Archive - 2017

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Getting Full Voice Acting

2017/08/25
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

GHENT, Belgium – Aug. 25, 2017 –  Larian Studios has announced that Divinity: Original Sin 2, the highly anticipated RPG launching on Steam on September 14, will feature a full roster of voice acting content and talent, with more than 1 million words and over 74,000 lines of voiced dialogue. For more details, please see a new update to the game’s Kickstarter page, as well as a new Kickstarter update video at https://youtu.be/DWCpzzG8dtE.

Voice acting talent in Divinity: Original Sin 2 includes veterans from the games industry and beyond:

  • Harry Hadden-Paton as the Red Prince, a haughty but heroic lizard noble exiled from his own empire.

  • Alix Wilton Regan as Sebille, an elven assassin seeking vengeance against the Master who once enslaved her.

  • Tamaryn Payne as Lohse, a star musician possessed by an unwelcome – and powerful – visitor.

  • Chris Finney as Ifan ben-Mezd, a mercenary ex-soldier on the run from a haunted past.

  • Alec Newman as Beast, a rebel-turned-pirate who must save his people from their reckless and tyrannical queen.

  • Christopher Bonwell as the undead whose origin story will soon be revealed.

Not only are the game’s main origin characters fully voiced, Divinity: Original Sin 2 also features around 1200 different characters and creatures, voiced by a full cast of around 80 actors. The full extent of the game’s voiced content cannot possibly be discovered in one playthrough – players who want to hear every NPC’s story and every origin story interaction will require many playthroughs.

Fans of the Divinity series may remember Harry Hadden Paton, who voiced Edmund in Divinity: Dragon Commander, as well as the Male Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Alix Wilton Regan has also leant her voice talents to Divinity: Dragon Commander and the original Divinity: Original Sin, as well as a Mass Effect 3, the Dragon Age series, and Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide. The voice of Alec Newman will also be recognizable – he has voiced characters in many popular games, including Dragon Age II, Killzone 3, The Witcher 2 and 3, several Assassin’s Creed games, and also several games in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a fantasy RPG featuring deep turn-based combat and a branching, epic story that begs to be replayed. Backed by 40,000 fans on Kickstarter and with 94% player rating on Steam, the game is a direct sequel to the award winning and critically acclaimed Divinity: Original Sin, which achieved a Metacritic score of 94 out of 100. Divinity: Original Sin 2 will launch on September 14, 2017, for $44.99 on Steam.

Learn more about Divinity: Original Sin 2 and download on Steam Early Access here:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/435150/.

Keep up with all things Larian and Divinity on social media:

Farming Simulator 17 Platinum Edition Gamescom Trailer

2017/08/24
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Farming Simulator 17 Platinum Edition will release on November 14 and promises to be the ultimate edition for Farming Simulator 17 players. In addition to the huge content of Farming Simulator 17, the Platinum Edition will offer a host of new features when it arrives on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC/Mac, which are partly unveiled in the Gamescom Trailer!

The new trailer introduces you to the new South American playground “Estancia Lapacho”, with its authentic landscape and unique vegetation, railway network, local cows and sugarcane fields offering a total change of scenery and more gameplay possibilities! Harvesting this brand new crop is the CASE IH A8800 MR sugarcane harvester, one of Farming Simulator 17 Platinum’s new vehicles!

Famous brands from South America, Poland and Australia have also been added, including Stara, TT, Bizon and Gessner Industries. In total, players will be able to drive and use over 275 authentic farming vehicles and equipment from more than 80 manufacturers!

  • For PC/Mac players who own Farming Simulator 17, the Platinum Expansion will be available on November 14 in retail stores (PC) and for download (PC/Mac). If you’re a new PC/Mac player, it will also be available in full as Farming Simulator 17 Platinum Edition, available in retail (PC) and for download (PC/Mac).
  • PS4 and Xbox One players of Farming Simulator 17 will be able to download the Platinum Expansion from their consoles from November 14. Seasons Pass owners will be able to download the Platinum Expansion from their consoles, as part of the Seasons Pass content. If you’re a new PS4 or Xbox One player, you’ll be able to get the Farming Simulator 17 Platinum Edition game at retail, or as a bundle offer from their consoles by purchasing the Farming Simulator 17 Premium Edition.

Farming Simulator 17 Platinum Edition, and the Platinum Expansion will be available November 14th2017 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC/Mac. Preorders for the game are now available here.

Turtle Beach Unveils Stealth 600 Wireless Gaming Headset

2017/08/24
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Tech News

SAN DIEGO, CA – August 24, 2017 – This morning, leading gaming headset and audio accessory brand Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ: HEAR) announced another “first” in the company’s long history of driving innovation in the gaming headset market with the availability of the all-new Stealth 600 wireless surround sound headset for the Xbox One family of devices (Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X). Today’s launch makes the Stealth 600 for Xbox One the first-ever gaming headset available at retail that uses Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless technology to connect directly to the console, just like your wireless controller does. No wires, no base station, and no adapter needed. With the Stealth 600 paired directly to Xbox One, gamers simply need to turn on their headset and start playing. Beyond the ease of Xbox Wireless connectivity, the Stealth 600 is optimized to deliver immersive Windows Sonic surround sound and crystal clear chat through large, powerful 50mm speakers and a new flip-up version of Turtle Beach’s renowned high-sensitivity mic. The Stealth 600 for Xbox One also features everything from Turtle Beach’s unique ProSpecs™ Glasses Friendly and comfort-driven design to its exclusive Superhuman Hearing™ sound setting that gives players a competitive advantage to help them win more.

Limited quantities of the Stealth 600 are available in the U.S. starting today at www.turtlebeach.com for an unprecedented MSRP of $99.95 while supplies last. The Stealth 600 for Xbox One, as well as the Stealth 700 for Xbox One and Stealth 600 for PlayStation®4, officially go on-sale at participating retailers worldwide on Sept. 4, 2017, and the Stealth 700 for PS4™ will go on-sale on Sept. 24, 2017.

“With today’s availability of the Stealth 600 for Xbox One and the upcoming availability of the Stealth 700, we continue to cement our clear category leadership position by driving innovation and being first to market with groundbreaking features and functionality,” said Juergen Stark, CEO, Turtle Beach Corporation. “We work tirelessly to be at the forefront of gaming audio so delivering another significant industry first is already a pride point for Turtle Beach, but we’re even more excited to delight our fans by making the Stealth 600 for Xbox One available ahead of schedule, especially with this year’s upcoming AAA game launches right around the corner.”

Gaming technology is advancing fast, and the Stealth 600 for Xbox One offers gamers a wealth of features, functionality, and comfort, including:

  • Xbox Wireless – Enjoy the simplicity and superiority of a direct connection from your headset to your console – no wires, no base station, and no adapter needed.
  • Windows Sonic Surround Sound – Xbox One’s Windows Sonic for Headphones delivers immersive virtual surround sound to bring your games, movies and music to life.
  • Glasses Friendly – Unique ProSpecs™ comfort-driven design removes pressure on your glasses while you play.
  • Powerful 50mm Speakers – Large, powerful over-ear speakers produce crisp highs and thundering lows.
  • Flip-up Microphone – Turtle Beach’s renowned high-sensitivity mic picks up your voice loud and clear, and flips up to mute.
  • Superhuman Hearing™ – From quiet footsteps sneaking-up from behind to enemy weapon reloads just before an ambush, Superhuman Hearing™ lets you hear it all. Hear Everything. Defeat Everyone.™
  • Independent Game & Chat Volume Control – Find the perfect balance between game audio and chat audio.
  • Mic Monitoring – Hear the volume of your voice inside the headset so you never have to shout.
  • Audio Presets, Including Bass Boost – Customize the way your game sounds with four audio presets, including Bass Boost.
  • All-Day Battery Life – Always be ready to play with up to 15-hours of gaming per charge.

For more information on the Stealth 600 and the latest Turtle Beach products and accessories, visit www.turtlebeach.com, and be sure to follow Turtle Beach on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Ubisoft Unveils PAX West 2017 Games Lineup

2017/08/24
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News

SAN FRANCISCO — August 24, 2017 — Today, Ubisoft® announced its PAX West 2017 lineup, inviting fans to take down cultists via aerial dogfights, shootouts and more in an exciting demo of Far Cry® 5, at the Ubisoft booth (#605) in Seattle from September 1–4. After a tense exchange with the Project at Eden’s Gate, attendees can get a change of pace and partake in a fishing competition. Competing against eight people, the person who catches the biggest fish in the span of 10 minutes will win a special Far Cry 5 pin. Additionally, Ubisoft will be hosting a live stream from the booth on Saturday and Sunday from 11am-4pm featuring gameplay from titles including Far Cry 5, Assassin’s Creed® Origins, For Honor® and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Siege. The stream will be broadcast on Twitch at twitch.tv/ubisoft, on YouTube at youtube.com/ubisoftus and on Facebook at facebook.com/ubisoftus. Fans are also invited to attend panels for Far Cry 5 and For Honor on Saturday, September 2 and Monday, September 4, respectively.

Far Cry 5

September 2, 2:30–3:30 pm, Hydra Theater at the Grand Hyatt Hotel: Far Cry 5 throws players headlong into a war against the Project at Eden’s Gate, a sinister doomsday cult that has taken over idyllic Hope County, Montana. Join the resistance of Hope County as they rebel against the cult’s dark influence. Hosted by Achievement Hunter’s Jack Pattillo, the panel includes Lead Writer Drew Holmes and the talent bringing the colorful denizens of Hope County to life, Murry Peeters (Grace Armstrong), Martin Roach (Pastor Jerome Jeffries), Steve Byers (Nick Rye) and, that’s right, Boomer the dog. The panel can be watched live at twitch.tv/pax.

For Honor

September 4, 2:30 pm, Hydra Theater at the Grand Hyatt Hotel: Every week, the For Honor dev team presents a live show on twitch.tv/forhonorgame, which connects them directly with their community. Answering questions, providing news and information and oftentimes a big peek behind the curtain of the game’s continuing post-launch development, the Warrior’s Den has become an important touchpoint for transparency and information for players. Now, for the first time ever, the For Honor team will be doing the show live and in person with their community. Join Creative Director Roman Campos Oriola, Game Director Damien Kieken, Lead Designer Bio Jade Adam Granger and Community Developer Eric Pope.

For exclusive news and features from PAX West, visit ubiblog.com.

Rapala Fishing Series Pro Announced

2017/08/24
boothby
Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos

MINNEAPOLIS – Aug. 24, 2017 – GameMill Entertainment has revealed Rapala Fishing Pro Series, a new game coming Oct. 24, 2017, for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One. Compete in a variety of tournaments across North America to build your reputation and become the next Rapala Pro Angler!

An authentic experience featuring real lakes and officially licensed Rapala equipment, Rapala Fishing Pro Series takes players on the hunt for dozens of the sport’s top fish species. Navigate six sprawling environments with GPS, track fish with the fish finder, and master what lures and tackle work best to land your trophy fish! Use your winnings to purchase top-line equipment, including new boats, reels, poles, apparel, lures and lines.

Rapala Fishing Pro Series delivers a destination fishing adventure with picturesque views of North America’s top lakes both above and below water camera viewpoints. Explore each living environment by boat, choose where to cast your line and complete a variety of challenges to take your career further. There’s also a Free Fishing mode for pick-up-and-play gaming, as well as global leaderboards and daily online challenges to compete toward.

Razer Announces Wolverine Ultimate Game Controller for Xbox One and PC

2017/08/24
boothby
Geek News, News, Peripherals News

IRVINE, (Calif.)  – Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the officially licensed Razer Wolverine Ultimate gaming controller for Xbox One and PC.

The Razer Wolverine Ultimate was designed to adapt itself to any gamer. Two interchangeable D-Pads, a range of interchangeable thumbsticks with different heights and shape and a total of 6 remappable triggers and buttons – both via Razer Synapse for Xbox and on-the-fly – provide maximum customizability.

An integrated RGB lighting strip that can be controlled via Razer Synapse for Xbox adds more ways to personalize the controller and introduces Razer Chroma to Xbox gamers everywhere. Gamers can choose from 16.8 million colors and a variety of effects that include Static, Spectrum Cycling, Breathing, Wave and more.

Additionally, the Razer Wolverine Ultimate will be the first console product to support the Razer Chroma SDK, allowing developers to integrate advanced lighting capabilities for Xbox One games, and console controllers for next level gaming immersion.

Everything about the Razer Wolverine Ultimate has been developed with highest levels of competition and performance in mind. Ultra-responsive tactile switch action buttons and an automatic hair-trigger mode with trigger stops round off the optimized ergonomics of this premium controller.

“We’ve taken our time with the development of the Razer Wolverine Ultimate to really get it right,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “Thanks to endless design iterations and pro-gamer feedback, we’re proud to be finally releasing a new contender for the crown.”

The Razer Wolverine Ultimate expands Razer’s range of Xbox One peripherals consisting of the Razer Thresher Ultimate wireless gaming headset and the Razer Atrox fight stick.

Price:

U.S. $159.99 / EU €179.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com – September 2017

Global – Q4 2017

Product features:

  • Remappable 2 Multi-Function Buttons & 4 Triggers
  • Razer Chroma lighting with full 16.8 million color options
  • Interchangeable D-Pad – Choice between Individual and Tilting Designs
  • Interchangeable Thumbsticks
  • Hair-Trigger Mode with Trigger-Stop for rapid-fire
  • Quick Control Panel
  • Tactile Switch Action Buttons
  • Ergonomic Non-Slip Rubber Grip
  • Razer Synapse for Xbox app
  • Razer Chroma SDK enabled
  • Play Anywhere – Play on Xbox One or PC
  • 3.5 mm audio port for stereo audio output and microphone input
  • Carrying case
  • Detachable 3 m / 10 ft lightweight braided fiber cable with Micro-USB connector
  • Approximate size: 106 mm / 4.17 in (Length) x 156 mm / 6.14 in (Width) x 66 mm / 2.60 in (Height)
  • Approximate weight (without cable): 260 g / 0.57 lbs

For more information about the Razer Wolverine Ultimate, please visit

www.razerzone.com/wolverine-ultimate

Warface is Going to Chernobyl

2017/08/24
boothby
Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Thursday, August 24, 2017 — On the occasion of the annual gamescom in Cologne, global publisher My.com and developer Crytek studio, known for the Far Cry and Crysis series, revealed first details for a new special mission coming to its online shooter Warface. Set in the most renown city of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, “Pripyat” will mark a new milestone in the franchise featuring a rich narrative and new gameplay mechanics for players to discover later this year.

The special operation will be a new large-scale mission, which transports players to the actual site of the Chernobyl disaster. Currently being developed for a late 2017 release, this update is slated to be one of the most ambitious missions that the game has seen to date in both its plot and graphic realism.

Pripyat’s atmospheric setting is sure to make an impression on players, especially fans of post-apocalyptic settings. To ensure the recreation of the authentic environment, developer Crytek visited the exclusion zone several times and studied the terrain allowing them to accurately capture the frightening atmosphere of this tragic place.

“Pripyat is an infamously dangerous place, and now we will give players a chance to find themselves right in the heart of this abandoned city. Once this special operation goes live, it will mark an important milestone in both Warface’s gameplay and plot and will set the stage for a whole series of future plot-related updates, said Michael Khaimzon, creative director of Crytek. “In other words, Pripyat launches a new era in Warface, and our players should be ready for the disclosure of many plot details and secrets.”

In addition to new plot points, “Pripyat” will include an entirely new set of enemies and bosses with uniquely refined combat styles for players to face off against, forcing them to hone their skills and teamwork.

Warface is a popular online co-op shooter from Crytek studio with more than 48 million registered users worldwide. In the beginning of 2017, global publisher My.com took over the publishing and operations of Warface in Europe and North America. The new publisher actively invests in the game on the international market, developing its eSports activities and tournaments including the recently announced first international tournament season Warface Open Cup, which will launch in Europe and in the USA. The winners will proceed to the LAN-Finals in Moscow in early 2018. Teams from Europe, North America, Brazil and Russia will be competing in this tournament.

GoGroove AudiOHM HDX Earbuds Review

2017/08/23
Ripper71
News, Reviews, Tech Review

The other day I needed a stack of sticky notes so I went into one of my old convention bags. They usually have a few of them inside as companies hand them out like candy at the conventions. It’s good marketing for them as, each time you look at the sticky note, you are reminded of their company.  As I reached in I felt something else and no it wasn’t a scorpion or brown recluse spider, both of which you have to be careful of when you reach into bags in my area.  Instead, it was a little round rubber bag slightly smaller than the post notes (which explained their misplace) with the word GoGroove on the top and with that I fell back in love with my GoGroove AudiOHM HDX High Performance Earbuds With Mic.

Grooving Through the Grounds:

The earbuds were in their case and not their box because I had put them to heavy use at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) where the din gets to intensity levels that damage your eardrums and cause you to hear a ringing for a day or two.  I had been visiting GoGroove’s booth when I won a raffle they happen to be having, I said thanks and put them in my pocket with plans to use them after I finished chatting with the booth.  Since it was so loud on the floor I took everything out of the packaging, used a clip to attach the little round storage bag to my backpack and started using the earbuds immediately.  I chose the buds that were already on them since they felt secure and helped drowned out the noise before I even started the music and I began some tunes to try and find a bit of inner chill in this massive electronic market place.

The nice thing was at the end of the day my ears weren’t ringing as bad as usual and I had the case attached in an easy to reach place. The case has an elastic belt strap but I used a clip ring to secure it to my backpack instead.  The next couple days I wore them, I was wearing down but they, of course, were doing fine.  Start the day pulling them out of the case and hanging them over my shoulders until I decided to use them and at the end of the day back into the storage case.  That is how it went for the week until the last day when I took everything from the bottom of my bag and hooked around it’s outside and tossed it into a storage bag.  The earbuds slipped to the bottom until the other day.

I have been walking a lot lately to try to lose some weight and try to get into great condition for Halloween season, when a good deal of the GamingShogun staff and thousands of others travel to everything from home haunts to full-size amusement parks to take on the scares they have to offer.  It involves A LOT of walking and I have a medical condition that highly limits that, so at this time of year I start pushing and testing my endurance while finding out what canes work the best for me and figuring out when I will need a wheelchair.

The cables are wrapped in a nice thick rubber, the design at the earbud is set up so that if you accidently pull it from your ear it will pull at an angle instead of straight down on the connection.  This should give it a lot of extra life.  The call button is bright orange so it stands out nicely against the grey to hit it on the fly and the split section between the input cable and the earbud cables is reinforced rubber to help it from breaking down.

Because of that I use headsets a good deal of the day, trying to distract myself from massive amounts of pain or trying to find inspirational music to push that much further.  I have used all kinds of headsets from dollar store ones WalMart specials.  I never seem to get the $250 ones for gaming or walking but I know my way around affordable and the GoGroove AudiOHM HDX are definitely the higher end of that with a price tag of around $15.

Grooving Along:

The GoGroove AudiOHM HDX High-Performance Earbuds with Microphone are a nice and durable set of earbuds with some sound cancellation and a very affordable price.  I will definitely have them in my headset/earbud rotation and expect for them to stand up to repeated use for some time to come.

GoGroove AudiOHM HDX Earbuds With Mic Review Score

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#8224e3″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#8224e3″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#8224e3″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#8224e3″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star-o” color=”#8224e3″ type=”fa”] (4 out of 5 stars)

 

John Carpenter’s Tales Of Science Fiction: Vault (Issue 2 of 3)

2017/08/23
Ripper71
Book Review, Comics News, News

The first issue of Vault left us with a strangely alien ship that has a quote from Emily Dickinson on the hull. The strange ship is named Vault and it features an Arabic countdown timer on a large screen on the bridge.  It would all seem quite inviting if not for the bodies strewn about in a eviscerated form, strange gooey slime, and a science officer that seems to want to join the other team.  That last may actually make sense with the conditions of the bodies.

The second issue in the series really ramps up the tension as faces are given to what is to be feared on Vault and probably at least a couple of the explorers of the ship wish they didn’t know now.  Instead of providing the crew with any answers it seems to just have confused them more since the “monsters” have cousins on Earth but those cousins do not cruise around in ships eating folks as snacks.  Their Earth cousin and them do seem to share at least one thing and I keep waiting for some to Google it up (it’s okay to say Google, they use the name in the series).  Thankfully, the crew have finally realized how the creatures managed to get around them in a very Alien kind of way. Because of this, I am hoping that they will be able to keep at least a handful of the crew they have through the rest of issue number two and, maybe, the final issue -perhaps to become re-occurring characters in John Carpenter’s Tales Of Science Fiction comics going forward.  That’s going to be a tall order, however, as they’ve got some big nasty stuff to get by if they are going to have that happen.

Deeper Into The Vault:

The first issue of John Carpenter’s Tales Of Science Fiction: Vault was really good at building up tension but issue two brought on the monsters and showed what they will have to fight or, at least, survive if they want to make it out alive.  I’m still wondering how they will get the whole story tied up in just one last episode but we are talking about John Carpenter. If anyone can pull off a three issue Tales of Science Fiction run, it would be him!

Hearthstone Animated Short: Hearth and Home

2017/08/23
boothby
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

IRVINE, Calif.—August 23, 2017—Blizzard Entertainment today debuted Hearth and Home, a brand-new musical animated short that explores the story of Hearthstone®’s mystical Tavern—the setting for Blizzard’s smash-hit digital strategy card game. Hearth and Home is a whimsical introduction to the Tavern and its patrons and serves as the first in an upcoming series of animated shorts, as well as comics, that draw players into the game’s distinctively charming setting.

The Tavern is a warm and welcoming place full of laughter, camaraderie, and good-natured competition, and home to a charming cast of characters assembled from every corner of Azeroth. This includes vibrant and (mostly) friendly folks such as Malto, the kindly old mage; and Sarge, the Tavern’s resident mouse. The personalities in this ethereal inn draw inspiration from the many types of Hearthstone players who enjoy Hearthstone in real life. Whether they’re seasoned pros or just getting into the game like the young protagonist Ava, there’s a place in the Tavern for everyone.

“With Hearth and Home, our new animated short, we aimed to capture the wonder and magic of Hearthstone—in the Tavern’s welcoming interior, in its colorful patrons, and of course in their catchy song,” said Lydia Bottegoni, senior vice president of Story & Franchise Development at Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re looking forward to sharing more tales from the Hearthstone Tavern featuring Ava and her friends in the months ahead.”

Pull up a chair and watch Hearth and Home, the new Hearthstone animated short, on YouTube.

Earlier this month, Blizzard Entertainment released Knights of the Frozen Throne, the latest expansion for Hearthstone, which is available now for Windows® and Mac® PCs; Windows, iOS, and Android™ tablets; and iOS and Android phones. In Knights of the Frozen Throne, players storm Icecrown Citadel, the Lich King’s frozen fortress, in pursuit of the icy monarch’s unholy power.