Beyond Good and Evil 2 officially in development!

If you are like me, you’ve played the Beyond Good and Evil game, fallen in love with it and ever since anxiously waited for a sequel. Now, we have received news of Beyond Good and Evil 2 a few times before(from 2008 onward) without it ever actually happening. This time though it seems that Ubisoft(more specifically Ubisoft’s Montpellier studio) is actually making real progress what with the E3 hype this year, released pieces of concept art and all. Michael Ancel is working on the long waited sequel: “If you’ve been waiting for news about BG&E … Well here you go! We are delighted to confirm that Michel Ancel is currently working with the Ubisoft Montpellier studio on a new Beyond Good & Evil game.”. But he is also working on another game and so there is yet no idea as to when the game will actually be ready, as Ubisoft chief executive Yves Guillemot have said: “It’s difficult to say,” […] “Michel is working on it, but he’s doing two games at the same time–he’s doing Wild at the same time. It’s coming along, but he has to spend more time on it, so we can see it faster.”

Guillemot has also said that “It’s not only the desires that are important, it’s can our team come up with something that will be a revolution,” he said. “You don’t just want Beyond Good & Evil 2, you want a fantastic Beyond Good & Evil 2. You don’t want us to bring it back as something that isn’t perfect. That’s a challenge we’re facing; we have to come back with something crazy and something that will be great.” At least for me this is a welcome statement, because it’s always better to wait a little longer to get a great experience than to get a “meh” experience fast. This geek cannot wait to hear more! Stay tuned.

Play with passion!

auburn.geek

Assassins Creed International Trailer Released

Following on from May’s trailer release for the Assassins creed movie we have now been treated to the release of the international trailer.

In a recent interview with Empire, Fassbender cited The Matrix as an inspiration for the film. “This idea of DNA memory elevates it from a basic fantasy genre [piece], because you have something an audience can actually believe in,” he said. “Then the journey becomes so much more elevated, because you’re on board in a different way.”

You can see the international trailer below.

As always for all your Assassins Creed needs stick with @Deadpool_1984 only at skatronixxx.com

‘Assassin’s Creed’ Movie Will Spend More Time In The Present Day

Assassin’s Creed marks Ubisoft’s first foray into the cinematic landscape, taking their unique IP and transporting it onto the big screen – with help of Michael Fassbender’s Hollywood heft of course.

Although the debut trailer for the game adaptation hit-the-net last week. Fans have been left with questions regarding how much of the big-budget action will take place in the modern day vs the films 15th century past.

In a conversation with IGN, Executive Producer Pat Crowley revealed that 65% of the movie will exist in the present day as Fassbender’s convict Callum Lynch fights the nefarious forces of The Knights Templar. The other 35% will  take place in 15th Century Spain as Lynch projects his conscience into his ancestor Aguilar, via the Animus machine familiar to fans of the long-running game franchise.

“There are certain things that we absolutely want to respect in the game,” Crowley explained, “but we also want to bring new elements to the game […] This isn’t a video game that we’re making. We’re trying to make a cinematic experience, so there are new things that we have to introduce.”

In a post Marvel Cinematic World, it is understandable that Ubisoft would need to establish the present day in the this movie given the prospect of further sequels and possible spin-off’s featuring different heroes down the line. A situation that fans are more than accustomed too nine games in.

It will however be interesting to see how the filmmakers will get the balance right when Assassin’s Creed hit theatres December 21, 2016.

For all your Film News & Reviews, stick with @mitch_rated only on Skatronixxx

Assassins Creed Trailer Review

So woke up this morning to be greeted by the official Assassins Creed movie trailer so thought it was a good chance to pop a review up as I have always loved the games and hold out high hopes for the movie. So lets take a leap of faith into what we have learnt from the trailer.

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The trailer begins with Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) waking up in a room and we zoom into his eye and we see the first look at him dressed as the Assassin Aguilar and some clips of him jumping across a building gap, stood atop a high building and the scene of what appears to be one huge battle before being taken back in a laboratory with a Doctor looking over him. He ask where he is and the Doctor advises him that at 6pm yesterday evening he was executed and pronounced dead and that he no longer exists.

We then see him walking through a garden and he ask what kind of prison is he in to which the Doctor replies your not in prison we also she the Abstergo logo for the first time while the Doctor explains that he is about to enter Animus. He then learns that what he will see hear and feel will be the memories of his ancestor who has been dead for 500 yeras as he is being told this we see a weapons case with the hidden blades in them.

He asks what the Doctor “What do you want from me” and she answers with “Your past” as we go through the eye once again we see an a great visiual view of a city and an eagle soaring above it and the Doctor saying “Welcome to the Spanish inquisition” we are then treated to some great visuals of fight scenes between the Assassins and soldiers and we also see some great free running sequences that are part of the joy of playing the games.

We then cut back to Abstergo and here Callum quote “We work in the darkness to serve the light, we are Assassins”we also see from the clip that the Animus used in the film is not just a lay down couch but a machine that give Callum free reign to move carrying out what is happening in the memory. At the 1 minute 53 second mark we finally get to see Aguilar take a leap of faith off a Cathedral tower and the trailer comes to an end, words cannot describe how happy I am to see this included in the film and I cannot wait to go and see it on the big screen.

For all your Assassin Creed needs stick with @Deadpool_1984 only at skatronixxx.com

REVIEW: The Division

Review: This article goes in depth about a game and opens a dialogue about the positive and negative aspects that compose that game. At the end of the review, the author notes whether he or she feels this game was worth playing. Keep in mind that this review reflects the author’s opinion; you may have a different experience with this game!

Time Spent: 30+ hours

Version Played: PC

Hello Dark Zone my old friend,

I’m going to hunt in you again.

And while my enemies are all sleeping,

I shall go about my reaping.

All the trouble they have sown…

Will soon be theirs to own…

Video games have become one of the most dynamic forms of storytelling in the past two decades. With the evolution of the medium, the development of new technologies, and the constant hard work of game development companies, we have seen a vast number of superb video games released in my lifetime and can expect many more in the foreseeable future. What makes this medium spectacular? Everyone has an opinion and when writing something as potentially divisive as opinion pieces on explosive topics like video games and the gaming world, I try to take every aspect into account. Ultimately, what drives me to complete a video game isn’t the graphics and while good gameplay certainly helps me appreciate a game, it doesn’t make me beholden to it.

“What then?” You may ask me as I ramble on about a broad subject that isn’t The Division. I’m getting there. I promise. What really sells a game, in my opinion, is two-fold: Heavy emphasis on quality storytelling and to what degree I am immersed in the experience. Created by Ubisoft Massive and Red Storm Entertainment and published by Ubisoft, The Division is another installation in the long running collection of games with the late Tom Clancy’s moniker. With their first foray into the quasi-mmo experience, Ubisoft has seen resounding success and sold millions of copies of The Division. How does their new flagship title stack up?

Let’s keep in mind the two elements I mentioned earlier. Set in the not-so-distant future, The Division puts you in control of your own customizable character who is a part of a secretive organization known as, you guessed it, “The Division.” Tasked with bring a silent sentinel until such a time arrives when the government activates you, the worst case scenario strikes New York City. On Black Friday, someone releases a modified strain of the smallpox virus and spreads the virus using contaminated currency. The results are catastrophic as people become infected, the virus spreads, casualties mount, and infrastructure collapses. Activated as a part of the “second wave” of agents, your own agent must work with acting Division commander Faye Lau and your fellow agents to restore order to New York and discover who unleashed the plague upon the innocent residents.

If The Division excels in one category, the level of immersion present still astounds me. Now, I concede that Ubisoft’s newest game doesn’t always land this experience with perfection. Understandable elements such as a medical gun, a rolling seeker bomb, smart cover, and bullet sponge enemies have their place and certainly make sense mechanically, but they detract from the overall immersion. They don’t seem incredibly realistic which a majority of Tom Clancy games have tried to champion. Please don’t think that any of these point detract from the enjoyment of the game, they just simply complicate the immersion factor. Beyond all of this, however, The Division manages to capture my attention whenever I play. The story, while certainly leagues better than Destiny, has some predictable Tom Clancy elements and mostly serves as a centerpiece for the greater world of the setting and it is here The Division shines.

Roaming around New York and seeing the aftermath of chaos, watching as a civilian dies in the street, and listening to the many different collectibles and audio logs truly enhances the feeling of sorrow. The worst part of it all, though, is that a catastrophe such as this could happen. While a little over the top at times, The Division doesn’t take a heavy science fiction approach and instead offers somewhat plausible future scenarios with technology that we may eventually achieve. Even some of the enemies have motivations that give them character and breathe life into this virtual New York. While these characters certainly don’t have the breadth of personality compared to story driven titles such as Mass Effect or Bastion, I was surprised with the feelings some of them evoked. Do you all remember those Cleaners I talked about in my impression article about The Division? Well, they’re still bastards but they and their leader Joe Farro have motivations and a drive that, while I certainly do not agree with, I can understand. The Rikers, however, serve little purpose except to piss me off. I won’t spoil anything for you all, but one mission in particular drew my unwavering ire. A video game’s ability to capture these feelings is an accomplishment.

They go from bad to worse!

While not as large of an accomplishment, The Division offers decent gunplay with a nice mix of abilities, perks, and talents to customize your play style. Even better, as you upgrade your base of operations, you can unlock more of your abilities and discover unique modifications to your existing skills and powers. The Division exists for team play and while going alone can be done, bringing along friends truly completes the experience. The gunplay isn’t Ubisoft or Red Storm’s crowning achievement, but it doesn’t detract from the quality of the game in any way.

The missions and side quests range from repetitive, aggravating affairs filled with little true content to relatively dynamic and emotionally charged events that elicit the aforementioned feelings and push the player to drive deeper into the experience. In between the campaign, gamers may enter into The Division’s PvE and PvP arena known as the “Dark Zone,” where difficult computer controlled enemies and high level chests spawn and have the chance for dropping rare and exotic loot. The key to the Dark Zone, however, rests on the shoulders of the players; by entering the Dark Zone, you stand the chance of being killed by other humans without any warning at all. By shooting at or killing another agent, you effectively become “rogue” for a certain amount of time that can be extended by damaging other players or being damaged by other players. This can net you significant Dark Zone experience (a separate experience statistic from your character level) and Dark Zone currency, but also paints you as a target for every other agent in your area. Should they kill you, they receive a bounty of DZ experience and currency.

With Ubisoft’s most recent patch (1.02), they have significantly increased the amount of DZ experience you gain by killing other agents and killing rogue agents. This has altered the dynamic of the Dark Zone in an interesting way. Essentially, going rogue now has appropriate rewards and slightly smaller risks and defeating a rogue agent now grants more rewards. While I’m not a fan of going rogue in the Dark Zone, for others this can act as an incentive to initiate a PvP exchange and an individual such as myself now has even more drive to hunt player-killers down.

Truly entertaining and intense, the Dark Zone is Ubisoft’s greatest addition to The Division. Every time you find powerful equipment, you have to extract it from the Dark Zone by running to an extraction location, firing off a flare to signal a helicopter (which alerts EVERYONE in the area that you’re doing it), and wait  one minute and thirty seconds for the helicopter to arrive. This adds incredible tension and anxiety to the already dangerous environment and I absolutely adore it. I wish more games had an open PvP zone like this! Even better, extracting that gear you worked hard for leaves you with a feeling of euphoria. Ubisoft created something wonderful with the Dark Zone.

Going alone is not recommended.

It is a shame then that upon reaching level 30 (and even at times during the journey to 30), the game becomes an incessant grind. The same cookie cutter side missions permeate The Division’s primary campaign and after the first several offerings, you will become accustomed to exactly what missions you will need to complete in each area. Thankfully, completing all of the side quests in one area generally rewards you with a craftable item, but it only serves as a reminder that you have another neighborhood in New York to repeat the same missions. Unfortunately, the Dark Zone doesn’t fare much better. In order to purchase high level exotic gear known as “high end” items, you must attain currency called “Phoenix Credits.” These credits can be attained through doing specially marked Daily missions at higher difficulties or killing powerful named enemies. These minibosses generally drop 1-3 credits (after the patch) and some of the high end equipment can cost in the hundreds of credits. Dedicated players can easily attain the amount he or she needs, but it still becomes quite the grind. Even worse, your previously attained Dark Zone credits are rendered somewhat moot.

Thankfully, Ubisoft has increased the drop rate of high end items in some of the chests you can find throughout the Dark Zone as well as on some of the names enemies. This does help mitigate some of the grind, but unfortunately leaves such drops up to chance. Regardless, it is refreshing to see Ubisoft address player issues with incredible speed. Should they show such support in the future, we can expect The Division to have a very fruitful life. Starting in April, gamers will be able to undertake raids known as “Incursions” in order to gain other exotic items and the future for The Division is certainly filled with more content. I struggle to maintain that this review is complete due to the future content in development by Ubisoft, but as of right now The Division is an intriguing, fun, and grindy experience that has some substance underneath its somewhat bleak exterior.

Ultimately, I had a lot of fun with The Division. It has its very noticeable issues and it certainly isn’t for everyone, but I greatly look forward to its future.

Happy gaming! Victorus aut Mortis!

-Valiant

The Division – What Does the Future Hold?

With less than 24 hours left for Ubisoft’s premiere demi-MMO, The Division promises players many things. Thought long dead and now raised from the ashes, The Division’s two betas showed incredible promise. Yet as I mentioned in my article “The Division – Two Weeks Until Apocalypse”, I had my worries concerning this game’s potential lack of content. 600 hours into Destiny, all I could think about was the immense potential such a game had and utterly squandered. We, the gamers, did not deserve such a fate.

While The Division’s Dark Zones have an impeccable flair and dynamic, my associates and I could not see ourselves constantly throwing ourselves into these PvP areas without a goal beyond simply acquiring loot. Logic holds that eventually you would find exactly what you needed and could not gain anything more. So what then?

Ubisoft recently addressed such issues in their “Ubiblog” and released a trailer detailing some of the post launch content available to Division players. Ubisoft promised that the first two updates of the game will be free to all players; April will see the first called “Incursions” which adds difficult squad-based content and a promise of powerful loot and loot trading (oh thank goodness), and in May, the second called “Conflict” releases which adds more to the Dark Zone and another Incursion to New York’s Columbus Circle.

Well, fancy that. It’s nice to see that Ubisoft seems to want to keep The Division alive with relatively frequent updates, much like how popular companies such as Blizzard add periodic updates to their MMOs.

Beyond these free updates, users will have to purchase the Season Pass to gain access to The Division’s expansions. I haven’t seen any price listed for the pass yet, but those who purchased the Gold or Collectors editions of the game will have that included. Here are the other updates and a little preview of what Ubisoft promises to deliver:

The first two are free!

Underground: Slated for a June release, players will have the opportunity to roam around Manhattan’s winding and massive subway system to eliminate a growing threat.

Survival: Expect this one in the “summer”. This looks like high level Dark Zone content as the trailer asks players whether he or she will be able to secure enough resources and escape or will he or she turn rogue. Interesting…

Last Stand: The third expansion set for the winter, this looks like a defensive horde mode mission where you can set up turrets and defenses to hold the line against waves of enemies.

You can watch the trailer here!

Personally, I remain cautiously optimistic about all of this. I want The Division to become this spectacular game it constantly promises me. Hopefully, Ubisoft can deliver and we will see some impressive content in the near future.

The Division releases March 8th for Playstation 4, Xbox One, and the PC. See you all there!

Victorus aut Mortis!

-Valiant