At Darren's World of Entertainment - a movie, DVD and game review blog.
The latest movie and DVD reviews - plus game reviews as well. And cool stuff thrown in when I see it.
If Resident Evil: Biohazard has any plans to scare us stupid in January, then Kitchen's VR Demo (available free on the PS Store now) is an indication we'll all need to be wearing nappies come release date.
Utilising the idea of the SAW movies, Kitchen drops you, cable-tied and sitting in a kitchen setting where it's evident the cleaner's not been for months. Grubby, grimy and looking like hell, you've got a recording camera shoved in your face, as you raise the motion controller to see your hands are tied.
As you thrust the camera away, what looks to be a body to your left comes to life - and that's where the nightmares start; not because it's a zombie but because it's a desperate scrabble to get away from something else lurking in the room.
What Kitchen gets right in its very brief execution (the thing lasts all of about 5 minutes) is the sense of depth and immersiveness. The sole location, with its dirty decor, is terrifying and claustrophobic, and while some of the play-out of the piece is frankly obvious to anyone aware of the horror genre, the clever stretching out of the tension adds much.
With Biohazard likely to be a PS VR Exclusive for a while, the bar's been set reasonably high. And with sound and atmospherics playing a large part here, here's hoping the wait will be worth it.
Developed by Bethesda and Arkane Studios
Platform: PS4
The first Dishonored was a great game.
Mixing treachery with the supernatural, revenge with stealth proved to be a major boon for the first outing and a return to Dunwall was inevitable after it snagged some 100 Game of the Year awards.
This latest sees you returning on the 15th anniversary of the death of Jessamine Kaldwin and the arrival of a coup, spearheaded by an unknown existence and threat which has lain dormant for years. With Emily and her protector Corvo Attano thrust from power, you're on the run - and you get to choose which person to play as.
Heading to Karnaca, the coastal city, secrets begin to come to light as you take on the forces that have seized power and claw your way back up to reclaiming your rite - and the throne of Dunwall.
Playing as Emily is a choice many will choose in this stealth sim, that's as much of a thrill as the first game was back in 2012. Arkane Studios has really built on the promise of the first game in this revenge driven thriller that hits all of the stealth bases.
But you actually have to play the game - even on the easiest setting. There's no way to simply blunder into proceedings and to hope to survive. You need to be stealthy, creeping around and eliminating those in your way before they become too alert to your presence and take you out.
And that's sometimes easier than it sounds; even on the game's easy setting, guards go from zero to alert in seconds, meaning you have to be onto it. From teleport powers to specific powers tailored for whichever character you choose to be, Dishonored's two-for-one deal means that really, many will find time to want to play this through again as the other once completion is hit. It's a canny move from Arkane, but rather than reeking of cash-in, it's a perfect way to play.
The game itself looks good, but at times, some of the mouths and eyes look hollow, with patches of white appearing unannounced and reminding you you're playing a game - it's a shame as visually, the Victorianesque streets of Dunwall and the brighter worlds of Karnaca look incredible, a testament to what the PS4 can achieve.
Ultimately, Dishonored 2's attention to detail, its revenge plot and its simplicity of play mean it's a title well worth picking up - even in the busiest part of the tail end of the year, it's a game that shines out and that deserves to be applauded.
All the fun of the fair comes to your front room with 2K Games' first VR outing.
Essentially a game that's all about racking up points, getting tickets and using said tickets to buy toys and collectables like a normal fair, Carnival Games is very much as you'd expect from the VR Experience.
As a pair of floating hands, it's up to you to control things and take control of the games.
Whether it's a case of hurtling balls at a mountain of bottles for points, or rolling them for a high score in Alley Ball, this is family friendly fare that hits the spot and is fun if you get a heap of mates around and start a series of mini game challenges.
The tracking is smooth, and while the floating hands is severely weird and looks rather unusual the game mechanics work pretty simply and relatively well. It's also immersive in its own cartoony way as you have to spin all the way around to ensure you get all the delights of the fair ground (though that's trickier if you're trying to utilise the Move controllers in a seated environment, and can lead to the bashing repeatedly of the walls).
There are 12 games to play and while the tickets gained give you the chance to purchase prizes, the idea of playing with them in the Playroom to unlock achievements seems more than a trifle odd (and to be frank, a little banal). Tickets are needed to unlock further alleyways and more games, so it's a sense of grind there in many ways.
Nicely colourful and very playable in a few family sessions, Carnival Games VR may be as heady a thrill as the fair is, but the novelty wears off quickly. More a distraction than a long time gaming prospect, Carnival Games (much like SingStar) benefits best from a family session or a gathering of mates - which is no bad thing for a headset that essentially turns the social into the anti-social.
Released by 20th Century Fox Home Ent 20 years after director Roland Emmerich audaciously blew apart the White House in one of cinema's enduring images, the aliens are back.
(Even if some of the original cast is not).
On the 20th anniversary of the 4th July invasions, and with the world living in harmony since the incursion, thanks to a large weapon and space defence force, things look pretty good. But those involved in the original battle are haunted by visions of a return...
Independence Day Resurgence is everything you'd expect.
And so much less.
Clouded in gloomy dark visuals and with a cast that's way too big to service decently, it's a disaster movie that revels in its special FX, its cornball lines ("It's July 4th, let's show them some fireworks!") and feels like a desperate attempt to recapture some of that lightning in a bottle that struck so brilliantly some 20 years ago.
It's also dour too as it tries to shift the balance of power to the next generation of heroes, who are given the piecemeal tokenistic broadbrush character onceover and hope that the audience engages with them. It's a hard ask, even for Liam Hemsworth as a cocksure salt-of-the-earth pilot whose heart is in the right place. Worryingly, once again, it's the guys who save the day, even though we have a woman president (Sela Ward) and women scattered through power positions.
Fortunately, Goldblum and Spiner have a blast re-inhabiting their old roles as David Levison and Dr Okun respectively and enlighten proceedings in only the ways they can. Goldblum excels at rattling off wry one liners, remarking at one point in the destruction that the aliens "like to get the landmarks". Even Pullman pulls off crazy haunted well, before delivering a speech of unity to a hangar full of a handful of pilots, with a rousing OST building and swelling beneath him.
Emmerich once again displays an eye for destruction, but there's nothing as iconic as the original White House shot - and if anything, he's taking the mickey by delivering a barrage of destruction that simply knocks a US flag on its side atop a building. Only London Bridge gets a battering. That said, as the rote CGI destruction tears apart cities and countless lives that we once again don't care about, the carefully measured and clinically executed FX look the business on the big screen.
But it's ultimately soulless; a disaster film that juggles too many characters, throws in a bus load of kids just because it can and serves none of them brilliantly. Everyone's a cypher to the proceedings as the mash up of Aliens, Top Gun, Star Wars dog-fights and the first film plays out and consequently, despite being a film about humanity's unity (a fascinating concept), it's left to the Americans (and a couple of token Chinese) to band together to save the world.
The end hints at a "We're coming for you" third part, but really, this thinly veiled tantalising tease of America invading the cosmos just fills with dread - there's no need for more nostalgia; this latest has moments of fun and an original cast that's back for the ride, but this aiming-for-guilty-pleasure sequel isn't necessarily proof that bigger is always better.
The dogfighting simulator is perhaps one of the few ideas that has really begun to fly on the PS VR.
Whether it's the tanks of Battle Zone or this latest, there's something about the ethos, immersiveness and ability to view 360 degrees that's really hit with the launch of the PS VR.
And EVE Valkyrie is no different.
Assuming the role of a cloned pilot, and feeling very much like Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers, it's into the stars you go - with hordes of ships coming your way.
Pursuing targets, floating around space and generally looking around to see what is ahead and what is overhead is nothing short of thrilling in EVE Valkyrie. Dogfights are good fun and the game's smoothness staves off any rearing of motion sickness' ugly head.
Slick presentation makes the game feel like it's worth spending time with and while it's a progression that began with the likes of Elite, EVE Valkyrie rightly feels like the next step. There's nothing more exciting than seeing the craft below your hands and the cockpit feeling smooth, slick and spacelike.
With a good solid pace and an execution that genuinely makes you feel like you're in space, EVE Valkyrie is one of the more thrilling executions in PS VR - and is a game that's more game than experience; but ultimately, it's an essential purchase.
To celebrate the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on December 15th, we've got a prize pack of Star Wars merchandise to give away!
About Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers.
The story is by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, and the screenplay is by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy.
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opens in NZ theatres on December 15, 2016.
The next installment in the blockbuster franchise, UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS follows Vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) as she fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her.
With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.
The latest iteration of Call of Duty heads to space, and that's what the free VR update, Jackal Assault, decides to concentrate on.
It's fortunate that it's free as well, as it's so short that it's frustrating when it ends.
Set in space, you basically are on a recon mission to see what's wrong with a satellite when a horde of bad guys warp in and start shooting - all you have to do is fly around and shoot back.
It's a simple premise, and to be honest, it's simply and tautly executed, that you feel like this is a mere morsel and you could handle a full meal.
Using the twin sticks to pilot your craft, the game's extremely responsive and utterly compelling in its smoothness and simplicity. Marking targets and firing rockets give the incoming craft very little chance, but given how many of them there are, it's anything but simple to fire through Jackal Assault. It requires a few tactics and some smart manoeuvring to ensure you don't go down when you're so close to achieving your objective.
It's just a shame that this well-crafted VR Experience is so damned short. Sure, there's replayability in beating your own score, but the repetitive factor becomes an issue.
While there's an argument not to bleat because it's free, Call of Duty: Jackal Assault is a title that you'd happily part money with for more of - it's engaging, beautifully pulled together, smooth and slick.
Cast: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris
Director: Robert Zemeckis
You must remember this.
A kiss is just a kiss.
There's a great romance to 1942's star-crossed lovers flick Casablanca, and director Robert Zemeckis tries to swathe his latest, a drama about a French resistance fighter and a Canadian intelligence officer who meet behind enemy lines, in a lot of that too.
But unfortunately, this is more Casa-blankly than Casablanca.
Kicking off in North Africa in 1942, where Pitt's Max Vatan drops out of the sky, floating into the dunes like a fallen angel, the story puts Cotillard's Marianne Beausejour in cahoots as the duo plot an execution on a German ambassador.
Reuniting later in London after the mission ends, and picking up after a sandstorm tryst saw them succumb to each other, Max finds his loyalties tested with an assertion that all is not as it seems....
For a film titled Allied, there's an irony that this feels like a flick of two disjointed halves.
The first that's supposed to set up the romance and build the romantic tension and bond between Max and Marianne is a bitter disappointment, lacking in time to let moments develop and jumping around to get to the crux of the conflict.
Suffering from an exclusion of time to dwell, the time-hop serves only to stiffen the pair's relationship and point out their relative lack of chemistry, while heightening the fact the scenes that are supposed to tie us to the characters are missing as some of the emotional beats fail to hit their mark.
Which is a shame as the largely terrific and at times should be taut back half of Allied kicks it up a gear (and simultaneously shoots itself in the foot with a French set escapade that feels like something from Dad's Army and Allo Allo). Although it suffers from what's preceded it with tension without suspense and romance without heart play out, as it hurtles towards its denouement.
It's a shame because in among the stifling and stultifying story, there is some wonderfully evocative period detail and terrific costuming that is redolent of old school Hollywood romances. And certainly in the second half, Pitt's portrayal of a man struggling with the moral dilemma of love or loyalty is marvellously underplayed and relatively effective.
But what cripples Allied is the fact there's a palpable lack of thrills, a disturbing absence of tension and suspense when there should be as it climaxes and an overall nagging feeling the whole thing is slightly underwhelming despite its old movie star sensibilities.
Hollow and unsatisfactory, Allied is dressed in such old Hollywood charm and draped in such wonderful attention to detail that you realise you've spent a great majority of the film gawking at its clothes and its setting rather than its story and the lack of chemistry between its stars.
Ultimately, that proves to be a fatal flaw in the film that aims for heart-breaking but can barely stop its audience at times from emitting a yawn.
Cast: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Keanu Reeves, Bella Heathcote Director: Nicholas Winding Refn Simultaneously surreal and vapid, Nicholas Winding Refn's visual powerhouse The Neon Demon is a translucent dream of a film that's centred around a tale as old as time.
More a visual experience than a narrative triumph, Nicholas Winding Refn's The Neon Demon will engage some and infuriate others, but proves once again this cinema's enfant terrible knows exactly how to pull people's strings and visually present a film.
Following 16 year old naïf Jesse (a waif-like and impressive Elle Fanning) who heads to LA on the dream of becoming a model, the story is a familiar retread of the old innocent going down into the woods, where the Big Bad wolves of the modelling industry live. Orphaned and with only a portfolio of questionable quality to her name, she finds her "deer in the headlights" look is fresh and engaging within an industry that (in this case) literally chews up and spits out talent. Finding a friend in Jena Malone's make-up artist Ruby, who practises her art on the dead as well as the living, Jesse's circled by a pack of predators, both in the form of a sleazy motel owner (played with terrifying duplicity by Keanu Reeves) and a couple of models (Bella Heathcote and Abbey Lee ) who are wary that Jesse may usurp them. But as Jesse's seduced by the world she wants to enter and her power grows with her hold on those around her thanks to her innocence, the wolves are circling...
Too weak to be a scathing satire on the fashion industry (the viewpoints espoused in wooden dialogue and bon mots are hardly new or fresh), The Neon Demon's trance-like hold comes from its visual trappings. Swathes of blues and reds swamp the screen as a sensory synthesiser score blasts from within; the allegory is all too obvious but the execution of it is seductively sublime, once you succumb to its rhythms (which may prove too hollow and grating for some). As hallucinatory elements take hold, and the music video aesthetics fall by the wayside, a final act horror tale comes to the fore and some darker elements rise to the top. But there are moments that are telegraphed throughout by the somewhat underwritten peripherary of characters; each exchange between the models is soaked with double meaning (One asks if the other is "food or sex") as the cynicism of scatty and catty dialogue is despatched.
Both Fanning and Malone impress; the former in her gradual growing and ultimate journey as she morphs from innocent to power; and the latter for a performance that pushes all the buttons it should as it provocatively goes to where it's always been heading. It may be that Refn fetishizes the models, the actresses and their ultimate transposition to the screen but ultimately The Neon Demon is a visual triumph; an intense blast of provocateur cinema that won't be for all, and is certainly not flawless as it borders on stultifying tedium at times; it's electric in other parts and, thanks to some incredible visuals, best experienced on the big screen.
As part of the VR Worlds experience, The London Heist is a stand out.
With its Lock, Stock and 2 Smoking Move controllers mentality, this East-end set tale of gangsters, shooting and a jewel is one of the standalone elements of the PS VR Worlds title - and could easily have been a game in its own right, if it had been expanded out.
Set up and under suspicion for having nabbed a jewel, you're in the action from the get-go, either being tied up in a warehouse or sat in the seat of a car shooting at bad guys heading your way.
Essentially a collection of cut-scenes where you get to interact with the world around you as well as firing some guns as besuited bad guys take you on, The London Heist is a Statham style experience which could have been more.
The cockney accents are laid on thick and the action is a clear indication of the Guy Ritchie style ethos at work - but again, it's too short an experience to qualify as a game (even though it is part of the PS VR Worlds package).
You get to practise in a shooting alley as well, and the pace and thrill of the overall game is definitely worth investing in. It's just a shame it wasn't a longer piece - as it could have been one of the stand out titles for the PS VR launch.
Released by Universal Home Ent So it appears the answer to the question how do you keep the Star Trek franchise fresh and exciting as it enters its 50th year is to throw in a motorbike sequence that has shades of Evel Knievel within. Perhaps that's no surprise given the helmer of this piece is Fast and Furious' Justin Lin and at times, the action is very much a case of spectacle over sense in Star Trek: Beyond.
In this latest, Kirk (Chris Pine) and the crew of the Enterprise are three years into their five year mission to explore new worlds (the first of Simon Pegg's script references to the original). But Kirk's nagged by a sense of tedium and monotony.
However, just as his apathy is about to see him accept a vice-admiralty, the crew of the Enterprise are lured into a trap by an evil villain named Krall (Idris Elba)....
Star Trek: Beyond certainly has the reverence for the franchise, and the script by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung is clearly steeped in affection, as well as an execution that's energetic.
Some of the greater moments of the series are embraced for this outing too; from the pairing and squabblingly affectionate duo of Karl Urban's Bones with Zachary Quinto's Spock to a lovely visual at the end, this is a film that knows what made the series so beloved by fans. But it also knows that character is what made the Trek universe so vital and why it stands a testament of time. The Enterprise ensemble is a little crowded by Pegg and Jung's script smartly splits them all up when the ship goes down (one of the film's best sequences, both taut, tight and thrilling); and it's here that the character driven moments tend to take over and remind you why it works.
But then it's also a film that bows to fun too, with the aforementioned motorbike sequence likely to polarise and the use of a Beastie Boys track simply confounding any kind of seriousness, opting for silly instead. Perhaps, that's bravura - time will tell, but certainly with some of the FX ships in Krall's swarm flying around looking like iron filings trapped in a blender that's on double time, that debate could be a heated one. Certainly the fun and pace of Justin Lin's Star Trek filmallows the spectacle to head over any kind of common sense.
And then there's the bad guy - Idris Elba as Krall, who seems to suffer from Villain Writing 101, where the baddie comes skulking out of the shadows, delivers his disgruntled reason for taking down everyone and retreats off again ready to beaten. Krall is not a memorable villain at all, and it's a shame given the stature of the actor within that he's reduced to a prosthetics once over.
Above it all though, and as Trek so often has, it all comes back to Captain Kirk.
Chris Pine's wearied initial and melancholic approach is a nice touch, and the script's chutzpah to drop them 3 years into the 5 year mission gives the whole thing both a nostalgic gloss and a nod that even the future is space is as dull as the monotony of a 9 to 5 on Earth. But it's never anything less than Pine's film and he delivers it with grace, action hero swagger and a vocal nod to where it all started.
Star Trek Beyond may not be perfect, but it's fun blockbuster fodder that offers up action over smarts. While its franchise's future is never anything less than assured, it's great to see the reverence it treats its own past with - without alienating those who simply want a rip-roaring night out (as long as you beam your brain up).
'The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier' Debut date is.......
'The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier' Premieres December 20th
Preorders Now Live for the All-New Season in the Critically-Acclaimed Series;
Extended First Look December 1st LIVE at The Game Awards
Fellow Survivors,
Today we can share the premiere date and new key art for The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier, the third season in the critically-acclaimed series.
The first of five episodes inThe Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier will premiere digitally worldwide starting Tuesday December 20th on PC from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One® and Xbox 360®, and on the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3. The episode will be available the same day for compatible iOS devices via the App Store, and for compatible Android-based devices via Google Play.
Beginning February 7th, the series will also be available for purchase on a special 'Season Pass Disc' for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, which will include the premiere episode for the third season, as well as access to all subsequent episodes in the five episode season for download as they become available.
PlayStation 4 users can preorder the digital version by visiting the product page on the digital store. As a special bonus, PS4 digital preorders also receive a complementary copy of The Walking Dead: Season Two and The Walking Dead: Michonne.
Steam users can preorder the season by visiting the product page on Steam, with a savings of 10% for preordering.
When family is all you have left... how far will you go to protect it? Four years after society was ripped apart by undead hands, pockets of civilization emerge from the chaos. But at what cost? Can the living be trusted on this new frontier? As Javier, a young man determined to find the family taken from him, you meet a young girl who has experienced her own unimaginable loss. Her name is Clementine, and your fates are bound together in a story where every choice you make could be your last.
A special extended first look at the premiere episode will be revealed live on stage at The Game Awards on Thursday December 1st.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier is expected to receive a rating of 'M' (Mature) from the ESRB.
BRAND NEW 101 TRAILER SHOWCASES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FINAL FANTASY XV
’Crown Update’ Offers Free Launch Day Updates
SYDNEY, 22ND November 2016 – Square Enix Ltd.,today released an all-new 101 trailer for the highly anticipated FINAL FANTASY® XV. The 101 trailer explores gameplay mechanics, characters and more - providing viewers with everything they need to know about the game before their epic journey of brotherhood, exploration and action begins on the 29th November!
As well as an overview of the game’s story, the new trailer also offers explanations of FINAL FANTASY XV’s combat system and its blend of magic spells, summons and real-time battle action, as well as in-depth introductions to Noctis and his three comrades.
In addition, details of a launch day update were also released. The Crown Update will be available to download automatically on the games release from the 29th November. The Crown Update is the result of some additional time for development since mastering the full game, and provides a variety of updates, minor bug fixes and new features to greatly enhance the overall story and gameplay experience
The upgrade provides enhancements for several elements within the game including:
§Improvements to the camera with new options to better assist and track the action in tight spaces and to improve visibility during battles
§The addition of an ability tree for the Wait Mode function improves the strategic element of this feature
§Players can obtain the “Beast Whistle” which can be used to call monsters to battle
§New event scenes and scenes from KINGSGLAIVE: FINAL FANTASY XV™ and the “Omen” trailer have also been added to the game to make the story and timeline of events within the FINAL FANTASY XV universe even easier to follow for newcomers
§For those who enjoy collecting items, the upgrade will also add a wider variety or recipes and fish with the addition of a gallery to keep track of culinary discoveries
§Implementation of social media support, allowing the photos Prompto takes along your journey to be uploaded to Facebook and Twitter.
Following news of copies of the game going on sale ahead of the release date Director, Hajime Tabata issued a message to fans:
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The November 29th release date is approaching and I sincerely hope everyone enjoys this game with a fresh state of mind. Unfortunately, there has been an unauthorized distribution of the boxed edition of FINAL FANTASY XV in select regions and we have noticed that gameplay footage from people playing these copies has appeared online. Though this type of situation is brought on by various region specific circumstances and may not be something that is completely avoidable, we are very regretful of this situation.
One of the major goals of FINAL FANTASY XV is for everyone to enjoy the story and to discover the surprises together through the simultaneous worldwide release. Due to these recent events, videos with unexpected spoilers could potentially be posted online, so we would like to warn everyone who has been waiting in anticipation for this game.
We will also do everything in our capacity to prevent unauthorised footage from appearing online. We would also like to ask anybody that has obtained an early copy of the game to be respectful to those that are looking forward to the official release and to not spoil the surprises for everyone.
A large and dedicated team have worked extremely hard to make this game and to create a FINAL FANTASY that everyone can enjoy. It would be a huge regret for us if the excitement of the launch was to be spoiled for so many when we are so close to release.
Your understanding and cooperation would be much appreciated so we can celebrate the best possible release together.
Hajime Tabata - Director, FINAL FANTASY XV
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FINAL FANTASY XV will be available on the 29th November for the Xbox One and PlayStation®4 system. For more information on FINAL FANTASY XV, visit: http://www.finalfantasyxv.com/
2K Announces NBA® 2KVR Experience Available on November 22
2K Announces NBA® 2KVR Experience Available on November 22
First virtual reality basketball game lets fans test their hoops skills and drain impossible shots
Sydney, Australia – November 22, 2016 – 2K today announced NBA® 2KVR Experience, the first virtual reality basketball game immersing players in a new, entertaining NBA environment filled with the sights and sounds of fun mini-games and challenges. Available beginning on November 22 on PlayStation®VR, HTC Vive™, and Samsung Gear VR, the new experience continues the dominance of the NBA 2K series.
“Our team consistently looks for new ways to deliver unique, fun experiences for the gamer,” said Greg Thomas, President of Visual Concepts. “NBA 2KVR will give fans even more access to our franchise and test new skills across entertaining VR challenges.”
In the NBA 2KVR Experience, players will join NBA 2K17 cover athlete and All-Star Paul George, as they step onto the court at the Indiana Pacers’ stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Paul George will also provide commentary and guide the player by offering tips to help improve their skills in mini-games and features including three-point shootout, a speed and accuracy skills challenge, the buzzer beater countdown. Players who can earn a variety of Gatorade boosts that will aide their shooting acumen, speed, recovery and more to help reach the top of the leaderboards.
“As a lifelong fan of NBA 2K, it’s exciting to see them take the leap into VR, and even more exciting that it’ll be on my home court,” said Paul George, cover star of NBA 2K17. “I can’t wait for fans to dominate on the virtual court with virtual help from Gatorade.”
NBA 2KVR Experienceis rated ‘G’ in Australia and New Zealand and launches November 22, 2016forAUD$22.95/NZD$23.95 on the PlayStation®VR. NBA 2KVR Experience will be also available on HTC Vive™ and Samsung Gear VR November 22, 2016.
*Users should consult the operating instructions provided with their VR hardware for safety guidelines and age restrictions.
Developed by Visual Concepts and Specular Interactive, NBA 2KVR Experience is rated ‘G’ in Australia and New Zealand.
2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO).
Tom Clancy's The Division - Expansion II Survival out tonight
TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION®EXPANSION II: SURVIVAL AVAILABLE TONIGHT ON XBOX ONE AND WINDOWS PC
Agents to face most extreme conditions and deadliest enemies
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - November 22, 2016 — The second expansion for Tom Clancy’s The Division, Survival, is available this evening at 7pm on Xbox One and Windows PC and will be released for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system on December 20. Survival is included in the game’s Season Pass but can also be purchased separately for $19.95.
To view the trailer click the image below
As New York is hit by the snowstorm of the century, The Division’s agents receive intel about some powerful anti-virals left behind in the Dark Zone, that could help stem the spread of the pandemic. But before they manage to reach their destination, the agents’ chopper is taken down by the intensifying weather.
To survive and reach their objective, players face the most extreme conditions and have to manage cold, disease, hunger and thirst. Finding warm clothes, crafting supplies, scavenging for food, water, and medicine are key for agents to make their way to the antidote. But with 23 other players struggling to survive and to find the cure, resources are scarce. Competition between agents will lead many to fall on their way to the Dark Zone. Besides this hostile environment, another deadly threat is prowling in the Dark Zone and preying on The Division: the Hunter, a swift advanced enemy who displays proudly the watches of the agents he killed.
In Survival, players will be able to choose to enable either PvP or PvE. In PvP, while the Rogue mechanic does not apply, agents can fight against or cooperate with other players in every corner of New York, even outside of the Dark Zone. As PvP comes with additional risks, it also comes with additional rewards, in the form of a bonus multiplier to the total score. In PvE, players will be able to play in cooperation with other players, and PvP is disabled, even in the Dark Zone.
Free update 1.5 will include a new world tier for all activities, world tier 5, as well as 6 new high-end named gear pieces, 3 high-end named weapons and 12 new weapon types.
AS KILLING FLOOR 2 LAUNCHES FOR PC, PLAYSTATION®4 PRO AND PLAYSTATION®4
Tripwire Interactive Releases Highly Anticipated Sequel to the Multi-Million Selling Smash Hit Killing Floor
Sydney, 22 November 2016 - Tripwire Interactive, in collaboration with Deep Silver and Iceberg Interactive, is pleased to announce that their eagerly awaited co-op sci-fi horror FPS game, KILLING FLOOR 2, is available now globally on PC, and for the first time the franchise will be available for console gamers with versions for the newly launched PlayStation®4 Pro computer entertainment system and PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system platforms.
The sequel to the 3+ million unit selling PC game, Killing Floor, makes its console debut with this release, bringing with it, its trademark frenetic gunplay and larger than life gory visuals, completely amplified with fluid controls, sharper textures and overall increased fidelity. Today’s release marks the closure of KILLING FLOOR 2’s extremely successful time in the Steam Early Access phase, selling over 1+ million units and continuing to grow its loyal community. Those who have previously purchased the Early Access version will be able to update their game to reflect the full launch content, including the brand new Survivalist perk, available today.
“We’ve poured our heart and soul into perfecting KILLING FLOOR 2, seeing all of the community feedback from the Early Access phase was invaluable, and to see the game’s full release today is truly overwhelming,” said John Gibson, President of Tripwire Interactive. "We wanted to give existing fans the visceral action that this longstanding franchise is known for, as well as offer new fans a chance to experience the brutal joy that millions of gamers already know and love. Launching KILLING FLOOR 2 for the PC, and for the first time ever on consoles via the PlayStation 4 Pro and PlayStation 4 symbolizes the next step for us at Tripwire Interactive and we could not be more ecstatic.”
In collaboration with Deep Silver and Iceberg Interactive, the deluxe content of KILLING FLOOR 2 is included in the PC, PlayStation®4 and PlayStation® 4 Pro retail and digital versions.
In KILLING FLOOR 2, players descend into continental Europe where the outbreak caused by Horzine Biotech’s failed experiment has quickly spread and gained unstoppable momentum, essentially paralyzing the European Union— Just one month after the events in the original KILLING FLOOR, the specimen clones are everywhere and civilization is in disarray; communications have failed, governments have collapsed, and military forces have been systematically eradicated. The people of Europe know survival and self-preservation too well and lucky survivors have gone into hiding.
Not all have given up hope though... A group of civilians and mercenaries have banded together to combat the outbreak and established privately funded operation bases across Europe. Upon tracking specimen clone outbreaks, players will descend into zed-laden hot zones and exterminate them.
PRODUCT DETAILS
Platform: PlayStation®4
Genre: Sci-Fi Horror / First Person Shooter
Developer: Tripwire Interactive
Publisher: Deep Silver
Rating: R18+
Release Date: November 18, 2016
KEY FEATURES
Visceral Gore - KILLING FLOOR 2 ramps up the gore with a proprietary, high powered persistent blood system bringing new levels of fidelity to the genre. Players will send entrails, severed limbs, and blood flying as they wade through hordes of enemies. But they need to watch out! If caught, enemies will rip them, and their entire party limb from limb.
6 player co-op or solo play - A multitude of varied playable characters await for players to choose from as they enter the fray in online co-op mode or solo mode for those willing to brave the horrific specimens alone.
Versus Survival Game Mode - Be the Zed! A 12 player PvP mode where two teams take turns playing Humans vs. Zeds in a pair of short matches. In the first match, one team plays Humans and the other Zeds until the humans all die during a single round or they beat the boss. For the second match the teams switch sides and when the battle is completed both teams receive a score based on their performance and the higher score wins!
Terrifying Zeds - New enemies and fan favorites from the original game are back with expanded and smarter artificial intelligence, dishing out powerful attacks, working as a group to weaken the player’s party and pushing the challenge level and fear factor to new levels.
Unique Blend Of Weaponry - From modern militaristic assault rifles, brutal improvised makeshift weapons, classic historical guns, and off the wall “Mad Scientist” weapons, KILLING FLOOR 2 has a unique blend of killing tools that will satisfy any gamer.
Expanded Perk System - Perks from the original game have been reimagined with more added to the fold. All perks now progress with meaningful talent choices that amplify different play styles, giving players a progression path that is expansive and full of rewarding milestones.
Brutal Melee Combat - KILLING FLOOR 2 reinvents melee combat completely. Players now have control over the type of melee attacks they can perform, enabling them to deliver bone-breaking crippling attacks to Zeds.
The PlayStation® 4 Pro version features the following enhancements:
1800p checkboard rendering on 4K TV (3200x1800) optimized for 4K TVs
Effectively supersampling and increased fps on HDTV
Using additional memory to increase texture resolution to "Ultra Textures"
KILLING FLOOR 2 is developed by Tripwire Interactive and will be published by Deep Silver and Iceberg Interactive for the PlayStation®4 Pro, PlayStation®4, and PC. This title has been rated R18+.
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