Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands - PvP Mode 'Ghost War' Launches Oct 10

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands - PvP Mode 'Ghost War' Launches Oct 10

ASSEMBLE YOUR SQUAD AS TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON^®WILDLANDS GHOST WAR PVP MODE LAUNCHES OCTOBER 10

The Tactical 4v4 Mode Will Be A Free Update for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Owners

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — September 29, 2017 — Ubisoft^® has announced that Ghost War, the new PvP mode update for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon^® Wildlands, will be available on October 10. Ghost War will be free for all players who own the base game and will receive regular content updates after launch.

In Ghost War, two groups of players will take part in a 4v4 team deathmatch experience that builds on the tactical squad play from the main game, where strategy is equally as important as skill. Teams will choose from a roster of varied classes across three categories including Assault, Marksman and Support, fulfilling specific roles on the battlefield as they navigate large-scale open maps and take down their enemies. Using one of the twelve distinct classes, each with their own varied characteristics, weapons, perks and customization options, players will engage with enemies across eight unique maps. Ghost War will also integrate new PvP mechanics, including suppressing fire and sound markers, to create a strategic and intense team-based multiplayer mode. For all the detailed information on Ghost War, please visit:www.ghostrecon.com/pvp.

To view the trailer click the image below

The development team plans to bring regular post-launch updates to Ghost War in order to enrich the overall PvP experience. “We are excited to continue refining and expanding Ghost War after its launch” said Lucian Istrate, lead game designer on Ghost War at Ubisoft Bucharest. “Expect more classes, more maps, and even new modes to be added in the future!”

Developed by Ubisoft Paris,* Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is a military shooter entirely playable in up to four-player co-op or single-player from beginning to end. Players have total freedom to accomplish their missions how they want and watch as the world reacts to their actions. Players can choose to move quietly in the night, go in hot at dawn or work together to execute a sync shot that takes out enemies in one fell swoop. Each choice has a consequence, and players must improvise or adapt their plans to ensure the completion and success of each mission.

For the latest about Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands and all Ubisoft games, please visitubiblog.com.

Ubisoft Announces Dan Romer As Composer For Far Cry® 5

Ubisoft Announces Dan Romer As Composer For Far Cry® 5

UBISOFT^® ANNOUNCES DAN ROMER AS COMPOSER FOR FAR CRY^® 5

Sent on behalf of James Mahon

To download all assets please visit the press extranet: ubisoft-press.com

Sydney, AUSTRALIA — September 29, 2017 — Ubisoft^® has announced that Dan Romer, the award-winning film composer, songwriter and music producer, is composing the score for Far Cry^® 5 in addition to writing songs for the game. The Far Cry 5 soundtrack will be available closer to the game’s launch on February 27, 2018.

Known for his film score work on Beasts of the Southern Wild and Beasts of No Nation, and for producing the Grammy-winning single, “Say Something,” and worldwide hit, “Treat You Better,” Romer sought to create a soundtrack that transports players into fictional Hope County, Montana, where fanatical doomsday cult Project at Eden’s Gate has taken over. Utilizing many Americana instruments, including banjos, fiddles, dobros and more, Romer’s score will fluctuate as players explore the dynamic world and come head-to-head with cultists. Each of the regions will have specific character-centric music that ties into the motives of the Father and the Heralds.

Along with the musical composition, the Far Cry 5 score will also include original hymns written by Romer, produced by Bobby Chin and performed by the Bobby Chin Nashville Choir. The lyrics of these reflect the inspirations of the leadership and members of the cult while also hiding more sinister messages toward the Resistance. Each of these hymns will mix into the existing music that players experience as they explore the world or engage in combat.

Set in America, a first for the franchise, Far Cry 5 offers players total freedom to navigate a serene-looking yet deeply twisted world as the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana. Players will find that their arrival accelerates a years-long silent coup by a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Eden's Gate, igniting a violent takeover of the county. Under siege and cut off from the rest of the world, players will join forces with residents of Hope County and form the Resistance.

For more information about Far Cry 5, please visit farcry.com.

For the latest on Far Cry 5 and other Ubisoft games, please visit ubiblog.com.

Whitney Can I Be Me: DVD Review

Whitney Can I Be Me: DVD Review

There can be no denial of the power of Whitney Houston's voice.

While Broomfield's documentary opens with the 911 call made on that fateful night in February 2012 in Los Angeles, it soon kicks back 13 years to backstage Frankfurt and allows Houston's gospel-tinged vocals to soar as she belts out "I will Always Love You".
The sheer silky ferocity of Houston's vocals are perhaps the major boon of this relatively straight, by-the-numbers documentary that follows pieces of Houston's meteoric rise and shocking fall.

Broomfield's less interested in providing a doco that's full of salacious chat or indeed any major revelations, preferring to take the route of simply telling the story of Houston, her journey from Newark, the role of her family and how it all fell apart for her.
It's in the unfurling of some unseen footage that Broomfield's piece is more of interest to fans of Houston and scenes shot backstage of Houston talking to others or leaving the stage in tears that the doco gains its edge.

Focussing on talking to family members, using archival interview footage and moments, Broomfield's piece captures some of the control of the singer's ascent, and maybe chronicles some moments that people will not fully be aware of.

But whereas the likes of Amy had more of an emotional edge due to the unfettered and meticulously assembled footage, Whitney: Can I Be Me? occasionally teeters close to hagiography because of the lack of depth. It's a very competently put together documentary, that hits a lull midway and feels like a telling of the story, rather than anything else.

That's no mean feat though - and moments such as when Houston was booed at the Soul Train awards because of her cross-racial appeal demonstrate how badly she was hurt by the business, proffering insight into how her soul was splintered gradually by a series of knocks.

The second half of the doco is perhaps the more interesting as an infinitely more sallow and drained Houston starts to manifest; the results are shocking and go some way to fulfilling some of the edges of this rise and fall doco.

If you're a Whitney Houston fan, this doco is a compelling must. But for those of us raised on docos like Asif Kapadia's Senna and Amy which manage to take subjects and make fans of non-supporters, Whitney: Can I Be Me? feels like it falters a little. It does what it can with the material that it has present, but it simply doesn't provide the emotional heft that it should.

It's a perfectly competent rise-and-fall piece, but its arguments that family and the times were responsible for what transpired aren't really backed by anything to make them simply claims.

There's no disputing the tragedy of Houston's death, and while it's best to concentrate on the legacy of the songs and celebrate the voice, Broomfield's documentary hits some of the high notes, but, by missing the more personal touches, also somehow manages to put a few beats wrong. 

Despicable Me 3: Blu Ray Review

Despicable Me 3: Blu Ray Review

Third time's less of the charm for Illumination's animated antics in this latest outing for Gru and the gang.

In Despicable Me 3 (stylised as Despicable M3), Gru and Lucy (Carell and Wiig respectively) are kicked out of the anti-villains league when they fail to stop 80s obsessed former child star and wannabe crimelord Balthazar Bratt (South Park's Trey Parker) from stealing one of the world's largest diamonds.

Suffering from a crisis of faith, Gru discovers he has a twin brother, Dru (also played by Carell), who's the opposite to Gru's villain.

When the pair finally meet, Gru's jealous of Dru's seemingly successful lifestyle. But he's shocked to find out that Dru just wants to be a villain as that's all their father ever wanted for his son...

Will Gru re-embrace his dark side?Feeling distinctly flat and disappointingly disparate, Despicable M3 lacks the zaniess and the bite of prior outings.

While the 80s nostalgia vibe may help the older end of the audience feel a little jaded and satiated at the thought of a fourth film with the Minions.

Wiig feels particularly underused as the surrogate mother and the separate threads involving dispirited minions, the kids, Gru / Dru's antics don't quite seem to gel as well as they should.

It helps little that the animation which had such zing before looks great but delivers little in terms of memorable moments; it's slickly produced but its sweetly sentimental edges don't really bring the feels that it should this time around.

Granted, the children in the audience may well enjoy the brief interludes (though the shoe-horning in of Sing, another Illumination property is almost as bad as any product placement from Michael Bay's outings), but there aren't enough of them to keep everyone entertained.

There are flashes of visual brilliance though, such as when Gru and Dru raid the villain's lair (there's plenty of fun to be had in being bad) - and the 80s obsessed Bratt is a non-stop laugh-fest of nostalgia and desperation all wrapped up in one go, but these are fleeting moments few and sadly far in between, making you desperately miss the kinetic silliness that's been on show before.

All in all, Despicable M3 is pretty much a formulaic piece of CGI animation for the school hols - there's nothing inherently wrong with that, but the fact it betrays the very best of what the Despicable Me series could offer and distills it down into a series of mere moments is nothing short of a crying shame. 

All Locations and Modes Revealed in the New Star Wars Battlefront II Trailer

All Locations and Modes Revealed in the New Star Wars Battlefront II Trailer

   

Make all your Star Wars fantasies come to life in Star Wars Battlefront II! Check out the new “This is Star Wars Battlefront II Trailer” where John Boyega aka Finn reveals the full game experience that players can expect to immerse themselves in this holiday.

Whether it’s dominating as your favorite iconic hero in epic multiplayer battles with up to 40 players, piloting a starfighter through thrilling dogfights in space, or stepping into the boots of commander Iden Versio in the campaign’s all new untold Star Wars story, there’s something for everyone in Star Wars Battlefront II. 

Along with 5 unique multiplayer modes to suit any play style and 18 locations set across all three cinematic Star Wars eras, the new class based system, Battle Points and reworked Star Card system offer greater depth and progression than ever before.

Head to the Star Wars Battlefront II blog here to get a closer look at all the Galactic Assault locations that will be available at launch, and website here to learn more about the game’s multiplayer modes.

The Changeover: Film Review

The Changeover: Film Review  

Cast: Erana James, Timothy Spall, Melanie Lynskey, Lucy Lawless
Director: Miranda Harcourt, Stuart Maconie

Mixing elements of The Tattooist and bizarrely, Twilight, The Changeover is the cinematic version of Margaret Mahy's Carnegie Medal winning book that dabbles in the supernatural.

Set in post-earthquake Christchurch, it's the story of school girl Laura Chant (a subtly nuanced Erana James) whose life has been wrecked by both the quake and personal circumstances.
With her mother (Melanie Lynskey) working long and late hours, Laura's forced to look after her younger brother Jacko.

But having premonitions something bad is about to occur to Jacko, Laura finds her worst fears confirmed when she meets Carmody Braque (Timothy Spall, suitably sinister and vaguely paedophilic) in the containers of downtown Christchurch.

When Jacko's given an ink stamp by Carmody, he mysteriously falls ill and Laura begins to suspect the worst.

However, she discovers there's more afoot in Christchurch than she realises....

The Changeover makes great fist of its post-earthquake Christchurch to give the Mahy novel a redolence that's both poignant and able to convey the turmoil in Chant's life.

Liquefaction bubbles up among the cherry blossoms of the town and when James intones that "the earthquake broke the city, and it broke my family", you can feel the melancholy seeping in.

Equally, the use of Bic Runga's Sway and Melanie Lynskey's sweet sing-along to the classic and containers and the rebuild ground this film firmly in the south island, but yet timelessly in the appeal.

Unfortunately, some of the clunkier dialogue between Laura and her beau (who's clearly been cast more for his looks than acting prowess) give The Changeover a horrible tingling feeling of a return to the corny overwrought dialogue of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga.

Saddled with reams of exposition about the supernatural, the film almost falters despite the directors' visual flourishes of the manifestation of the supernatural coming-of-age edges.

Equally unhelpful is an underwritten Lawless, whose screen time is squashed and whose presence is wasted.

But thanks to a sinister Spall, who channels both Childcatcher and slimy paedophilic edges as the bad guy, and an extremely impressive turn from newcomer James, The Changeover manages to stay afloat when other elements conspire to attempt to drag it down like a witch under water.

If anything, The Changeover will play to an audience under-served from the New Zealand film market for many years and bravely tries to position itself as something of a teen film with weightier darker issues around the edge. It sort of works and channels an era of yesteryear, but it's largely thanks to the truly impressive talents of James, whose natural presence and expression of the usual teenage tropes helps mark The Changeover out as something worth taking a punt on for an afternoon out.

Lady MacBeth: Film Review

Lady MacBeth: Film Review

Cast: Florence Pugh, Cosmo Jarvis
Director: William Oldroyd

"Do you have any idea the damage you can bring upon this family?"

A star is born in the devilishly sizzling William Oldroyd helmed Lady Macbeth, a reinvention of the Russian novella Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District.

Florence Pugh burns up the screen as Katherine, a young bride trapped in the shackles of marriage and in a home of pure hell. With an extremely strict and brutal father-in-law and a husband who has no interest in her other than barking orders, this repressed bride finds life dull and boring.

Coming across a new stablehand Sebastian (Cosmo Jarvis), Katherine falls into lust - and the inevitable happens. However, plotting to escape the confines of a positively Victorian ethos could lead to dark resolutions.

Make no mistake, Florence Pugh positively owns the screen and burns it up in this chilling tale of desire as her character goes from victim to villainess.

From Katherine's desire for Sebastian to her desire to do whatever is necessary to escape and to live a life that's her own, Pugh uses the simplest of facials and the subtlest of moves to convey this. Whether it's the sheer joy of walking outside on the moors (which she's forbidden to do) as the mist hangs low or leaving buttons undone on her pristine outfit, Pugh brings a level of physicality to the role that's compelling to watch from beginning to end. She finds happiness in the growing moral turpitude and it's unsettling and conflicting to have you root for her every small victory.

Equally, Oldroyd's helming brings a degree of clinical chilliness to proceedings.

With a stripped back soundtrack and simple eye of precision behind the camera, Oldroyd concentrates on the moments which will bring maximum shock to the screen - be warned, there are moments that will stun you as this tale of barbed feminism plays out.

Atmospherically built and viscerally sparse, Lady Macbeth is a truly seminal experience; a peek into feminist politics and a mesmerising lead make it an unmissable and gut-wrenching piece of cinema.