‘Uncharted 4’ adds a survival mode with a few twists
Gears of War 4 won’t have a monopoly on co-op survival modes this holiday, apparently. Naughty Dog is introducing an Uncharted 4: Survival mode that will arrive in mid-December. As with its Xbox rival, Uncharted will have you facing 50 waves of AI enemies as you build up defenses, rank up your character and coordinate with teammates. Don’t call it an outright clone of Gears’ Horde mode, however, as it periodically throws a monkey wrench into the works.
Some waves will have objectives you need to complete, such as collecting treasures or defeating specific enemies. Also, you’ll occasionally run into modifiers that prevent you from relying on the same tactics every round. You may have to use only melee weapons, for example, or limit yourself to head shots. And while you will face the mercenaries that dominate the conventional story, Survival adds plenty of supernatural opponents.
This won’t be a radical break from the Co-Op Arena mode you saw in the second and third Uncharted games, but it should inject new life into a title that’s already on some critics’ short lists. It might impact Sony’s bottom line, too. If Uncharted 4 has an answer to one of GOW4’s best-known modes, you might be tempted to pick up a PS4 Slim bundle when you were otherwise set on an Xbox One S.
Source: PlayStation Blog
The Morning After: Monday, November 21, 2016
Today begins with the proliferation of political Twitter bots, testing Sony’s pricey full-frame camera, tens of thousands of recipes from your Amazon Echo and LG’s new phone for audiophiles.
For a second, we forgot all about mirrorless shooters.24 hours with Sony’s A99 II full-frame camera
Sony’s A99 II is set to arrive later this month priced at $3,200, body-only. For that money, there’s a massive 42.2-megapixel sensor, max ISO of 102,400, 12-fps continuous shooting and, unlike the original A99, 5-axis image stabilization. Edgar Alvarez says high-end lenses help make the most of the camera, but it’s the autofocusing skills that are particularly impressive.
Great for audiophiles, but who else?Review: LG’s V20 smartphone
Don’t let its dull looks fool you, Senior Editor Chris Velazco says that beyond the V20’s flagship-level power and slightly tweaked version of Android Nougat is a device tailor-made for creatives. The V20 is an excellent media player (even with lossless files) and doubles as an impressive audio recorder. The dual-camera system still needs some work compared to LG’s rivals, but at least there’s manual shooting — which is a pleasure.
Pro-Trump bots were especially commonTwitter bots were rampant during the US election, surprising no-one
Researchers at the international Project on Computational Propaganda report that the use of politically minded Twitter bots reached an “all-time high” during the 2016 presidential campaign. Out of 18.9 million studied tweets using political hashtags, 17.9 percent of them came from “highly automated” accounts that post 50 or more tweets per day. That ratio only grew higher during the debates and conveniently tanked after the election. There are caveats, however: The team noted its data collection method is inherently limited. Not all of those prolific Twitter users are guaranteed to be bots, and the data doesn’t include the legions of tweets that didn’t include the hashtags or mention candidates by name. Automated political social networking is a thing now.
I don’t think you can call that karma.GoPro gives you a free Hero5 camera if you return your Karma drone
Returning tech products is a pain — even when they’re explosive Note 7s. GoPro is attempting to sweeten the deal (or apologize) by offering a free Hero5 Black camera if you return your Karma drone. Some of the camera maker’s debut quadcopters are experiencing sudden power loss, and so the company is offering free refunds to those that return the robot. Now you get a free camera on top of that.
But wait, there’s more…
- Kanye West says Facebook and Google ‘lied to you’
- The After Math: This week’s WTF numbers
- Amazon Echo now talks you through 60,000 recipes
- Alphabet’s autofocusing contact lens won’t be tested in 2016
24 hours with Sony’s A99 II full-frame DSLR
With high-end mirrorless cameras such as the A7S II and A7R II, it’s easy to forget that Sony also makes full-frame DSLRs. Its latest one, the A99 II, is set to arrive later this month for $3,200 body-only. That gets you a massive 42.2-megapixel sensor, max ISO of 102,400, 12-fps continuous shooting and, for the first time, in-camera image stabilization. While I’ve only been using it for a day or so, I can tell you the camera shows a lot of promise — which isn’t surprising given its sensor type and how much it costs.
As you’d imagine, it helps to have it paired with expensive lenses, like Sony’s 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G2 ($2,200) and 70-200mm f/2.8 G SSM II ($3,000), among others. What impressed me the most about the A99 II is its autofocusing speed, which makes use of a hybrid 4D Focus with a wide area of coverage (79 phase detection points and 399 focal-plane). In theory, that technology is also supposed to make the camera’s AF more accurate, especially when you’re trying to capture moving subjects. So far, that’s been working out well for me.
I’ll have more on the A99 II soon. In the meantime, check out my sample images from Sony’s new flagship DSLR.
To view our sample images in full resolution, click here.
24 hours with Sony’s A6500 mirrorless camera
When Sony announced the A6500 in October, it touted speed as one of the camera’s main selling points. The company’s new flagship mirrorless, which hits stores later this month for $1,400 (body-only), features a 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor with 11-fps continuous shooting. You can shoot at that rate for up to 307 frames in RAW mode, giving you about 30 seconds of total shooting time in a single shutter press. That’s an impressive feat for any camera, let alone one this size. The A6500 also comes with in-body 5-axis image stabilization — a first for one of Sony’s APS-C shooters.
While I’ve only had the chance to test the camera for a little over 24 hours, that’s enough time to get an idea of what this thing can do. Thankfully, Sony wasn’t kidding when it said its A6500 was all about speed. I used the camera mostly with the Vario-Tessar T* E 16-70mm f/4 and FE 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, which made it easy to take shots in the dark and at sports games. It’s one of the few times I’ve been able to capture decent shots at a sporting event. Indeed, Sony says its goal is to appeal to appeal to sports photographers, and even some people who aren’t professionals.
I’ll have more thoughts on the A6500 in the coming weeks. For now, take a look at the sample images below to get an idea of what to expect from it.
To view our sample images in full resolution, click here.
PSVR shooter ‘RIGS’ gets a new mech and arena next month
PSVR multiplayer mech-em-up RIGS is one of the platform’s most stunning launch titles, delivering enjoyable and fast-paced action — if your stomach can handle it. In a bid to keep players blasting each other over the holidays, developer Guerilla Cambridge has announced that the title’s first major update will arrive next month.
Offering gamers an agile new APX rig to pilot and introducing RIGS’ first European stage, the Zurich Arena, this free update will add some much-needed variety to the game’s limited multiplayer. As well as these two major additions, players will be able to compete in weekly trials, earning credits, fame and exclusive customization items. Rounding up the update is a wealth of new items to purchase from the in-game store.
Along with the patch, Guerilla Cambridge stressed the importance of post-launch support. But with no clear schedule beyond this release, it seems this may be the last major update for a while.
Source: PlayStation Blog
Play ‘Star Wars Battlefront’ on PSVR December 6th
Electronic Arts teased out its Star Wars Battlefront VR experience way back in March, and now we know when it’s actually exiting hyperspace. Come December 6th, you’ll be able to strap on your PlayStation VR headset, jump into a virtual X-Wing cockpit and hopefully destroy the Death Star. Remember, this will be a free download for anyone who owns Battlefront.
And because today marks the game’s first birthday, EA has seen fit to drop a glut of details about the latest, and final, map pack, Rogue One: Scarif — also out on December 6th. As the name suggests, it brings in a quartet of maps from the upcoming movie, two new heroes (Jyn Erso and Orson Krennic) and a new “multi-stage game mode with space and ground combat.” Sounds just a bit like the Battle Station mode from the recent Death Star pack, if you ask me.
Speaking of which, starting today and running through the 20th, you can play the previously released Bespin, Death Star and Outer Rim packs for free, and earn four times the experience you usually would. That is, if you can pull yourself away from the free Overwatch weekend taking place starting tomorrow, too. Decisions, decisions.
Source: EA Star Wars
PlayStation Vue makes its Apple TV debut
You can already find PlayStation Vue, Sony’s proprietary streaming service, on most every device in your living room. It’s native on the Playstation 3 and 4, available on Android TV, Roku boxes, Fire TV and Stick, not to mention compatible smart TVs. You can also find it on Android and iOS devices as a mobile app, which can be streamed to Chromecasts. Today, that ecosystem grew a bit more with the announcement that Vue is now available on Apple TV as well.
Vue’s UI and features like cloud DVR won’t change from what you’re used to but it will take advantage of Apple TV’s hardware including the Siri Remote and touch navigation. You’ll be able to stream live television and sports plus gain access to premium channels like HBO and CInemax, if you don’t already — you simply need to link your Vue and Apple TV accounts. Vue offers a bunch of different channel packages and a la carte options so head over to the Vue website for more details.
Source: Sony (PlayStation blog)
Fantasy game ‘Mages of Mystralia’ is coming to PS4
After announcing Mages of Mystralia for PC earlier this week, Borealys Games also revealed that its intriguing wizard-em-up will also be making its way to PS4. This colorful indie title takes inspiration from Harry Potter and Zelda: Ocarina of Time, putting players in the shoes of wizard-in-training Zia as she attempts to get to grips with her new abilities.
Developed by a team who have collectively worked on the likes of Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, Borealys Games’ debut title looks to offer a charming adventure and a unique spell building mechanic. With Ed Greenwood, creator of the Dungeons & Dragons narrative Forgotten Realms, penning the story, Mages of Mystralia promises a compelling tale alongside its intriguing premise.
Mages of Mystralia will be coming to PC and PS4 in Spring 2017. With gameplay details still in short supply, expect to learn more on December 3rd and 4th, as Borealys Games will be taking it to PlayStation Experience in Anaheim for its first public showing.
Source: PlayStation Blog
‘Persona 5’ delays US release date to April 2017
The localized, English version of the highly anticipated JRPG Persona 5 just got an official release date. According to Atlus’s John Hardin, Persona 5 will land on PlayStation 4 and PS3 consoles in the US and the rest of the west on April 4th, 2017, with both the Japanese and English dubs available as a free DLC.
The dual audio support will arrive as a download “for logistical reasons,” Hardin said in his announcement, but Atlus has assured fans that it will be free in perpetuity on both the PS3 and PS4. “This was something we especially wanted to do for the Atlus Faithful,” Hardin wrote, “the ones who still appreciate our English dubs and respect all the effort we put into localizing.”
While that official release is still a solid four months off, American fans of the series can get a taste of the action with a playable Persona 5 demo at PlayStation Experience in Anaheim next month. Until then, you can watch other lucky players take it for a test run right this second on Atlus’s Twitch Channel.
Source: PlayStation Blog
12 gifts for the gaming geek in your life
Whether they’ve got a fully tricked out PC gaming rig or just looking to get a little retro button mashing done on their new 4K TV, we’ve got the gift for the gamer in your life. Obviously, with some new consoles on the scene, there’s an obvious upgrade out there for the hardcore in the PS4 Pro and Xbox One S. But you don’t need to drop $300 – $400 to upgrade your favorite geek’s gaming experience. A high-end mouse, top notch controller or a new headset can make a world of difference for those glued to online battles. And, for those in your life that prefer their gaming be a little more… let’s say physical, you can’t go wrong with a board game like Mechs vs. Minions or King of Tokyo.
For our full list of recommendations in all categories, don’t forget to stop by our main Holiday Gift Guide hub.
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