FIFA 14 - Free with Xbox One (Ultimate Team Legends Announced)

During Gamescom this week, Microsoft announced that every single customer who pre-orders Xbox One in Europe will received a free copy of FIFA 14.

This confirmed a rumour that first emerged earlier in the week and joins a host of other FIFA related news from the conference.

EA announced the exclusive ‘Xbox Only’ feature (that was first confirmed at E3) called FIFA 13 Ultimate Team Legends.

The exclusive mode is an additional feature for the online gameplay option Ultimate Team and will allow gamers to include all-time greats like Pele and Rudd Gullit into their created team (which will also feature the standard contemporary stars).

"Each Legend will have their own distinct look, unique attributes, and custom biography, and will be randomly included in Gold Packs in FIFA 14 Ultimate Team on Xbox One and Xbox 360," says Microsoft's release. "Fans will be able to acquire Legends in packs or through the Transfer Market, and then compete with their squads in special tournaments... Each legend will be available in packs for a limited time and at different times throughout the season."

Ultimate Team Legends will be exclusive to Xbox One and Xbox 360 (sorry PlayStation users).

FIFA 14 will also allow Xbox 360 players to bring their Ultimate Teams and other content to Xbox One, and likewise for PS3 and PS4 players, similar to Battlefield 4 among other cross-generation games.

This is quite a coup for Microsoft as FIFA 13 was one of the most played, and biggest selling, titles of the last 12 months. It’s always a popular title and may give people even more of an incentive to pick the Xbox One over the PS4.

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Borderlands 2 for Vita announced!

Borderlands 2 is coming to PS Vita in 2014. 

During its Gamescom 2013 Press Conference, Sony announced that Gearbox's open-world RPG shooter will be making its handheld debut on the Vita. Details regarding release date or DLC were not disclosed at this time. Randy Pitchford previously stated he'd like to see the game on Vita, and Gearbox is now collaborating with Divekick developer, Iron Galaxy, to make it happen. Sony is publishing, according to Gearbox's Adam Fletcher.

It has not yet been confirmed as a full version of the original title, that was a massive hit for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but even if it isn’t you can expect the title to be great.

 

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Grand Theft Auto V Online (GTA V: Online)

Right, firstly I need to be quite honest here, I only really play online multiplayer if I’m any good at the game itself. I rarely nowadays play a game at too high of a competitive level but cooperatively I am still quite fond of. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule; I love a good skirmish on Black Ops II, a lengthy match of conquest on Battlefield 3, a sweet ultimate team match on Fifa 13 and also the free play open world of Red Dead Redemption. There are very few games that I’ve played to their highest online level – except Borderlands (original & 2) – because I tend to find my attention span dropping the more time I play any game.

Continually playing the same game over and over again is something that appeals to me less and less as I get older, however with the recent trailer for Grand Theft Auto Online ‘GTAO’, this looks set to change and here are the reason as to why…

Rockstar have a pedigree that is second to none in the gaming industry. Over the past few years they have invigorated common ideas, polishing gameplay mechanics and setting new levels for immersive experiences. I for one loved the Red Dead Redemption free roam game, and it’s one of the few online experiences that I don’t get bored of. Very few developers have the ability to deliver a living breathing world that has so many points of interest and experiences to enjoy.

On paper using this ‘Free Roam’ mechanic as a background for GTAO ensures the experience will be the same and yet entirely different. Rockstar are at their best within this franchise and a refinement to a universally respected gameplay option can only ever be a good thing.

This ‘open-world’ style will allow players to create their own fun, additional activities and see how long they can survive with the top level star rating. Sitting back and enjoying this experience on GTAIV was great fun (and the same with Red Dead). Rockstar are now delivering the most comprehensive version of this gameplay option ever.

GTA Online shares lots of characteristics with a modern day MMO. The idea of owning a home and garage that a player can customize by earning resources is certainly a feature that fits in with the massively multiplayer genre. When this is added to, a hugely personalised, online character the player the experience seems even more like a functioning GTA MMO. The idea of collecting all the vehicles, or owning the most lavish home, will appeal to a lot of gamers – it’ll be interesting to see just how much time and effort people are willing to put in though.

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Xbox One - Release Date Titles

Following Microsoft's Gamescom showcase today, they revealed the full list of titles that will be available on Xbox One at launch.

• Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag (Ubisoft, Ubisoft)

• Battlefield 4 (DICE, Electronic Arts)

• Call of Duty: Ghosts (Infinity Ward, Activision)

• Crimson Dragon (Grounding/Land Ho!, Microsoft Studios)

• Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver, Microsoft)

• FIFA 14 (EA Sports, Electronic Arts)

• Fighter Within (AMA Ltd., Ubisoft)

• Forza Motorsport 5 (Turn 10 Studios, Microsoft Studios)

• Just Dance 2014 (Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft)

• Killer Instinct (Double Helix, Microsoft Studios)

• LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (TT Games, Warner Bros. Interactive)

• Lococycle (Twisted Pixel, Microsoft Studios)

• Madden NFL 25 (EA Sports, Electronic Arts)

• NBA 2K14 (Visual Concepts, 2K Sports)

• NBA Live 14 (EA Sports, Electronic Arts)

• Need for Speed: Rivals (Ghost Games, Electronic Arts)

• Peggle 2 (Popcap, Electronic Arts)

• Powerstar Golf (Zoe Mode, Microsoft Studios)

• Ryse: Son of Rome (Crytek, Microsoft Studios)

• Skylanders: Swap Force (Vicarious Visions, Activision)

• Watch Dogs (Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft)

• Zoo Tycoon (Frontier Developments Ltd., Microsoft Studios)

• Zumba Fitness: World Party (Zoë Mode, Majesco)

An exact release date for Xbox One has yet to be announced, but Microsoft said at E3 that it will arrive in November. With Sony confirming a November release (with specific dates for regions) at Gamescon in Cologne yesterday you can expect Microsoft will follow suit shortly. I would also imagine they will do everything in their power to ensure their hardware hit store shelves earlier.

 

Last week, Microsoft also confirmed that Xbox One will only launch in 13 markets.

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Sony @ Gamescom - PlayStation 4 release date confirmed

Sony had their Gamescom conference yesterday and in a jam packed session announced loads of new PlayStation 4 features.

Most importantly, it announced the release date for PlayStation 4 as the fifteenth day of November.

The company has delivered a long overdue price cut for its struggling handheld, Vita, too. Effective immediately, the Vita is now $199.99. It was previously $249.99. The price cut will hit the UK shores but none of the executives on hand gave us a specific price in gold old sterling.

Additionally, the company has promised to significantly reduce the prices of the handheld’s ridiculously overpriced proprietary memory cards. Although no new price points were announced for them, we can expect well over half price by my reckoning - after one? Hold off a meagre few weeks to get in on the cheap.

So, what else came out of the press event?

• Twitch streaming and viewing is coming to PS4.
• Rogue Legacy, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, N++, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Volume, Fez, and Wasteland Kings will be premiering first on PS4 and Vita. That means it’ll show up elsewhere later, and many of those will likely release on PC on at the same time, too. However, 'premiering' and Fez shouldn't really go in the same sentence when it's been everywhere for almost two years.
• The developers of Dear Esther and Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs showed us a first look at Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture.
• The old Psygnosis game, Shadow of the Beast, is being “reimagined” on PS4 although no developer was named.
• The developers of Magicka announced a gun-centric sci-fi shooter called Helldivers.
• Borderlands 2 is coming to Vita - more on that tomorrow.
• Gran Turismo 6 is launching on PlayStation 3 on December 6. (only this will be after the PS4 release)
• Minecraft is coming to Sony platforms.
• The 12GB PS3 will be priced at $199.99.
• Anyone who purchases Call of Duty: Ghosts, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag or Watch Dogs on PS3 will be able to purchase the PS4 version at a "significant" discount. (expected to be $10, £10 or 10 Euros depending on your region)
• More than one million pre-orders worldwide for PS4 already.
• Sony announced a heck of a lot more indie games headed to PS4 and Vita on its official blog.

 

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PlayStation 4 - Release Confirmed (UK - 29/11/2013)

Yesterday’s Sony panel at Gamescon, in Cologne, confirmed that the PlayStation 4 will release on 29^th November 2013 in Europe, Australia and New Zealand and 15^th November in the US and Canada.

The reveal, which now means we can expect the same from Microsoft shortly (potentially as early as today at their panel), stated that the $400 next-gen consoles release will compete with Microsoft's November release window for Xbox One.

PlayStation 4 has already broken 1 million pre-orders worldwide and is scheduled for launch in 32 countries. 

You can pre-order the PlayStation 4 now from most good retailers.

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Call of Duty: Ghosts - Multiplayer Preview

So after watching the Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer trailed we have been able to identify a set of new details, gameplay options and features that we feel should be brought to your attention.

We dived into its new weapons, maps, modes, and character customization, seen the dynamic maps change, and fought alongside dogs.

Infinity Ward have made a big deal of their new engine, which, with the power of a kickass PC or a next-gen console, definitely puts Ghosts in a league above any other Call of Duty game. However, nothing about it looks spectacular. DICE have kicked out their Frostbite 3 Engine and Battlefield 4 puts the COD series, including Ghosts, to shame. In fact it’s such a difference that you would be surprised to find that both games are out this year.

Ok, Ghosts doesn’t look bad; it just isn’t the jump in style you’d expect between hardware generations. Textures are still washed out and characters move like the robotic animations of Black Ops II. The one thing it does have going for it is the real-time lighting. This adds a real lifelike effect to areas of dense details with rubbish, dust and other particles – including leaves – blowing through the air. It can also be noted that the audio work on the title is exceptional; with grenades giving off distinctive sounds based on the grounds that it lands on – soil, wood and concrete sound vastly different.

Combat is where the real meat of any FPS comes from and COD has always had a strong, fast-paced style. Infinity Ward have brought back a lot of older concepts, including knee slides and leaning around corners. Both of these mechanics will feel pretty average for your casual players but the hardcore crowd will find this more intrusive. It’s a great way to avoid headshots but also hold a disadvantage over control. On the other hand being able to lean into (or out of) a corner will be a distinct advantage for veteran snipers but for the vast majority we will still sprint around the comers without many issues. I also feel that this may take away from the kinetic nature of the COD franchise.

With Ghosts, Infinity Ward is taking some of the foundations of Modern Warfare 3's class organization and blending it with Black Ops 2's Pick 10 system to form "Create a Soldier." This means that you can now change the cosmetics of your character on top of the standard perks system. You can also create multiple characters for specific games – one for clan games and one for casual play as an example. Probably the most notable thing though is the addition of female soldiers in multiplayer.

Ghosts’ new modes, so far, are effective mods of existing game types. Crank adds a ticking timer to Team Deathmatch, so each time you score a kill adds time to your counter. If your clock drops to zero you explode and die. Unfortunately though this mode looks set for the pro-players - this will be a real stomping ground. Casual players could find it fun in short burst but I’d expect you back in a standard Deathmatch before long.

Search & Rescue modifies the Search & Destroy games by throwing in the Kill Confirmed mechanic. You get one life but your dog tags need to be collected in order for you to know what is going to happen next. Collecting allies tags’ allows them to respawn, while collecting a foe’s gives them permanent death.

One of the heavily spoken about features of Ghosts is the addition of ‘some’ destructible environments. Unfortunately this is not on the same scale as Battlefield 4 (or even 3 for that matter) and only covers specific walls in each zone. Yes, it can change a large portion of the environment, but the whole effect seems to be a bit tacked on instead of an actual built in feature.

Ghost has five remaining new game modes to be revealed, and with any luck, they’ll bring some innovative ideas to the table to really catch Call of Duty players off guard. In fact you are likely to find out more at Gamescom this week.

In certain locations, players can use a throwable IED or a rocket to blow out one of the walls shielding the player. However, the effect is far less dynamic than Battlefield's extensive destruction engine. Only select walls can be destroyed, and the damage isn't progressive. Either you blow it up entirely, or not at all. As a result, it's easy to forget that destruction is an option, and often times, it's just easier to just focus on flanking the position or tossing an grenade at the player.

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Brother: A Tale of Two Sons Review

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a game of artistic and commercial pedigree, and that is exactly why it has been chosen to launch this year’s Xbox Live Summer of Arcade. It has been developed alongside the award-winning Swedish art-house director Josef Fares (he did Kopps and Zozo). In reality it translates to a stunning modern fairy-tale of ambition, joy and tragedy linked heavily into the world of Grimm.

Like the Grimm tales, the beauty of this game lies in its simply but accessible story. After losing their mother in a tragic accident at sea, two boys rush their ill father to a doctor, who reveals that the only way to save him is to collection and return the ‘water of life’ for a spring far away. The two then set out to work together and save their father from his terrible fate.

As they journey through the world they meet a variety of creatures, friend and foe, who help to create a mesmeric atmosphere that draws you into the quest at every opportunity. There isn’t any speech or subtitles here and the narrative is presented in the form of mimes; but instead of hindering the story, it aids the expressive nature of the characters.

The theme of the adventure is in its simplicity. On an Xbox controller the left stick and bumper controls the older brother and the right stick and bumper controllers the younger one. Of course this takes a little while to get used to but you quickly synchronise with the gameplay, hurtling through areas and puzzle with minimal fuss.

The genius control system allows the game to feel both simple and connected all at the same time and bringing the two characters together emphasises the intimacy of the design. If this has been a co-op game the connection would instantly be lost.

It actually feels a bit like an ICO experience; especially in style and design. Brothers is instantly charming but also intensely lonely. The world always feels bigger than the characters you control and this really shows through the design choices and draw distances. It’s even more impressive when you realise that the game is extremely linear. The world is beautiful with waterfalls, mines and, a particular favourite, battlefield.

The only issue I found is that the game itself is almost too straightforward. While the adventure and design leads to the sense of grandeur, the puzzles are easy to solve and many are just timing actions. Some of the traversals are inventive, but much of the game becomes very obvious very quickly.

However, the game does not ever reach the depths of un-enjoyable, and the six hour campaign feels exactly right. Anything longer would have stretched the narrative and gameplay towards breaking point, anything shorter and the player would be left wanting more.

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The Elder Scrolls Online Preview

The Elder Scrolls Online has come a long, long way in the short period of time we have known about it. Many outlets, including IGN and Eurogamer had cited that it originally lacked the definitive Elder Scrolls feeling. Its exploration, combat, and everything in between were pure MMO just in a Tamriel coating.

Zenimax Online has gone to great lengths to tune its online role-playing game towards the Elder Scrolls hardcore. It’s implemented a first-person option and is starting to feel like the game we were expecting/hoping for. In fact everything that makes an ES game remains; brawling with local carnivorous wildlife, stumbling upon bandit camps and vampires in the darkest of Cliffside caves.

EOS does not waste any time with simple fetch quests or arbitrary conversations to fill the vast world. Instead it works through discover, adventure and investigation.

Combat, in particular, has improved dramatically – not just from the MMO early build being played – but also from the single player adventures. Where Oblivion and Skyrim lacked a certain ferocity and physicality, this new design gives each swing and hit a definitive weighting. It has also improved the ragdoll physics of the Skyrim world with hammer crunches smashing characters to the floor instead of sending them 20 foot backwards.

Another area changed is in the subtle interface, which has always been present in the franchise, that now feels more fluid. The clunky map from older demos has been eradicated in favour of a UI almost identical to Skyrim – complete with a compass bar for those who care. The map has been used as a basis for the more focused quest styles for this online outing. Objectives are less open-ended than their single player counterparts giving the gamer some direction. This isn’t to say the ESO lacks any sort of aimless wonder - just like Skyrim and Oblivion - you can go wherever you want, whenever you want.

 Adventurer camps are fewer and far between, but when you do find them they’ll be more substantial. Notes and books are frequent, mysterious fish that you can’t catch without the right bait, missing siblings and authoritarian issues are among the quests you can expect to complete. Mundane quests are dead; almost everything in ESO has some sort of branching path or multiple completion options. Everything in ESO has a story woven through it, comparable to, and arguably done better than, Star Wars: The Old Republic.

ESO is obviously an MMO at its heart but it manages to make its story content approachable when playing along and only encourages multiplayer team-ups in later levels. Elder Scrolls games and MMOs are equality as overwhelming in their scope, wealth of options and library of information to take on.

ESO seems like the perfect platform to continue the franchise.

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Changing Opinions

You know what I realised? Motorways are the evilest of roads. Yes, they allow you to go from one place to the next quickly, but they are also road accident hell and rush hour time wasters.

While driving one of these tarmacked satanic pathways I realised that I could really tell you why I hate them. Ok I’ve already tired, but that’s much more fact than fiction.

Once or twice over my 10 year driving tenure I’ve found the urge to drive a motorway, tempted to see what I was missing. I’d try the M23 from Brighton to London and ultimately stick with my conclusion that they are a bit shit.

At some point over the last year or so, however, and I have no idea why, but I’ve had the urge to drive them all over again. And in some of these instances I’ve even ‘enjoyed’ the ease of my journey.

I don’t know what it was this time around that made the difference for me, whether it was a lack of traffic, a beautiful day or the car I was controlling, but I was now in this place where I loved a good old motorway.

I realise now that the point of this article has been lost somewhat – however I’m trying to anecdotally explain that opinions change. I wager that many of you have experienced similar scenarios in your time; it can happen in all walks of life, and it’s certainly true of video games.

 

 

In this instance, for me, motorways equal Grand Theft Auto. Unlike motorways, however, it was never an outright hatred for the Rockstar series from the very beginning, but rather it became a swift decline as the series continued.

I remember enjoying the original GTA on the PSone/PC in my youth, and I found some amusement in both San Andreas and San Andreas but ultimately I grew bored of its aimless story and never quite finished it. I tried to play GTA IV on three or four separate occasions due to peer pressure and its overbearing popularity, and have never got much further than the tutorial hours.

Desperate to be part of the crowd, I even tried going back to the GTA III sage through my Android Phone which managed to leave me wondering if I really did enjoy the original game half as much as I remembered.

The same issues I had from the very beginning seemed to dog me right through GTA III: constant, frustrating interruptions just as I was starting to enjoy myself. Baffling side missions, monstrous amounts of mobile phone calls, side missions and business ideas.

No one could argue that I hadn’t given the game a chance at least; I’d tried every game in some capacity, always sucked in by the pre-release hype. I was finally starting to feel at ease with the idea that Grand Theft Auto and I were not a match.

Last year, however, things changed. I was supplied with a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV again by a friend who was moving abroad. I did my best to do just ‘give it a go’, but the familiar annoyances raised their heads initially. As I got more hours into the game, the more time I spent appeasing Cousin Roman, chatting up local ladies and building my business empire. My former hate points became areas of relaxing fun.

Aside from the superfluous stuff, though, the game’s core mechanics really clicked into place, with its camouflage-based stealth system providing a slow-burning but untouchably tense experience. Kojima’s trademark attention to detail too was far more evident to me now, leaving me impressed. I was finally appreciating his ideas and quirks.

While I cannot tell you what prompted my sudden change of heart, I can say that the more effort I put into the game itself the more I enjoyed its gameplay mechanics. A game that I had completed avoided previously was making itself into my favourite games for the current system.

As Nico grew in stature my passion for the series ignited and I even managed to finish GTA III on my phone and San Andreas on my Xbox 360 (from games on demand).  This successful, and what I considered at the time to be my final, attempt at breaking into the series as left me gagging for GTA V later this year. I’m even contemplating keeping hold of my 360 (at least for a while after the Xbox One release) so I can give the next instalment a good old go.

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Xbox 360 to Xbox One Trade In Policy - GameStop

It’s been announced by GameStop last week that customers will be able to trade-in selected Xbox 360 titles and upgrade to the Xbox One version for the affordable price of $10.00. However this offer is only available for selected titles.

Members of the GameStop PowerUp program will received the special limited time $50.00 guaranteed minimum credit for choice standard edition Xbox 360 games when they are traded in for a copy of the same title on Xbox One.

A GameStop official said “This is an amazing opportunity for our PowerUp (PUR) members to enjoy their favorite Xbox 360 game until the Xbox One version becomes available,” said Bob Puzon, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop. "This offer gives PUR members the chance to upgrade their current Xbox 360 game for the new Xbox One standard version of that game for $9.99. This is a great example of how GameStop is helping gamers make the transition to the next generation of consoles economical and seamless.”

If this deal sounds intriguing to you, the following titles are eligible for the Xbox 360 to Xbox One upgrade offer:

·         Call of Duty: Ghosts

·         Madden NFL 25

·         FIFA 14

·         Battlefield 4

·         Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag

To qualify for this special offer, a customer must be a PowerUp Rewards member at the time they purchase a new eligible Xbox 360 title within 30-days of its initial release. The title must then be traded-in at any U.S. GameStop location for the new Xbox One standard version of the same game. Upon purchase of a qualified Xbox 360 title, members will receive the $50 guaranteed trade-credit coupon via email and in their PowerUp Rewards Active Offers. The coupon must be redeemed by Dec. 31, 2013.

This is a fantastic offer from a premier games supplier and one that I’m sure a UK retailer will clock (and hopefully implement) shortly.

 

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Dragon Age: Inquisition... will return to it's Roots!

The original Dragon Age; Origins allowed players to pick from three distinct races, and three playable classes, whereas the sequel, Dragon Age 2, set the players a specific human character in the form of Hawke. The third title in the franchise is widely expected to follow its roots, with many gamers skipping the second instalment in the sage.

Interestingly this week marked a reveal by GameInformer. "Large and varied environments, customisable armour, and the return of multiple player races are just a few of the ways BioWare is addressing feedback from previous titles in order to shape a new future for the franchise," read the report.

Additionally, Inquisition will have mounts: a first for the series. These were shown off in GameInformer's video - which you can find on their site.

It’s an interesting move by the developer and is sure to excite fans of the original game. I was one of those fans who loved Origins but game up on Dragon Age 2 shortly after starting my quest. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the combat or style, which has been refined from the original, but mainly the lack of personalisation and decision making. It was pretty consequence free, which is a real shame considering the calibre of the studio handling production.

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Xbox One/PlayStation 4 - Release Predictions

New reports are suggesting the both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 will be available in the UK within two weeks of each other, at least if the release data listed with Toys’R’Us are to be believed.

BT Games reports that the Xbox One will be available in Britain on 29^th November while the PlayStation 4 will arrive later on 13^th December.

Following these reports, Microsoft released the following clarification: "We have announced that Xbox One will launch this November, but have not shared any further details. It’s common practice for retailers to use placeholder dates for pre-order items without an official launch date. Please stay tuned to news.xbox.com, where we share the latest official details about all things Xbox One."

Speculating slightly I think both dates are a little too late to be the set times for actual releases. While the Xbox One date of 29^th November is potential viable the December date for Sony doesn’t give them much time to push during the Christmas build-up.

History shows us that the Christmas build up period starts sometime in the middle of November and console releases have also shown this. The Xbox 360 was released on 22^nd November 2005 in the US and 2^nd December in Europe. It is widely known that the PlayStation 3 surpassed the sales for the first winter period releasing around two weeks before Microsoft.

I would highly anticipate that the American company will do everything in their power to get their console out to market first and expect them to go for 14^th/21^st November release dates. Sony could then follow on 29^th November or 6^th December.

Until Sony and Microsoft come out and say something official, we're going to have to make do with speculation. There’s every chance we will know the exact dates pretty soon.

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The Tweltfth Docter Who Reveal

In a Doctor Who special last week it was announced that the twelfth incarnation of our favour screwdriver character will be played by Peter Capaldi.

Peter, aged 55, is perhaps best-known for his award winning performances as Malcolm Tucker in comedy show ‘The Thick of It’ and also the film ‘In the Loop’.  Although I remember him fondly as Sid’s dad, Mark Jenkins, in Skins – ‘EMPHASIS’.

Born in Glasgow, Peter has previously appeared in Doctor Who back in 2008, playing Carcilius in the episode ‘The Firsts of Pompeii’ and has also been a part of the sister series Torchwood.

Capaldi said, "Being asked to play The Doctor is an amazing privilege. Like the Doctor himself I find myself in a state of utter terror and delight."

We'll get our first glimpse of the new Doctor in this year's Christmas special, when the charismatic Matt Smith hangs up his bow-tie and sonic screwdriver for good.

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San Diego ComicCon 2013 - Highlights

San Diego Comic-Con has been and gone now but, if you didn’t follow my coverage over on Geeko. you can scan the below for all the biggest stories.

The Batman-Superman Movie

Probably the most surprising announcement of the conference was Warner Bros’ reveal that there will be a Dark Knight/Man of Steel movie. We know nothing about the file itself aside from the fact that director Zack Snyder will helm with David Goyer writing the script. There are two options for the title Batman vs. Superman or Superman vs. Batman (neither option has my preference). There’s already the standard rumour mill running about, with Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling heading most people’s piles for the next Batman. It’s widely expected that Henry Cavill will reprise his role as Kryptons last son.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

When the Days of Future Past panel came up with 14 members of the case on stage – at once – the crowd almost mutated out of excitement. It seems there is no such thing as too many mutants. They showed the audience a preview of the post-apolcalyptic/time-travel/sequel/prequel film and gave us an indication of how the X-Men will interact with each other. A cast with the likes of Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Timothy Holt is enough to wet anyone’s appetite.

Guardians of the Galaxy

The biggest – superhero – question mark was over the phases 2 Marvel movies Guardians of the Galaxy. Even though the film had only just started shooting a few weeks previous, the whole case (including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, Benicio Del Toro and – con favourite – Karen Gillan) made it over for the Saturday section of the show. They gave the crowd footage from the space epic and some initial character act which you can easily find on the web.

Amazingly, and to the happiness of all Marvel fans, the reel that was shown was very polished despite having just started shooting, but even more importantly, it looks great. Funny, oddball, and very, very different from the other Marvel films, Guardians looks like it's could take the studio's slate to a whole new level. And yes, we got to see Rocket Raccoon and Groot.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Marvel has a someone disappointing outing this year, as they didn’t announce any of the rumoured Docter Strange or Blank Panther films, but they didn’t leave us empty handed. Joss Whedon took to the stage and showed the teaser for the second Avengers movies. The title confirmed is ‘Age of Ultron’ and was shown through a trailer that included quotes, armour and the villainous robot Ultron’s head. It’s a great novel and hopefully the fantastic Mr Whedon will do the whole thing justice. Now we just need to find out whether Hank Pym, the original creator of Ultron, will make an appearance in the movie.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The new Cap film was also shown on stage and pushed the boundaries for the Marvel phase 2 outings. It’s a much darker, less superhero movie than anything that’s come before and has a very 1970s triller vibe. Black Widow is also making an appearance as confirmed in the trailer and the crowd also got a shot of the Winter Soldier himself.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Probably the hottest TV property to be announced this year, S.H.I.E.L.D has been lovingly created as homage to the universe that cinema-goers have come to love over the last few years. The entire pilot was screen at the convention and has been written up with rapturous applause.

We had hoped that it might be the case when we saw the suspiciously long time given to the panel, scheduled for an hour and 45 minutes.

The shows seems to mix the delightfully clever humour and character interaction that Whedon crafts into his shows and this was probably the highlight of the entire weekend.

Doctor Who

This year’s Doctor Who panel was bigger than ever before; with its worldwide success really kicking in over the last 12 months. It was a bit of a sad conference though with the exceptionally charismatic Matt Smith making his final SDCC appearance for the show before departing for the next doctor (more on that separately).

The fans in attendance were given a very special treat, via the debut of a new trailer for the big 50th anniversary special, which will team up Smith and David Tennant. Suffice to say, the crowd went wild for this footage, showing the two (regenerated) beloved Doctors of recent years working together.

 

 

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A Preview 'The Year for Gamers' - Part 3

Another day, another ‘Year for Gamers’ post.

Beyond: Two Souls

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Quantic Dream
Platforms: PlayStation 3
Release Date: October 8, 2013

Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls excites me so much because it promises to tackle themes that other games won’t, or can’t. We have already seen, played and finished their masterpiece ‘Heavy Rain’ and now they are going for so much more.

We know that Jodie Holmes’ life-spanning story will cover various periods of homelessness, helplessness and suicidal tendencies as well as love, loss and family values. It’s easy to think about these things but Two Souls is tracking this as an interactive movie more than anything else.

Obviously there are doubts about a Video Games’ ability to convey these emotions correctly but, with the help of Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe, Quantic Dream are the best bet for success. E3 showed us even more of the same and eased my worries for this ambitious title.

 

Watch Dogs
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal, Reflections
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U
Estimated Release Date: November 19, 2013

At this point in time I’m buying Watch Dogs on day one regardless of any additional footage. My only concern is the protagonist, Aiden Pearce, who seems vastly similar to the stoic Assassins Creed Subject, Desmond.

That said the open world, gameplay features and stunning visual have kept my mind fully focused on this Big Brother sandbox. The ‘hacking’ mechanics have been implanted well throughout the world and the moral grey area looks to be darker than ever before.

It’s looking more like a Cyberpunk GTA every time I see it.

 

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Kojima Productions
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 (and probably next-gen, too)
Estimated Release Date: TBA

We all know about Kojima’s ballsy attempt at getting people interested in a project, using the old ‘switch-a-roo’, but Metal Gear Solid would have done that without any help. The Phantom Pain was confirmed for release with both of the next generation consoles (or at least the ones worth worrying about – Sorry Nintendo).

Set in the 80s’ the cusp of the action comes from the unhinged Big Boss and his journey from amputee, coma victim to giant evil villain. We know the endgame here, as most fans will, but it’s the journey that Hideo is gunning for.

It looks incredible gorgeous as well and set the pace for the whole convention when it was the first thing shown to the crowd. The details sand storms and the action centric stealth sections made the crowd roar with delight. Would you really expect this to be anything less than a world beater?

Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, Wii U
Release Date: October 29, 2013 (current-gen); TBD (next-gen)

Despite being severely disappointed by last year's Assassin's Creed III, I can safely say that I'm back on the hype train after the announcement of Black Flag. The reason why I’m back in the game – Ubisoft have wisely decided to trim the crap from Connors Journey. Black Flag is set to be wide-open…. Sea!

The maritime mechanics contained within III's stellar naval battles proved to be some of the most refreshing and entertaining gaming moments of 2012. It was certainly the best part of the last instalment and those enjoyable sequences are due to be heavily entwined within Black Flag,. Set in the heart of the Caribbean, this pirate/time-travelling adventure has use running through Havana and Nassau as well as lush jungles and bronze beaches. It’s looking delightful and the developer has listened to the harsh critical areas from the last instalment (as any good franchise should).

 

Call of Duty: Ghosts

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward
Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: November 5, 2013 (current-gen); TBD (next-gen)

We saw the teaser at Microsoft’s Xbox One announcement but the E3 demo gave us a lot more to go on. Not too dissimilar from previous entries this futuristic warfare shooter is bound to rake in the cash once more. The competition however is getting steeper this year, in the form of Battlefield 4.

I’ve never really felt the Call of Duty franchise, neither Black Ops or Modern Warfare, but have slowly crept into the community of follower. After picking up Black Ops 2 a few weeks ago – for the first time - I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to play. Battlefield has always featured a difficult learning curve online but even my girlfriend, who isn’t a gamer of any sort, can do reasonably well in the close quarter combat of this series.

I can certainly see why the title has become a yearly release and I just hope that Activision have told Infinity Ward that they need to revolutionise something or they will fall akimbo to the DICE push.

Once multiplayer has been seen I’ll start getting really excited.

Batman: Arkham Origins

Publisher: Warner Bros.
Developer: Warner Bros. Montreal
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Estimated Release Date: October 25, 2013

Sure it’s not being helmed by Rocksteady but Warner Bros. Montreal did really well with the handheld instalment. Here, we’re getting a prequel to the previous entries and will show the beginnings of Bruce’s career as well as his initial adventures with Robin. Black Mask has put a bounty on the Caped Crusader and now eight different assassins, including the confirmed Deathstroke and Deadshot, are coming to collect.

It’s Christmas Eve, so expect some snow, as well as the usual collections and side quest routines. Batman and the Joker will be voiced by the new pairing of Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker.

We also recently got a glimpse of the 2 vs. 3 vs. 3 multiplayer offerings that see Batman and his young sidekick facing off against playable, gun-toting hooligans. It’s an interesting premise but until I personally see the execution in action I won’t feel comfortable.

It’s more Batman – what more do you want?

That’s the end of our exciting things to look out for lists. Perhaps you have some examples of other titles we should look at or want to add in your point of view? If so let us know in the comments section below.

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