Author - Jerry Paxton

2015 DICE Award Nominees Announced

2015/01/14

LOS ANGELES – Jan. 14, 2015 – The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences is proud to honor the year’s finest achievements in video games with nominations for the 18^th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards (#DICEAwards), the video game industry’s premier peer-based awards show. Academy members begin voting today at Noon PST; the winners will be revealed at the Awards ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 5, at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas at the conclusion of the 2015 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit (#DICE2015). The Academy also confirmed comedian, podcaster, voice actor and cartoonist Pete Holmes will serve as host.

Fifty-six games received a D.I.C.E. nomination, representing a range of different platforms from teams of developers both large and small. Leading the charge is Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor with nine nominations, including Game of the Year. Rounding out the Game of the Year nominations are: Destiny,Dragon Age: Inquisition, Far Cry 4, and Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. Several games received multiple nods, including: Far Cry 4 with seven; Destiny and Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft with six;Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Monument Valley with five each; and inFAMOUS Second Son, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and Valiant Hearts: The Great War with four each.

“The Academy is thrilled to have Pete Holmes as our Awards host this year – we are big fans of his work, and look forward to infusing our show with his special brand of humor, wit and whimsy,” said Martin Rae, president, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. “Each year there are so many great games to celebrate, and 2014 was no different – with rich and enveloping experiences to satisfy any demographic and across all platforms. Congratulations to all of our nominees, whose integral work has made a deep impression on our peer panelists – we look forward to unveiling the winners with you all on Feb. 5^th!”

The D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony will live stream in its entirety beginning at 7pm PT/10pm ET via Twitch at www.twitch.tv/dice. Also being honored this year as the Pioneer Award recipients are Ralph Baer, the inventor of the Magnavox Odyssey, and Al Alcorn, the creator of PONG.

New Award Category:
To reflect the evolving landscape of the games industry, the Academy also introduced a new award category for this year’s D.I.C.E. Awards: the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award. The D.I.C.E. Sprite Award will be awarded to a game having disproportionate resources for development and exposure (as compared to AAA titles), represent a higher degree of risk tolerance, and advances our industry with innovative gameplay and experiences. Those nominees are The Banner Saga, Hohokum, Monument Valley,Threes!, and Transistor.

The D.I.C.E. Award Nominees:
The following is a partial list of nominees; the complete list of Awards categories, finalists, and game maker credits is available at: http://www.interactive.org/images/pdfs/18th-Annual-DICE-Finalists.pdf

Game of the Year
Destiny
•   Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
•   Developer: Bungie
Dragon Age: Inquisition
•   Publisher: Electronic Arts
•   Developer: BioWare
Far Cry 4
•   Publisher: Ubisoft
•   Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
•   Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
•   Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
•   Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
•   Developer: Monolith Productions

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
Lumino City
•   Publisher: State of Play Games
•   Developer: State of Play Games
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
•   Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
•   Developer: Monolith Productions
Monument Valley
•   Publisher: ustwo
•   Developer: ustwo
Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna)
•   Publisher: E-Line Media
•   Developer: Upper One Games
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
•   Publisher: The Astronauts
•   Developer: The Astronauts

Adventure Game of the Year
inFAMOUS Second Son
•   Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
•   Developer: Sucker Punch
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
•   Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
•   Developer: Monolith Productions
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
•   Publisher: Ubisoft
•   Developer: Ubisoft Montpellier
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
•   Publisher: The Astronauts
•   Developer: The Astronauts
The Wolf Among Us
•   Publisher: Telltale Games
•   Developer: Telltale Games

Action Game of the Year
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
•   Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
•   Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Destiny
•   Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
•   Developer: Bungie
Far Cry 4
•   Publisher: Ubisoft
•   Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Titanfall
•   Publisher: Electronic Arts
•   Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Wolfenstein: The New Order
•   Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
•   Developer: MachineGames

Mobile Game of the Year
80 Days
•   Publisher: Inkle
•   Developer: Inkle
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
•   Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
•   Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Kingdom Rush Origins
•   Publisher: Armor Games
•   Developer: Ironhide Game Studio
Monument Valley
•   Publisher: ustwo
•   Develoepr: ustwo
Threes!
•   Publisher: Sirvo LLC
•   Developer: Sirvo/Aeiowu/ BigGiantCircles

D.I.C.E. Sprite Award
The Banner Saga
•   Publisher: Versus Evil LLC
•   Developer: Stoic LLC
Hohokum
•   Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
•   Developer: Honeyslug
Monument Valley
•   Publisher: ustwo
•   Developer: ustwo
Threes!
•   Publisher: Sirvo LLC
•   Developer: Sirvo/Aeiowu/ BigGiantCircles
Transistor
•   Publisher: Supergiant Games
•   Developer: Supergiant Games

The Academy’s 22,000+ members, comprised of the interactive publishing and development communities, recognize excellence in 23 different interactive game categories in one of the highest forms of recognition in the industry. Titles were played and evaluated by members of the Academy’s Peer Panels to determine final nominees. These panels, one for each award category, are comprised of the game industry’s most experienced and talented men and women who are experts in their chosen fields. Winners are determined as part of a secure voting process and will be revealed on the evening of the show. Included in the Academy’s voting body is the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) – members are invited to vote on the craft categories.

Pete Holmes is a comedian. Maybe you know him from his podcast You Made It Weird. Or The Pete Holmes Show! Or his videos with FrontPage Films. Maybe you saw his hour special Nice Try, The Devil, or his half-hour Comedy Central Presents. Or on Conan. Or Jimmy Fallon. Or maybe you saw him on VH1. Or heard him as the e*trade baby or on Comedy Central’s Ugly Americans. Pete also draws cartoons for The New Yorker, wrote for NBC’s Outsourced and FOX’s I Hate My Teenage Daughter.

To attend the 18^th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards or the 2015 D.I.C.E. Summit, please visitwww.dicesummit.org to purchase tickets.

Heroes of the Storm Enters Closed Beta Testing

2015/01/14

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

January 13, 2015 — Let the brawl begin! We’re excited to announce that closed beta testing has officially begun in the Americas region for Heroes of the Storm™, our free-to-play, online team brawler featuring iconic heroes from more than 20 years of Blizzard gaming history.

Today’s launch brings a new Battleground, a new Hero, Ranked Play, and much, much more. The closed beta test is expected to launch in all other regions on January 14. Players can opt-in for a chance to join the beta test at www.HeroesoftheStorm.com or through the Beta Profile Settings page in Battle.net^®account management.

The latest features introduced to Heroes of the Storm include:

New Battleground—Sky Temple, a new desert-themed Battleground, challenges players to fight for control of ancient Temples. Once captured, these Temples fire devastating beams of energy toward enemy structures.
New Hero—Thrall, Warchief of the Horde, is the newest melee assassin to join the Nexus, bringing fearsome abilities, including Chain Lightning, Windfury, and Earthquake.
Hero League—This new Ranked Play mode enables players (who are level 30 and own at least 10 Heroes) to queue up alone or in a party of up to five for ranked, competitive matches against other players of similar skill and party size.
Draft Mode—Utilize this mode to build a competitive team composition, counter your opponent’s picks, and dominate the Battleground objectives.

A complete list of our latest game updates can be found in this week’s patch notes, as well as in our new Closed Beta Walkthrough Video.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Havoc DLC Pack Preview

2015/01/14

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

Santa Monica, CA – January 13, 2015 – The first DLC pack for Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare, Havoc, is on the way. The epic DLC pack from Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Sledgehammer Games will be available first, exclusively on Xbox LIVE® for the Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft beginning onJanuary 27, with other platforms to follow.

“We’re looking forward to playing the new DLC content with fans. The response to Advanced Warfare has been amazing, and the creativity and gameplay variety of the content coming in Havoc is more exciting than ever,” said Michael Condrey, Co-Founder and Studio Head, Sledgehammer Games. “The entire team at Sledgehammer Games is really excited about the release of the Havoc and we are ready to kick-off a long DLC season filled with new maps, the new Exo Zombies mode and more,” said Glen Schofield, Co-Founder and Studio Head, Sledgehammer Games.

The definitive DLC offering, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Havoc includes four new, epic multiplayer maps, access to the versatile AE4 directed energy assault rifle, the AE4 Widowmaker custom variant, plus an exciting new Zombies cooperative mode called Exo Zombies, that features a story told through the eyes of four employees of the Atlas corporation, played by a celebrity cast consisting of John Malkovich (In the Line of Fire, RED, Burn After Reading), Bill Paxton (Aliens, Titanic, Edge of Tomorrow), Rose McGowan (Planet Terror, Scream), and Jon Bernthal (Fury, The Walking Dead). The actors provide their voice over and likeness in a dark and cinematic experience new to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Players enter a world where a DNA bioweapon unexpectedly spawns a bloodthirsty, ravenous mutant horde infecting an entire secret Atlas research facility and sending personnel running for their lives. Following a failed evacuation, four survivors, un-trained and underprepared, must face the most vicious mutations ever unleashed. The Exo Zombies co-op mode ushers in a new breed of Zombies and a truly unique experience, coming first to the Havoc DLC Pack.

Havoc delivers four new, exotic and diverse multiplayer maps set around the globe tailor-made for players to unleash their exoskeleton’s abilities, including:

Core: Deploy to the Gobi desert where the ravaged ruins of a nuclear fusion plant set the stage for a high-octane warzone. Take down enemies through the wreckage in long-range combat or get up-close and personal in the tunnels surrounding the central turbine. Activate decontamination drones using the map-based scorestreak to help clean out the competition.

Urban: Prepare yourself for brutal, high-speed combat in Dallas Ward 3, a future mega structure, funneling players into a close-quarters free-for-all. This modular compound’s verticality unleashes the exoskeleton’s capabilities. Stay focused during the timed event as blast doors alter the map’s flow and sightlines.

Sideshow: In the shadow of Devil’s Tower, Wyoming, this abandoned inn’s open layout amplifies its creep factor. Blast your way through the clown inn with close-quarters battles or use long-range site-lines from the mining facilities and natural terrain. Use the map-based scorestreak to activate the lights, music, and magic of the clown marquee and rain down a barrage of rainbow smoke-trailed cannonballs.

Drift: An idyllic ski resort high in the Rocky Mountains is transformed into a festive high-altitude playground, perfect for an all-out firefight. Make your way to the highly contested over watch in the glass observation deck or take a ride on the carousel to deliver 360 degrees of carnage. Players can use the map-altering timed event to their advantage as an avalanche of snow and debris disorients players, intensifying the battle.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Havoc will be available first, exclusively on Xbox LIVE for a suggested retail price of $15 on January 27. The Havoc DLC Pack is also included in the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare DLC Season Pass*, where fans can purchase all four epic DLC Packs planned for the year, as part of the discounted bundle offered at a suggested retail price of $49.99 – a discount of $10 off the individual purchase of all four DLC Map Packs**. Microsoft Season Pass holders also now have instant access to the Havoc DLC Pack bonus weapons. The AE4 directed energy assault rifle and its custom weapon variant, the AE4 Widowmaker, combine a versatile firing mechanism with all-around movement speed and handling.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is developed by Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software specifically for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 and PC, and is available via direct digital download. A current gen version for Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system is developed by High Moon Studios. The title is rated M for Mature with Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Strong Language.

For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com,www.facebook.com/callofduty, www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty on Twitter and Instagram.

Trailer

Gaijin Releases War Thunder Soundtrack

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

January 13, 2015 — Gaijin Entertainment has released the full original War Thunder soundtrack to fans (http://warthunder.com/en/soundtrack). Split into two albums – Air Forces and Ground Forces – the soundtrack contains 50 inspiring orchestral tracks as featured in the epic, breath-taking battles in War Thunder. The soundtrack was created in collaboration with Strategic Music studio to produce an exquisite live-performed orchestral score, and can now be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and Google Play. For more information, visit: http://warthunder.com/en/soundtrack

See the ‘Making of’ the War Thunder soundtrack with the Baltic Symphonic Orchestra at the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxEeBH7CMVM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FavJaVxN1bc

Dying Light: Nightmare Row Game Prequel Novel

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Book News, Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

January 12, 2015 – Warsaw, Poland/ Today Techland announced the final touches are being put on a tie-in novel based on the upcoming action survival game Dying Light. Titled Dying Light: Nightmare Row, the novel will be a prequel to the events depicted in the game, taking the reader to the days prior to the outbreak that decimated the city of Harran. Dying Light: Nightmare Row is written by Raymond Benson, the author of over thirty published titles, including the official follow-up James Bond novels commissioned by the Ian Fleming Estate.

“Writing the origin story for DYING LIGHT was an exciting adventure for me,” says Benson. “I’d always wanted to try my hand at a zombie-genre tale and this gave me the perfect opportunity. The folks at Techland created a rich and intriguingly bleak setting for the game, so that gave me a wonderful and creepy world in which to play around. All fans of zombie fiction, gamers and readers alike, are in for a real treat.”

Dying Light: Nightmare Row tells the terrifying story of Mel Wyatt, an 18-year-old American athlete who participated in the Harran 2015 Global Athletic Games two weeks earlier. As one of many Americans stranded in Harran as a result of the outbreak, Mel has been surviving with her little brother, Paul, in an isolated hotel – their parents were killed on the first day of the Infected attacks on the stadium. Thus begins a tense and ticking time bomb thriller of survival.

More details about Dying Light: Nightmare Row, including price and release date, will be announced soon.

Dying Light (videogame) is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC, and is scheduled for release in 2015 on January 27th in the Americas,January 28th in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and January 30thin Europe.

Grand Theft Auto V PC Requirements and New Release Date

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Windows PC News

Rockstar Games has revealed the minimum and recommended PC specifications to run their upcoming Grand Theft Auto V. Additionally, Rockstar Games has announced that the game is now due out on March 24, 2015 and will support 4K resolution!

Minimum specifications:

OS: Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1, Windows Vista 64 Bit Service Pack 2* (*NVIDIA video card recommended if running Vista OS)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs) / AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs) @ 2.5GHz
Memory: 4GB
Video Card: NVIDIA 9800 GT 1GB / AMD HD 4870 1GB (DX 10, 10.1, 11)
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible
HDD Space: 65GB
DVD Drive

Recommended specifications:

OS: Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1
Processor: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2GHZ (4 CPUs) / AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHZ (8 CPUs)
Memory: 8GB
Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 660 2GB / AMD HD7870 2GB
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible
HDD Space: 65GB
DVD Drive

Gunner Demo Released for Gear VR

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Mobile News, News, Trailers / Videos

January 13, 2015 – nDreams, a fast-growing UK virtual reality (VR) developer and publisher, announced this morning the launch of Gunner for Gear VR Innovator Edition, which is co-published by Oculus

Gunner Announcement Trailer

Cities: Skylines Video Talks Passion

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Mac PC News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

STOCKHOLM — January 13, 2015 — Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order today released the first of three developer videos for Cities: Skylines, the upcoming city simulation game for PC, Mac, and Linux. In the video, Paradox Interactive’s Jakob Munthe and Colossal Order’s Mariina Hallikainen and Karoliina Korppoo share their visions for the game and love for old school city builders, as well as their charming obsession with traffic.

Watch the video:

Players of Cities: Skylines will have total control in endless sandbox city-building gameplay across massive maps, allowing them to design and manage the metropolis of their dreams. Vast backdrops and maps provide players with countless ways to improve and expand their cities, while extensive modding support allows players to design everything from in-game parks and buildings to new landscapes. Cities: Skylines is scheduled to release in early 2015.

A sign-up campaign is currently underway for Cities: Skylines, and players who “sign the petition” will receive an in-game Japanese Garden for their towns – a perfect place to sit and dream about perfect traffic management.

For more information on Cities: Skylines, visit www.citiesskylines.com.

Keen Software House Announces Medieval Engineers

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Prague, Czech Republic, January 13th, 2015 – Independent developer Keen Software House, today announced Medieval Engineers, the company’s second “engineering” game. The first, Space Engineers, was released in October 2013 and sold over 1 million copies in its first year, and is still keeping its bestseller position. Medieval Engineers is currently in its alpha stage of development and will be soon available on Steam Early Access. More details will be announced at a later date.

Medieval Engineers is a sandbox game about engineering, construction and the maintenance of architectural works and mechanical equipment using medieval technology. Players build cities, castles and fortifications; construct mechanical devices and engines; perform landscaping and underground mining.

Medieval Engineers is inspired by real medieval technology and the way people built architectural and mechanical works in medieval times. Medieval Engineers strives to follow the laws of physics and real history and doesn’t use technologies that were not available in 5th to 15th century.

“We are very curious to see how the Space Engineers community will react to Medieval Engineers and if other communities will also get interested in our new title” said Marek Rosa, CEO and Founder of Keen Software House. “We didn’t want to only keep creating space games. Instead we wanted to have a game where players can interact with life and nature. By creating a second engineering game, we are also leveraging our existing technology and experience.”

An in-game alpha video showing gameplay action and key features (creative mode, castle building, trebuchet construction, realistic destruction and physics) can be watched here:

For more information about Medieval Engineers, please visit our website: www.MedievalEngineers.com

More details about the decisions that led to this project and its development can be found on Marek’s blog: http://blog.marekrosa.org/2015/01/medieval-engineers_22.html

For the latest news, follow Medieval Engineers on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MedievalEngineers) or on Twitter (https://twitter.com/MedievalEng).

Elite Force IWI Tavor TAR-21 Elite Airsoft AEG Rifle Review

2015/01/13

Jerry Paxton

Action Sports, Airsoft News, Airsoft Reviews, Articles, News, Reviews

Recently, I got the chance to evaluate an airsoft rifle that I had been interested in for a long time: the Elite Force IWI Tavor 21 Elite AEG. My interest came primarily from wanting to field a Bullpup style airsoft rifle and the advantages therein. Advantages such as having a longer inner barrel in a smaller overall package and using an airsoft rifle where the weight was put closer to the players’s body. In the world of airsoft Bullpup rifles, there are really only three viable styles: The IWI Tavor 21, FN2000, and Steyr AUG. Being that it is produced by Umarex/Elite Force, I chose the IWI licensed Tavor 21 for its one year factory warranty and overall reputation.

Official Features

Fully Licensed IWI Trademarks
High Strength Nylon Reinforced Polymer Construction
Integrated Optics Rail
45 Degree Rail on Front Right of Handguard
Hidden Battery Compartment for Streamlined Operation
Working Bolt Catch for Easy Hopup Adjustment
Solid, Heavyweight Build Quality
Flip-up Front and Rear Sights
Quick-Change Gearbox Spring Design
Full Metal Gearbox

Design/Build Quality

In terms of overall design, Umarex and Elite Force have captured perfectly the design of the Israeli IWI Tavor 21. The “Elite” model is made from a rugged nylon fiber body that feels incredibly solid. I sometimes pick it up one-handed and just revel in how well-constructed this AEG is. The non-Elite edition is made from a lesser expensive plastic material and does not feel nearly this solid or durable (nor should it for its lesser expensive price point). Another of the many bonuses that come with selecting the Elite edition over the standard model is that in addition to the top rail, the Elite edition comes with a side accessory rail. Both are made of metal, so they will stand up to any accessories you attach to them.

Internally, the IWI Tavor 21 Elite features a reinforced, full-metal gearbox of a proprietary design. Thankfully, while the gearbox is proprietary, it is compatible with a lot of the standard, Version 2 gearbox components. If you remove the butt plate of the Tavor 21, you will be able to make use of the gun’s quick change spring feature, which makes altering your FPS a fairly simple process. The Umarex/Elite Force Tavor 21 Elite also features a functioning bolt catch which, when exposed, reveals the gun’s hop-up unit.

A quick note on the hop-up: I can’t recall how many times I have opened a brand-new airsoft gun and found that the hop-up bucking wasn’t aligned with the opening of the inner barrel or the hop-up nib was not seated correctly, leading to the hop-up simply not functioning properly. With this airsoft gun, I encountered no such issue – the hop-up worked correctly right out of the box. If anything, the hop-up was almost too sensitive, so take your time to “zero” the airsoft rifle with whatever optic you use as well as the hop-up to find the right balance prior to playing in a public game or big op. This preparation will make your IWI Tavor 21 Elite a force to be reckoned with on the field.

Performance

Using the Umarex/Elite Force IWI Tavor 21 Elite is a lot of fun. The gun has a very cool, futuristic style that will make any airsoft player feel like a super-soldier from a science fiction first-person shooter video game. The airsoft rifle features an electric blowback system that doesn’t produce much recoil but provides some nice feedback for the shooter. A word of warning, however, is that this blowback system does make the gun a bit louder than non-blowback guns, which may or may not work for your style of play. The blowback feature is actually more noticeable than most I have used (save for newer systems from Tokyo Marui and Bo Dynamics) because the blowback “bolt” is closer to the shooter’s shoulder. This is another one of the benefits of the Bullpup layout.

One issue I encountered when setting the IWI Tavor 21 Elite up for the day’s gaming was that, when I mounted a longer length optic on the rifle, there wasn’t a whole lot of top-rail space left for an external lens protector (something I recommend all players use). This leads into my biggest desire for the Umarex/Elite Force IWI Tavor 21 – that they release the “flat-top” style top rail that the real steel weapon can be ordered with.

I tested the gun out at SC Village in Norco, CA and their on-field chronograph showed velocity readings of around 375 FPS using Elite Force .28G BBs. I expect this to drop somewhat after the break-in period as the gun was brand-new when we got it. While playing, I had a generic 9.6V 1600mAh nun-chuck battery installed into the gun’s front handguard. Opening the battery compartment is very easy and changing out batteries in long tournaments or ops should not be too difficult. This is because opening the handguard relies on a simple push-button system. While not the biggest compartment in the world, it can handle a nunchuck or smaller Lipo style battery with ease. It sure beats having to fiddle with a D-Ring or screw system to get to your battery. Just be sure not to crimp any wires when you slide the handguard cover back into place.

Product Video

Some players have claimed that their IWI Tavor 21 Elite AEGs have been locking up when being used in semi-automatic fire modes over long periods. I didn’t notice any gearbox issues – even after several days of play. Mechanically, my biggest pet peeve with the airsoft rifle is the longer than normal initial slack in its trigger. In the fully-automatic fire mode, this did not prove to be an issue. But, if you do a lot of semi-automatic shooting, it is noticeable. Thankfully, while the initial slack is more than I prefer, the trigger assembly is one of the newer micro-switch designs. This means that you will be able to get some pretty fast follow-up shots if you keep your trigger control tight throughout shooting (i.e. Don’t release the trigger all the way after the break). Also, it means that the trigger should prove longer-lasting than older designs that rely on electrical contacts.

Conclusion

Overall, the Umarex/Elite Force IWI Tavor 21 Elite AEG rifle is a terrific airsoft gun that, while pricey, provides one of the best Bullpup style airsoft experiences a player can have. It retails between $300 and $350 dollars at retailers like Evike and Elite Force’s own online storefront.

[easyreview title=”Elite Force IWI Tavor TAR-21 Elite Airsoft AEG Rifle Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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