GARANG NEWS

HALO 5: Guardians on Xbox One takes the franchise in a different direction, the question is if it's towards a place fans want to go.

 

Change appears to be one of the themes Halo 5: Guardians wants to explore.

The Master Chief has gone rogue, Agent Locke is now taking the mantle as Earth’s defender but the campaign itself feels something of a strange beast.

The structure of this adventure is different, there are now eight playable characters across two separate teams exploring different areas.

Blue Team is headed by the Master Chief, while Spartan Locke leads Team Osiris, who are new to the game of saving the galaxy.

Halo 5 is very much a chase across worlds between the two teams but in all honesty, that formula fails to ignite into anything substantial.

 

The greatest hunt in history, it is not, and while the gameplay feels revitalised and engaging, the focus of the story sometimes feels more like a bridge between two worlds.

The subject of the Master Chief being a potential War criminal had all the substance to make the story of Halo 5 one of the best and yet it doesn’t push any boundaries when it comes to the franchise’s lore.

The campaign would have to be described as something of a short but sweet experience, and depending on your age I’m not sure how challenging you will find it.

The pace is well kept and the action is top notch, plus the way in which the story is split means you can engage different events one after another without the Master Chief needing to be flung across the galaxy for it to make sense.

However, there are times when things slow down and you’re forced to talk to random people in combat-free environments.

 

These events add little to the game, they just feel too short to have any impact and really need to be part of something bigger to have any worth at all.

There are also data discs that can be uncovered to reveal more on the game’s backstory but I hardly ever hung around to listen to the full report.

That’s because I was too impatient to get back to what Halo 5 does best, allowing you to smash through enemy lines.

Gameplay wise, Halo 5: Guardians has hit another high-note in the series, bringing in new changes that work and help to make the overall experience function better.

There were only a few moments scattered throughout the campaign where I felt unable to progress without having to find some exploit or safe point and that is good news.

 

Some of the game’s new abilities help you change your tactics, boosting left or right to avoid gunfire, hovering mid-air while aiming to give you the height advantage to pick off that pesky sniper, or ending it with a ground pound to take out those grunts below.

Developers 343 Industries have also tried to move away from the strict linear nature of Halo by providing several routes through a mission.

You can now smash your way through a wall to find a stash of weapons, or head upward onto a shelf to make your way through an area different from your last play-through.

Heading through the campaign with friends is how Halo 5 was designed, even though the AI does a pretty good job most of the time, they can also be pretty useless.

Boss fights are not their strong points and with the game’s revive system needing a teammate to head over and reboot your armour, they can frustratingly slow.

I’ve seen them hit a wall and jump aimlessly around me, leaving the Chief to flop over without the backup needed to continue the mission.

 

The replayability of the missions also feel more rewarding with a friend who can help lay down covering fire so that not every mission to help a fallen Spartan ends in a long line of fatalities. 

where Halo 5 really excels, however, is with its multiplayer offering.

Halo 5 multiplayer Arena now favours loadouts and the scattering of powerful weapons across the map for the classic playlists like Slayer and SWAT, something that fans will appreciate.

More importantly, Halo 5’s multiplayer does well to feel different in a area of gaming that is filled to the brim with alternatives.

And it’s nice that 343 have decided to separate the past for fans to enjoy while also offering a taste of the future.

Warzone is an intriguing step forward for the franchise, giving fans the chance to explore new maps, battle bosses together and capture zones as a team.

 

Objectives will be thrown out and AI enemies in control of vehicles will fly onto the map and mean players can choose between several different things to do.

A team needs a 1000 points to win and this can be achieved by killing opponents, as well as alien bosses and keeping hold of zones.

It means that gamers aren’t just stuck getting pummeled by their betters but can actually go out and do something else that’s useful to help the team win.

Earning requisition points is also a big factor in the new mode, they act like a form of currency which can be used to buy item packs that unlock weapons, vehicles and new looks for your Spartan.

While fighting in Warzone, a player will be able to build level energy, giving them the chance to use cards which can then be used to unleash new arsenals onto the map.

It’s vital that this hasn’t overwhelmed the rest of Halo and is essentially separate from Arena, allowing fans to enjoy the past without having to deal with an overreaching future.

If anything, Halo 5 proves that the Xbox exclusive title has a big future, multiplayer is back on form alongside core gameplay.

What can’t be overlooked, however, is the fact that the campaign’s story falls flat.

But even there, fans can take solace in the fact that it’s setting up for something much bigger.

CALL of Duty: Black Ops 3 has been given an update on PS3 and Xbox 360 by Activision, while Amazon have unveiled their plans to deliver the game to doors at midnight.

Fans on last-gen consoles have already been told that they will miss out on the November 6 release’s campaign mode and Season Pass, leaving just Zombies mode and multiplayer.

Even in these areas, however, the game is set to be limited.

Some of the game’s new features are set to be exclusive to the Xbox One, PS4 and PC, including the Weapon Paint Shop and eSports CODCasting and Theatre tools.

Players will also miss out on The Giant bonus map for Zombies mode, which looks set to leak into the game’s overall Shadows of Evil storyline.

 

A new update has been supplied via the game’s last-gen FAQ supplied by Activision, revealing that the game is set to be limited to 30 FPS in Zombies mode, while multiplayer will scale from 30 to 60 FPS.

DLC content for the game, four packs are planned for release, will also be limited on the earlier systems.
“Season Pass will be available only on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC platforms,” the FAQ reveals.
“Availability of individual DLC packs for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms may vary.  More information will be announced at a later date.”

It follows the news that online retailer Amazon plans to deliver Black Ops 3 to Prime Now members for free  at midnight on Friday November 6.
Amazon say that release night pre-orders must be placed using the Prime Now app with reservations starting at midnight eastern standard time on November 4, it appears the special delivery options are only available in the United States.
“Customers will be able to choose a special delivery window, select additional items they might need for their late night mission -- such as beverages, snacks or extra gaming controllers -- and pre-order the game for late night delivery on its release night, Nov. 6,” a message from Amazon confirms.
“There is limited availability within each delivery window so customers are urged to download the Prime Now app and be ready to reserve their delivery on Nov. 4 at midnight eastern when pre-orders begin in the app.
“Prime Now is currently offered in Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Manhattan, Miami, Minneapolis, Orange County, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. For these special, late night Call of Duty: Black Ops III two-hour delivery windows, there will be no delivery fees.”

TREYARCH and Activision have revealed more on the fate of Call of Duty: Black Ops III on the Xbox 360, Wii U and PS3.

 

MICROSOFT’S new Xbox One Experience update launches today and will start to rollout at around 8am UK time.

 

UPDATE ONE: The new Xbox One Experience update clocks in at 1.154 GB, making it much larger than the most recent firmware patches.

Microsoft have confirmed that it will have a phased deployment, meaning not everyone will get it at the same time.

Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson recently interviewed Mike Ybarra from the Xbox engineering team about the New Xbox One Experience, who described some of the new features and improvements included.

The Friends section has been overhauled, allowing users to press left on the thumbstick while on the home page to check on what their pals are up to, using the Xbox Guide.

The entire console UI has also been tweaked, leading to a 50 per cent faster loadup and a better party launch system that allows for joining while in-game.

Ybarra told Hryb: "It's a complete new operating system based on Windows 10. Fans told us they wanted faster easier ways to do common tasks and now we have brought the Guide into the product.

"It's been a long ride and the fan feedback has been awesome. A lot of our fans told us they wanted to stay in-game so we brought the guide back as an overlay."

"Fans also told us that they wanted to make getting into parties and so we added it to the guide."

 



Fallout 4's Commonwealth includes an update to the Creation Engine

FALLOUT 4 fans on Xbox One can look forward to some special content, while Bethesda have shed more light on the Commonwealth.

 

The studio announced today that player on Microsoft's next-gen console who also own Forza 6 will be able to try out two new vehicles in-game.

The Ford F100 Fallout 4 Xbox One Edition truck is now available to fans, with Turn 10 Studios announcing a new partnership today that will give fans the chance to experience a taste of Fallout 4 in the Xbox One-exclusive racing game.

Forza 6 will also receive the Chryslus Rocket 69, a fictional car from the Fallout universe, which will be made available in 2016.

“As a fan of Forza Motorsport 6, it is great to see Fallout 4 making an appearance in celebration of the game’s launch. We are looking forward to showing the fans the new world of Fallout and the Ford F100 Fallout 4 is now part of that,” said Todd Howard, Game Director for Fallout 4 at Bethesda Game Studios.

 

 

It follows a new reveal from Bethesda that has shed more light on the Commonwealth's new graphical surroundings.

A full list of what has been added to the game Creation Engine has been listed and also includes loads of new information on the game's weather effects.

A post from Bethesda reveals: "The first thing we did after Skyrim was to enhance the Creation Engine’s graphical core by adding a physically based deferred renderer.

"This new renderer allows us to add many more dynamic lights to every scene, and paint our surfaces with realistic materials.

"We want objects and characters in the world to feel tactile and grounded, and a big part of that is ensuring that these materials are distinct – that metal reflects light in a distinct manner from wood, for example."

 

 

"The technique used here runs on the GPU and leverages hardware tessellation. It’s beautiful in motion, and it adds atmospheric depth to the irradiated air of the Wasteland. Like all the other features here, we’ve made it work great regardless of your platform.

"When a rain storm rolls in, our new material system allows the surfaces of the world to get wet, and a new cloth simulation system makes cloth, hair, and vegetation blow in the wind."

Fallout 4's Creation Engine includes:

Bethesda have been left frustrated this week by a mass of Fallout 4 leaks that have revealed huge amounts of information on gameplay and key locations ahead of the official November 10 launch date.

HALO 5: Guardians has been smashing sales records on the Xbox One for Microsoft since its launch, while developers 343 Industries have been focusing on clan warfare.

 

According to the tech giant, one week after launching worldwide, Halo 5 has become the fastest-selling Xbox One exclusive game to-date, adding up to more than $400 million in global sales of games and hardware.

The UK saw a day one gross revenue exceed the first day box office revenue for Spectre – the new James Bond film – with £7.7 million compared to £6.3 million respectively.

It should be noted, however, that comparing triple-A content that retails for £44.99 ERP, to cinema ticket sales makes for a strange comparison.

According to Microsoft, Halo 5 was also the most played of any game on Xbox One, as well as the most played on Xbox Live, with fans logging more than 21 million hours of total gameplay, including 12 million hours in campaign mode alone.

 





“The success of ‘Halo 5: Guardians’ is a testament to the innovative work from the entire team at 343 Industries to bring this installment to Xbox One and the incredible community of fans who have come to love the story, characters and gameplay central to the franchise,” said Phil Spencer, head of Xbox.

“The game represents all the possibilities of Xbox One and has earned its place as the anchor title in the greatest holiday games lineup in Xbox history.”

Developers 343 Industries, meanwhile, have seen the creation of an online tool to help gamers across the world make recruitment ads aimed at finding the right players for their squads in multiplayer.

 

It means Xbox will run ads made via Squadvertiser.com, an interactive site where Halo players can create and share their recruitment ads, as billboards, press, social, digital out of home and web banners across the world.

Players can select from a range of visuals, player types and other criteria, as well as writing their own text, to make an official Halo ad to find the right squad members.

Squadvertiser, which is being run in nine countries, also features a job board where Xbox One gamers can browse and apply directly to the ad’s creator.

There are currently over 1500 ads being run as of now in Great Britain, although the site also requires access to see the email addresses in your profile.

Halo 5 reviews covering the game on Xbox One has seen favourable scores for the title, with many praising the game's new Warzone multiplayer game.

 

GTA 5 has brought more success for Rockstar, who have seen a new crime-fighting vehicle unleashed on Los Santos, along with a series of mad dash jobs.

 

UPDATE ONE: Rockstar have released a new update for GTA 5's online gamers on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3 and PC.

Celebrating 10 years since the release of The Warriors on PlayStation 2 and Xbox, fans can now play through a range of throwback jobs created by fans.

Fans who dig it can experience the Team Deathmatches, Last Team Standings and Captures in The Warriors Anniversary Special.

New Throwback jobs for PS4 and PS3: 

The Warriors 2014 - You are the new day Warriors. Do you have what it takes to survive this showdown?"

Artillery ranging from AP Pistols and Sticky Bombs to Miniguns and Heavy Sniper rifle are included in this challenging Team showdown, with spawn points spread throughout the board that allow for sneaky attacks.

THE WARRIORS transit - Picture perfect Deathmatch in a subway straight from the movie scene itself.

Appropriately set in the LSIA Parking Station in Los Santos International Airport, each team starts on a separate platform before meeting each other in the narrow corridor between.

 

New Throwback jobs for Xbox 360 and Xbox One: 

The Warriors - This Warriors tribute TDM allows for some serious melee combat. Make a mad dash for the Knives - the best Damage/Speed combo to make quick work of your enemies as you duke it out near Vespucci Beach.

The Warriors: ending - Settle the score and put the night behind you. Large scale hand to hand LTS, strut to the fight like gentlemen and back up your pals. Only dirty Luthers pick up the gun. Hardcore Swans pick up the knife."

New Throwback jobs for PC:

The Warriors, Gang Brawl - Fight for the pier and take what is yours in this TDM set at Del Perro Pier to mimic the iconic Coney Island home of The Warriors. Fill this one up to the 20 player limit and watch the melee mayhem unfold as you defeat your foes with Knives, Crowbars, Baseball Bats, Golf Clubs and Nightsticks.

The Warriors - This LTS finds itself on the familiar boardwalk of Del Perro Pier. You and your team must scramble to one of the scarce spread out weapons.

 

The 33rd annual Golden Joystick Awards saw Grand Theft Auto 5 pick up four awards for Best Multi-Player for its online version, while the introduction of the first-person mode won Innovation of the Year.

Other awards included Best PC Game and the PlayFire Most Played Award, if anything spells success like bringing in the gongs, then Grand Theft Auto has proved it can still battle with the best of them.

It should also be noted that the Golden Joystick Awards is the only gaming award ceremony in the world voted for by the gamers themselves and included over 9 million votes cast.

 

That GTA 5 originally launched in 2013 and continues to evolve on the newer platforms of the Xbox One, PS4 and PC only goes to show the enduring support the titles continues to recieve from its dedicated fanbase.

Declan Gough, Future’s Head of Content & Marketing, Film, Games & Music, says, “The Golden Joystick Awards have once again demonstrated the depth and remarkable innovation of the video gaming world.

"The awards have been a triumph, not only for Future and the gaming industry, but also the gamers who have voted in their millions to make sure their voice is heard. We look to the 2016 awards with huge excitement in the knowledge that the next 12 months is full of incredible games - and they are only the one’s we know about!”

And speaking of those hardworking gamers, a new mod unleashed this week adds a new crime-fighting vehicle to the game.

A fully equipped Batmobile has been put together, allows fans to blast around the city using the built in rocket launchers and turbo boost.

OVERWATCH was confirmed to be coming to Xbox One and PS4 at BlizzCon today and Blizzard have revealed more on what's new with the upcoming title.

Blizzard revealed today that from day one, Overwatch was always designed to be played on console and it isn't just a port.

PC gamers and console players will not be facing off against each other, each platform will be separate from each other, something that had been asked since the announcement was made.

Console players will have access to the Origins Edition of the game, which will include new skins for some of the game's 21 character, three more of them were announced today.

D.VA, Mei and Genji are joining the long list of playable battlers, each boasting their own set of abilities.

The new Hollywood map was also shown off at Blizzcon, as well as the Spring 2016 release date.

Overwatch: Origins Edition includes all 21 heroes and launch-day maps, as well as an arsenal of Overwatch-themed content linked to some of Blizzard's other games, that can be viewed below.

BLACK Ops 3 fans have reported a spate of issues affecting playing the game on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.





BETHESDA have confirmed that fans on Xbox One, PS4 and PC can begin to prepare for their wasteland adventures from today.

 

The studio confirmed earlier this week that the game would have pre-loading offered to fans who had digitally bought the game.

Pre-loading aims to download the game ahead of its release date, meaning fans can be ready to play the game when it is unlocked.

A message from the studio confirmed: “Preloading is underway on Steam and Xbox One. PS4 preloading coming this weekend. #PleaseStandBy”

Bethesda have slightly different times for the game to be released in different areas of the world.

 

Digitally the game will become available on November 10, 2015, at 12:01 am (local time) in all territories (In North America, the unlock time will be 12:01 am EST), except Asia (available at 12 am on Wednesday, November 11th) and Japan (available at 12 am on Thursday, December 17th).

Fans on the PS4 and PC can also look forward to special Fallout 4-themed content for one of the console’s popular online games.

Rocket League developers have revealed they will be offering some Pip-Boy items in their latest update for the game.

 

A special Vault Boy antenna will be part of an upcoming Rocket League update by Harmonix and follows a recent news release from Microsoft that confirmed that a couple of post apocalyptic vehicles will be added to Forza 6 Motorsport.

A statement from Turn 10 Studios explains: “Forza Motorsport 6 players will receive an exclusive Fallout 4-themed version of the 1956 Ford F100 in the game. 

“With an iconic Vault Boy theme, this Fallout 4 version of the F100 will be sent to Forza 6 players today in celebration of the upcoming Nov. 10 launch of Fallout 4 on Xbox One.

“Also coming soon, for a limited time, all players of Fallout 4 on Xbox One will receive the super sleek Chryslus Rocket 69 coupe – the future of speed!”

XBOX ONE news this week includes a Fallout 4 warning, Halo 5's deadly message and Mass Effect 4's Andromeda push.

 

Fans have been warned that their Fallout 4 Xbox One preloading may not have gone to plan.

Bethesda has confirmed that some users may have downloaded a stub file if they started the preloading process before October 27.

"If you’ve digitally pre-ordered the game on Xbox One on or before 10/27 and are NOT using Instant On power mode, you may still have an incorrect “stub file” for the title, which is simply a placeholder file," a post from the studio explained.

"Players that have this particular version of the stub file will be required to delete it, and reinstall the title.

"If you’ve pre-ordered on or after 10/27, you should be ready to download the necessary updates as they become available. Once these updates have been installed, you’ll then be able to play Fallout 4."

 

This could prove a painful subject for those who haven't noticed and wake up on November to find they need to download the whole game.

Several reviewers have reported issues with frame rates and glitches within the game, something that can be expected to be fixed over time.

Speaking of the game's performance on Xbox One and PS4, Digital Foundry reports: "It's far from a perfect situation on consoles as far as frame-rate consistency goes, and neither can truly latch on to a rock-solid 30fps reading.

"Moving between major city areas is a particular strain on the engine, causing PS4 and Xbox One to drop to 20fps in matching spots on the map."

 





Some rather unlucky Halo 5: Guardians fans have stumbled across a new deadly message from developers, 343 Industries.

If you've ended up killing yourself multiple times using a frag grenade or such, you will have gone through the shaming process of being kicked from a game.

The limit has been set to three deaths, after that you will be sent back to the lobby to find a message waiting for you.

A placecard called 'Unnatural Selection' greets you with the accompanying message: “You were returned to the lobby for repeatedly committing suicide.

"A prerequisite for ‘Survival of the Fittest’ is survival."

 





BioWare kicked off their N7 Day celebrations this year with a final message from Commander Shephard via a new teaser trailer.

There was no new footage of the game supplied, just a voiceover explaining the push toward Andromeda and how humans are born to travel the stars.

Some new Mass Effect 4 art was also listed on the game's official site, along with the message: "We look to our past and learn what we can, saying goodbye to our comrades in arms, and prepare ourselves for what comes in the future.

"We hope that you can join us in this journey to explore Andromeda, and all its secrets."

Mass Effect: Andromeda is set to be released in the 2016 holiday season, although BioWare has yet to set an official date.

 

MICROSOFT have revealed the first 104 titles that are set to land on Xbox One via Backward Compatibility, including the likes of Halo Reach and Call of Duty: Black Ops.

 

Mike Ybarra, Director of Program Management for Xbox, announced the first 104 titles coming to Xbox One Backward Compatibility, with the new feature set to launch as part of the New Xbox One Experience on November 12.

It will be part of a new package from Microsoft, who are looking to add new Windows 10 streaming overall intergration with their new-gen console.

A full list has been posted, with Halo Reach, Halo Wars, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Bioshock, Bioshock 2, Bioshock Infinite and Skate 3 listed as some of the titles set to be added at a later date.

"At Xbox, we believe that gaming is universal and should be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere," Ybarra told fans this week.

"Our philosophy since launching Xbox One two years ago has been to put gamers at the center of everything we do and create the best, most seamless gaming experience possible.

 

"We’re taking a major step forward in that journey on November 12 when we start rolling out the New Xbox One Experience with Xbox One Backward Compatibility.

"Today, I’m happy to unveil to you the first 104 Xbox One Backward Compatibly games. Some of my favorites are included, like the complete Gears of War catalog, Assassin’s Creed II, Fallout 3, Borderlands, and Castle Crashers.

"All Xbox 360 games available through Games With Gold after Nov. 12 will be playable on Xbox One.

"Our launch of 104 titles on Nov. 12 is just the beginning. You can expect new Xbox One Backward Compatible games to be announced on a regular basis, starting in December."

 

The full list can be found here and means that Halo fans can add yet more titles to the playable list on Xbox One, with the launch of the Master Chief Collection last year providing ample chance to relive the super soldiers past missions.

 

FALLOUT 4's launch is pointing to Bethesda scoring big success with their latest title, while members of the team have been talking about the frame rate reports on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

 

An early indication on how big the Fallout 4 release has been comes from some of the stats supplied on Steam, where the concurrent players numbers show a healthy interest in the open-world RPG.

As of this time, Fallout 4 has over 400,000 concurrent users, setting it in third place behind DOTA 2 (548,000) and CS: GO (585,000).

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, which launched last week, has over 42,000, while GTA 5 registers over 35,000.

Fallout 4 reportedly debuted after midnight with over 280,000 cocurrent players, a solid start to the highly anticipated title.

 

It means a new record has been set for a non-Steam game with the highest cocurrent players, after GTA 5 went over 300,000 in April.

Like all big launches though, Fallout 4's hasn't been without a few hiccups.

UK retailer GAME have experience difficulty supplying Fallout 4 pre-orders and have since defended themselves following the problems with payment issues.

 





“On Friday, a small number of our customers who pre-ordered the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition online experienced payment issues which has resulted in reports of orders not being fulfilled,” the retailer told MCV.

“GAME can confirm that these payment issues were not caused by our systems, and instead arose due to customers’ banks or PayPal accounts not allowing payment to go through. This is mainly caused by expired bank account details.

“At every stage, we have reassured our customers that their Pip-Boys have been reserved for them. Since Friday, our customer service team has been working hard to contact all impacted customers to ensure that as many orders as possible are fulfilled for launch day.

"Each customer has been, or will be, contacted individually to reprocess their order and we have extended the opening hours of our distribution centre and customer services to facilitate this."

 

Bethesda have also had to defend themselves over Fallout 4's frame rate, which fans and reviewers have pointed out as hitting low marks on PS4 and Xbox One.

Studio VP Pete Hines replied to fans before the title's launch, who asked about the PS4 frame rate reports from recent reviews, telling them: "No they aren't. they regurgitated one thing one person said. game runs well on PS4."

And when someone else pointed to a recent performance analysis of the game that questioned how well the game could run at 30fps and his own past comments about Fallout 4's performance, Hines pointed out: "I told you my experiences. Article says "Fallout 4 does hold 30fps as a general rule". So..."

The Digital Foundry review quoted in full, reads: "All things put into perspective, Fallout 4 does hold 30fps as a general rule, but drops are noticeable. For example, moving between major city areas is a particular strain on the engine, causing PS4 and Xbox One to drop to 20fps in matching spots on the map."