Welcome

Welcome to the cork gaming podcast, we are 3 friends who love to play and chat about games. With this blog and the podcast we hope to bring gaming news with some fun and laughs.

Thursday 31 October 2013

Resident Evil 5 becomes Capcom's best selling game.



Resident Evil 5 has overtaken Street Fighter 2 to become Capcom's best-selling game ever.

The Japanese publisher said today that 2009's Xbox 360, PS3 and PC action game has sold 6.5 million copies, 200,000 more than 1992's SNES fighting title.

The updated software sales figures were revealed alongside the publication of the company's financial report for the first half of its business year.

Capcom's net sales totalled 53,234 million yen (£338m / $542m) during the six month period ended September 30, up 16.9 per cent year-on-year. In normal speak thats lots of money.

3DS exclusive Monster Hunter 4 "was an immediate success" and shipped 2.8 million units during the six month period because people really want their monster hunter.

Heavenly Sword Feature Film Trailer

Oh wow there is still love for Heavenly Sword out there as Sony and Blockade Entertainment announced today on the PlayStation Blog that the Heavenly Sword feature film will arrive on digital distribution services and in select theatres in spring 2014, almost seven years after the game hit shelves.




Actress Anna Torv will reprise her role as Nariko as she seeks vengeance on the tyrannical King Bohan.

The film was screened earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival, where Blockade said it was met with a positive reaction. The Ratchet & Clank film is still planned to hit theaters in 2015.

hooray?

Wii Outsells Wii-u



Nintendo says it sold only 460,000 Wii U systems worldwide from April through September 2013. The original Wii bested it with 470,000 despite its sales shrinking to just more than a third of those reported in the same period last year. its a crazy time we live in guys. that a brand new console cannot seem to outsell its predecessor.

Nintendo hopes to reverse the system's fate this holiday season with a completely new retail presence: two $300 Deluxe bundles bearing Mario and Zelda games and a $300 Skylanders Swap Force Basic system on shelves or coming soon.

Nintendo 3DS, on the other hand, is doing just fine. Nintendo said its portable system moved 3.9 million units from April through September. Its biggest software release was Animal Crossing: New Leaf, which sold more than 2 million units after it hit North America and Europe in June. These figures don't include Pokemon X and Y, which shipped in October.

so woot for 3DS's??

FIFA 14 Next gen trailer

Wanna see what next gen FIFA 14 will look like then why not take a gander at this here trailer


Among the next-gen additions, FIFA 14 introduces in-air play for the first time, allowing multiple players to compete for the ball while it’s off the ground. Players apparently make decisions four times faster than they do on past consoles and behave more realistically thanks to hundreds of new animations. Along with greater graphical fidelity, additional cameras positioned around the pitch, bigger stadiums, new 3D crowd technology and improved weather effects, these features help to bring the beautiful game and the match day experience to life both on and off the pitch.

Wednesday 30 October 2013

Dead Island studio delays new game




Dead Island studio Techland has delayed the release of its next game that i didnt know existed, appearantly its a first-person co-op slasher called Hellraid, from this year to 2014, when the title will release digitally on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

The games producer Marcin Kruczkiewicz said today that it was necessary to delay the game in order to add new singe-player and co-op features, and to redesign elements of the title that didn’t gel with playtesters, like the magic system.

“Since we started developing Hellraid we have had a clear goal to create a game that we all would love to play,” he said. “We wanted to pay tribute to the best aspects of classic titles we grew up on and enhance them with new ideas, modern technology and extensive co-op that would provide players with dozens or even hundreds of hours of pure and bloody fun. If we released our game this year we would have to make too many compromises and the final product probably wouldn’t meet all our promises and players’ expectations.”

The Walking Dead season 2 details



The Walking Dead: Season Two will begin later this year, Telltale Games announced yestarday. It will star Clementine as the main character so you'll have some not so fun decisions to make as the young girl.

“Today we can finally lift the veil, albeit only a little, on how this story will continue, and we’ll soon be putting players in the shoes of a lead role that will challenge their expectations of how to survive in a world where no one can be trusted," Telltale co-founder and CEO Dan Connors said in a press release.

Season Two is now available for pre-order on Telltale's website and on Steam for $22.49, and it will also launch on home consoles and iOS.

If you need to catch up on the last season, The Walking Dead: Game of the Year edition will bundle all of the episodes, including post-season anthology DLC 400 Days, in one $30 retail package in November.

No MP3 Playback with PS4



Welp its no more outside music for the Playstation 4. Sony revealed the feature that allowed PS3 systems to access locally networked media servers to play music and videos will not appear in its next-gen system.

The omission was announced in a PS4 FAQ blowout posted today on the PlayStation Blog.

Unlike PS3, PS4 will not play MP3s or audio CDs. That means the only known way to play music from the system is via Sony's Music Unlimited service, which requires a subscription. sad face you guys.


Tuesday 29 October 2013

Jonathon Ross becomes Executive producer for Xbox



Entertainer Jonathan Ross and Georg Backer, his colleague at independent games and apps developer Hotsauce Interactive, have joined Microsoft Studios as executive producers.

Ross will consult with a number of Microsoft Studios including Lift London, Rare, Lionhead and Soho Productions on the development of IP for multiple distribution channels including TV, music and movies.

Schuneman said: "Microsoft Studios is focused on creating the best in class cross-media entertainment, with Lift London specifically looking at creating IP across multiple channels. Jonathan will be a huge asset for us as he really knows how to connect to mass audiences with an impressive understanding for audience tastes and trends."

Ross added: "I'm thrilled to be joining forces with Microsoft Studios. The explosion in cross-media opportunities and the chance to create and develop entertainment ideas that make the most of both the traditional and the very latest platforms is tremendously exciting. My love of games, movies and TV made this partnership a no-brainer. And they said they'd give me an Xbox One for free, so how could I possibly refuse?"

EA to drop Tiger Woods name from next golf game



Drama! Tiger Woods' name won't be on the box of EA's next-gen golf game. The publisher today announced the end of the 16-year series with the professional golfer, and then showed off its next gen visuals. feel free to ooh and aah appropriately.


The screenshots basicly show the same green in similar conditions, but the next-gen version has more lush foliage, sharper reflections, softer light and shadows, and even a crowd of human onlookers. "EA Sports golf fans have always loved authentic courses and players, but they've also asked for more choice and customization in how and where they play," EA wrote on its news blog. "We're working on a new approach to deliver the best golf experience to our fans."

Apparently EA plans to continue to work with PGA, so Tiger Woods will likely still be in the games--he just won't be on the cover.

Call Of Duty Extinction trailer


After being leaked then announced we have a trailer for Call Of Duty: Ghosts Extinction mode.
this is basicly a 4 player horde mode and is quite similar to their previous zombies mode.

Page views over 2000



Oh emm gee! we somehow made over two thousand views on the blog, a thousand of which have been since i moved into my home and made a promise to you guys to be more active and ye all have responded.

I am absolutely ecstatic about this, i never thought we'd manage something like this. We hoped that something like this would happen but i didnt think it would happen so quickly. i want to thank you all for the support, we are delighted to have it. So to respond to this great news i have completed the updated visuals of the blog i hope ye like the look i spent ages trying to get it all right for you guys.

also with this i make a decree that the podcast is making its return. i will make sure that research is done and that the episode gets recorded and is made available to you. right now there is no streams, they may make a return in the future but for now its all downloads.

thank you for the support and we hope you stay with us on our crazy adventure.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Monday 28 October 2013

Rift now available on Steam


If your into the MMO Rift then good news for you, the award-winning free-to-play MMORPG from Trion Worlds, is now available on Steam. YAY!

Steam gamers can now create their ideal avatar with the deep Ascended Class System and battle alongside their friends, Rift has no subscription requirement to gain access to the game and its 16 major updates, including raids and dungeons, massive battles across three continents, new content from the Storm Legion expansion, unique housing Dimensions, and much more.

“Steam has been an amazing partner for Trion,” said Scott Hartsman, CEO of Trion Worlds. “When we first launched RIFT, Steam’s dedicated community of gamers helped bring our vision of a dynamic, exciting world to life. We’re thrilled to now bring the free version of the game to the largest network of PC gamers online.”

In addition to the industry-leading, free experience Trion Worlds has also launched three special editions filled with perks and credits to give players a head start as they head into Telara: the RIFT Ascended Edition, the RIFT Patron Edition and the RIFT Ultimate Hardcore Patron Edition.

Keep on Gaming
Eric Higgins
<a href="http://www.hypersmash.com">Hyper Smash</a>
Hyper Smash

Michinima App coming to xbox one


The People of Microsoft have announced a new Machinima app is coming exclusively to Xbox One when it launches on November 22. It will take advantage of the console’s Snap mode, enabling us to do two things at once on the same screen. Saying “Xbox, Snap Machinima” while playing a game will bring up the app on the right hand of the screen, providing access to game walkthroughs, reviews and more which may very well be extremely usefull and is a rather smart idea.

Available for certain Xbox One games, the app’s ‘Wingman’ feature will let players watch walkthrough videos while they continue playing, or on the full-screen if they pause the game. look forward to seeing more in the future.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Xbox one will not support real names at launch


Xbox One won't support real names for Xbox Live accounts at launch, Microsoft confirmed toKotaku today. Microsoft previously planned to let users determine with whom they share their real name and Gamertag--however, all of the friends featured in a video demo earlier this week were identified solely by Gamertag.

An Xbox representative said real name identification is still planned for a later date.

"While real identities continue to be part of our plans for the experience on Xbox One, at launch, customers will continue to search for friends using their Gamertags," the rep said. "Our teams are working hard to deliver a quality experience for Xbox One. This means prioritizing some features and sometimes postponing others for a later update."

Though many dislike the idea of using real names to play online, Microsoft made it clear that sharing such information would be at the discretion of users. It could make it easier to parse the system's new 1,000-strong friends list, at the very least.

Are you interested in real names appearing on Xbox Live, or would you rather it stay delayed forever?

Rachet and Clank Nexus to be Delayed


Sadly The Ratchet & Clank Nexus release date in Europe has been pushed back one week to November 20.

The game was going to be coming out in the EU on November 13. The US release, seems to be completely unaffected.

good news though is that developer Insomniac Games confirmed that every copy of the new Ratchet & Clank entry will also get a downloadable copy of Quest for Booty free.

Priced at €29.99 / $29.99, the PS3 game will launch in stores and as a digital download from the PlayStation Store.

Keep On gaming
-Eric Higgins

Golden joystick winners



Missed the golden joysticks? or you just want to know what happened the here are the results as voted for by you the gamers.

The winners of the Golden Joystick Awards presented by Green Man Gaming are:

Best Newcomer: The Last of Us

Most Wanted in association with Playfire: Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Best Indie Game: Mark of the Ninja

Best Visual Design: BioShock Infinite

Best Multiplayer: Payday 2

Best Gaming Moment in association with Absolute Radio: Far Cry 3 - The Definition of Insanity

Studio of the Year in association with MPG Universal: Naughty Dog

Innovation of the Year in association with T3: Oculus Rift

Best Storytelling: The Last of Us

Best Online Game: World of Tanks

Best Handheld Game: Assassin's Creed III: Liberation

YouTube Gamer Award in association with YouTube: Yogscast

Best Gaming Platform in association with Digital Spy: Steam

Best Mobile/Tablet Game of the Year: XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto V

Hall of Fame: Activision: Call of Duty

Lifetime Achievement: Ken Levine

Playstation 4 day one update



Its frustrating but apparently necessary that there is a day one patch for the PS4. This is a 300 MB patch so it wont take that long but one feature will remain unavailable even after installing it: suspending and resuming games.

It's meant to make PS4 titles as easy to pick up and put down as a mobile game: you simply suspend the game when you want to take a break for a while, putting the system in a low-power state, and resume it almost instantly when ready to start again. We don't know when this feature will become available though.

Some of the feature you will unlock however will be:
Remote play with PS Vita
Use second screen with PS Vita or PlayStation App on iOS and Android
Record video/take screenshots and share them
Broadcast and spectate gameplay on Twitch or Ustream
Play as you download games
Log in with multiple users
Voice chat with a party of friends
Log in with facial recognition and navigate with voice commands (via PS Camera)
Play background music via Music Unlimited
Play Blu-ray discs and DVDs
Or play online with PS Plus

Sony plans to say more about upcoming PS4 features in the near future.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Call Of Duty Ghosts Alien Extinction Mode



Just recently a Call of Duty: Ghosts game mode called Extinction was leaked over the weekend before being officially teased by Infinity Ward. Screenshots posted online by Reddit user smtkz  hint that the mode sees players battling an alien infestation. Players are able to choose between four types of soldier - a tank, a weapon specialist, a medic and an engineer. While there are no official details, Extinction would appear to be an online horde co-op mode designed to rival Treyarch’s popular Zombies offering.

After a bunch of websites picked up on the images and began stories about them, the official Call of Duty twitter account linked to an Instagram video. It features the smoky skull that's been used to promote the game morphing into an alien one. The accompanying text reads: “Survive the #Extinction | #codghosts #callofduty #cod.”

Call of Duty: Ghosts is set for release, November 5 on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and PC. The game will also be a launch title on Xbox One and PS4 later in November. 

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Friday 25 October 2013

Rayman Fiesta Run release date



Cant get enough of Rayman? then you will be happy to know that Rayman: Fiesta Run has release date of November 7 on iOS and Android devices.

Developed by Ubisoft Casablanca, Rayman Fiesta Run builds on the foundations of the excellent Rayman Jungle Run with new features and modes.

The endless running platformer will feature 75 levels across four fiesta-inspired worlds. Rayman can now swim, shrink and has access to fresh power-ups to help tackle boss battles and the tougher 'Invasion' levels.


Social features will let players share achievements and challenge their friends to beat their high scores. The game will be priced at £1.99.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Bioshock Infinite Burial at sea DLC Release date confirmed



Good news bioshock fans you wont have long to wait for Infinites burial at sea DLC. 2K Games will launch part one of BioShock: Infinite’s Burial at Sea DLC on November 12. Infinite’s campaign expansion sees Booker and Elizabeth return to Rapture before the fall of the underwater city that served as the setting for the original BioShock and its sequel.

In the first part of the story you once again take up the the role of Booker, the second however will let you play as Elizabeth. Playing as the female protagonist will be less combat-focused and more strategic, with Irrational Games boss Ken Levine describing Elizabeth's chapter as “almost survival horror”.

The Burial at Sea add-ons will each be priced at £9.99 / $14.99, but both can be picked up as part of a £13.49 / $20 DLC season pass. The pass includes additional content called Clash in the Clouds, which offers 60 challenges set across four new areas of Columbia and provides players with the opportunity to access new Voxophones and Kinetoscopes.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins


Update on Ultra Street Fighter IV

We finally get more Ultra street fighter IV information.



Capcom announced Ultra Street Fighter IV in July. The Xbox 360, PS3 and PC update will introduce five new characters, six fresh stages new modes and features.

Its set to be released as both $14.99 DLC for existing Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition owners to download,and a $39.99 physical disc version with "all DLC costumes for all characters released until now" and "future content" to be confirmed.
A recent Ultra Street Fighter IV trailer showed off gameplay for four of the five new characters - Rolento, Poison, Hugo and Elena.

The fifth character remains announced, but Capcom assures the next fighter to be revealed has "never been in a Street Fighter game before".

Keep on Gaming
-Eric


Pokemon X and Y patch to fix bug


We posted recently about a game breaking bug in Pokemon X and Y. Well now nintendo finally have a fix for it.

You can go get the update now from the 3DS eShop
The bug in question, which renders save files unusable, occurs when players save their progress in certain sections of Lumiose City.

Nintendo said last week that it hoped to address the issue with a fix in the near future. According to Nintendo Life, an update which does so is now available from the 3DS eShop.

So fear no more for your precious pokemon all is well once again.

Keep on gaming
-Eric Higgins

Thursday 24 October 2013

Plants VS Zombies 2 comes to android


The huge gaming hit from popcap games finally becomes available on android today.

The game brings all of the great features from the mega-hit sequel to millions of new Android players around the globe. Plants vs. Zombies 2 has already become a global mobile favorite with players of all ages, and the new Android adaptation of the game is the first PopCap title to feature full integration with Google Play Game Services.

With the arrival of Plants vs. Zombies 2 on Android, we’re effectively reaching a huge new audience of mobile players who have been eagerly awaiting the game,” said Tony Leamer, Franchise Business Director forPlants vs. Zombies. “We’re particularly pleased that the Android iteration of the game has all the great features and functionality found in other mobile editions.”

Free to download and play, Plants vs. Zombies 2 features a time-travel theme that propels players through different historical eras to face off with zombies from various time periods. The game was designed as an ever-expanding universe, offering regular content updates, including new worlds full of new plants, zombies and challenges beyond the first three found in the initial game release. Plants vs. Zombies 2 extends the classic gameplay of the original and provides players with dozens of all-new levels, plants and zombies. While the vast majority of the game is entirely free to play (players can face every zombie and access every level in every world at no cost), Plants vs. Zombies 2 players can also purchase upgrades and other in-game items to enhance their gameplay.

Keep on gaming
-Eric Higgins

Knytt underground finally available on steam


Knytt Underground from indie developer legend Nicklas ‘Nifflas’ Nygren will be available to download on Steam this week on 25th October . The game, which features over 1,800 rooms, will be available to buy for PC, Mac & Linux for the price of £6.99 / $9.99 / €8.99.

Knytt Underground puts you in the shoes of Mi – a mute, but extraordinary sprite; you’ll go on an epic adventure through more than 1,800 rooms with an array of thrilling quests to complete, unique zen-like gameplay and plenty of dynamic characters to meet and guide you on your adventure; the game delivers a captivating and unparalleled experience that will not disappoint.

Nifflas has been busy enhancing the game with Steamworks support; it now includes Steam Achievements and Trading Cards – Valve’s latest metagame. The game also features the Infinity Hype update which includes lots of intriguing new content based on feedback from the fans via Reddit and even more quests, rooms, and secrets. Making an already huge game even bigger!

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Ken Block becomes advisor for EA


EA announced a multi-year contract with global racing sensation and action sports icon Ken Block and Need for Speed. Block will become Racing Advisor for the franchise, lending his unique insights into what it takes to push the action and adrenaline of racing to new limits to help keep Need for Speed atop the videogame racing world for years to come. Need for speed is also sponsoring Block on the release of Gymkhana SIX, the next installment of the award-winning, record-breaking viral video franchise, via the Need for Speed website and YouTube channel.

ESPN has recognized Block as one of the most influential action sports athletes in the world. When his rally racing career began in 2005 he quickly earned Rookie of the Year in the Rally America Championship and has gone on to nineteen overall wins and five X-Games medals. so having him as an advisor is surely an asset. and i can see him being in a tutorial for a racing game in the future.

Partnering with EA and Need for Speed is a natural fit for our team. I feel like we both have the same goal in mind – to let people live out a fantasy of really pushing the limits of what you can do in the driver’s seat,” said Ken Block. “It’s that special mix of fast-pace, raw speed and over-the-top fun, which has made the Gymkhana series a success, and something the Need for Speed games capture really well. We’re both excited to show you how we’re taking things to a new level in Gymkhana SIX in just a few weeks.

The newest entry, Need for Speed Rivals, is already receiving praise from press worldwide, winning 15 awards including Best Racing Game of E3 2013 from the Game Critics Awards. Need for Speed Rivals glorifies the street’s ultimate rivalry, allowing gamers to choose their driver’s seat between cops and racers. Each side of the law will have its own set of distinct cars, tech, high-stakes challenges and rewards.

Need for Speed Rivals will be in-stores November 19 in North America and November 22 in the UK.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Kevin Levine to be honored for lifetime achievment



The Golden Joystick Awards presented by Green Man Gamingtoday announces that Ken Levine, BioShock Creative Director and Co-Founder of Irrational Games, will be bestowed with a special Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s ceremony.

For the first time ever the Golden Joystick Awards will honour someone for their lifetime’s work by celebrating Levine’s creative accomplishments ranging from1999’s System Shock 2 to 2013’s BioShock Infinite. an i for one say too right!

Recognised as being a genius gaming world over, Levine led the creation of the five-million-unit-selling, multiple-game-of-the-year-winning BioShock. As the highest-rated first-person-shooter of all time, the masterpiece helped spark the ‘games as art’ debate. Levine’s latest game, BioShock Infinite, released in March this year, has already won 88 awards and has sold more than four million units to date.

Tim Clark, Group Senior Editor - Golden Joysticks and Future Gamessays: “From spaceships infected with extraterrestrial intelligence to the brutal politics of a city beyond the clouds, Ken Levine’s games transport players to new worlds that are as rich as they are dark. Best known for the critically-acclaimed BioShock series, his exploration of player choice and consequence, as well as his dizzying imaginative design work and storytelling, continues to be a huge influence on game makers around the world. As this year's BioShock Infinite proved, Levine is one of the most interesting creators working in games – and its fitting that he should be the inaugural winner of our Lifetime Achievement award.”

The Golden Joystick Awards are the world’s most popular and credible games awards and celebrate the very best in the gaming industry. The award will be in addition to the 15 fiercely contested gamer-voted categories, including Most Wanted in association with Playfire, Best Gaming Moment in association with Absolute Radio, Best Gaming Platform in association with Digital Spy and The YouTube Gamer Award.

Levine has just finished BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 1 DLC and is now working on BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 2, which brings gamers back to rapture with Elizabeth and Booker

The Golden Joystick Awards will take place at The Westminster Park Plaza on Friday 25th October, 2013. For more information on the Golden Joystick Awards, visit http://www.goldenjoystick.com

Keep on gaming
-Eric

Batman Arkham origins launch trailer


Batman: Arkham Origins will be available on PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 Friday, Oct. 25, with the Wii U and Windows PC (boxed) available from Friday Nov. 8. also cant ignore the "where is he?" comment lol

-Eric Higgins

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Epic Showcase unreal engine 4's visual effects


Wanna know some of the details of what goes on in the unreal engine. wanna see just how pretty the effects are. then check this latest video from epic as they talk about the newest engine.

-Eric

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag launch trailer

The Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag's launch trailer has just come out and it looks crazy awesome.




It looks like Kenway's freedom comes at a steep cost, one high enough to push him past the petty squabbles of buccaneers and into the worldwide conspiracy at the heart of Assassin's Creed.

Black Flag will hit PS3, Wii U and Xbox 360 on Oct. 29, on Nov. 19 for PC, and on launch for PS4 and Xbox One.

-Eric Higgins

Playstation Memories


Sony and playstation have just recently sent us all on a nostalgia trip for there latest litlle short film which was inspired by the many memories of playstation that palyers sent them by twitter. this of course is a great market ploy as we wind up to the release of the PS4. its still worth the watch so enjoy

-Eric

Blizzard wins against World of Warcraft bot company


A company specialising in World of Warcraft bots has been ordered to pay $7 million to Blizzard.

Blizzard Entertainment filed a suit against the company in 2011. Now, a Californian court has ruled that Ceiling Fan Software pay $7 million to Blizzard and cease operations.

In a statement posted to its official website, Ceiling Fan Software co-founder Josh Becker reached out to fans for PayPal donations to help with legal costs.

Ceiling Fan Software created and rented automated World of Warcraft bots which players could recruit in order to level up quickly. which is not the point of wow and i feel its good wow won on this point.

Popular Ceiling Fan bots included Shadow Bot and Pocket Gnome, among others.

The World of Warcraft terms of service agreement has always warned against both creating and using such bots. Users are warned not to "create or use cheats, 'mods', and/or hacks, or any other third-party software designed to modify the World of Warcraft experience."

Read the terms and agreements people.

Keep on gaming
-Eric higgins

Tuesday 22 October 2013

[Game Review] Pokemon X and Y



Hello folks and folkettes, Eoin (aka Spudd) here to give you the review to a game I’ve been yuckin’ on about in almost every episode of the Podcast since it started. Pokemon X and Y, the long awaited Generation 6 of the loved handheld franchise. So lets get started and dive into the world of this Pokemon Review! I just have one question left. Are you a boy or a girl? Ahhh, Professor Oak you senile old coot~

We begin the game immediately being attacked by a Fletchling that appears to belong to your mother. You and your mother have moved to the Kalos region for a fresh start, and once again the father is missing even though many of the things in your room were bought by him it seems. Leaving your front door you meet two friends that will accompany you throughout your journey; Shauna who is a spunky and energetic young girl who is a bit of a ditz, and Calem/Serena depending on what gender you chose at the beginning of the game for your trainer. They bring you on to the next town where you meet Tierno and Trevor who bestow upon you your starter Pokemon and the Pokedex. Chespin the Grass type, Fennekin the Fire type and Froakie the Water type.

From there on you start your journey across Kalos and take on the challenges of the gyms as well as figure out the secrets of Mega Evolution which you gain access to after defeating the third Gym Leader in Shalour City. Throughout your journey you are also involved in a struggle against a new criminal organization known as Team Flare. While Team Flare’s plans involve gathering huge amounts of money and aiming to create a beautiful world, their methods and intentions for doing so are what makes them such a dangerous force to deal, moreso than they are on the surface.

Enough of the story, let’s talk about the game itself. In terms of battles of all sorts, it’s still the same old formula for Pokemon. Single battles, double battles, triple battles and rotation battles, however now in glorious 3D! Every Pokemon has their own little personality in battle, and it shows during attacks. When they do special attacks, physical attacks and status attacks, each one prompts a new animation that can either be cool or awesome, to okay and standard. Two new battle styles introduced into the game are Sky Battles and Inverse Battles. Sky Battles involve Pokemon in your party that fly or have the abiltity Levitate to participate in them. However, there are some exceptions to this such as the new bird Pokemon Hawlucha and the classic Gengar, who cannot Sky Battle due to standing on the ground. Inverse Battles are an interesting twist but nothing amazing, reversing the element typings so rather than Fire being strong against Grass, it’s the other way around. Horde Battles are also new but are not very common, and involve the lead Pokemon in your party being ambushed by 5 opposing Pokemon that are much lower level than other Pokemon in the area.

Along with the brand new region of Kalos comes 69 brand new Pokemon, the least of any Pokemon thus far but they make up for it with quality. I honestly can’t say there’s a Generation 6 Pokemon I dislike completely. There’s some ‘Mehs’ and ‘Its okay’, but not utter dislike like I do towards some from previous generations. To be fair, a lack of Pokemon is fine considering the jump to full 3D Pokemon game so honestly it doesn’t matter too much for me. To account for their only being 69 brand new Pokemon, you have a massive 450 Pokemon Pokedex before updating to the National Dex, a catchable Mewtwo in Post-game and depending on your starter you can encounter one of the three Kanto birds; Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres.

Pokemon-Amie is a feature I have found myself putting hours into as it’s just exceptionally fun to build bonds with your Pokemon by petting, feeding and playing games with them. It also offers up plenty of reasons to do it, as it gives Pokemon some gains in-battle. An increase in experience earned, the chance to survive fatal hits and chances to make itself remove status ailments like Paralysis.

Super Training is a form of EV training that can be done without needing to battle or requiring particular items in advance to boost them. It involves shooting soccer balls into small nets and earning stat boosting punching bags. Often it takes about 30 minutes per stat to boost, taking around an hour per Pokemon to max EV training. It’s not all that fun, but it’s easy and is a nice enough time sink.

Now, in terms of the bad parts of the game as far as I’m concerned. The Experience Share is the first offender. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the new Experience share, but I hate how early you receive it. Beat the first gym leader, the game essentially becomes super easy mode. When I went against the Elite Four in my first playthrough, I had a near full team of level 75+ Pokemon, when the Pokemon League was more levels 62-68 or so. Personally when I restart my file, which will be soon (after transferring my best Pokemon to a friend of mine) I’ll likely be leaving the Exp share turned off until after either the third or fourth Gym has been beaten.

The other bad part is the post game, and the lack of it. You gain access to one new area that holds the Friend Safari, Generation 6’s Safari Zone but based on your 3DS friend list, and the Battle Maison. You gain access to catching Legendary Pokemon like Mewtwo and a Kanto bird, along with the Z Legendary located deep within the Terminus Cave. Last but not least is the hunt for the Mega Evolution stones, which can only be done between 8pm and 9pm every day, and thats... essentially it. There isn’t much left to the Post-game, but I am willing to forgive it simply for everything else that has been delivered through the game.

I for one found this to be my favourite Generation of Pokemon by far, more so than Generation 3 which had been my favourite until last weekend. But now, time for the Good, the Bad and the Verdict.

The Good:
--3D Pokemon! Amazing to finally have it in a handheld game rather than only having it be available on console games.
--Pokemon Amie and Super Training are worthwhile and welcome additions to the Pokemon franchise.
--Team Flare continue the trend of interesting criminal organisations in Pokemon that take things one step further for how devastating they could be towards the world itself.
--If you don’t speed through the game and enjoy everything to do with it, you can easily get 35+ hours played before even reaching the Pokemon League.

The Bad:
--Experience Share is obtained far too early in the game.
--Lack of Post-game content means it’s easy to get bored.

The Verdict:
--The small bad parts aside that I personally had issues with, they bare detract from how good the game felt. Defeating the Elite Four and the Champion with a team I grew to love thanks to Pokemon Amie, and the moment where I actually got upset when the Champion’s Tyrantrum took down my Mega Aerodactyl. Playing this game has been a joy, and personally this is my favourite Pokemon game now (at least until Pokemon Z comes out ;P). In my opinion, this game, despite the very minor flaws I have with it, wholeheartedly deserves a 10 out of 10.


Thank you for reading my long rambling about my love of this new Pokemon game, and I’ll see you guys next time!


Eoin "Spudd" O' Mahony

Square Enix extends beta for legacy of Kain game




Square Enix has extended the War for Nosgoth closed alpha test to include players in North America and Europe.

War for Nosgoth is a free-to-play multiplayer game developed by Psyonix and set in the Legacy of Kain universe.

Described as a competitive human-versus vampire-multiplayer game, it pits two factions against each other in battle. In teams, each player must use their "race's unique fighting style to conquer and crush the opposition in a war for supremacy and for survival."

if you want to join the closed alpha you'll need to register at the game'sofficial website. Square Enix notes that the number of invitations are extremely limited.

Titanfall Release date announced




EA has very kindly announced the release date for Titanfall being March 11, 2014 in North America and March 13 in Europe.

The publisher also confirmed on Tuesday that a premium $249.99 Collector's Edition will be released alongside the standard edition of the Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC shooter. which is just crazy its so many money.

Apparently the Collector's Edition will include an 18 inch hand-crafted Atlas titan statue with diorama and battery-powered LED lighting, a 190 page-plus art book, and an exclusive schematic poster. It's available for pre-order now at select retailers.

Titanfall is the multiplayer-focused debut project from Respawn, the studio which was founded in 2010 by Jason West and Vince Zampella, the former co-creators of the Call of Duty franchise.

It has so far been praised by critics and was Officially revealed at E3 in July, the sci-fi shooter went on to be named Best of Show at the E3 Game Critics Awards.

The game features a mix of infantry and fast-paced mech combat, while combining story-driven set pieces to the multiplayer confrontations.

Keep on Gaming
Eric Higgins

Deus Ex: Human Revolution ships today



Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut, the definitive version of the critically acclaimed action-RPG title, ships today in North America for all consoles. The Director’s Cut is also available for download immediately on most platforms and is available in stores on October 25 in Europe and other PAL territories.

“The Director’s Cut is our opportunity to address and implement all of the amazing feedback we received from the community into our much loved Deus Ex: Human Revolution,” said David Anfossi, Eidos-Montréal Head of Studio. “We’re incredibly lucky to have such a passionate community and we hope that new and returning players alike enjoy what we consider to be the definitive version of Human Revolution.”

Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut includes Tongs’s Rescue mission and the entire Missing Link chapter which have been integrated seamlessly into the narrative flow as well as all of the original pre-order and bonus weapons. Fan features like the 45 minute “making of” video, over 8 hours of developer commentary, the official strategy guide, and New Game+ have also been added to the Director’s Cut.

also the best news is that Boss fights have been completely overhauled and redesigned with new maps and mechanics to support each one of the gameplay pillars: Action, Stealth, and Hacking. Major enhancements have also been made to the game including a rebalanced energy system, updated enemy A.I., and striking visual improvements which make this edition the best looking and most immersive Deus Ex experience available. hooray

Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut also offers a full slate of second screen features for the Wii U GamePad, Microsoft’s SmartGlass, and the PlayStation Vita system that make the touchscreen interface Adam Jensen’s primary neural hub enhancement.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Monday 21 October 2013

Lack of Updates

Sorry for the lack of updates today guys had serious computer issues so we will return to normal as best we can tommorrow.

-Eric Higgins

Sunday 20 October 2013

Battlefield 4 online career progression


Dice has recently said that Battlefield 4 will feature "our deepest online career ever", as well as detailing how its new progression system will work

"With Battlefield 4, we are introducing our deepest online career ever," said Dice in a recent online-focused blog post. "We are also tweaking it to make it rewarding for newcomers and challenging for returning veterans."

It also said, "While sharing similar basics with Battlefield 3, we are now offering a cleaner upgrade path, clearer Ribbon and Medal progression, and an increased focus on richly rewarding great team play.

"We know our fans can spend literally hundreds of hours on the Battlefield. With Battlefield 4, we want to make sure players have goals to aspire to at the end game, while at the same time rewarding players at earlier ranks as well. Ribbons are the quick fixes, whether you're a veteran or a newcomer to the series.

"You typically can get one or more of these in a single round if you perform well. They can be awarded for anything from repairing vehicles, capturing flags, or reviving team mates. There are 45 unique Ribbons in the game, and you can earn each of them an infinite number of times."

want to know how the ranks are gonna work well it goes a little like this. "Perhaps the biggest bragging right in Battlefield 4 is the Rank you achieve, from 0 (Recruit) to 100 (Colonel). Rank is strictly a number that shows your dedication to the game, and each Rank has five sub-ranks denoted by Roman numerals - similar to the system used by the U.S. Marines. So at Rank 16 you'll hit "Sergeant", with Rank 20 being "Sergeant V" and Rank 21 bringing a new title ("Staff Sergeant")."

Loads more information on the Ribbons and other rewards can be found on the official blog.

The release date of Battlefield 4 is October 29 in the US and November 1 in the UK on current gen consoles and PC, with Xbox One and PS4 versions coming later as launch titles later in November.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Saturday 19 October 2013

Little Big Planet Nightmare before christmas level pack.


i absolutely adore this piece of news.Little Big Planet is getting The Nightmare Before Christmas Level Kit. This brilliant little kit willbe available next week for both LittleBigPlanet 2 and LittleBigPlanet PS Vita. i mean look at this.


isnt that just awesome!
The level Kit also comes with a The Nightmare Before Christmas Costume Pack. so we can dress up as jack and sally.

So head on over to LittleBigPlanet.com right now for a sneak peek at all of The Nightmare Before Christmas goodies that will be available on the store next week!

nightmarebc_keyart

Keep on Gaming 
-Eric

Friday 18 October 2013

Microsoft extends Xbox 360 games with gold promotion



Good news for xbox fans Microsoft’s Games with Gold promotion will no longer come to an end on December 31, the company announced. Instead, Games with Gold will be offered “as an ongoing benefit for Xbox Live Gold members on Xbox 360”.Games with Gold was originally announced as a limited-time promotion offering every Xbox Live Gold member two free Xbox 360 game downloads per month until the end of 2013.

It started with Fable 3, which was followed by Defense Grid: The Awakening and Assassin's Creed 2 in July. Halo 3 is currently available until the end of the month.

Microsoft said today that Xbox 360 owners have spent more than 120 million hours playing Games with Gold titles since the promotion began. so thats good for them and free games for us

While Xbox One will launch on November 22, exactly eight years after Xbox 360 first hit store shelves, Microsoft said last month that it has no intention of halting support for the older console. Xbox chief marketing and strategy officer Yusuf Mehdi expects Xbox 360 “to go for another three years” and for Microsoft to “ship over 100 new games” on the console. hooray!

Keep on Gaming
-Eric

Hulu Plus comes to the 3DS in the US



The lucky americans are now able to get Hulu Plus for the DS, Nintendo has confirmed.

This popular TV streaming service has released an app for the 3DS via the eShop, allowing owners of the handheld to stream shows directly to the console.

This $7.99-per-month subscription, allows users to watch 'current-season episodes' of popular TV shows including Family Guy, Glee, Vampire Diaries, Modern Family and more.

The 3DS app makes use of the console's two-screen hardware, utilising the touch screen to let you browse content and pause/play/seek, while the upper screen plays your video.

The service is already available on US Wii and Wii U systems lucky them.

Watch dogs delayed


Bad news for us and bad news for Ubisoft as they have delayed all versions of Watch Dogs until some time around Spring 2014, that means a delay of at least four months so no Christmas release for them

In an official statement, Ubisoft said the delay was necessary to ensure that Watch Dogs meets the ambition of its developers.

"Our ambition from the start with Watch Dogs has been to deliver something that embodies what we wanted to see in the next-generation of gaming," it said, "it is with this in mind that we've made the tough decision to delay the release until Spring 2014."

"We know a lot of you are probably wondering 'why now?' We struggled with whether we would delay the game. But from the beginning, we have adopted the attitude that we will not compromise on quality.

"As we got closer to release, as all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place in our last push before completion, it became clear to us that we needed to take the extra time to polish and fine tune every detail so we can deliver a truly memorable and exceptional experience.".

Ubisoft's ambitious open-world action game is a key title in the launch line-ups for both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The game had been previously confirmed for release on November 19 in North America and November 22 in Europe for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC, with PS4 and Xbox One versions becoming available alongside the launch of the next-generation consoles.

The Elder Scrolls Online characte creation

Do you take your role play seriously? Do you spend crazy amounts of time getting the right look for your character in an RPG. Then elder scrolls online has got just what you need. This video on the character creation for the game has many sliders for you to mess about with as is shown in this lil trailer.




The subscription-based MMORPG is coming to PC, PS4, and Xbox One in spring 2014. Good luck Adventurer.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

PS4 DriveClub delayed


Sad news for driving fans Sony has delayed the release of its PS4 racer DriveClub from this November to “early 2014”. The game delay was explained by Shuhei Yoshida, president of SCE Worldwide Studios, in a post on the PlayStation Blog.

“DriveClub will be a truly innovative, socially connected racing game, but the team requires more time in order to deliver on their vision — and I’m fully confident the game will surpass your expectations,” he said. "We understand that the delay is disappointing news, but can assure you that the reason we have made this decision is to ensure that when DriveClub launches, it will realize the next gen racing vision.

“DriveClub is a really ambitious racing title and the game is looking stunning," Yoshida added. "The extra time we’re giving the team means the visuals and overall experience are only going to get better. We can assure you that it will be worth the wait.”

So the usual response has come and thats fair enough i rather have a late finished game than an ontime broken one.

Apparently a free, stripped down version of the game featuring less cars and tracks will still be offered to PlayStation Plus members when the title releases, but not in time for the PS4 launch as was planned.

Keep on gaming
-Eric

Thursday 17 October 2013

Batmans latest tv spot shows just why bruce wayne is batman


This just the latest tv spot for batman arkham origins brought us by warner bros games and if anyone needs me ill be in the corner being emotional.

-Eric

Zynga co-founder Leaves


One of the Zynga co-founder Justin Waldron has left the FarmVille company, he announced on Twitter and Facebook last night (via Polygon).

"I've decided it's time to leave Zynga and venture off on my own again," Waldron said on Facebook. "It's been 6 and a half years since we pushed the button to launch our first game, and each moment since has been magic."

"It's incredibly humbling to have worked with such a talented team. I am grateful to have had the chance to help build a company that touched so many people," Waldron said. "Thank you to everyone who has been a part of it--both in the trenches and for playing the games."

We are not sure what he aims to do next but We're sure he'll do fine.

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Blizzard all stars has a new name


The game known as Blizzard All-Stars, the MOBA game starring characters from across Blizzard's biggest franchises, such as starcraft, WOW and others has been reborn as Heroes of the Storm.

We've pretty much heard nothing about this game since like 2011, other than Blizzard's legal battle with Valve over the use of the term "DOTA." BlizzCon begins on Nov. 8, so im sure we'll hear something about it then


Keep on gaming
-Eric

Thief's XP system removed


Recently thanks to fan feedback, one particularly loathed mechanic is no more.

The XP system thief was at E3 during a demo which gave Garrett 40 points for firing an arrow into a guard's head. Game director Nic Cantin explained Eidos Montreal's motives behind the system and why it didn't make the cut in an official Q&A.

"At first, we wanted to outline the progression of the player with XP, but it was reducing our motivation to steal," Cantin said. "The main goal of a thief should be to gain loot. Garrett is already the Master Thief, so we saw no need to have XP as a core mechanic."

"Fans might be surprised how often the devs go to the forum to see how things are perceived in the 'real world,'" Lead level designer Daniel Windfeld Schmid said. "This feedback is extremely valuable to us, so as you can imagine, the consistent reaction to the XP system was something that indicated we needed to revisit some design decisions."

So there you go dev's do listen to us. keep it up its sometimes good that this happen.

Keep on gaming
-Eric Higgins

BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma game play trailer


This is the latest game play trailer by Arc system works for the newest installment in the BlazBlue series and of course it looks amazing feel free to enjoy.

-Eric Higgins

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Magicka: Wizard Wars early access


Paradox Interactive is going to be bringing its multi-player PvP arena (essentially a MOBA like LOL OR DOTA 2) title to Steam's Early Access. Apparently players who purchase one of the three tiered packages will get access to the game's Alpha which will include various digital perks like additional robes, Alpha invites, Paradox games, and the ability to name an in-game imp for the strongest supporters. The developers as is the norm with access to alpha's are looking to work with the community to build out the game's features with the help of player feedback.


For more info check out this trailer



Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

Kingdom Hearts 3 Gameplay footage


This video was shown at the recent japan expo. its of course brought to you by disney and we can not wait so enjoy its beauty.

-Eric Higgins

Pokemon X and Y game breaking bug


Attention all pokemon trainers there is multiple reports of a game breaking bug in pokemon x and y. this bug is said to specifically be in effect in Lumiose city. This problem, is apparently rendering player's files irreversibly corrupt, it seems to happen after saving in the city. when you try to load again you will not be able to work the game. 

Right now there is no fix for this (that i know of) im sure that we will hear of this being fixed soon, but for no DO NOT save in Lumiose city go somewhere else that way you can continue on your magical adventure with your pokemon :)

Keep on Gaming
-Eric Higgins

League of Legends team builder



Do you hate it when you get someone who will call a lane and then curse you if you try to help or will threaten to AFK if they cant get a certain champion then we have good news for you riot is going to be beta testing a system in the near future where you pick your champion/role first then matches you with a team that needs that role or with champions that will compliment yours well making for a more balanced team. 

The new queue, known as Team Builder, was revealed in a forum post by lead social systems designer Jeffrey Lin. "An ideal champ select is one where all five players get their preferred role and feel like they’re all on the same page for the upcoming match," Lin wrote. "The current matchmaking does a good job of matching up players of similar overall skill levels, but doesn’t have any way to know what a player’s intentions for a given game are. Sometimes things work out perfectly and everyone gets the champion and role they wanted without a hitch. But if multiple players are looking to play the same role or lane, a consensus has to be built in a relatively short period of time. That’s time that could be used to get to know each other, agree on a strategy and build confidence that it’s going to be a fun match."

He also said that they will bring out a smarter matchmaking system that will take your experience into account such as playing a champ for the first time or certain role for the first time. 

so its great news and sounds fun. cant wait to try it out. if you want to check out the original post the head over here: http://forums.euw.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?p=13575345&posted=1#post13575345


Keep on gaming
-Eric Higgins

Tuesday 15 October 2013

A New Beginning

Hey guys its Eric here,
I just wanted to do a quick update to let ye know the state of the blog and the podcast. We have been busy me in particular as i have just moved so nothing was getting done by us. now however im all settled and nearly ready to get back to doing what we love doing.

 A few things to address first is i realize that the streams of the podcast's are currently down, that is all my doing the service i was using cost some money to bring that to you guys and i couldn't afford it anymore and im sorry for that, instead i will be making the stream's available on youtube. i will try to make them somewhat video based if i can so it'll give you guys something to watch. I'm arranging this as i type this so hopefully the streams will be done in the next week or so. i would like to point out that this has not and will not affect our download's so you can still grab them over in the downloads section.

Second is laziness, i myself have been lazy since the start of the blog about bringing you news, i will do my absolute best from now on to remedy this and i might have a few extra surprises for you all once ive figured out how to arranged them.

so with that i say this is a new start, i will try to update the visuals of the site if i can (not sure if i can manage it just yet but i will do my best) we will try to bring you more news and we will  keep bringing you the podcast. stick with us, let us know how you feel about this and all gaming we would love to hear from you all. thank you for your support.

keep on gaming

-Eric