First-Person Shooters

New Game Mode, Graphics Overhaul, and BattleRank System are Go!

Old recruits, new recruits, stand to attention! Players of Bulkhead Interactive’s ambitious old-school WW2 shooter Battalion 1944 are about to feel the force of a fairly hefty ammo drop, opening up a new game mode, a slick new graphics overhaul, and a brand new free progression system called BattleRank, amongst scores of other major updates.

Rolling out on 12th July 2018, this package of updates is the latest in a line of tweaks and improvements being worked on by the Bulkhead Interactive team as they continue to manage the game’s run through Early Access – a process bolstered by the team’s decision to solicit feedback from the Battalion 1944 community, helping to improve the game’s stability by testing the latest version.

Leading the line is a brand new competitive game mode Wartide 2.0, a new matchmaking system, a complete visual overhaul (including brand new character models, an impressive graphics revamp, and a total rework of character movement), a new map, a new sound engine, and a massive rebalancing of the game’s weapons.

This new update will also see the launch of BattleRank, which is designed to make Battalion 1944 an even more engaging and rewarding prospect. Split into seasons of roughly three months each, BattleRank will unlock new exclusive rewards and weapon skins that can only be acquired during that period. Continued play will enable gamers to build up their experience points (XP) in order to unlock new levels of rewards. Unlike ‘battlepass systems’ in other games, however, BattleRank will be free.

“This is the biggest round of updates we’ve released for Battalion 1944 to date, and is the result of our mission to make the game as absorbing and captivating as it can possibly be,” says Joe Brammer – Studio Lead at Bulkhead Interactive. “We’ve been listening to our players and taking their feedback into consideration as we look to build the game in a way that both meets their expectations and offers a few surprises for them along the way, too.”

The update follows on from Square Enix Collective® and Bulkhead Interactive’s previous unveiling of a four day long, $50,000 tournament, set to occur September 27-30 of this year. The best Battalion 1944 players will head to the Esports Game Area to compete amongst open qualifiers victors and an invited team for an opportunity to win prizes from a total prize pool of $50,000.

Click here for the full changelog and view the new Major Update 2 trailer.

Battalion 1944 is currently available on Steam via Early Access for $14.99/€14.99/£11.39.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is New World Interactive’s reborn, improved, and expanded sequel to indie multiplayer FPS hit Insurgency, coming September 2018 to PC and 2019 to consoles. In the new E3 2018 trailer, discover how Insurgency: Sandstorm brings you closer to the action than ever in tense, coordinated skirmishes where skill is rewarded, and teamwork wins the fight.

New World Interactive and Focus Home Interactive are also excited to announce the opening of pre-orders on Steam. PC players can pre-order with a 10% discount and get access to the beta a few weeks before the release of the game. An additional 10% discount will be given to players that own the original Insurgency – this additional discount will be offered until the end of 2018.

Prepare for a hardcore depiction of combat with deadly ballistics, light attack vehicles, destructive artillery, and unprecedented audio design putting the fear back into the genre. Death comes fast, ammunition must be carefully managed, and the environment must be tactically navigated at every step toward victory.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is a game of team-based tactics and objective-oriented gameplay in a fictional, contemporary Middle Eastern conflict, complete with player versus player, competitive matchmaking and co-operative game modes versus AI. Your soldier’s appearance, weapons, attachments, armor, and amount of carried ammo are all up to you. Call in airstrikes, use vehicles with mounted weapons, and equip a wide range of specialist weaponry from grenades to drones to C4 explosives.

Visit the Insurgency: Sandstorm  website for more game information.

Source: Blue’s News

EA rolled out the Battlefield V Official Multiplayer Trailer today at their pre-E3 show. This was a quick drive-by, but they mention a few details about the game in passing, including word on plans for a battle royale mode after rumors of one had been seemingly shot down. As for the video, in spite of being the official multiplayer trailer, it seems to consist entirely of cutscenes. Here’s word from the description:

Every battle is unique. Every mode its own challenge. Battlefield V multiplayer provides unmatched intensity and scale in a sandbox of all-out war.

Take on classic modes like Conquest or experiences like Grand Operations, where you’ll participate in vast historical battles across multiple maps – and modes – and relive moments of bravery and desperation while fighting your way to the final objective.

Source: Blue’s News

NVIDIA offers this video showing off gameplay from Battlefield V. Word is:

“Battlefield V has been fully unveiled at EA Play 2018, and we’ve been able to capture exclusive direct-feed PC footage from the new Grand Operations mode. Watch now to see how Battlefield V looks on PC.” According to the description, “Watch exclusive Battlefield V Grand Operations PC gameplay, captured on a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti by the amazing Ms Vixen, battling across the Narvik map.”

Deep Silver and 4A Games have released the official E3 2018 gameplay trailer for Metro Exodus.

After spending his entire life underground, it’s time for Artyom to leave the Moscow Metro behind. With the help of Anna and Miller, he is ready to step out into post-apocalyptic Russia. Welcome… To The Volga!

The Volga is just one of the vast, open environments you’ll explore in Metro Exodus.

Metro Exodus is described an epic, story-driven first person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Flee the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in the greatest Metro adventure yet.

Metro Exodus releases on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC February 22nd.

Visit the official Metro Exodus  website for more game information.

Square Enix today announced Just Cause 4, the pivotal new entry in the highly successful action-sandbox series, developed by Avalanche Studios. Just Cause 4 was unveiled with a new gameplay trailer as part of the Xbox E3 2018 Briefing. Just Cause 4 will be a key release for Square Enix and a landmark entry for the series, when it is available on December 4, 2018 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4®, and Windows PC.

Set in the fictional South American world of Solis, Just Cause 4 takes the series incredible destruction and unique physics to a whole new level with the introduction of tornadoes and other Extreme Weather events. Just Cause 4 has four distinct biomes: Rainforest, Grasslands, Alpine & Desert. With each biome offering its own individual, fully simulated weather event, players will have a truly unique experience as they traverse this deep, diverse world.

Rico Rodriguez returns in Just Cause 4 with his trademark parachute, wingsuit and, of course his grapple hook, now enhanced with new functionality and fully customisable. Making it the most powerful and creative tool the player has ever had.

“We’ve taken everything that players loved from our previous games and with brand new features, enhanced physics and core gameplay improvements, we’ve created the most ambitious Just Cause experience to date,” said Francesco Antolini, Game Director at Avalanche Studios. “The introduction of Extreme Weather is a complete game changer – players will not have seen anything like this in a videogame. We have created fully physicalized tornadoes, blizzards, sandstorms and torrential downpours which affect gameplay in a very real way. All of this is now possible thanks to our brand new Apex engine.”

The new Apex engine underpins everything in Just Cause 4. It delivers the most interactive, extreme weather simulations ever seen in a videogame, complimented by incredible visuals, unparalleled physics and endless creative possibilities.

Check out the “Welcome to Just Cause 4” video to hear more from the developers.

Just Cause 4 is available to pre-order now with a Standard Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition & Gold Edition. Just Cause 4’s Digital Deluxe Edition comes packed with special Black Hand weaponry – the Black Hand Stealth Micro Jet and the Black Hand Prototype Wingsuit. The Gold Edition includes the Expansion Pass, the Golden Gear Pack, and all the Digital Deluxe Content. Players who purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition or the Gold Edition will also guarantee Early Access to the game at launch. A range of pre-order bonuses are on offer across select retailers, for further info visit: www.JustCause.com/buy.

The year is 1980. Two decades have passed since BJ Blazkowicz rallied the resistance and sparked the Second American Revolution in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. However, the battle for freedom is far from over. BJ has gone missing in Nazi-occupied Paris and now all hope resides in his children to carry on the fight in Wolfenstein: Youngblood.

Announced at the 2018 Bethesda E3 Showcase, Wolfenstein: Youngblood stars Jessica and Sophia Blazkowicz, the twin daughters of Anya & BJ. Together, they’ll wage a tag-team offensive to take back Paris from Nazi tyranny and locate their father in an intense co-operative campaign. It’s up to you – and a friend – to uphold the Blazkowicz family tradition of Nazi-killin’ and save the world when Youngblood releases in 2019.

Watch the Wolfenstein: Youngblood Official E3 Trailer here.

Ubisoft has announced that Operation Para Bellum is now available on Playstation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC. Operation Para Bellum is one of the largest content updates ever released for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege. Introducing two new defending operators, Alibi and Maestro, alongside an all new map, Villa, set in the Italian countryside. Year Three Season Two also brings a slew of significant game updates, including new intel gadgets, operator speed adjustments, bulletproof cameras, and the all new Pick & Ban system. A feature that evolves the way players engage with multiplayer. Players will be able to unlock the new content starting today using Renown or R6 Credits.

Tour the Villa
The land belongs to the Vinciguerra, a dangerous crime family known for their smuggling activities. The house is their retreat, where they lead a lavish lifestyle and collect rare art pieces. Players will catch Villa in a snapshot in time: Vinciguerras are burning documents and transporting their holdings before the big raid. But they’ve got wind of Operation Para Bellum and flee, leaving everything in disarray with vital information ready for the taking.

Two New G.I.S. Operators
In Operation Para Bellum, two Italian G.I.S. Operators join Rainbow as the unit raids a luxurious Tuscan villa, Rainbow Six: Siege’s 20th map. New operator, Alibi, is a cunning adversary with a gift for infiltrating dense networks of organised crime. Alibi is notable for her Prisma which projects holograms identical to Alibi in an idle position. If you shoot or touch the holograms, you’ll be marked and pinged for the next few seconds. If Prisma is deployed outside, a false “Defender Outside” warning is triggered for Attackers. To add an element of surprise, Prisma conceals the identity of any defender who ventures outside. Any bullet, melee, or explosive damages Prisma, and will shoot through the hologram. Be careful not to stand too close.

New Operator Maestro is another member of the Italian Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (G.I.S.) earning his iconic facial scar from a roadside IED during his participations in joint operations with Team Rainbow in Iraq. Maestro uses a remote-controlled turret firing high-energy laser beams. Once affixed to the floor or wall, Maestro can remotely-surveil and provide overwatch in a location through the swivel-mounted camera. When the camera device breaks open to fire a laser beam the core is exposed to damage. Otherwise, the turret is unaffected by bullets and melee. Lastly, Evil Eye can see through smoke.

Operation Para Bellum introduces the all-new Pick & Ban system. This feature provides an extra layer of strategy between teams, as each side tries to counter their opponents’ picks during the banning phase. Players can even anticipate a thrilling twist at the last moment, when teams swap Operators for the unexpected 6th Pick. Pick & Ban will be available in Custom games.

Major Game Updates

• Deployable Bullet Proof Cameras
• New Counter Defuser Animation
• Dropshotting Adjustments
• New Observation Tool Management
• Operator Speed Adjustments
• Echo Buff
• Clubhouse Map Buff
• Discovery Playlist

For more information about Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege, please visit rainbow6.com.

Nominated for “Best Music in a Game” at the 2018 New York Game awards and “Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition” at the 2018 DICE awards, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (Original Game Soundtrack) brings the dynamic music of the second American Revolution to iTunes, Google Play Music, Amazon, and Spotify on June 19th. Can’t wait until June 19th? Stream the album in its entirety on YouTube (https://youtu.be/I5etKIsCpZQ) right now.

Composed by long-time Bethesda collaborator Mick Gordon, and featuring award-winning composer Martin Stig Andersen, Wolfenstein II’s soundtrack is an eclectic vision of energetic rock n roll, dark ambient tracks, and cinematic scores; providing a diverse soundscape for Wolfenstein II’s rich narrative across 41 tracks spanning over two hours of runtime.

Source: Blue’s News

A Battlefield V Deep-Dive on the Battlefield Website takes a detailed look at gameplay details in Battlefield V, the upcoming installment in the Battlefield series of military shooters. Here’s the introduction explaining the goals of the article:

Battlefield™ V is a vast game. It will have many improvements to the classic formula, as well as new additions and features. Following the reveal of the next chapter in the Battlefield saga, we know you’ve been eager to get a lot of gameplay questions answered.

Let’s jump right in to the core gameplay changes and improvements that are coming in October. Remember, we are still working on the game, and the specifics of many features will evolve over time.

Two Key Elements: Immersion and Squad Play

A lot of ground will be covered in this post, but it will all center around two common denominators of the Battlefield V gameplay philosophy: immersion and squad play.

Now, immersion can mean many things. For Battlefield V, it spans visuals and sounds, your soldier’s movement, combat situations, how you will shape the environment and vice versa, and how players will act and react more naturally than before.

Let’s start with how you, as an infantry soldier deploying into battle, will maneuver through the battlefield.