EA E3 press conference

EA E3 press conference

It's happening right now - the EA E3 press conference! Watch live video from EA on www.twitch.tv

XBox E3 announcements

XBox E3 announcements

“Halo 5” Headlines Greatest Holiday Games Line-up in Xbox History

Backward Compatibility for Xbox One Delivers Largest Library Ever on Xbox

This morning at the Xbox E3 briefing, Microsoft Corp. showcased an extraordinary line-up of Xbox One-exclusive titles and announced backward compatibility, fuelling the greatest games line-up in Xbox history, this holiday and beyond. Microsoft also shared how it is making Xbox Live, the world’s premier gaming community, get even better, while giving fans an early look at how advanced technology can take their gaming further with the new Xbox Elite Controller and Microsoft HoloLens.

The Xbox E3 keynote packed numerous world gameplay debuts, premieres and trailers into an action-packed 90-minute spectacle for fans, including news from gaming’s biggest franchises.

The show opened with a bang as world premiere gameplay of “Halo 5: Guardians” included the reveal of the all-new massive scale multiplayer mode, Warzone, where up to 24 players battle with friendly and enemy AI characters joining in the fight.

The all-new Ford GT supercar, debuting exclusively in “Forza Motorsport 6,” made a dramatic entrance by descending from the rafters into the Galen arena with an appearance by Henry Ford III and the world gameplay premiere of the title.

Microsoft Studios, in partnership with legendary Japanese game designer Keiji Inafune, Mark Pacini and the teams at Comcept and Armature Studio (creators of the “Metroid Prime” franchise), debuted the all-new Xbox One exclusive “ReCore.”

Developer Mojang AB demonstrated a fully-featured version of “Minecraft” for Microsoft HoloLens that allows players see the “Minecraft” world in an entirely different way.

Electronic Arts’ Peter Moore took the stage to share his excitement for EA Access, which enables members to play first, play more and play for less only on Xbox One, and announced that the EA Access Vault now includes “Titanfall.” In addition, the EA Access Vault will be open to all Xbox Live Gold members to play the best of EA for free during the week of E3.

The company also announced Game Preview on Xbox One — a new way for our fans to purchase work-in-progress digital titles and participate in the development process by giving feedback to developers as they continue to update their games. Game Preview is coming to Xbox One as a pilot program starting this week. 

For more details on Xbox news unveiled today, please see below. For additional news throughout E3 week, tune in live to Xbox Daily: LIVE @ E3 at 11am NZST on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and go to Xbox Wire.

Microsoft Showcases Greatest Games Line-up in Xbox History

This holiday, “Halo 5: Guardians” headlines the best games line-up in Xbox history, alongside blockbuster exclusives like “Forza Motorsport 6,” “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” “Gears of War: Ultimate Edition,” “Fable Legends” and “Rare Replay.”

On stage, Microsoft announced a variety of games launching in 2015 and beyond for Xbox One and Windows 10, including a mix of exclusives, blockbusters and independent games through the ID@Xbox program:

·      “Ashen” (XBOX CONSOLE EXCLUSIVE). This action RPG is about a wanderer in search of a place to call home. There is no sun, and the only natural light comes from eruptions that cover the land in ash. This is a world where nothing lasts, no matter how tightly you cling to it. At its core, “Ashen” is about forging relationships. Players can guide those they trust to their camp — together, you might just stand a chance.

·      “Beyond Eyes” (FIRST ON XBOX ONE & PC). In this modern fairy tale about finding courage and friendship, step by step you’ll uncover an incredible world, carefully guiding Rae, a young blind girl, on a life-changing journey. Available 2015.

·      “Cuphead” (XBOX CONSOLE EXCLUSIVE). This single-player or co-op run-and-gun platformer is heavily focused on boss battles. Inspired by 1930s cartoons, the visuals are hand drawn and inked and the music is all original jazz recordings. Cuphead and Mugman traverse strange worlds, acquire new weapons, learn powerful supermoves and uncover hidden secrets.

·      “Dark Souls III.” Known for delivering a high level of unrelenting challenges to gamers, the next chapter of the “Dark Souls” saga returns with “Dark Souls III.” Developer FromSoftware returns to create a new blighted world for players to explore. The embers of a once proud kingdom set the stage for this new adventure. Players will battle against fearsome enemies and bosses with a variety of weapons and magic through a mysterious land riddled with secrets. Available 2016.

·      “Fable Legends” (EXCLUSIVE). Claim your legacy as a fearless Hero or a cunning Villain as you clash against one another in thrilling 4-versus-1 battles to determine the fate of Albion in this free-to-play action RPG from Lionhead Studios. Available holiday 2015.

·      “Fallout 4.” “Fallout 4” is under development at Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of Game of the Year titles including “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion” (2006), “Fallout 3” (2008), and “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” (2011). “Fallout 4” is the next generation of open-world gaming where every second is a fight for survival, and every choice is yours. All purchases of “Fallout 4” on Xbox One will include a token for “Fallout 3” through the first 90 days after “Fallout 4’s” release. “Fallout 4” is available Nov.10, 2015.

·      “FIFA 16.” “FIFA 16” innovates across the entire pitch to deliver a balanced, authentic, and exciting football experience that lets you play your way. With innovative gameplay features, “FIFA 16” brings confidence in defending, control in midfield, and gives you the tools to create more moments of magic than ever. Available Sept. 22, 2015.

·      “Forza Motorsport 6” (EXCLUSIVE). Race over 450 Forzavista cars in the most beautiful and comprehensive racing game of this generation. Available Sept. 15, 2015.

·      “Gears of War: Ultimate Edition” (EXCLUSIVE). Play the first at its best. Experience the title that launched one of the most celebrated sagas in entertainment. Painstakingly remastered in 1080p and modernized for Xbox One, “Gears of War: Ultimate Edition” is packed full of new content, including five campaign chapters never released on Xbox, and will unlock early access to the “Gears of War 4” multiplayer beta in 2016. Available Aug. 25, 2015.

·      “Gears of War 4” (EXCLUSIVE). The award-winning franchise begins a new saga on Xbox One, coming in 2016.

·      “Gigantic” (EXCLUSIVE). Get ready for “Gigantic,” a new free-to-play shooter MOBA where heroes battle alongside a massive guardian. Free-to-play on Windows 10 and Xbox One¹, “Gigantic” tests teamwork, tactics and timing as you confront a five-story foe and conquer a fantasy battlefield.

·      “Halo 5: Guardians” (EXCLUSIVE). A mysterious and unstoppable force threatens the galaxy, the Master Chief is missing and his loyalty is being questioned. Experience the most dramatic Halo story to date in a four-player cooperative epic that spans three worlds. Challenge friends and rivals in new multiplayer modes: Warzone, massive 24-player battles, and Arena, pure 4-versus-4 competitive combat. Available Oct. 27, 2015.

·      “Madden NFL 16.” Be the playmaker with all-new controls that allow you to dominate in the battle for air supremacy. New QB mechanics including body-relative throws and touch passes provide unprecedented depth and control of the football while under centre. Combined with a new risk-reward catch and pass-defend system, get ready for the biggest wow moments in franchise history. Available Aug. 25, 2015.

·      “Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2.” The battle for suburbia grows to crazy new heights in “Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2”! For the first time in franchise history, zombies have taken over and plants are on the attack. With new characters, more ways to play and immersive new maps, the game taps into the heart of what fans loved about the original and goes above and beyond to deliver the biggest, craziest and most over-the-top shooter. Available 2016.

·      “Rare Replay” (EXCLUSIVE). To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Rare Ltd. brings together the adventures of its iconic characters in a collection of 30 games that span the decades. From its earliest 2-D classics to Xbox 360 triumphs, “Rare Replay” is lovingly presented for Xbox One and delivers a treasure trove for veteran players and newcomers alike at an amazing value of ERP $29.99 (NZ RRP to be confirmed). Available Aug. 4, 2015.

·      “ReCore” (EXCLUSIVE). From legendary creator Keiji Inafune and the makers of “Metroid Prime” comes “ReCore,” a classic action-adventure reimagined for a new generation. As one of the last remaining humans, forge friendships with an eclectic cast of robots and lead them on an epic adventure across a mysterious, ever-changing world. Available Autumn 2016.

·      “Rise of the Tomb Raider” (EXCLUSIVE | HOLIDAY 2015). Available beginning Nov. 10, 2015 and featuring epic, high-octane action moments set in the most beautifully hostile environments, “Rise of the Tomb Raider” delivers a cinematic survival action adventure where you will join Lara Croft on her first tomb raiding expedition as she seeks to discover the secret of immortality.

·      “Sea of Thieves” (EXCLUSIVE). The freedom of the pirate life awaits in “Sea of Thieves,” Rare’s next adventurous voyage coming exclusively to Xbox One and Windows 10. Available holiday 2016.

·      “Tacoma” (FIRST ON XBOX ONE and PC). Discovery. Exploration. Isolation. What is life like 200,000 miles from Earth? Uncover the mysteries held by Lunar Transfer Station Tacoma and its crew, living at the edge of humanity’s reach. “Tacoma,” the next game from the creators of “Gone Home.” 

·      “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.” Inspired by the reality of counterterrorist operatives across the world, “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege” invites players to master the art of destruction. Intense close-quarter confrontations, high lethality, tactics, team play, and tension are at the centre of the experience. Available Oct. 13, 2015.

·      “Tom Clancy’s The Division.” In “Tom Clancy’s The Division,” an immersive online open-world action role-playing game, players will team up with other Division agents to reclaim New York City from the chaos of a deadly pandemic. Play the beta first on Xbox One. Available 2016.

Backward Compatibility Comes to Xbox One, for Free

·      This holiday, Xbox One will be the only console to support backward compatibility natively for select Xbox 360 games, for free, and all with Xbox One features including screenshots, broadcasting and GameDVR. Backward compatibility is one of the most-requested fan features, and more than 100 classic Xbox 360 games will be available at launch, with more to come.

·      While not all Xbox 360 titles will be available at launch, fans can submit what titles they’d like to see added via Xbox Feedback, and Xbox will work with game publishers to continue to release new titles regularly.

The World’s Premier Gaming Community, Xbox Live, Is Getting Better

·      Xbox Live powers the most ambitious Halo game Xbox has ever made in “Halo 5: Guardians.” The game is designed from the ground up as a four-player cooperative experience, and introduces up to 24-person multiplayer with Warzone. This is a giant leap forward for Halo multiplayer, and it will be playable at E3.

·      Xbox Live will also give players access to more of their friends and a larger community of gamers through titles like “Fable Legends” and “Gigantic” that support cross-device multiplayer and that sync a player’s progress automatically as they move from one device to another.

·      Earlier this year Microsoft announced that the best of Xbox One is coming to Windows. The new Xbox app brings Xbox Live friends to Windows 10 PCs and tablets, and lets players stream their Xbox One games to any Windows 10 device for free.

Advanced Technology Takes Gaming Further on Xbox One, and Beyond

·      In close collaboration with professional gamers, Microsoft created the Xbox Elite Controller — a pro controller designed to take gaming to the next level.

·      Players can customize everything from trigger sensitivity to button mapping to game-specific setups, and use it with their Xbox One and Windows 10 devices with a custom app that offers gamers the opportunity to further modify the controller for any gaming scenario.

·      The controller features a premium design that guarantees long-lasting quality with stainless steel features that are built to withstand hours of intense gameplay.

·      Microsoft also reiterated details from a new partnership with Oculus VR LLC to include an Xbox One Wireless controller with every Oculus Rift at launch, supporting virtual reality on Windows 10 and Xbox One. Xbox One fans will be able to experience even more immersive gaming by streaming their favourite titles to Oculus Rift via Windows 10.

·      Microsoft is proud to announce a new relationship with Valve VR. We will be working closely with Valve to make Windows 10 the best platform for VR gaming.

·      Microsoft HoloLens introduces all new ways to game with mixed reality, including “Minecraft” on HoloLens, a fully-featured version of “Minecraft” that allows players to explore the game world in full 3-D.

Microsoft’s ID@Xbox Showcases the Depth of Independent Gaming for Xbox

·      More than 1,000 independent developers have Xbox One development kits via ID@Xbox. With the recent expansion of ID@Xbox to Windows 10, independent game fans can look forward to even more exciting games coming soon.

·      With the announcement of the Xbox Game Preview pilot program, fans can start playing select games such as “DayZ,” “Sheltered,” and “The Long Dark” while they’re still in development, offering suggestions to the development team and becoming part of the creative process.

Fans Can Access and Explore these Exciting Features Today

·      Xbox One Preview Members will have access to backward compatibility starting today, and backward compatibility will be available to everyone this fall, for free.

·      In celebration of E3, all Xbox Live Gold members can try out the EA Access Vault, playing their favourite EA games for free2, only on Xbox One all week long.

·      Beginning today, you can play the beta of “Gears of War: Ultimate Edition,” exclusively on Xbox One, for free2.

1Free on Windows 10 and free with an Xbox Live Gold subscription on Xbox One

2Free with an Xbox Live Gold subscription on Xbox One

Rise of the Tomb Raider: E3 2015 gameplay

Rise of the Tomb Raider: E3 2015 gameplay

The first game play for Rise of the Tomb Raider has been revealed at E3 2015.

Bethesda's E3 press conference

Bethesda's E3 press conference

It was Bethesda Studios first time at E3 and they didn't disappoint.

Previewing Doom:



Also announcing Battlecry:

And a new Dishonored 2
 

 Plus the Elder Scrolls Legend:

 and of course, the much anticipated Fallout 4:

Bethesda E3 announcements

Bethesda E3 announcements

Get all of the latest gaming announcements from E3 and Bethesda's live conference below

Watch live video from Bethesda on www.twitch.tv

Hot Pursuit: Film Review

Hot Pursuit: Film Review

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara
Director: Anne Fletcher

It's girl power all the way in this formulaic, by the numbers, road comedy that falls on the usual tropes to get it through.

Reese Witherspoon goes back to her broad comedy roots to play an uptight by-the-book cop, Officer Cooper, who finds herself given the task of escorting Modern Family star Sofia Vergara's Danielle Riva to testify in a case against a drug lord and his cartels.

But when the bad guys come shooting and Coop's not sure who she can trust, the pair go on the lam with only each other to rely on.

Hot Pursuit is a very old school film in many ways.

It's slapstick farce which is light on comedy but high on squawking from Sofia Vergara, who essentially plays another version of her Modern Family character.  There are a couple of running gags which mock Witherspoon's character's height and Vergara's character's age but all in all, it's a little patchy at best.

Witherspoon riffs well on the Texan style she's used to playing and does the broad comedy well, but it feels like the writing just isn't strong enough to propel the film through, despite it only being 87 minutes long. As the comic Thelma and Louise rolls on in their bonding, Hot Pursuit rolls out the predictable gags, faux lesbian moments and an increasing silliness to push it over the finish line.

The worst offender on the humour front comes when Coop and Riva fool their captors and escape by explaining that one of them is having their period. It's at this point that you start to wonder how certain parts of the movie made it from the page in the first place.

Ultimately, Hot Pursuit's odd couple chemistry delivers exactly what you'd expect, nothing more, nothing less - it's just a shame that it feels like it's squandered its promise somewhat, and failed to deliver a female led comedy film that Hollywood's been lacking for a while.

Rating:

Foxcatcher: Blu Ray Review

Foxcatcher: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Roadshow Home Ent

Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.

And in Foxcatcher, the simple fact is that the true crime explored within is nothing more than intensely disturbing.

It's the story of Channing Tatum's Olympic gold winning athlete Mark Schultz, a veritable gorilla of  a man with a jutting jaw, and an increasing feeling of alienation and lack of self-worth. Having won the gold with his brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo), Mark finds himself living alone, feasting on two-minute noodles and giving hollow speeches to school assemblies about what it takes to win a gold.

With his brother settled into wrestling coaching, Mark's listless and is contacted by John Du Pont (an unrecognisable Steve Carell, complete with prosthetic nose, stooped poise and swerving gaze) to come and coach a group of wrestlers with the aim of winning an Olympic gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Mark accepts, finding something of a kindred spirit in du Pont's apparent benevolence and patriotism and moves into the estate. But, when Du Pont insists on bringing his brother to work in the gym, the quest and its subsequent journey is a mere catalyst for what comes next.

Foxcatcher is a deeply unsettling, an aloof and disturbed movie that's likely to haunt you for days to come.

Miller (who directed Capote and Moneyball) has constructed something minimalist and almost aloof that challenges as much as it chills and creeps. By refusing to delve too deeply into the background of Dupont or the Schulz brothers (we never fully know whether Mark's so resentful of his brother or if there was a bust up) and by using a controlled and measured method, Miller's made it that you have to work to get the reward out of the intense, slow-burning fear of dread that gnaws away at you as this claustrophobic drama plays out. Scenes of wrestling, lingering looks and silence (both spoken and from the soundtrack) say more than reams of on-screen exposition ever would.

At its centre is a career-U-turn of the highest order from Steve Carell, whose pallid exterior and prosthetic nose demeanour seek to disguise the actor from everything you've ever experienced from him - a la Charlize Theron in Monster. Every scene that he's in moves a little closer to making you feel uncomfortable as this fascinating story plays out and as Dupont insinuates his way into Mark's life. But, there are moments when Dupont transcends the creepy weird benefactor who never blinks once in a scene tag; a moment when he explains to his mother what he's doing and her visit to the gym ache with a subtext that's sublime - and one scene where he frees horses is the closest to a release the character gets (though even that drips with a dread that's ever present).

Equally, Tatum channels desperation, frustration and an inability to externalise Mark's opinions with an expert touch. Hunched and ape-like, Mark's vulnerability, grunting and aching desire to find something to desperately cling to are brilliantly realised because of both his acting and Miller's camera hanging on him awkwardly. Likewise, Ruffalo's brother says more with a few looks than any words could do; scenes where his concern for his brother are evident but can't be expressed are excellently committed to the screen - all of the players in this bizarre piece bring their A game.

While Miller plays a little fast and loose with some of the facts of the case (the denouement wisely omits a siege and trial), the slow-burning tension actually produces a richer character tapestry as a result. The subsequent histrionics of such an ending would only provide a deeper understanding of why DuPont was how he was - but by withholding those, there's more a cinematic sense of unease which is commendable.

Restrained, tragic and minimal, Foxcatcher is easily the most uncomfortable film of the year.But it's also the most impressive thanks to two career-redefining turns from Carell and Tatum, which drip with poignancy.

Rating: