Dec. 16, 2019 – Starcaster Games (Starcaster LLC) is happy to share the first look at Gladiux® coming to Consoles and PC in 2020. Gladiux is an Action Combat game that takes place in the days of Ancient Rome. We will reveal more about the story and the full trailer closer to GDC 2020 in San Francisco.
This is the first title by Starcaster Games since the studio was founded in April 2019. We have a lot more in store down the road and are excited to be coming out of the shadows finally.
You can find out more about the game at www.gladiux.com as well as follow our company for future announcements.
Another installment of our Holiday Gift Guide series for 2019 – this one focusing on video games which, if you haven’t ascertained by all the theme park coverage and airsoft articles on this site, is what we’re all about! 😉 Enjoy!
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries (PC)
The MechWarrior game franchise goes back a long time, and this latest installment has plenty of strategy, tactics, and all-out mech carnage to fill the entire Inner Sphere. Set before the invasion of the clans, MW5: Mercs puts you in command of your own mercenary unit and all the glory and pain that goes with it. Pick it up for the PC gamer in your life via the Epic Game Store (get over it people).
While the gameplay can be somewhat uneven, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order tells a gripping tale set in post-Order 66 Star Wars (14 years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope). It follows a young Jedi Padawan named Cal Kestis as he is being hunted. Also, Respawn Entertainment needs major kudos for the amount of Star Wars lore and material they have packed into the game. There’s so much to chew through – even benign stuff in the background ended up giving me geeky-chills.
Hideo Kojima’s first post-Konami title is polarizing to say the least. You play as Sam Porter Bridges/Norman Reedus, a courier tasked with delivering supplies to the fractured and isolated colonies that remain and reconnecting them via a wireless communications network. At least, that’s how Wikipedia described it. After playing it a while now, however, I would describe it as part delivery sim with realistic cargo/weight management and bat-shit crazy Kojima style. It’s insane, and I loved every strange minute of it.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is an outstanding, funny romp through a haunted hotel. It takes everything we loved from previous Luigi’s Mansion games and adds so much more to it – with smooth gameplay and spooky ghost hunting equipment and enemy types. It’s not just a perfect game for the Halloween season but, also, any time you want to have a spooky-fun time on your Nintendo Switch.
While Red Dead Redemption 2 came out on consoles last year, it made its PC appearance in 2019. So, it makes this list! With enhanced visual options thanks to the potential graphics powerhouses in modern gaming PC’s, the game looks more beautiful than ever.
December 13, 2019 – For eighteen years and three console generations, the Xbox community has shown us the power both games and fun can have on all of us. As we enter a new generation of gaming, we see a future where you’re instantly absorbed in your games – where worlds are even more lifelike, immersive, responsive and surprising – and where you are at the center of your gaming experience. With the new Xbox Series X, we will realize that vision.
Xbox Series X will be our fastest, most powerful console ever and set a new bar for performance, speed and compatibility, allowing you to bring your gaming legacy, thousands of games from three generations and more forward with you. Its industrial design enables us to deliver four times the processing power of Xbox One X in the most quiet and efficient way, something that is critically important in delivering truly immersive gameplay. We also designed Xbox Series X to support both vertical and horizontal orientation. It’s bold and unique, very much like our fans around the world and the team of collaborators and innovators who built it.
The name Xbox is an expression of our deep history in gaming, our team’s unrelenting passion, and our commitment to both our fans and the future of gaming at Microsoft. It also signifies our belief that a gaming console should be for just that – gaming.
Alongside Xbox Series X, we also unveiled the new Xbox Wireless Controller. Its size and shape have been refined to accommodate an even wider range of people, and it also features a new Share button to make capturing screenshots and game clips simple and an advanced d-pad derived from the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller. The new Xbox Wireless Controller will be compatible with Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, and will be included with every Xbox Series X.
The possibilities of what Xbox Series X enables developers to achieve was also brought to life this evening with the unveiling of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. A sequel to the award-winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice from world-renowned developers Ninja Theory, the game is being built to leverage the full power of Xbox Series X. The footage shared tonight was captured in-engine and reflects the power of Xbox Series X available to developers to deliver new universes, experiences and games in ways you have never imagined.
Bringing Developers’ Dreams to Life with Xbox Series X
Games today deliver amazing visuals and tell an array of different and deep stories. That’s why, when we started work on Xbox Series X, it was vital we continue to advance state-of-the-art visual capabilities for developers, while also ensuring they could realize even greater feeling, emotion and empathy in their games. With Xbox Series X, we will elevate the way games look, play and feel. We will also remove the technical barriers faced in previous generations and enable developers to create more expansive, immersive gaming worlds that invite more players to play.
From a technical standpoint, this will manifest as world-class visuals in 4K at 60FPS, with possibility of up to 120FPS, including support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and 8K capability. Powered by our custom-designed processor leveraging the latest Zen 2 and next generation RDNA architecture from our partners at AMD, Xbox Series X will deliver hardware accelerated ray tracing and a new level of performance never before seen in a console. Additionally, our patented Variable Rate Shading (VRS) technology will allow developers to get even more out of the Xbox Series X GPU and our next-generation SSD will virtually eliminate load times and bring players into their gaming worlds faster than ever before.
We are minimizing latency by leveraging technology such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and giving developers new functionality like Dynamic Latency Input (DLI) to make Xbox Series X the most responsive console ever. Xbox Series X is also designed for a future in the cloud, with unique capabilities built into the hardware and software to make it as easy as possible to bring great games to both console and elsewhere. Xbox Series X will deliver a level of fidelity and immersion unlike anything that’s been achieved in previous console generations.
One Console, Four Generations of Gaming
One of the things we’re most proud of with Xbox Series X is the promise we’re delivering to our fans who have and continue to invest with Xbox. Thanks to backward compatibility, you can expect your gaming legacy, thousands of your favorite games across four generations of gaming, all your Xbox One gaming accessories, and industry-leading services like Xbox Game Pass to be available when you power on your Xbox Series X in Holiday 2020.
Building on our compatibility promise, with Xbox Series X we’re also investing in consumer-friendly pathways to game ownership across generations. Leading the way with our first-party titles including Halo Infinite in 2020, we’re committed to ensuring that games from Xbox Game Studios support cross-generation entitlements and that your Achievements and game saves are shared across devices. As we branch out and extend gaming to more players around the world, console gaming will remain at the heart of our Xbox offering. Game creators around the globe are already hard at work building content for Xbox Series X and our 15 Xbox Game Studios are developing the largest and most creatively diverse lineup of Xbox exclusive games in our history. On behalf of Team Xbox, we’re excited to enter the future of console gaming with you and can’t wait to share more in 2020.
Here is our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide showcasing our recommended headphones!
Razer Kraken Ultimate Edition ($129.99)
Corporate Spiel: “MAKE SOUND YOUR WEAPON – Hear the unfair advantage firsthand and be the one to beat with the Razer Kraken Ultimate—a PC gaming headset built for the ultimate competitive gaming experience. With threats lurking all around you, it’s time to go on the offensive and let them know who’s hunting who.”
Our take: Excellent build quality, style, and sound reproduction come together to make this one killer gaming headset.
Corporate Spiel: “We refined the details of comfort, creating a new class of in-ear headphones with a customizable fit that forms an exceptional seal for Active Noise Cancellation. You’ll feel your music, not your headphones.”
Our Take: Terrific noise canceling and channeling make these earbuds outstanding for any activity. Well worth the increased price point and slightly larger size.
Corporate Spiel: “Experience the magical audio reality of Super X-Fi with the Creative SXFI AIR! This Bluetooth and USB headphone has built-in Super X-Fi technology that provides holographic audio personalized to your own ears for an unbelievable headphone experience that’s as good as the real thing.”
Our Take: The Creative SXFI Air is extremely comfortable and its audio holography has to be heard to be believed. If you are an audiophile, I would definitely recommend them.
Corporate Spiel: “Who says you can’t have it all? Rock out loud or on a more personal level with the speaker + earbud combo of your dreams whenever and wherever you want.”
Our Take: Syver has taken two complimentary products: Wireless earbuds and speaker, and combined them. While neither is outstanding in their own right, together they make for a flexible mobile audio experience that will satisfy the outdoor-folk, dorm-dwellers, and river-rats in your life.
Corporate Spiel: “Lightweight and comfortable, featuring LucidSound proprietary quick-access audio adjustments. No need to search for the volume wheel just reach up and turn up the volume.”
Our Take: LucidSound’s LS1X chat headset is made of good construction and features very good audio quality thanks to its 50mm driver, not to mention decent microphone noise cancellation. In short: It’s a terrific chat headset choice for your Xbox One or PS4.
While I stay away from “top” anything lists usually, I thought it would be fun to share some of the most tear-jerking Christmas commercials I have ever seen. Some of them are new – and some are old. Either way, they make my eyes rain. And now, they’ll make yours…. BEWARE, dear reader, there be tears ahead, and it be too late to alter course!
Moscow, Russia, December 5, 2019 — Developer Owlcat Games is proud to announce Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, a classic isometric CRPG game. Based on the adventure path of the same name, it follows in the footsteps of the previous digital adaptation of Paizo’s legendary tabletop RPG, Pathfinder. The first key art image of the game has been released as a teaser of things to come for the title.
While not a direct sequel to Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous will expand and elaborate on the core elements that made Owlcat’s previous installment successful. New features include the mythic progression system, a new corner of the award-winning Age of Lost Omens setting to explore, and more classes and character customizations drawn from Pathfinder’s extensive history. Owlcat will be releasing more details as development progresses so that fans can stay caught up on how the process evolves over time.
“We are tremendously excited to announce Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous today. With our new game, we are taking everything that made Kingmaker enjoyable and building on top of it. We laid a solid foundation and are going to push the boundaries of the CRPG genre with our next title,” says Oleg Shpilchevskiy, Head of Owlcat Games studio. “We especially want to thank the Kingmaker community for their support because we would not be making this game if it weren’t for them. When Wrath of the Righteous is ready, we cannot wait to see them answer the call again.”
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is based on the Wrath of the Righteous Adventure Path from the tabletop game but includes new characters, plots, and elements to entertain even players already familiar with the adventure. It tells the story of a large-scale conflict between mortals and demons where players are invited to immerse themselves in a world under siege from demonic forces. As a vicious invasion threatens the world, the consequences of one’s decisions will forge a unique narrative of their personal battle between good and evil.
Kingmaker’s Creative Director Alexander Mishulin and Lead Writer Alexander Komzolov return to their respective roles, and Owlcat is happy to confirm that Chris Avellone is back on board lending a hand and supporting the narrative team as he did with Pathfinder: Kingmaker.
To stand against the demonic invasion, the player character and their companions will receive additional powers from the player’s chosen mythic path. These paths vary widely in nature and profoundly impact the storyline of the game, permanently changing the characters and the world around them. Players may choose the path of the immortal lich, wielding powerful spells and commanding an army of undead; the path of the trickster, causing mischief and finding fun even in the middle of the demon-filled abyss; the path of the angel, summoning celestial allies into battle and meting bolts of divine judgment upon foes; or something else entirely.
Some Pathfinder RPG character classes that didn’t make it into Kingmaker will make their CRPG debut in Wrath of the Righteous alongside the returning roster, including — but not limited to — the fan-favorite witch and oracle. More classes and character options will be revealed in the near future.
Boasting an improved visual style, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous will offer a look and feel distinct from that of Pathfinder: Kingmaker. Set in locations including a demon-infested wasteland, besieged crusader cities, and the foul, twisted Abyss itself, Wrath of the Righteous’s art will capture the epic fight of the world’s defenders as they struggle to hold the line against the corrupting force of otherworldly entities.
The holidays have come to Buena Park as Knott’s Berry Farm makes its annual transformation into Knott’s Merry Farm. For those of you who have never been to the Merry Farm before, you are in for quite the treat. Knott’s has truly brought top-notch Christmas cheer to the park and it’s something we look forward to all year-long.
For starters, Ghost Town is once again host to the Christmas Crafts Village, where vendors line the streets to sell their artisan-made goods. You can find vendors selling soaps, bags, garments, toys, and a whole lot more. It’s a great stop for those looking to fill their Christmas shopping lists.
Over on the Calico Main Stage is the new Home for the Holidays show. Home for the Holidays is easily one of (if not the) best shows that Knott’s Berry Farm has ever created in-house. It is a full musical with amazing choreography, singing, and dazzling set pieces. The show runs multiple times a night, so be sure to check out one of the performances.
Once again, Merry Christmas, Snoopy! is playing at the Charles M. Schulz Theatre and, much like I lamented last year, the show is in dire need of a refresh! It’s good, mind you, and the skaters are always a blast to watch, but we’ve seen this same show for years now and, after seeing Home for the Holidays, I know Knott’s can do so much better.
Across from the Calico Main Stage, you’ll find a gigantic Christmas Tree! Be sure to check out the tree lighting ceremony during your visit.
After dark, be sure to checkout the hourly Snow and Glow Show in Ghost Town. A lights and music show throughout the area, this event culminates in the park dispensing faux-snow all over – much to the delight of children. A hot tip for you – if you grab a seat at the Ghost Town Grill’s patio about a half hour before the show, you will have prime real estate for when it happens. Just be sure to shield any uneaten food from the falling “snow”. It’s a soapy solution and doesn’t taste that good…
Santa’s Christmas Cabin is back at the Wilderness Dance Hall and features an array of treats as well as a photo opportunity with Santa Claus himself. My personal favorite were the hand dipped caramel apple slices. It’s so good, it should be illegal!
Speaking of treats, look for special Knott’s Merry Farm goodies at a variety of places around the park. You can find Apple Pie Pizza at Beachy Keen’s Pizza, Christmas bark at the Ghost Town Bakery – just to name a couple. Also, be careful when entering the Ghost Town candy shop. You will have to be very strong-willed not to walk out with tons of stuff. Also, if you check out the bakery and shops outside the park in their marketplace, you’ll find a fun selection of holiday items and treats as well.
Overall, Knott’s Merry Farm should be a must-visit part of your Southern California holiday experience. You also have plenty of time to do so as it runs through January 5th, 2020! It’s fun for the whole family and a steal at no extra charge for tickets! Check out more information at the official Knott’s Merry Farm website.
ROTTERDAM, NL – December 3, 2019: Today, Vertigo Games and Jaywalkers Interactive released a brand new Oculus Quest gameplay video for their VR zombie shooter Arizona Sunshine, revealing a first glimpse at the games’ signature gameplay on the new platform. Slated to arrive on Oculus Quest December 5, 2019, the video features Arizona Sunshine’s classic environments of a southwestern America, from bright desert canyons to deep dark mines, overrun by hungry zombies.
Watch the Oculus Quest Gameplay Video:
Developed from the ground up for VR, Arizona Sunshine puts you in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. Handle weapons with real-life movements, freely explore a post-apocalyptic world, and put your survival skills to the test in VR – putting the undead back to rest is more thrilling than ever before.
Out now on PCVR and PSVR, Arizona Sunshine launches on Oculus Quest December 5, 2019, marking three years since its original launch in 2016. To celebrate Arizona Sunshine’s third birthday, Vertigo Games is running a global contest with a whole horde of prizes, including an Oculus Quest and beta access for their upcoming VR action FPS After the Fall. Find out the details of the contest on arizona-sunshine.com/arizona-vr-sary The highly anticipated VR shooter is now available for pre-order in the Oculus Store.
For more news about Arizona Sunshine, find us on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to the newsletter at arizona-sunshine.com.
From all of us at GamingShogun to you, we wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving. So pop open the can of cranberry stuff, deep-fry that turkey, and kick back with friends and family. See you out in the wilds of the shopping malls tomorrow for absolute carnage! <3
Obsidian Entertainment, founded by Black Isle Studios alumni Feargus Urquhart, Chris Avellone, Chris Parker, Darren Monahan and Chris Jones in 2003, knows role-playing games. All of them have roots in games like Fallout, Fallout 2, Baldur’s Gate I and II, and many more. More recently, they were the developers behind Bethesda Softworks Fallout: New Vegas – arguably the best RPG of the “new” Fallout games. So, when they announced that they were developing their own sci-fi RPG IP called “The Outer Worlds”, I was already stoked to play it.
In terms of gameplay, The Outer Worlds is fairly standard for an open-universe RPG. You assemble a crew during your travels and fly from world to world, obtaining and completing quests. Your companions will give you quests in order to gain their favor. There are lots of vendors and types of equipment to utilize, which is nice, and I enjoyed the various weapons you have to choose from. Armor and weapons can even be modified with various kits and tinkered to higher levels so your favorite level 2 blaster doesn’t fade away as you level up. Unfortunately, that’s really the only interesting thing about The Outer Worlds. And maybe that’s the most disappointing thing about The Outer Worlds – it does everything it should but never seems to hook its player into that “must-play into the wee hours” mode like Obsidian’s previous games have. It’s sort of…boring and generic, and I use those words very gently for a developer I deeply respect.
In terms of game design, aside from this genericism and boredom, there is one truly head-scratching issue I have with The Outer Worlds. And that’s the VERY limited types of enemies you’ll come across. Every planet in the colonies has the same kind of enemies – whether it be humans or creatures. While the lack of human variation I can forgive, we’re all people after all, there should be a lot of bio-diversity between entirely different worlds – not just the same five different creature types everywhere.
Visually, The Outer Worlds is a beautiful game, with lush environments. Each colony, space station, or asteroid you visit in your journey is an eye full. Its voice cast is also terrific, and it is nice to hear them act out their given dialog. You also can unlock dialog options based on your character skills, much like other RPGs, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Overall, The Outer Worlds is a disappointment – especially coming from Obsidian Entertainment. While it hits all the marks that an open-world, sci-fi RPG game should, it never innovates or generates interesting enough gameplay to make it a classic.
