Many professional race car drivers and crew chiefs will tell you, a race isn’t necessarily won on the track, it can actually be won or lost in the pits. With the Xbox One launching back in 2013 and their baby sitting in the pit being worked on, Turn 10 was under immense pressure to get Forza 5 out and back on the track in a short period of time. This didn’t give them to time to make all the adjustments needed to make the game perform its best, and while it didn’t cost them podium altogether, they really missed out on a first place finish compared to their previous standard (though it should be stated, it was far better than Gran Turismo’s DNF as far as the PS4 went). Now that they’ve had a lot more time to spend with their new chassis and engine, Forza Motorsport 6 looks primed to set new lap records.
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F1 2015 is ostensibly a racing title first and foremost, but because it represents a specific racing league, it also finds itself within the parameters of sports series like Madden and FIFA, which means it faces the daunting task of reinventing itself each year to justify a purchase unlike Forza or Gran Turismo, which can bide their time until technology or game design changes enough to warrant a sequel. So it’s not surprising that this first real gen version of F1 had to make a few compromises to get out of the door. The question is, were they the right ones?
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It’s been nearly a year since the release of the first episode of World End Economica. It would have been out earlier, but was pushed back for a number of reasons. However, the wait was well worth it, as the story has been significantly improved.

The first episode’s largest issues were the insufferable protagonist, weak artwork, and failed attempts to make the stock market trading in space seem interesting through text. Because of Haru’s cockiness, he fell hard at the conclusion of the first episode. That was pretty much the only time the story had any impact. Now in episode 2, four years have past. Haru’s dream of making a ton of capital and going to Mars went up in flames. And the person he had come to care for wound up disappearing. Haru has taken up an internship in law, aiming for a seemingly more realistic dream. However, it’s really just an excuse to run from his past failings. He’s only confronted with this fact when he is approached by a young woman with a dream of her own. Seeing her determination to uncover a fraudulent company by attaining capital for her business to pay legal fees for a chance in court, Haru seeks to confront his demons and move forward with his life. As well as trying to exact justice in a corrupt economy.
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My handwritten notes on RymdResa are all questions, or contain statements framed by questions: “Is this surreal or not? The mechanics are grounded, but context is not.” And after 9 hours of play, I’m left with more questions. Who is the protagonists long-lost love? Is she a metaphor for something? Is the protagonist the player? Is he multiple protagonists? What exactly are his goals?
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Gears of War was released by Epic Games in the fall of 2006 for the Xbox 360. This game was one of the defining titles from that era and was the beginning of one of its most popular franchises. Now nearly a decade later this beloved game has been plucked out by developer The Coalition to be remastered. The last time another developer touched the franchise, there was a noticeable drop in quality. Plus, when Gears of War was first released, it was an instant hit and quickly garnered over 30 game of the year awards. Being remastered nearly a decade later, can the new squad do the original game justice?
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Today EA SPORTS released the latest NHL16 developer diary showcasing how you can shape your legacy in the new Be A Pro game mode. With an all-new progression system, now your on-ice actions will directly influence the attributes you earn, ensuring your Pro will reflect the way you play. Whether it’s turning into a bruising power forward, focusing on finishing your checks, and getting into the occasional scrap – NHL 16 puts the control in your hands. On the bench, your coach will grade your on-ice play based on your offense, defense and team play. All-new off-ice training helps take your progression to the next level, allowing you to manage your weekly workout time and ensure you’re always building your skillset to stay at the top of your game. Finally, to help perfect your skills, there’s the all-new Visual On-Ice Training feature – adaptive visual aids project shooting targets, passing lanes, open teammates, and more.

Watch the NHL 16: Be A Pro trailer now:

NHL 16 drops September 15, 2015 in North America and September 17, 2015 in Europe.

While Playism-Games have been hard at work to bring Japan indie games to English speaking audiences, they have stuck tightly to PC. But now with the release of Astebreed on the PS4 and the impending release of a swath of Touhou games, I hope that we can see even more from the publisher, as Astebreed is quite the shmup. The game’s basic plot is about how humanity had gotten into a war with an alien race which was going badly until one pilot stumbled upon an experimental enemy mech that he managed to steal before his wounds that he suffered saw him perish. But he also brought the converted consciousness of one of his daughters, now integrated into an AI called Lucius. With her help, she will bring knowledge and tech to end the war. Unfortunately, they had to leave behind her twin sister, so they also need to rescue her as well.
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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today that LEGO Marvel’s Avengers, the first console videogame to feature characters and storylines from Marvel’s The Avengers, Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and more, will be available on January 26, 2016 in North America and January 29, 2016 in Europe, via participating retailers. In addition, consumers who pre-order their copy at GameStop will receive an exclusive Silver Centurion Iron Man LEGO minifigure, which is one of the many suits that will be playable in LEGO Marvel’s Avengers. The minifig will ship along with the game for online customers; in-store customers will receive at time of purchase while supplies last.

Also revealed today was the official LEGO Marvel’s Avengers box art, as well as brand new screenshots in honor of gamescom.

LEGO Marvel’s Avengers will be available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Windows PC on January 26th, 2015.

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Nintendo 3DS owners looking to embark on a legendary adventure will get their chance when The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes launches for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems on Oct. 23. One of Nintendo’s biggest critical hits at this summer’s E3 video game trade show, The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes lets up to three players team up locally, via Download Play with one game card or online using a wireless Internet connection to cooperatively explore inventive dungeons and battle bosses.

The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo’s most storied and beloved franchises, selling more than 30 million games in the U.S. alone. In The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, up to three players play as Link, with each hero selecting a different outfit equipped with a special boost or ability. One outfit might grant the wearer the ability to shoot arrows, for example, while another could provide more life-saving hearts. A new Totem mechanic allows three Link characters to stack on top of each other to reach higher ground and solve puzzles. The game can also be played solo, allowing one player to rent two paper dolls to take along to complete the legendary team of three.

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is one of many fun Nintendo 3DS games launching between now and the end of the year, including Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon (Holiday), Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (Sept. 25), Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash (Oct. 9) and Japanese sensation YO-KAI WATCH (Holiday).

For more information about The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, visit http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/pjaS5nCJ1sYFb-zGXsyzBQ_dfKQkN2mn.

Well, after three Batman games from the Arkham series, Rocksteady is back to finish the series with Arkham Knight. But it seems that Rocksteady has just about run out of ideas for the franchise, as the game employs some ideas mostly seen in mainstream games. The end result of this is a game that has some mechanically sound parts, but the plot is weak with little to hold one’s interest. And there’s also a glut of pointless extra content with little substance.
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