3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
After several weeks of waiting and teasing, I had the opportunity to travel to Santa Monica to attend the first presentation press Call of Duty: Black Ops III. While I expected a classic pre-E3 conference, presenting the various features at its release with perhaps an exclusive trailer, the Tauliers Treyarch surprised us by offering us total: presentation, sequences game, coop on the campaign, multiplayer, and icing on the cake: we were able to play!
Three Games In One Context
As usual with Call of Duty, the title offers a formula into three compartments: the single player campaign, which brings a major innovation which we will talk about later, multiplayer and Zombies fashion that developers still keep secret in “a new story and a new progression system.” Here, we can now begin, and attack the solo starting with the pitch of the episode.
Black Ops III takes you into the 60s but do not expect to see the small Raul Menendez since the action of the game takes place in 2060 and places you in a Black Ops team, the elite who have access to advanced technologies. In this ruined world, ruled by terrorism, high level hacking and devastated by climate change, the only effective weapon to reverse the perilous situations, it’s them. Good thing since you are part of the team, you but also your friends!
The Lands In the Solo Cooperation Mode
With this Black Ops III, Treyarch has clearly asked the right questions, beginning with those revolving around the concept of the solo of Call of Duty, which has always been designed corridor, for a single player, and enjoyed. It is clear that the developers have found their parade to renew the concept since the campaign is now playable in multiplayer up to 4 online.
With this radical change, we see the many features, some of which experienced logic arrival in Advanced Warfare. Thus, the levels are now designed more openly and are more inclined to flatter the adaptability of the player, once too often confined to the corridors. Inevitably, 4 in a corridor, we walk a little on the feet so as to break the walls and provide broader arenas.
Black Ops forces, your troops here have access to the technology DNI (Direct Neural Interface), a system that makes the soldiers interconnected and manages their physical and cerebral parameters. Sounds very dangerous air like that and there is a good chance that it serves in the scenario, but concretely, the impact on the gameplay results in a sharing of information and points of interest in the area , which will promote the group’s strategy in co-op (with such a stealth scout who goes to the upstream locating a gunfight). Here we will cooperate approaching waves of enemies together, separate to confuse the AI which has also a new system with twenty following behavior archetypes you are grouped or separated.
To encourage immersion, developers have gone so far as not impose heroes as you can start the campaign by creating your own fighter, whether man or woman, which explains the use of a soldier Masked for the teasing title. This famous hero, who by the way is able to speak, is also very present in the cut-scenes using the game engine and sometimes places the camera out of the eyes of your character.
So you can admire our hero and that of our friends from all angles along a campaign that will be full of action and directed by Jason Blundell, who previously worked on solo the first two episodes. In this adventure, you unlock equipment as desired by shopping at an accessible hideout between each mission. Your companion in misfortune and it will also serve as the lobby area of purchase and modification for weapons (which you can also spin your friends) but will also be a hub to learn about the background and the universe of the game via a wiki.
Look Ma Belle Weapon!
Side arms, we stay on the classic with well-known genres (LMG, shotgun, assault rifle, SMG …) but Treyarch offers visual input. In fact, when you choose the weapon elements, it changes in real time on the 3D model of your tool. Next additions you choose, the toy takes on another form, an aesthetic identity amplified by the presence of skins that the developer wished to highlight through a customization tool on three comprehensive sides that allows the player to work on a total of 64 layers, just to make your single gun of its kind thanks to attachments, camouflage, and paintings and emblems you have applied.
My Impressions
This concludes our first overview of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, a title that gives us yet pretty darn envy, even if the multiplayer Advanced Warfare might see a different adaptation of the formula presented in the latest installment of the series, complete with a few additions. Nevertheless, with its co-op campaign, its system of specialists, the social interface that serves as a hub between the Zombies mode, the campaign and multiplayer, Black Ops 3 promises to be a very good pick for the series which, after high and downs, seems to start on a very good foundation. We firmly expect information on what made the reputation of Treyarch, namely its view of the Zombies mode. The title will be available November 6th this year.
2. Fallout 4
Dallas, QuakeCon 2015: facing an audience of fans equipped with a Vault Boy mask as iconic as “creepy,” Todd Howard, producer of Fallout 4, has a long sequence of new gameplay and reveals some new info on the upcoming installment of the saga of post-apo Bethesda. I were there and here are my impressions of these innovations.
I witnessed a new well-paced presentation if it is more intelligent with an increase in the unveiling of some new information made available by the studio. Let us immediately mention Fallout Shelter, one of the surprises of E3 2015 as runaway success. Released only on iOS, the app is finally a release date on Android, on August 13, managing to get the owners of Android and iOS users on theirs side.
A Capacity of History
Fallout 4 is then introduced a very important character for this new component, the dog (your companion in the game) and multiple interactions with the world. Through an in-shot story in the studio, we learn that its model is none other than River, the German Shepherd the lead designer of the team, often an animal present in the premises of Bethesda and whose developers have captured the Gasoline movements and dog typical behaviors in order to give it more realism. We already knew that the companion could go pick up various objects for the player or better yet, intervene fights with a few strokes of heartfelt fangs into the trachea of downed enemies.
Heroes and Dog Meat Welded a Duo With Friendship and Survival
This ability is acquired also through the new system of Fallout 4perks, also sprawling graph: the SPECIAL menu. The player will have 70 capacity indeed, each may progress at different levels (for a total of 275 points invest). I say graphic because the representation of these talents through an original interface somewhat similar to the visual representation of the shelter in Fallout Shelter where each square features a Vault Boy associated with capacity.
The shifted, cynical and trash side of the character is also highlighted by the desire to bloody animations. We love the public and also judging by the amount of applause in the room there is a lot of hype to this game.
All About the Pip-Boy!
In turn, the statistics of the character always affect these policy options. The strength for example, presented through an animated short film will surprise, surprise, carry more equipment and hit harder in hand-to-hand. Fallout 4 is therefore continuing its legacy, the regulars will not be disoriented for a penny. Still we note the willingness of Bethesda to make the use of the Pip-Boy more realistic.
This already goes through its modeling on the forearm of more than previously pushed character and its many uses in the game and IRL via the introduction of an Android and iOS app that we imagine directly connected with the game. Important detail highlighted by the different gameplay moments: using the Pip-Boy in combat action will pause, not necessarily making more immersive for the player but made necessary by the options offered by the device.
The hero may indeed change weapons on the fly via the interface of the object by browsing through a wide list of available weapons (including the amount of course depend on its statistical power, you’ll understand).
Weapons Have Effects and Compelling Sound Effects
We also have found that the arsenal looks quite varied with both conventional weapons, futuristic, steampunk times, all with the patched appearance unique to the saga. The gameplay started for example by using a machine gun to the cobbled metallic appearance to the bottom of a garage before moving on more violent destruction of the famous tools like plasma guns or laser weapons recharged by turning a crank. Big enemies, big ways, different rocket launchers were also presented before introducing the famous Fat Man and its devastating nuclear warheads balanced in the face of enemies or group of psychos super mutants.
We greatly hope that the weapons panel will be more substantial than in Fallout 3. Bethesda is aware of this and a response takes shape by introducing the craft system and customization of weapons capable of generating a host of instruments of death. Sound effects and visual effects are hyper convincing even if the gameplay seems to always have FESES caught between two stools, the FPS side on one side and most RPG VATS mode to the other, I asked to see how everything will work in Action here.
My Impressions
From our side, it reinforces our vision of the game, a sequel based on the skeleton of the third section and on the good points of the episode New Vegas. No, this fourth installment will not be a revolution, but it looks very strong on many points and Bethesda seems to have taken particular care to refine its atmosphere, characters and gameplay. The studio relies heavily on this franchise and hopes to repeat the success of Skyrim. The answer will not be delayed for long since that the game is announced for 10 November 2015.
1. Halo 5: Guardians
Adored by many players, rejected by others, the Halo series continues anyway to draw the attention of the small world of gaming, and sells consoles at the same time, especially in the United States. For Microsoft, the fifth installment of the franchise, a success therefore essential with a view to reducing the gap that exists today between the sales of Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Including the other side of the Atlantic. To achieve their goals, teams from 343 Industries particular rely heavily on the multi aspect of the game.
343 Industries and Microsoft had therefore decided to propose to chain in multiplayer games. The program includes two game modes and three cards. But it is not necessarily the content that attracted our attention. In this case, it is all the work done by the US development studio to make the most modern experience we have retained. Particularly in terms of available motion.
A Remake of Tron? No, Multi Halo 5
In Halo 5: Guardians, you are have many new ways to move and attack. Contrary to what we had especially in the fourth installment, everyone here has access to all abilities. Starting with the system that allows you to dash on the sides with the jetpack worn by your avatar. This opens up interesting prospects in the moments when one is forced to defend or flee. Allied sprint (unlimited), this pulse also provides a new offensive opportunity. When the opponent is from the front, it allows blowing up his shield and make him vulnerable to any offensive. If you are behind your opponent, the kill is instantaneous.
Finally, via a complex of manipulation to control, you can also stay a few seconds in the air while jumping. The extra stability is appreciable but you also become more than necessarily a visible target for your enemies. Another important addition, Halo 5 can cling and climb upon reaching the edge of a piece of scenery. A kind of mechanical parkour which greatly streamlines travel. Finally, following a sprint, you also have the ability to drag.
The Battle Begins With Two …
Side content. We have evolved on three cards of modest size, the first name was Truth. It was an alien craft at cold enough design offering two floors with multiple bumpers to get on and off at will. The second map, a bit wider, it was called Empire. This time, we had to operate within a kind of plant. In both cases, we were able to gut other players in a Team Deathmatch in more conventional fashion.
Nothing special to report but, 343 Industries seems to master the art of level design. No originality here but sober cards, cleverly constructed. If you counted right, we have a map to evoke. And this is normal because it is closely linked to the second mode of play that we could try. In this case, one called Breakout.
Its principle is a bit special because it pits two teams of 4 in parts 5 winners in rounds, each of them not exceeding two minutes. Indeed, each player has one life. The game ends once and all members of the same team are dead. The rounds are linked to this very quickly. Map – wearing a very “Tron” look in mind – proved to be special since it is a bit like that found in a MOBA several ways to go to the opponent. It contains many places to hide and vicious lanes to use to ones advantage.
Alone Against Adversity
Visual side, undeniable progress has been made. Like all its fellow creatures on this new generation of consoles, Halo 5 offers high-quality lighting. Ditto for all the special effects that are at the level of what one is entitled to expect on the Xbox One. The environments, often very cold in appearance, do not appear inherently impressive. But one senses through some details and some textures that a real leap was made. Still, impossible for us not to raise the massive aliasing permanently present on all maps. Nothing serious since it is only a beta, but sufficiently annoying to be mentioned here.
My Impressions
Hard to blame anything after that Halo 5: Guardians game session at which I participated. 343 Industries seems to have referred just how greatly modernize the gameplay, in hindsight, was needed. All without distorting the spirit of the series. Regarding the content, we were particularly impressed by the Breakout Mode that offers a singular concept and is very fun to play. The developers are therefore on course to deliver a multi of the same quality that still lacks many settings in order to properly judge it. At this stage, the enthusiasm is certainly in order.