BioWare’s ‘Anthem’ trailer shows off shared-world sci-fi mayhem

Ready for another look at Anthem? The new game from BioWare was formally announced at EA’s press conference yesterday with a short CG trailer. But beyond the setting, a futuristic planet filled with mountains and tropical forests, and the heroes, some armour-clad space soldiers, there was little to glean from the video. Today, at Microsoft’s E3 press conference, we’ve been shown a whole lot more. The first gameplay reveal has the player venturing into the wilderness in search of some workers who have landed themselves in trouble. It’s a breathtaking tour of the game’s expansive world, highlighting exploration and cooperative combat.

The mission starts with the hero strolling through a street market, safe in the confines of a human fortress. A character called “Praxley” then approaches and asks for assistance finding some of his contractors. The player accepts and jumps inside an exosuit, which BioWare is calling “Javelins,” and heads outside the wall in the hope of retrieving them safely. Anthem’s world is a dangerous place and soon they’re gliding past monsters and shooting aliens who are also equipped with blasters. The player is fast — almost Vanquish-level fast — and can leap into the sky with superhuman ease. The demo then ends with the hero navigating an electrical “Shaper Storm” and leaping into a mysterious-looking portal.

Anthem is a hugely important game both for EA and BioWare. Like Ubisoft and The Division, it’s chasing the “live service” market pioneered by Bungie and its shared-world shooter Destiny. For EA, it’s a chance to establish a new franchise and, of course, make some serious cash in the process. For BioWare, it’s a crucial proving ground and an opportunity to restore its faltering reputation after the disappointment of Mass Effect: Andromeda. There’s reason to be hopeful — the game is being developed by BioWare Edmonton, the team that made the original Mass Effect trilogy, rather than BioWare Montreal, which was put together specifically for Andromeda.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Octuple your Xbox storage with this new Seagate hard drive

Both PS4 and Xbox One come with at least 500GB of storage, which seems colossal until one realizes each installed game typically takes up 40 to 50 gigabytes. Back in August 2015, hard drive maker Seagate released a 2TB external HDD specifically keyed to both Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Today, they’ve unveiled a new version that bumps up the space to 8TB and promises to work with every version of Microsoft’s current-gen console — including the upcoming Scorpio.

The Game Drive Hub, as it’s called, also has two front-facing USB 3.0 ports so folks can charge controllers or use other devices while it’s plugged into the console. That’s handy, since you’ll likely be playing straight from the HDD. And with all the games you can download from Xbox’s Netflix-style Game Pass subscription service, along with the slowly increasing catalogue of backwards-compatible titles, you’ll probably need all the space you can get. Especially if Scorpio-enhanced games start taking up more storage. The Game Drive Hub retails for $200 and will go on sale later this month.

Source: Seagate

Xbox One X official – the best console on the planet, out 7 November

Microsoft has officially announced the Xbox One X – formerly called Project Scorpio.

The new console will be out later this year, from 7 November, with the price yet to be revealed.

However, it is undoubtedly the most powerful, best spec’ed console yet.

We already heard many of the official specifications prior to the Xbox E3 2017 Media Briefing, where the console was formerly revealed. It has a custom processor running eight custom x86 cores clocked at 2.3GHz. The graphics chip offers 40 customised compute units running at 1,172MHz. There is 12GB DDR5 RAM, with memory bandwidth listed at 326GB/s.

The consumer Scorpio will sport a 1TB hard drive (not solid state) and there’ll be a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player for you to spin the latest discs – something its main rival, the PlayStation 4 Pro is unable to do.

• Xbox One X: Release date, price, specs and everything you need to know

The Xbox One X will be compatible with all Xbox One games and accessories, and will enhance and improve existing titles to match the 4K graphics output.

Now games, such as Forza Motorsport 7, will play in 4K natively and at 60fps.

Thanks to clever internal cooling, even though it is considerably more powerful and faster than the Xbox One S – which will remain on sale – the One X is smaller than the existing model.

We’ll bring you more as Microsoft reveals further details. We’ll also be going hands-on with the Xbox One X in the next couple of days, as E3 2017 gets fully underway.

• E3 2017: Rumours, press conferences and what to expect from the world’s biggest games show

Microsoft unveils the Xbox One X, the most powerful console ever

Say hello to the Xbox One X, Microsoft’s successor to the Xbox One. Previously known as “Project Scorpio,” it was first teased at last year’s E3, and we caught a glimpse at its powerful hardware a few months ago. The big takeaway? It’s significantly more powerful than the PlayStation 4 Pro, so much so that it can run some games at 4K/60 frames per second. At E3 today, Microsoft revealed that the Xbox One X will land on November 7th.

We also finally got to see what the console will look like. It’s all black and boxy, like the original Xbox One, but its top portion hangs over a slimmer base. It looks like Microsoft tweaked the Xbox One S design a bit to be even more streamlined. Surprisingly, the company claims the Xbox One X is its smallest console ever.

Under the hood, the Xbox One X features a 6 teraflop GPU clocked at 1.17GHz and 12GB of GDDR5 RAM. And, as we’ve previously heard, Microsoft says it’ll be capable of 4K/HDR gaming with Dolby Atmos support (something the Xbox One already offers). If you don’t have a 4K TV, Microsoft says the Xbox One X will also make games look better in 1080p, thanks to supersampling and its added horsepower.

The Xbox One X will also feature a 4K Blu-ray drive, like the Xbox One S, something that even the PlayStation 4 Pro doesn’t support. You also won’t have to rebuild your game library or buy new accessories for the Xbox One X, as it’ll be compatible with everything from the Xbox One.

In another console first, Microsoft developed a liquid-cooled vapor chamber to keep the Xbox One X’s hardware from overheating. That’s something we’ve seen on PC gaming hardware, and given the amount of horsepower inside of the console, it makes sense for Microsoft to go the liquid cooling route. The last thing the company needs is a repeat of the Xbox 360’s Red Ring of Death fiasco.

Developing…

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

‘Forza Motorsport 7’ makes the jump to 4K on Xbox One X

It’s official — Forza Motorsport is back. Microsoft unveiled the latest iteration of its flagship racing series at E3 2017, and as you’d expect, it’s upgraded for the current era with nods to Project Scorpio — excuse me, Xbox One X — Windows 10 and eSports. Turn 10 boss Dan Greenawalt showed off Forza Motorsport 7 running in 4K and 60fps, while also adding dynamic weather effects. Adding feature players have been asking for repeatedly throughout the last few years, rain (but not snow?) can impact your races, with puddles forming on the track dynamically.

The unveiling also served as a premiere for an all-new car, the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS. We’ll be able to try that car out virtually this week, and so will you — along with 700 others — when the game arrives on October 3rd. Interestingly, the YouTube description lists the release date on Xbox One X as “holiday,” so it’s possible the upgraded version may arrive later.

Developing…

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Source: Xbox (YouTube), Microsoft E3 2017 briefing

App Attack: Avoid ladders, save a kingdom, and protect sheep in these 3 quirky games

It’s understandable that switching back and forth between Facebook and Twitter can become super boring after a while, especially on long commutes or waiting in lines. We’ve rounded up three new mobile games that will make you realize how boring mindlessly scrolling through your social media feeds can be, especially when you can mindlessly — but also strategically — play a quirky game instead.

Mushroom Heroes

Upon first glance, the protagonists in Mushroom Heroes bare some resemblance to the mushrooms in the Super Mario Bros. series. But the game is far more similar to The Lost Vikings, where cooperative gameplay forces you to figure out how to complete each level through teamwork.

The storyline takes place over 1,000 years ago in a “mushroom country” where the king assigns three of his best warriors — Yuppi, Jumpi, and Dombi —  to defeat the enemy. The environments are quite different, and you’re tasked with completing different puzzle-like challenges. The catch is figuring out which mushroom warrior is best suited to completing each level. Yuppi comes equipped with a bow — useful when it comes to enemies and detonating bombs — and Jumpi can jump the highest and float. The third mushroom warrior, Dombi, can block enemies with a shield and push objects. Even though this game doesn’t offer realistic graphics, the retro look definitely makes it more fun. The controls mirror old school game controllers, with two left and right arrows along with A/B buttons to execute an action or skill.

The levels become tougher as you further advance into the game. You’ll have to jump over sharp objects, as well as avoid evil frogs, and fire breathers. While it is a game based on teamwork between the characters, you start to slowly realize exactly how dependent the mushrooms are of one another. Sometimes, you’ll often find yourself switching back and forth between each mushroom just to complete one action — like having to stack all three to jump up to another floor.

In the beginning, it was easy to fly through each challenge. As I progressed, I began to slightly question my intelligence and why I couldn’t figure out how break down a wall without killing off any mushrooms. Thankfully, if you’re stuck you’ll receive pop-ups guiding you on steps to take. It’s definitely a game that will help get those brain-juices flowing, and it’s available for both iOS and Android.

B – The Game

Don’t be fooled by the bright graphics that mimic the pages of an innocent children’s storybook. B – The Game is far more difficult than the plot suggests. The point of the game is simple: Don’t die. The beginning starts out with a cute little creature (we’ll call him “lil man”) sitting on a bench, but he’s weirdly connected to a bee on a rope. The bee starts flying — resulting in lil man soaring through the sky looking happy and content to be among the fluffy clouds. While the bee swings lil man around, your only job is to tap on the left or right sides of the screen to make sure he doesn’t hit the random ladders — kind of like a vertical scrolling Flappy Bird. If he does hit a ladder, it’s game over and you start from the beginning.

Initially, I thought this game would be super easy given that there’s barely a plot and zero levels. But once it started, I realized the bee isn’t messing around — getting past the ladders is really hard. As it swings, lil man swings back and forth (go home bee, you’re drunk), and you have to try and predict its movement when choosing whether to tap left or right. This becomes increasingly difficult when you float further up into the sky, because the ladders start to take up the entire screen leaving little room to pass through.

However, what the game lacks in depth it makes up for in intensity. The denial you start to feel from not being able to easily beat the game will keep you playing round after round. It also becomes a little easier to navigate the rope once you get the hang of not spazzing out while tapping on the screen. B – The Game is currently only available on iOS, but it’s free and requires no in-app purchases.

Sheepwith

Even though I was never an avid FarmVille gamer, I couldn’t help be reminded of the game while playing Sheepwith. Maybe it’s because the premise involves taking care of farm animals — you’re a pilot whose main goal is to save animals, like pigs and sheep, from dangers outside their pens.

The game’s set in a sunny town with clouds, gardens, and a barn, and as you fly, you scoop up animals spread throughout the grass. The controller has a joy stick feel to it, but flying around takes some skill as you become accustomed to the different speeds while cutting corners. The first level gives you the opportunity to go for a test run without having to save any animals — it’s where you’ll realize that flying this thing requires a little practice. After you get the hang of it, you move on to saving animals via a pocket claw attached to the plane by a rope.

Don’t assume that losing in this adorably-styled game will result in an upbeat ending if you mess up — the plane will crash and burn if you run into anything as delicate as a flower. Completing the level is heavily dependent on also making a safe and swift landing on the tarmac, even if you managed to pick up all the animals. If you land too quickly or too slowly and bump into anything along the way, you lose a life and the pilot shakes his head at you in disappointment. Thankfully, you don’t have to completely start over until you lose all your lives, so the animals you took time to save are still in their respective pens.

The game features four different aircrafts, depending on the world you find yourself in as you excel throughout the game — one being a spaceship as you fly through a galaxy — and 35 different levels. There’s also various tools you can purchase using the points you earn, like a snail to help you slow down during the landing, or you can opt for more lives. Sheepwith is available on both Android and iOS.

Apple introduced some podcast updates that could make things better for all of us

Why it matters to you

For years now, podcasters have been flying blind when it comes to listener feedback. Finally, Apple is changing that.

The idea of radio on demand may have been an odd one when podcasts were first making their debut, but now, more than a decade after podcasts first appeared on the scene, they’re a tried and true mainstay of the media. So of course, Apple is paying special attention to them these days, and as part of the iOS 11 update, there are big changes coming to podcasts.

First of all, Apple will allow podcasters (which is to say, those who create podcasts), to determine what listeners actually want to listen to, and what they’re actively avoiding. Podcasters will now have access to analytics, which will allow them to see what their audience members are listening to, what parts they’re skipping, and perhaps most importantly, when they’re giving up altogether on an episode.

While all this data may seem rather basic, we ought to note that this is actually the first time Apple has provided any data about podcast listeners — previously, all podcasters knew was that people were downloading their episodes. But now, for the first time, they’ll have feedback to work with, which could mean better episodes for you in the future.

As Matthew Liber, the president of Gimlet Media (the makers of Crimetown) noted, “… this is the biggest thing to happen to the podcast business since Serial first went nuclear.”

It may look obscure, but this is the biggest thing to happen to the podcast business since Serial first went nuclear https://t.co/4tWfvckKM9

— Matthew Lieber (@mlieber) June 10, 2017

And as for you listeners, Apple also promises to have more “clear, concise” titles, and a quick play feature in the app that will let you start your podcasts from where you left off.

We should note, of course, that Apple isn’t exactly promoting these changes. But all the same, it could vastly improve how we, as audience members, receive podcasts; and also benefit podcasters when it comes to producing content audience members actually want to listen to.

Google just made it a lot easier to print from Chrome OS

Why it matters to you

Printing has never been an easy task, but Chrome wants to make things a bit easier for you with a new update to the Chrome OS.

For all the advances we’ve made when it comes to desktop and laptop technology, we still haven’t fully mastered the art of printing. But now, we may finally be nearing a solution. It’s all thanks to the latest Chrome OS — version 59, which has now reached the Stable release channel, has a new “Native Printing” feature, which is to say that it can directly connect to all compatible printers within your network. Better still, it can do this without any cloud connection.

Previously, if you wanted to print from Chrome OS, you had to hook a printer up to Google Cloud Print. But no longer is that the case. Now, you can print from Chrome OS to a locally networked printer, which ought to make things a lot more convenient for a lot of people. You’ll need to know your printer’s IP address in order to take advantage of this new functionality, but Google has provided instructions to guide you along the way.

Native Printing ought to be particularly useful in school and office settings, given the preponderance of Chromebooks in these environments. After all, the ability to print is crucial in both these places, and not having to connect to the cloud could be hugely helpful.

Of course, your printer will have to be Wi-Fi connected in order to take advantage of this printing technique, but other than that, there are few stipulations. Just make sure that your Chromebook is connected to the same WiFi network as your printer. After you add the printer by inputting its name, address, protocol, and queue, you can start printing page by pressing Ctrl + p.

If, for some reason, you don’t want to use Native Printing, you’ll still be able to use Google Cloud Print, which allows you to beam a document to any printer you’d like, but for those of us who just need to print right here right now, this new feature could be a serious boon.

All the best EA trailers from E3 2017: Anthem, FIFA 18, A Way Out, Star Wars Battlefront 2 and more

EA does things a little differently for the world’s largest gaming show: it doesn’t present at the official E3 grounds. Instead it hosts an off-site live event to showcase its latest games and get the them in the hands of the gamers.

For 2017, with a new location at the Hollywood Palladium, EA didn’t just unveil its usual sports franchise titles, it teased an upcoming game from BioWare, and showed off Star Wars: Battlefront 2 in depth.

• E3 2017: Rumours, press conferences and what to expect from the games show

Here are the best game trailers from the EA showcase at E3 2017.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2

First revealed in April 2017, the EA showcase gave more info about the Star Wars sequel, including some details about a single player story mode that would “help bridge the gap between Return of the Jedi and The Fore Awakens”. Interesting.

The core focus at the showcase was the multiplayer game, which we played in a 20 vs 20 team match. There are special characters – think Darth Maul, Han Solo and others – and abilities cards this time around, which can be “bought” by earning in-game combat points.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 will be released 17 November 2017 for PS4, Xbox One and Windows.

FIFA 18

The footy franchise has been built from the ground up this year, with Christiano Ronaldo providing his skills for motion-capture perfection.

There’s also an updated story mode, following the ongoing career of Alex Hunter, in The Journey: Hunter Returns.

• FIFA 18: Release date, what’s new and everything you need to know

Anthem

Introduced as BioWare’s new IP, the crowd had a big reaction for this one.

EA wasn’t saying much more, however, as the game was due to be shown in more detail the following day at Microsoft’s pre-E3 press conference.

A Way Out

It’s not all sport and gun fights, with EA Originals and Hazelight showing off this cooperative-only title, set around escaping from a prison. Yep, it can only be played split screen by two players at once – whether online or in the same room.

The dynamic introduced by the split-screen and, therefore, watching the interaction between both players’ co-operative game, is very clever indeed. Looks like one of the most original games from the show already.

Madden NFL 18

Football fans – well, American football fans – are treated to a FIFA-style story for Madden NFL 18. It’s not just about the play, it’s about emotional involvement.

Interestingly, the company made a particular point about how the game will look particularly special on Microsoft’s Project Scorpio – a console we expect to learn much more about at Xbox’s press conference.

• Xbox Project Scorpio: Release date, price, specs and everything you need to know

Other titles

In addition, EA showed off NBA Live 18, Need For Speed: Payback, the DLC content for Battlefield 1. Looks like a bumper array of content for 2017 and beyond.

Xbox E3 2017 press conference, watch the Xbox Scorpio launch right here

Microsoft will soon kick off its E3 2017 press conference, which is also being streamed online in 4K.

The Xbox Media Briefing will be held today, Sunday 11 June, starting at 2pm PDT (so 10pm in the UK). It’ll run for approximately two hours and is expected to mainly focus on the all-new Xbox Project Scorpio console – also promising 4K gaming.

The livestream is available below.

It will also stream in 4K on the official Xbox Mixer Channel. It will also be in 4K on YouTube.

Further livestreams of the event will appear on the Xbox Twitch Channel, Twitter and Facebook Live, albeit not in Ultra HD.

• E3 2017: Rumours, press conferences and what to expect from the world’s biggest games show

Microsoft has also revealed that it will be streaming daily shows from E3 2017 – Xbox Daily: Live @ E3 – on the Xbox Mixer Channel from Monday 12 June. The exact times it runs are below:

• Monday 12 June: 3pm to 4pm PDT (11pm to 12am BST)
• Tuesday 13 June: 1pm to 4pm PDT (9pm to 12am BST)
• Wednesday 14 June: 1pm to 4pm PDT (9pm to 12am BST)
• Thursday 15 June: 10am to 4pm PDT (6pm to 12am BST)

In previous years, the Xbox Media Briefing was held on the Monday morning of E3 week. However, the new Sunday time slot puts it on the same day as the Bethesda conference, rather than Ubisoft and PlayStation – thereby spreading the events out a little.