years, it was exactly where I wanted to be.

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries will be the first single-player entry to the storied series in more than 15 years (discounting the arcade-like MechAssault of course). There is a lot riding on its shoulders. While MechWarrior Online might have breathed new life into the franchise, and the turn-based BattleTech strategy game soon to be released by Harebrained Schemes is highly anticipated by fans of the original tabletop, MechWarrior 5 is the one people are really waiting for -- either as a return to the glory days, or as the final confirmation that the once-loved series is truly over.

From what I played of it this weekend, MechWarrior fans, and everyone who hasn't had the pleasure of piloting a 100-ton wrecking machine through a war-zone, have a lot to be excited about.

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News:: Shadow of the Colossus remake gets comparison video and Special Edition

Team ICO's 2005 classic Shadow of the Colossus is getting a full remake for PS4 next year. Sony Japan's executive producer, Yasutaka Asakura, took to the PlayStation Blog to reveal a comparison video, showing off the hard work thus far.

The video features the PS4 Pro release of the revamped adventure, running alongside the original PS2 version and it's PS3 re-release. Huge leaps have been taken in improving the game's visuals and, more importantly, its notorious frame-rate issues. It certainly looks great and moves with fluidity. Hopefully as much improvement will have gone into Colossus' unwieldy camera.

"Though we have repeatedly confirmed that Shadow of the Colossus on PS4 is a full, ground up remake of the all-time classic, it is a fact that is harder to communicate via text or stills," writes Asakura. "To make it more clear, we have created a comparison video... that shows the amount of work that has gone into this project to fully leverage the horsepower of modern gaming consoles."

In related news, a Special Edition will also be available for the title. Costing around $50, the set features a steelbook casing with printed manual, PSN avatar and themes, Colossi stickers, art cards, a world map and some in-game cosmetic items.

Shadow of the Colossus is available on PS4 February 6, 2018.

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News:: Bethesda team up with Wonder Woman to 'save single-player gaming', donates 100k to ESA Foundation

Bethesda have released a goofy video, encouraging players to give generously to "Save Player One", taking an amusing jab at the oft-retorted concept that single-player gaming is dead.

The video stars Lynda Carter, wearing her best Travis Bickle jacket. The former Wonder Woman -- and star of Bethesda's own Fallout 4 -- informs viewers that they still can experience solo fun thanks to Bethesda's wares. Various digital outlets are running a tie-in sale, which sees great single-player games such as DOOM, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Prey and others with up to 50% off.

In related news, Bethesda have also donated $100,000 to the ESA Foundation Scholarship, a programme built to provide support to young women and minority students trying to break into the industry as creators. The generous donation is the single biggest that the scholarship has received since it was first founded, back in 2007.

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News:: Check out the first trailer for the animated Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Though Sony and Marvel's deal means Spider-Man can join the MCU, with Sony still holding the franchise rights to the character they're going to still try and make as many projects as they can. There's a Venom spin-off, a Black Cat and Silver Sable spin-off, and probably one based on Morbius the Living Vampire. 

But the most promising project is the animated film based on the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man. Even more promising is that it's been revealed the animated film is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and while it has yet to be confirmed whether or not the film will tackle the comic story in full, there are going to be multiple versions of Spider-Man all gathered into one flick. 

Dope's Shameik Moore will be voicing Miles, with Mahershala Ali as Aaron Davis and Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis. The script was provided by 22 Jump Street's Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and will directed by Peter Ramsey (Rise of the Guardians) and Bob Persichetti. 

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News:: Surprise! 2064: Read Only Memories is out now on Vita

So the last time we heard about the PlayStation Vita port of the hit indie game 2064: Read Only Memories, things weren't looking so good. There were problems in the development process and last summer the game was delayed indefinitely, along with the PlayStation 4 version. That edition eventually made its way to Sony's home console this past January, but news of the Vita edition continued to be completely absent. But just like the recent reveal of Stardew Valley's fate on the handheld, this story has a happy ending.

2064: Read Only Memories is available right now for PlayStation Vita. Seriously. Right this second. You can go download it at this very moment in time. Here's the link. The game is $19.99 but if you already own it for the PS4, you get it free with Cross-Buy. That also goes vice versa.

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News:: Recommended Reading: Making a shed a top-rated destination on TripAdvisor

I Made My Shed the Top Rated Restaurant On TripAdvisor
Oobah Butler,
Vice

If you've ever wondered just how many reviews on sites like TripAdvisor are fake, you're not alone. One writer took maters into their own hands to prove the extent of the issue by creating a fake restaurant in a backyard. Once it became popular on the site though, things escalated quickly.

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News:: Fantasy Flight and Asmodee are bringing the Lord of the Rings Card Game to PC

As I've communicated in the past, I'm not big on blind box items, whether they're in games or in physical form. That includes collectible card games (CCG), which often rely on pricey randomized booster packs that can dictate how well your deck performs. That's why I've gravitated toward the idea of card games with set decks (like Dominion), or, in Fantasy Flight's case, Living Card Games (LCGs).

The idea is that LGCs operate a lot like a CCG, but the boxes and expansions are set in stone. And now, Fantasy Flight and Asmodee Digital are partnering up to deliver one of the most popular realizations of that concept to the PC -- The Lord of the Rings Living Card Game.

Right now the plan is to deliver a solo play experience in Early Access form "in the coming months" for testing, with one player controlling multiple characters (note: this is easily ripe for pass-and-play). After that, it'll arrive as a "full free-to-play release" in 2018. As long as the IAP/expansions are inline with how it is already (pricey, but not random and worth it if you play often), this should be a good time. We'll know more about all of that nitty gritty stuff early next year.

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News:: Raji: An Ancient Epic channels Hindu mythology for a change

Nasscom, India's biggest game development conference, had some impressive projects on display this year from its rising game dev scene. Among those that stood out was Raji: An Ancient Epic, a title that already has more than polish -- it's got shine, especially considering it's only been in development for ten months by a team of eight members.

Nodding Heads Games promises to deliver an action-packed adventure balanced with an emotional story. You'll play as Raji, a young girl who's chosen by the gods to fight against the demonic invasion of the human realm. She's gifted with godlike abilities, but her human vulnerability still shows in battle and in her personal quest to rescue her younger brother from the demon Lord Mahabalasura.

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News:: Review: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - The Champions' Ballad

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has had a crazy year. It's already taken home at least one major award for best overall game of 2017, and has been nominated for countless more. While its faults have been laid bare at this point, you can't really deny that it's been one of the most talked about and influential releases in the past 10 months or so.

The conversation isn't over yet -- not even after the sun sets on the last planned DLC, The Champions’ Ballad.

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News:: The Morning After: Weekend Edition

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Welcome to the weekend. We have some relatively normal Apple news to discuss, the most powerful GPU ever and a movie trailer that anime fans just can't miss.

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News:: Next 'Overwatch' competitive season will have more changes

While Overwatch is still in its seventh competitive season, Blizzard has already tipped its hand about a couple of changes due in season eight. With these matches focused on creating even pairings to rate skill, next season the plan is to tighten the range allowed between the highest ranked player on a team and the lowest. The plan is to test these new settings through December and figure out the final figures in January, although current brackets on ratings determining who can queue together will not change.

Source: Overwatch forum

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News:: MediEvil is making a comeback

Not a log of highlights in this PlayStation Experience so far, but fans of the classic MediEvil should be happy to learn it's coming back in 2018. Remastered in 4K for the PlayStation 4 Pro. I never got around to playing the original but wouldn't mind diving into the remake when it launches.

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News:: Check out the PlayStation Experience 2017 trailers here

So... this show was a bit odd. Less a big extravaganza, more a talk show where we were given small updates on coming projects. No release date for God of War or Dreams, but we did find out Detroit: Become Human will hit next Spring.

Starting in the middle of the show, they started to drop one trailer after another. Rather than make them each their own post, you can find them all here.

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