Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Gaming

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Campaign Replay Confirmed for March Hawkeye Update

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Campaign Replay Confirmed for March Hawkeye Update

    We’ve been keeping a close eye on Marvel’s Avengers‘ next major update, which will finally allow us to play as the iconic archer. Lately, some hints have started pointing to the update potentially including more than what we initially expected. Suddenly, Intel leaked a video early on the addition of customizable HARM rooms. Crystal Dynamics also unveiled that they are holding additional streams showcasing the game’s original storyline. The theory paid off, as they announced that the Hawkeye update will include a long-requested function. It looks like we’ll finally be able to replay the campaign.

     

     

    It’s been a highly requested feature, as the REassemble campaign was one of the highlights of the game. We finally get to revisit Kamala’s story, as she witnesses her heroes fall during A-Day before becoming an essential member of the team. It also makes sense to add this function alongside the next-generation upgrade. We’ll get to revisit the storyline with updated graphics and a much smoother framerate. @PlayAvenger was able to grab the video of how we can restart the campaign:

     

    https://twitter.com/PlayAvenger/status/1369364739281854469?s=20

     

    If you take a closer look, they also updated the overall UX. The storylines seem to be numbered now, so it is easier to know where you start. You can easily access any of the campaigns and restart them from the operations menu. They also published a new blog post that confirms every operation can be replayed, which is great news as one issue I had was that I couldn’t revisit parts of the story even if the missions were available. I am looking forward to trying out the replay, as I’ve wanted to revisit it for some time again, especially now as the game starts to expand with future DLC characters. I cannot wait to check out the new HARM rooms as well, which offer some replayability by testing out my heroes in creative ways.

    Source: Twitter (Update Overview), Twitter (Campaign), Play Avengers

  • ‘Borderlands’ Adds Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina

    ‘Borderlands’ Adds Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina

    The upcoming Borderlands film has been casting some great talent. A few weeks ago, we found out that Jamie Lee Curtis has joined Eli Roth‘s upcoming release. Jack Black has also joined as the iconic snarky robot, Claptrap. We got one more casting news, as the series has found its Tiny Tina in Ariana Greenblatt. Some might recognize the young actress for her role as young Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War. She has also appeared in A Bad Moms Christmas. Roth has given the following statement regarding her casting:

    Ariana is a spectacular new talent in cinema. She has already worked with many of my close collaborators and everyone raves about her. She blew us all away in her audition, and I cannot wait to see her bring the wild, insane and unpredictable Tiny Tina to the big screen. She’s going to blow up on screen like one of Tina’s grenades.

    The character is another NPC, who made her debut in Borderlands 2. They seem to be taking inspiration across all entries of the franchise. It makes you wonder if we will get a live-action adaptation of Handsome Jack as well. Still, Tiny Tina is a great addition to the film that will certainly add some chaos. Craig Mazin’s script is still tightly under wraps, but the main story may remain focused on a group of Vault Hunters trying to uncover the secrets of an alien vault. It will be interesting to see if these NPC characters will have larger roles in the story, or may end up as brief appearances in different locations.

    Source: The Verge, Empire

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Custom HARM Rooms Leaked Early

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Custom HARM Rooms Leaked Early

    All eyes were on the upcoming release of Hawkeye for Marvel’s Avengers. The archer would be the second DLC addition to the game, which would include a new storyline that would continue where Kate Bishop left off. Many have been wondering if we can expect any other future updates. There have been many requests for the game, which included a possibility to customize your HARM room challenges. Well, after a long wait, it seems that Crystal Dynamics has been working on it and waiting to officially unveil the design.

    It has finally come and it seems that the content was one of Square-Enix’s multiple contracts, as the customization option is sponsored by Intel. It was taken down shortly after it was released online. As it wasn’t released by the official Play Avengers account, it may have been released early. Luckily, @AssembleCast was able to get a video out on it, if you want to see it in action:

     

     

    Of course, anyone playing on a current-generation console will think this might be exclusive for PC, especially with the Intel advertising. Well, luckily, @StrumSlinger, the game’s community manager took to Discord to confirm that this is also going to be added to consoles.

     

     

    I have been waiting for the reveal of custom HARM rooms since the game was released. They do offer some standard missions, but it was an option that was sorely missing. I also am glad that we can use the location in the Helicarrier. It was a nitpick, but I was annoyed you could only access the HARM room through the War Table, so it was pointless to make the trip to the back of the flying fortress. The options look great for those that want to test out the different moves of their favorite Avengers. Hopefully, this is only the first of many major additions heading our way in the coming months. Here’s hoping we get an official reveal soon on what we can expect with this system.

    Source: YouTube, Twitter (AssembleCast), Twitter (PlayAvenger)

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Talk Upcoming Patches and Content

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Talk Upcoming Patches and Content

    After a brief hiatus, Marvel’s Avengers has returned with a  new developer stream. They started this one off strong by jumping into discussing some aspects, as we are nearing the release of the next DLC character, Clint Barton. They couldn’t go into any details, but they did highlight that we’ll be getting a stream showcasing his moves on March 12th, so keep an eye out for that. Without further ado, let’s jump into the big talking points of this stream:

    • New Black Widow and Ms. Marvel skins arriving next week.
    • Next week we’ll get a minor patch that fixes Iron Man‘s noise glitch and brings back battery charge on his missiles. It will also repair the King Hulk hair glitch.
    • March 18th patch will include an extensive patch note (such as fixing the HARM Room issues), and they teased other things that will get revealed beforehand on Social Media. Challenge 4 issues will also be solved with this patch.
    • PVP is not of any priority, as they want to focus on what they have.
    • Hawkeye’s Stark Tech-inspired armor is called Iron Eye. 
    • Cloning Labs content is almost finalized. They are mainly focused on progression and fixing the bugs that affect the Omega Threat-Level’s gameplay negatively. The bug is an issue because of the longer playtime necessary to finish it and stands out with these lengthy missions. The mission will take several hours, as you need to solve the puzzles that only get hinted at through the environment. Teamwork is essential.

    Marvel's Avengers' finally gets Hawkeye on March 18 - Polygon

     

    • Once the roadmap gets signed off on, they can reveal what they are working on to the public more. CD has an internal one set but is working hard on getting it approved for the public.
    • Xbox has matchmaking issues, which aren’t connected to CD but with the platform.
    • Crafting isn’t getting worked on specifically, but they want to offer more freedom with gear stats in Loot 2.0. They are also adapting the loot drop to balance it.
    • Marketplace and vendors are getting looked into. They are working on an update and looking into a higher frequency for the offerings. Current drops weren’t changed or tuned, so they should’ve remained the same.
    • Progression Balance is being looked into, such as better farming options to avoid repetition and leveling up characters.

     

    Hawkeye Gets Detailed In Latest Marvel's Avengers War Table - Game Informer

     

    • Elevator dialogue will get cut off due to the faster loading times of next-gen consoles, but they plan to fix it.
    • The percentage issue with the War Table is getting looked into.
    • CD would love a Professor Hulk skin, so they are looking into it.
    • Emote wheel is something they are still actively looking into.
    • Haptic feedback highlighted again for the upcoming PlayStation 5 version.
    • Campaign Replay won’t add any new features. It is why they don’t call New Game+. It will release sooner than other content that is being worked on.

    They have gone into quite a bit of detail with some aspects and are still working hard on getting that roadmap out. We still have a few weeks to go before any big reveals are done, so it’ll be interesting to see what may be included in the major patch that arrives on March 18th with Clint.

    Source: Twitch

  • ‘Pokémon Diamond and Pearl’ Remakes Announced Alongside New Open-World Prequel Game

    ‘Pokémon Diamond and Pearl’ Remakes Announced Alongside New Open-World Prequel Game

    It is somewhat of a tradition that the various Pokémon games get remakes while Gamefreak is working hard on the next entry. As such, many weren’t wonder if we would get remakes of Diamond and Pearl, but rather when. Many believed it would be the case with the last Nintendo Direct, but it turned out they had an entirely separate event planned for it, as they finally revealed the remakes with the titles Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Not just that, they also revealed the game’s art style in a small teaser for its Nintendo Switch release:

    https://twitter.com/Pokemon/status/1365319952153083910?s=20

    they went ahead and recreated the original Nintendo DS games with a chibi design. It really looks like they made 3D renders of the original pixel art. It is rather surprising, as the franchise seemed to be moving away from the top-down view it has been using since its inception. Of course, once you enter battle the design shifts to showcase fully realized 3D models that we’ve seen in the new Pokémon Let’s GO games. However, it looks like they are also testing a new design out with the reveal of a pre-make game that is set within the land of Sinnoh titled Pokémon: Legends Arceus:

    https://twitter.com/Pokemon/status/1365321297190940673

    gives us a fully realized 3D Pokemon game many of us have been wanting to see in the franchise. You can freely explore open worlds and catch wild Pokémon without entering a specific fighting sequence. It seems like they might be testing out a new direction for the franchise. The Japanese design of exploring the history of this world is a great idea, which hopefully will be explored more in the future. The franchise is a perfect candidate for an open-world action-RPG. It looks like the Pokémon franchise has some big plans for the Nintendo Switch.

    Source: Twitter (Remake), Twitter (Premake)

  • Latest ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach’ Trailer Showcases First Gameplay

    Latest ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach’ Trailer Showcases First Gameplay

    The PlayStation’s State of Play has revealed quite a few interesting new details on upcoming games. While I am still waiting for an announcement on that rumored Silent Hill game, we did get a bit of horror in the latest showcase. Around five months ago, it was announced that the next entry in the Five Nights At Freddy‘s franchise, Security Breach. The newest trailer gave us an even better look at the game’s story and gameplay.

     

     

    The opening showcases a very familiar mask to those that played through the VR game, Five Night’s At Freddy’s: Help Wanted. We get a good look at the new location and animatronics that will become our living nightmare. The most exciting aspect is that this is the first time we have a fully realized game, as previously, the games were restricted to smaller sections of the game. Security Breach seems to offer us an entire world to explore, as we avoid getting captured by the various animatronics.

    Now, we can’t discuss the trailer without talking about the post-credit sequence. We see a human figure with a purple arm. Now, for anyone who doesn’t follow the overly complicated lore of these games, purple is associated commonly with the main antagonist of the franchise. The aptly named “purple guy” has deep ties with the creation of the iconic possessed animatronics. It will be interesting to see how this neon-drenched sequel will connect to the previous entries. I cannot wait to get my hands on the game.

    Source: YouTube

  • Square-Enix Announces Two New ‘Final Fantasy 7’ Mobile Spin-Offs

    Square-Enix Announces Two New ‘Final Fantasy 7’ Mobile Spin-Offs

    The Final Fantasy 7 Remake franchise is continuing to expand. In the latest PlayStation State of Play, we got a trailer for the first DLC of last year’s remake. It will explore a story that takes place during the Midgar chapter, as Yuffie tries to uncover Shinra’s dark secrets and take them down from within. It looks like Square-Eni wasn’t done with the franchise yet, as they simultaneously revealed two brand new mobile games. Interestingly enough, the titles for these games were leaked two months ago due to trademarks.

    The first mobile game is titled Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis. It will be a single-player game that covers the entire franchise’s timeline. It even includes the compilation and designs from the Remake franchise. The gameplay showcases the return of the classic ATB system. It even switches between chibi-versions of the characters and their larger designs. The ending seems to tease a story featuring Zack, which could potentially be tied to the ending of Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

    As mentioned before, it wasn’t the only mobile game reveal. It looks like they are dipping their toes in third-person shooters as well. Final Fantasy 7 The First Soldier will be a Battle Royale game that takes place in Midgar before the events of the original game. You take over the role of a SOLDIER candidate, who will take on other players and some classic enemies from the original game.

    The quality of these games is impressive and showcases how far mobile gaming has come. There is a good chance there are some gacha or microtransactions integrated into the game, as is common for mobile games. I might check out The First Soldier game, as it seems like a fun distraction. Ever Crisis would technically count as a remake of the original with how faithful its adaptation seems to be. I am excited to see what else the franchise might have in store for us, as we anxiously wait for the sequel to last year’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

    Source: Twitter (Ever Crisis), Twitter (The First Soldier)

  • First ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake’ DLC Reveals the Return of Yuffie

    First ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake’ DLC Reveals the Return of Yuffie

    I didn’t expect this. In the latest PlayStation State of Play, we got a look at various upcoming game releases and the showcase of upgrades for PlayStation 5 owners. Among them, we got a showcase of 2020’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake with new textures, lighting, and so much more. It even comes with some Quality of Life improvements. We finally get a Photo Mode to see all the detailed work in the game. The biggest surprise was the reveal of an entire story chapter focused on everyone’s favorite ninja Yuffie. The new story will be available for PlayStation 5 players and is titled “Intergrade“.

     

     

    It starts with a recap until we suddenly get a brand new sequence looking at Midgar through a telescope. It quickly reveals Yuffie’s updated design and introduces a new cast of characters. We even get some gameplay that shows her maneuverability on the field. It looks like they want to add a lot more ways to get around the map in the sequel. Yuffie’s Intergrade storyline will take place at the same time as the original game.

    The trailer even ends on a curious cliffhanger. It reveals a mysterious character, who may be the main antagonist for this storyline. The DLC will be released on June 10th worldwide, and it will expand the franchise before the official sequel gets released. I didn’t expect any smaller content drops, as they already broke the original game into multiple pieces. It also is a brand new story that wasn’t a part of PlayStation’s Final Fantasy 7 release in 1997, so we might see more additions in the future. I cannot wait to revisit this world on the next-gen console.

    Source: YouTube

  • EA and BioWare Will No Longer Develop ‘Anthem’s NEXT Update

    EA and BioWare Will No Longer Develop ‘Anthem’s NEXT Update

    BioWare’s release of Anthem has been hotly discussed online for the last few months. They have been working on a massive update, which got titled Anthem NEXT, which would bring new life into the live-service game. In an official post that was released today, they confirmed that development has stopped on the project. The game will continue to run, but it will not get any new additional content in the future.

    The small team has been hard at work developing this massive update for the game, which would see a complete revamp of its core gameplay loop. They have been adding improvements and various updates, but people were wondering about what the NEXT element would include. Not too long ago, it got revealed that EA was reviewing the 2.0 update, as it was uncertain if the 30-man team could continue development. Sadly, it seems the studio has decided to focus on upcoming titles, such as the next Dragon Age and Mass Effect entries.

    Christian Dailey, who is the executive producer of the game, apologized to the Anthem community in an open letter on BioWare’s blog. The good news is that the game will continue to be playable for fans, so the game isn’t truly dead but won’t see any future updates. EA and BioWare will continue working on their next franchises. The update’s long development cycle and the necessary funds may have been a large part of why EA decided to discontinue it. We’ll see how Anthem‘s legacy will leave its mark on current and future Games-as-a-Service.

    Source: BioWare, GameRant

  • ‘Star Wars: Republic Commando’ Remaster Revealed

    ‘Star Wars: Republic Commando’ Remaster Revealed

    Another fan-favorite Star Wars video game is getting a remaster. It was revealed today that Star Wars: Republic Commando is coming to the PlayStation 4 on April 6, courtesy of Aspyr Media. The game, considered a classic among the Star Wars community, allows the player to take control of Delta Squad leader Boss and his trusty group of commandos. The game’s controls have been updated to fit modern controllers, and include directing your squad through complicated maneuvers and blasting the dastardly battle droids of the Separatist Army to bits. The re-release also adds new trophies for the player to strive towards, and will reportedly feature backward-compatibility with the PlayStation 5.

    The Republic Commandos avoided de-canonization in 2013 by appearing briefly in an episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The crew was voiced in that cameo by Dee Bradley Baker, who voiced every clone in the series. Fans have eagerly awaited their return to the spotlight ever since. A version of the Republic Commandos will star in the upcoming animated series The Bad Batch, which was just revealed to be arriving on Disney+ on May 4th, a holiday for the fandom. Gamers have been treated to a variety of old-school Star Wars content in the past couple of years.

    Star Wars: Bounty Hunter and Star Wars Racer Revenge are both available on the PlayStation Store at the time of this article’s publishing, along with NES original Super Star Wars. So far, no other projects related to Delta Squad have been announced, but the timing of the remaster is certainly suspicious. Especially considering Lucasfilm is about to take another high-profile deep dive into the world of Clone Troopers.

    Source: Twitter