Frontlines: Fuel Of War – does it deserve a remaster? (pic: THQ)
A reader makes some unlikely requests for remasters, ranging from Frontlines: Fuel Of War to South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!
The Xbox and PlayStation brands have produced many great games over the years. A few of the great games that they have produced, that I have enjoyed, are from the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 era.
The games that I have most enjoyed were on the Xbox 360 and with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 near the end of their life cycle there are quite a few games that I would love to see get a remaster. Below are the games what I feel deserve to be remastered on the next generation Xbox and PlayStation.
The Outfit (THQ)
This is one of the best shoot ‘em-ups for the Xbox, that I enjoyed playing in both single and multiplayer. This was originally an Xbox 360 launch title and offered a great campaign story along with a decent variety of options to use to fight your way through the levels. It added a great challenge to the player, as well as also added increased intensity in multiplayer and ensured hours of fun and enjoyment with friends online. Although single-player didn’t offer as much fun as the multiplayer it is still a great game to remaster and would allow newer players to enjoy this Xbox 360 classic.
Frontlines: Fuel Of War (THQ)
If there is one game THQ should be praised for it is shoot ‘em-up Frontlines: Fuel Of War. This was a first person shooter that not only offered a good single-player mode but also offered an impressive multiplayer mode. There were also various game types which allowed the control of vehicles, including helicopters and the option of placing various defences around the map. Based in the future, the game is actually well made for an Xbox 360 game and even today still holds up quite nicely for those who enjoy the Xbox 360 classics and would love to see it be remastered on next gen systems, and if possible a sequel.
Syndicate (EA)
If there is one shooter that helped the Xbox 360 become immensely popular it is Syndicate [Uh, what? – GC]. Like Frontlines, it is based in the future and was a great example of how first person shooters can be done right. It had a great story combined with multiplayer, great graphics, and good replayability. A next generation remaster of this game would give new gamers a chance to enjoy classic games from the past that they may have missed. Syndicate is one game that has been sadly, in my opinion, underrated and is worthy of a remaster.
South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! (Microsoft Studios)
Arguably one of the best strategy games ever made for Xbox 360 under the South Park brand, this offered a great arcade experience while dealing with the limitations of the Xbox 360. However, this did not stop the game offering a wide range of content and a really great story mode, along with a multiplayer aspect. While The Stick Of Truth has been remastered this is one South Park game that deserves to not be excluded.
The Xbox 360 generation has produced many great classics and even today there are so many deserving of a remaster. The above are my personal choices which I’d love to see become a reality. With the Xbox 360 library being huge, and with many great games, there are still many today that I feel deserve to be given a remaster.
By reader gaz be rotten (gamertag)
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk and follow us on Twitter.
GameCentral readers discuss their favourite online titles, with everything from Apex Legends to Left 4 Dead.
The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Hammeriron, who asked what it is about the game you like so much and how much have you played it. Has the game been running for a long time and if so when did you start and how regularly do you return to it?
Although most of the choices were from the current generation, we still had a wide variety of suggestions, from current favourites such as Fortnite and PUBG to less obvious choices like Splatoon 2.
Free to enjoy
I hate to be the boring one but I think it’s got to be Fortnite. It’s certainly the online game I’ve played the most, after never really being that bothered previously. The fact that it’s free obviously makes it very appealing but it is really a very good game. I don’t think people realise how involved the tactics can be with the building and although the gunplay isn’t exactly Destiny it’s still pretty good and much more than you’d expect from a free game.
There’s also the fact hat it’s constantly being updated with new and wacky features. That’s where Epic Games make their money, with the Battle Passes, but I have rarely been disappointed and the new one with the spies and everything is particular good.
A lot of times you assume that something is popular only because it’s bland enough to appeal to the lowest common denominator but I genuinely think Fortnite is a great game. I’ll probably be playing it for months, and possibly years to come and there’s not many other games I’d say that of. Constable Keef
Time to kill
I’m not a big one for online multiplayer but I did really enjoy the two Titanfall games. Maybe it’s just because they had big stompy robots in them but I enjoyed that aspect and the parkour. My problem with multiplayer games though is that you die so quickly and I’ve never really understood why. Especially in the Titans you’d think you’d be able to survive a bit of light gunfire but you still die in a few seconds if you don’t know what you’re doing.
I guess the problem is that if it took longer there’d be very few clean kills, as people had to share assist skills and people keep being able to run away without being finished off. I’d still like to see a game experiment with much more heavily armoured characters though, I’m sure that’d be fun as a change if nothing else. Wiggles
Never-ending story
PUBG has become my new favourite I think. It’s a game that could’ve been even bigger than it is if they’d fixed the bugs and probably made it free-to-play, but for me it’s still the best battle royale game. The atmosphere of the game is fantastic and almost feels like a live horror movie at times, as you hear doors being bashed in as people search for you or you get sniped by an unseen enemy miles away.
It’s a game that’s never really felt finished though, from the graphics to the controls to the bugs. It is certainly better nowadays but I think a lot of fans have had enough now and are happy to move on to other pastures.
Escape From Tarkov feels like it could be the spiritual successor but I haven’t got into it nearly as much yet. For me the ultimate battle royale, especially one with a more serious tone, has yet to be made and PUBG still shows how far away that dream is. Jensen
Wondrous co-op
I’m not sure this really counts but I will say the best online experience I’ve ever had is in Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Seeing other people’s ghosts moving around and reading all their message adds a really odd sense of community even though you’re still alone for most of the games.
But call in someone to help out with a troublesome boss is a great feeling, as you see them running towards battle ready to help. With all the bowing and saluting it all feels very formal and polite, which is not how I’d normally describe online gaming.
In terms of more traditional games I’d probably go for Apex Legends of the recent battle royale crowd. The gunplay is definitely the best and I like the default three-player co-op set-up. The art and guns is kind of bland though, so it’s probably a good job it’s free. Duane
Left without a sequel
It’s Left 4 Dead 2 for me. I loved that game and it’s definitely the one I’ve played for the longest overall. For me it’s also the best zombie game as while they’re no threat individually the panic you get when they swarm in at you, or you face off one of the larger creatures, is amazing. For what is basically a horror game to still keep you on your toys after all this time is some achievement.
There’s plenty of fan mods and activity for the game on the PC but I don’t think it was ever particularly big on consoles, which is a shame given how much fun it was. I don’t think the Warhammer game Vermintide games were as big as I thought they’d be either, so maybe it’s more niche than I thought.
Even so, I have no idea why Valve have never done another one. I am looking forwards to seeing more of spiritual sequel Back 4 Blood though and I’m interested in giving Hunt: Showdown a go, as that sounds like it might be the closest thing to it for a long while. Constantine
Online world
It may not be a gamer’s game but the multiplayer game I’ve spent most time on is easily World Of Warcraft. I hadn’t played it for years but Classic got me back into it and I’ve really been enjoying everything.
It’s not multiplayer in the sense of a Call Of Duty style shooter but playing alongside so many other people and populating the world as if it’s real is great. It’s hard to say if it’ll ever get old but it’s lasted this long so I don’t see why it ever would. Korbie
Obvious answer
This is a difficult question for me, because for years the obvious answer would’ve been Halo. I still have probably spent more time on it than any other game but of course nowadays it’s not quite the force it was. Halo 4 and 5 were both disappointing and now everything is having to be rebooted. Which I agree with, but it’s a shame and it’s obvious that Bungie leaving pulled the heart out of it.
It’s also got the problem that the original way it used to play is now deemed very old fashioned, but if it tries to become Call Of Duty, which it was with 4 and 5, it just ends up annoying older fans and seeming like a wannabe to everyone else.
I’m hopeful for Halo Infinite though. Microsoft seem to realise how important the game is and I like that they’re not just jumping on the Battle Royale bad wagon or anything. I’m a bit worried that it’s not an Xbox Series X exclusive, as I would’ve preferred something that was a big technological leap, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Noisemaker
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Half-Life 2 – would it make a good movie? (pic: Valve)
Following the success of Sonic The Hedgehog at the cinema a reader makes suggestions for four more video game movies.
So, Sonic The Hedgehog, of all things, looks to be the highest-grossing video game movie of all time and the secret to its success is… 90s nostalgia and coming out at a quiet time of the year when there weren’t many other kids films out? Not exactly the most cunning secret to blockbuster success, is it? Especially when the most potent 90s nostalgia is the return of Jim Carrey rather than Sonic himself.
But the movie is fine. Not as good as Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, which in turn was still not that great, but at least they’re both functioning movies that don’t make you think that everybody involved has a) never played a video game before in their life b) never made a movie before in their life. Which pretty much sums up the rest of video game movies.
Since there is some sign of progress, I thought I’d come up with this short list of the games that do have some promise for being turned into a movie. Whether it’ll ever happen though, who knows…
The Legend Of Zelda
For some reason whenever anyone talks about possible Nintendo movies the two that come up the most are Mario (which, of course, already has a film) and Metroid. Despite the fact that Mario’s story and world is surreal nonsense (it’s fine for the game but not for a movie) and Metroid doesn’t have any speaking characters (I think we’d all like to forget Adam). Zelda though is a relatively straightforward fantasy adventures, with a large cast of articulate villains and allies. Sure, Link doesn’t speak but this would be a way to let him, and give him a personality, without spoiling the immersion of the games. In other words, there’d be an actual point to turning it into a film.
In previous years Zelda hasn’t been as big a name, but Breath Of The Wild has given it a real boost so now is the best chance there’s been for a movie (or Netflix show, I don’t really care which). My preference would be for a CGI animation, but then I’d say that for most of these as to my mind that keeps a connection to the source material that’s lost when you’ve just got someone wandering around in Lara Croft cosplay.
Fortnite
Now, don’t groan but I think this could actually work. The obvious problem with Fortnite is that it doesn’t have any well-known characters or story but I think the way to do it is to have some ordinary players sucked into the world as if it was real, like the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon or something. Hijinks would obvious ensue but if they had the nerve there’d also be the opportunity to make a serious point: that pretending to shoot people 24 hours a day is not the healthiest of fantasies.
With a decent script and actors I think it could work well, without being too preachy, and would actually add some kind of purpose to these films, beyond just: look, someone dressed up as one of your favourite characters acting nothing like they do in the games.
Overwatch
The weird thing about Overwatch it has a really complex lore, with every character having a really involved backstory, but absolutely none of that is in the games. I’ve picked up some of it just by being a fan but there’s a lot of stuff that could make for good stories and a good film. And again, there’d be an actual purpose to it. It wouldn’t just be trying to copy a few scenes from the game (it can’t, it’s a multiplayer game) but would be offering a proper story and characterisation where even quite dedicated fans might not know the details.
You’d have to narrow the group of main characters down a lot but I don’t see that as a problem as a lot of them are interlinked, so you just pick a group like Brigitte and her clan or Tracer and Widowmaker and you’ve still got yourself plenty of scope for a sequel.
Half-Life
There are lots of problems with suggesting games with a complex story for turning into a movie, not least of which is that a story game can run anything from 12 hours to 60+ and often times they’re heavily based on an existing film. There’s no point in Uncharted or GTA because they already rip off tons of movies that already exist. Which is fine in the context of a game but not when you want to turn it back into being a film.
Half-Life borrows a lot from Aliens and other 80s and 90s sci-fi action films but most of it isn’t very specific. More importantly, and again I think this is the key for all these choices, there’d be an actual point to the film because it could distil the story down into a more digestible form and may even be the most obvious way to set up a third game. I’d consider Half-Life 2 to be one of my favourite games ever, but I’ll be honest, I’m a little hazy as to what exactly is going on in the story, especially the details and stuff that was just hinted at. Make a movie though and I can catch back up and then look forward to a new game.
By reader Ansel
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk and follow us on Twitter.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare – a modern classic (pic: Activision)
GameCentral readers discuss their favourite online titles, with everything from Call Of Duty to Supreme Commander.
The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Hammeriron, who asked what it is about the game you like so much and how much have you played it. Has the game been running for a long time and if so when did you start and how regularly do you return to it?
Although most of the choices were from the current generation, we still had a wide variety of suggestions, from current favourites such as Fortnite and PUBG to less obvious choices like Splatoon 2.
Return to Warfare
I’m not really sure what’s going to be the most popular picks here as I imagine there aren’t too many 12-year-olds reading GC and so Fortnite is probably less popular than it might be generally. But I would like to go for what may seem to others to be an uninterestingly mainstream choice: Call Of Duty.
Specially I’m going to pick Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare, which is the first entry I’ve played in several years but I’ve got to say is really, really good. It’s certainly the most I’ve played an online shooter in years, although I’m not sure how much of that is down to the benefit of not having played one for quite a while.
But the multiplayer in the new Modern Warfare is great: tons of modes, great gunplay, lots of customisation options, and you don’t ever feel you’re just being picked on by more experienced players. The co-op is great too and the campaign also, with really amazing graphics. It feels like a very good value for money package and the thought of adding Battle Royale on top should make it even better. Zebra
Supremely entertaining
This may be a bit of an obscure pic but my favourite is easily Supreme Commander. The game isn’t even officially supported anymore but since it’s the best real-time strategy of all-time (I’m sure GC will back me up on this) there’s plenty of fans willing to set up their own servers and keep playing.
Supreme Commander wasn’t a hit and was probably far too complicated and involved for most people (in terms of how long it takes to play, it’s not actually that hard to get into) but I love it and all of it feels like second nature now.
It’s a strategy game but it can be just as exciting as an action game as your plans are put into motion and everything goes to hell. I doubt it’ll ever get a sequel so I’ll probably be playing it forever! Godsmoke
Monster wait
I’m not a big one for online games but I do love Monster Hunter: World. It’s not technically a multiplayer-only game but that’s definitely the best way to play it as it gets very lonely on your own, not to mention a lot more difficult. But hunting around with three friends it’s a great way to spend an evening and the most fun I’ve ever had in co-op.
Playing with strangers though never seems to work out as well. They disappear halfway through a hunt, don’t know what they’re doing or otherwise mess up on purpose or by accident and I ended up getting frustrated.
This is my problem with a lot of multiplayer games to be honest, where it’s so difficult to get the perfect set-up, in terms of connection and people playing that it’s very rare you play the game you want to. And even if you do it’s preceded by hours of organisation and waiting. That’s probably the main reason I don’t play more. Iceman
Squid out of water
Nintendo aren’t exactly known for their online games but the most fun I’ve ever had, especially in recent years, is Splatoon 2. The game is amazingly fun considering it’s a brand new idea by a developer that doesn’t normally do anything like this. I love the whole painting and squid transforming gimmick and the motion controls are excellent and really should be adopted by every PlayStation 4 game.
I also love the way Salmon Run isn’t always available, so that when it is it feels like this special treat. It is too and I think I probably enjoyed it even more than the main modes. The co-op action and enemy waves are just too much fun.
The only problem is, because it’s Nintendo all the online options and communications are very basic. There’s no easy way to talk to people or communicate and there’s no good reason for that. Onibee
Third time unlucky
At the beginning of last year I expected to be saying Borderlands 3 for this question but I have to say I’ve found it quite underwhelming. I used to find the games funny but I don’t know if I’ve suddenly got old or something but I just found the new one painfully unfunny and very juvenile. And even though the action is better than the previous games it just all felt strangely dull. I think because the game didn’t really do anything new and the graphics hadn’t seemed to change at all.
The vault hunters weren’t all that interesting either, I think they really dropped the ball there and I haven’t seen anything from the DLC to suggest there’s better ones coming. I must’ve spent hundreds of hours on Borderlands 2 but I haven’t even bothered to complete the third one yet. Bastion
Guilty admission
I not only hate to admit how many hours I’ve put into Destiny 2, I hate to admit how many times I’ve sworn I’m giving up on it and then ended up going back anyway. I do play it less than I used to now but I still enjoy an evening’s blast, especially if I can get some mates involved.
I do think they should just get on and release Destiny 3 though. The game feels a bit directionless now and they could do with making a proper break from the old. Simba
Perfect entertainment
Outside of local couch greats such as Mario Kart, Sensible Soccer, and NHL Hockey I never used to be into multiplayer games. My first foray online was Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on the PC, and although I really enjoyed the experience, I didn’t really follow it up.
That was until Rocket League. No game can ever be described as ‘perfect’ but in terms of execution, consistency (in that everything that goes right, or wrong, is 100% down to you) and out and out fun this title comes close. In my view, the best online multiplayer games should offer the right amount of balance between fun and challenge, be straightforward enough to pick up and play but have a depth to them to make mastering their finer mechanics worthwhile. And although I certainly haven’t conquered the latter, I do appreciate the skill of players that seemingly fly through the air at will as I watch them score another goal against me as I flounder backwards, yet again.
However, last year it was superseded by the new sheriff in town: Wreckfest. In some ways they are similar in that the game is relatively simple, the physics are consistent, and the balance between challenge, fun and frustration about right. One person’s fun is another person’s frustration in this game, quite literally if the fun part is watching first place get wiped out on the last corner by a backmarker as I breeze past for the win. If you listen closely enough, you can almost hear the industrial and colourful language coming from faraway lands as the erstwhile leader scrambles for a fifth-place finish.
Not sure if it’s a coincidence that my two favourite online multiplayer games are both vehicle based. Look forward to hearing the thoughts of other readers for inspiration of other genres, although I lack the skills to make first person shooter or Battle Royale offerings much fun these days, so anything else out there that I wouldn’t immediately think of would pique my interest. TheTruthSoul (PSN ID)
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Should Rockstar make a sci-fi game? (pic: Rockstar Games)
A reader is inspired by the mysterious new artwork on Rockstar’s website and suggests they make a sex-filled sci-fi game.
If there’s one rule of thumb with unexplained video game teases, it’s that you should assume the explanation is the least interesting one possible. I loved the look of the new artwork that appeared on Rockstar’s website this week, and which many tried to convince themselves was a hint at Vice City 2 or GTA 6. But let’s face it, it’s not going to be is it? It’s probably just a bit of random artwork for the website or, at best, something to do with GTA Online.
But I really do wish Rockstar would make a sci-fi game. Something based around that artwork would be fantastic, or really just anything other than the usual grey corridors and Blade Runner style misery. Unless you count stuff back when they were DMA Design, Rockstar haven’t really ever done a science fiction game. I think they think it’s too nerdy for their image, even though GTA Online now is filled with flying motorcycles and other nonsense.
The reason I’d want them to do it though is precisely because they wouldn’t, I assume, go for the usual or obvious. I’m imagining some kind of 70s or 80s style semi-utopia, where things are more or less great but people are still people so there’s a lot of crime and politics to deal with. I’m imagining Star Trek but with a lot more sex and violence, since that’s what real people are interested in and Rockstar are obviously known for.
Considering how much things have changed in the last 10 or 20 years, just imagine how things like sexual identity, marriage, and opinions on public decency are likely to change in 100 years’ time. It’d be probably unrecognisable, with people able to customise their bodies however they want and robots programmed to fulfil any fantasy.
For obvious reasons sci-fi films never even touch on this but I’d love to see Rockstar at least try to tackle some of these topics, I’m sure it’d be right up their alley. Add in a unique art style, maybe influenced by that bit of artwork, and you’d have something that would instantly have people talking.
In terms of gameplay I’d imagine something open world but where the difficulty isn’t killing people it’s getting away with it. Once we’ve got miniature drones flying around they could kill anyone easily without anyone even having to raise a gun, so I imagine the future as being a war between drone deterrents not the drones themselves.
But I don’t know, I’m not a game designer. As long as it has flying cars, sexy robots, and funny Rockstar dialogue I’d be spamming that pre-order button faster than anyone.
The problem is we don’t know whether they’re going to make any new game, let alone a sci-fi one, but I hope that’s the direction they go, instead of just alternating GTA and Red Dead Redemption forever.
By reader Serpentor
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Shadow Of The Tomb Raider – does Lara need another reboot? (pic: Square Enix)
A reader offers a six-point plan to rejuvenate the Tomb Raider franchise, with more tombs and dinosaurs and less murder.
I have always been a huge Tomb Raider fan. The original PlayStation 1 game wasn’t the first video game I ever played but it’s the first one I ever remembering loving. The size of the levels, the lack of handholding, the intense atmosphere and freedom of movement, Lara being a really cool female character when they were almost unknown… it’s probably the game that made me a gamer.
But things have not been so great for Lara in recent years. She had a big budget new trilogy and a new live action movie but neither really made the impact I think Square Enix was hoping for. The games are certainly not the cutting edge of 3D action adventures anymore, especially as Uncharted has basically copied everything Tomb Raider used to do and done it better. Or at least they’ve copied the old games on a superficial level.
My problem with the new Tomb Raider games is that they’re basically copying the game that copied them. And while Shadow Of The Tomb Raider did have a bit of a return to proper tomb-raiding, and less combat with humans, it was still, well… a shadow of its former self.
These then are the five things I think need to happen:
1. Proper tombs
This is the most important thing and while they started to get back to it in Shadow Of The Tomb Raider it still felt like a side feature to the more generic third person action. What was so great about the old games was that you were stuck in these huge tombs with no real clue as to what to do, but with this great atmosphere of loneliness and vulnerability. It was very much like Metroid in that sense, even though it wasn’t a Metroidvania. Levels like St Francis Folly from the first game are just great pieces of level design and yet nothing like that really exists in the modern games (or Uncharted).
2. Proper platforming
Tomb Raider came out right at the same time as Super Mario 64. It was one of the first 3D platformers of any kind and definitely the first of that complexity and freedom of movement. The amount of moves and exploration was amazing but nowadays all that is gone. There isn’t really any platforming at all anymore, as it’s almost impossible to miss jumps and everything has heavy auto-assist on it. You don’t need any skill to make the jumps and you don’t need any skill to work out where to go; there’s just one path and you’ve got to follow it. It might as well be a QTE for all the difference it makes.
3. No more open worlds
There was a lot of pandering to modern trends in the new trilogy of games but none of it added anything to the formula. Tomb Raider levels should be big but there’s no need to make them all one big open world area. None of that added anything to the new games and neither did the crafting and experience points and the other pointless busywork. It also meant that Lara did far less globetrotting. She used to be like James Bond, visiting two or three very different locations per adventure, now she’s just stuck in one place for the whole time.
4. More dinosaurs
These next two points are kind of connected, but any new games have to totally revamp the way they think about combat. By halfway through the first game in the reboot trilogy Lara had turned into a bloodthirsty murder junkie, killing everyone without an ounce of remorse or any sign that it was affecting her mentally. The original games had very little combat against people, just a certain amount against animals. Even to today the one thing everyone remembers about the first game is the dinosaur encounters and yet weirdly that was never really brought up again except for one level in Tomb Raider 3.
Fighting dinosaurs and other supernatural enemies is, I think, the way to go for combat. Dinosaurs are great, but also more monsters and zombies and that type of thing. There doesn’t need to be a lot of it, the original game kept it as a surprise that only lasted a short while, but it was all the more memorable for it. Tomb Raider needs to go back to being a bit weird, not just having you fighting generic mercenaries.
5. Decent story
Now to be fair, Tomb Raider has never really had this but it’s obvious that it’s a requirement for modern games and Tomb Raider really needs to work out how it’s going to handle things. The primary problem is that Lara’s character is all over the place. She doesn’t have any clearly defined personality anymore and while the first hour or so of the reboot started off fine, with her reacting to what was going on like a real person, that quickly stopped. Then she just became kind of… generically angry? I’m not pretending she used to be a well-rounded character but at least her sarcastic humour was something to latch on to and give her a bit of a personality. At the moment she’s just Rambo but with a bigger killer count.
6. Better music
‘Nuff said on this one really. The music of Tomb Raider used to be so iconic, and so important to the atmosphere. Now it’s just generic movie music. Like all my other points this basically boils down to making Tomb Raider distinctive and unique again. If you’re going to copy other games there’s no point, just let Lara be Lara!
By reader Wotan
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All the safe houses are hidden across the map (Picure: Epic Games)
Fortnite players have been given new clandestine challenges to infiltrate opposing force Shadow.
In the second week of Season 2, the latest task instructs players to pay a visit to five Shadow safe houses.
However, unlike previously, the hideouts are scattered in plain sight across the map, but disguised as normal buildings.
Once inside the bases, players can expect a tense showdown with Shadow henchmen – so come with weapons prepared.
Before any of that kicks off though, you’ll have to find the safehouses first. It’s a bigger task than it seems, with many players having to rely on a map to find them.
This safe house is located on the eastern side of Pleasant Park, hidden beneath the football field.
It can be accessed via any of the three portaloos: one in the northwest corner beside a grey house, one in the northeast corner behind the petrol station, and one in the southest corner under the orange tree.
Beta Shadow Safe House
The second base is also located underground, just east of Frenzy Farm.
Players have to go to the petrol station and hop into one of the two portaloos – the first to the west inside the small brick building and the second to the east, next to the bus stop.
Charlie Shadow Safe House
The third safe house can be found in a plain building previously owned by FN Radio.
Players need to go off the grid to locate the hideouts (Picure: Epic Games)
Delta Shadow Safe House
This hideout is located on Lazy Lake Island, the larger of the two islands north of Misty Meadows.
It’s posed as a big, unassuming house.
Echo Shadow Safe House
The last of the safe houses can found south of Sweaty Sands and north of Holly Hedges.
It doesn’t look like much but it has blue fan boxes on the outside, similar to those found in previous safe houses.
No way, it has audio ray-tracing?! … What’s that? (pic: Microsoft)
A welcome new feature for the Xbox Series X will allow players to reboot the console mid-game and not lose their progress.
Microsoft has already made a good case as to why you should invest in its next gen Xbox Series X console, thanks to its Smart Delivery service, but that hasn’t stopped the publisher from dropping hints about other features.
In a recent podcast, which was then transcribed by The Verge, Microsoft’s director of programming Larry Hryb revealed that the console would have a quick-resume feature.
Basically, it will allow players to reboot the console mid-game and then immediately pick back up where they left off. This will apparently also work for multiple games that have been left in a suspended state.
‘I had to reboot because I had a system update, and then I went back to the game and went right back to it,’ said Hryb, ‘So it survives a reboot.’
This could also be useful for players who may need to suddenly leave a play session but don’t have the ability to save their progress, as they can leave the console on stand-by and return to it later.
Microsoft’s director of Xbox program management, Jason Ronald, also teased something called audio-ray tracing, which will apparently allow for greater immersion with Xbox Series X games.
‘With the introduction of hardware accelerated ray-tracing with the Xbox Series X, we’re actually able to enable a whole new set of scenarios, whether that’s more realistic lighting, better reflections, we can even use it for things like spatial audio and have ray traced audio,’ explained Ronald.
Microsoft had intended to reveal more at GDC (Game Developers Conference) next month, but has recently announced that it is pulling out due to concerns regarding the coronavirus.
Instead, it will be hosting its own digital event on its website, as reported by Gematsu.
The Xbox Series X is currently slated to release in time for Christmas this year.
Sources are claiming that Microsoft’s xCloud service will allow players to stream their PC games onto their TVs via the Xbox console.
Microsoft’s streaming service, Project xCloud, may still be in the early stages, but it seems to have some interesting new prospects already planned.
According to journalist Brad Sams on YouTube, Microsoft intends to incorporate a feature similar to Nvidia’s own GeForce Now service.
Currently, xCloud allows users who have access to the preview to stream games to their Android devices, with plans to bring it to Windows 10 PCs later in the year.
But apparently, it will also give players the option to stream their PC games, be they from Steam or the Epic Games Store, to other devices like tablets and, potentially, TVs.
This means players will be able to play their PC games in their living room via their Xbox console.
‘Microsoft is working on that exact same technology and it is coming,’ said Sams, ‘I would expect them to announce it hopefully soon. I just know that Microsoft has the technology for where you can play a game on your PC and stream it across xCloud to any type of device.’
The beta preview for xCloud is still currently available in the UK, the US, Canada, and South Korea. To take part, though, you must have an Android 6.0 device or newer, which has at least Bluetooth version 4.0.
iOS users can register for a preview so long as their device is running on at least iOS 13.0 but they will only have access to one game – Halo: The Master Chief Collection – as opposed to the 50+ games available to Android users.
Project xCloud is expected to become available to the general public later this year.
The man is getting the recognition he arguably deserves (Pic: Twitter)
Hideo Kojima, the brains behind Death Stranding and the Metal Gear series, is having his work acknowledged at the BAFTAs in April.
While Death Stranding was certainly divisive amongst critics and fans, you can’t deny its imaginative and ambitious narrative, something that only Hideo Kojima could have come up with.
Fans of his work will be pleased to know that his accomplishments will soon be further acknowledged, as he is set to receive a Fellowship at the BAFTA Game Awards this April.
The Fellowship is the highest accolade the BAFTA can bestow, and is reserved for those that that have provided an outstanding contribution to the world of media.
‘Thank you very much for this precious BAFTA Fellowship award,’ said Kojima, ‘I am very honoured, and would like to take this moment to reflect on the many predecessors that came before me, as I deeply respect their contributions to entertainment, whether in movies, television, or games.
‘I would also like to thank those who have supported me over the years and I will continue my commitment to creating new and innovative ways that will push the world of ‘play’ entertainment forward.’
Previous gaming icons to have received a Fellowship include Nintendo’s own Shigeru Miyamoto (who created Mario and The Legend Of Zelda) and Sims creator Will Wright.
Death Stranding is filled with big Hollywood talent (Pic: Kojima Productions)
‘I am delighted that we are recognising Hideo Kojima’s remarkable career with a BAFTA Fellowship, the highest accolade presented by the Academy, at the BAFTA Games Awards on Thursday 2 April,’ said Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA.
‘Kojima is the trailblazing creator behind multiple games and is revered around the world for his innovative work.’
During his early days, Kojima worked as a designer and writer on narrative titles Snatcher and Policenauts which, even then, were well regarded for their cinematic presentation (Snatcher will be part of the PC Engine Mini).
It’s likely that the award has come now because of Death Stranding’s more mainstream success, where it won numerous awards and even had a special showcase organised by BAFTA for its release.
Death Stranding is available on PlayStation 4 and is planned to release on PC later this year.
Fairytale weddings are out. Cthulu weddings are in (Pic: Gearbox)
Borderlands 3 will soon be available to Steam users, as Gearbox promises cowboys and dinosaurs for the third DLC expansion.
Steam users rejoice! Borderlands 3’s Epic Games Store exclusivity is nearing its end, as Gearbox have announced that its looter shooter will be made available on Steam in a couple of weeks on 13 March.
The announcement came from PAX East and the release will also feature PC cross-play with the Epic Games Store version, so all PC users can play together regardless of which version they own.
Other cross-play features, like the ability to mail weapons across platforms, will be added during the following weeks.
That wasn’t all Gearbox had to show off, however, as it had announcements regarding the game’s future for the rest of the year.
The first of these was a trailer for the second campaign DLC, Guns, Loves, And Tentacles. Players will be invited to the wedding of NPCs Alistair Hammerlock and Wainwright Jakobs, which was teased during Borderlands 3’s end credits.
Unfortunately, their wedding will be threatened by occultists that want to stop the wedding, so players must team up with returning fan-favourite Gaige (one of the playable characters from Borderlands 2) to make sure Hammerlock and Jakobs get their happily ever after.
According to the official blurb, the DLC will include the following:
Reunite with old friends and team up with some eerie new characters to help true love triumph over eldritch horror;
Confront bloodthirsty enemies and formidable bosses, including alien beasts, hideously mutated occultists, and a clan of cold-blooded bandits;
Delve into the disturbing and occasionally daft backstories of cursed townfolk in a host of spine-tingling side missions;
Arm your Vault Hunter with some of the deadliest gear in the galaxy, including a trove of additional Legendaries and some supremely powerful Class Mods
Flaunt your sense of style with a slew of new cosmetic items, from Vault Hunter Heads & Skins to interactive Room Decorations and all-new Vehicle Skins.
Guns, Loves, And Tentacle will be out on 26 March.
Gearbox didn’t stop there though. It also shared some concept art to tease the third DLC expansion that’s planned for the summer (which will apparently feature outlaws and dinosaurs) and a roadmap detailing content updates over the next few months.
An early tease for the third campaign DLC (Pic: Gearbox)
In April, Mayhem Mode 2.0 will be added as part of a free update, which will alter how the Mayhem modifiers work.
A limited event called Revenge Of The Cartels will also be running in April, where players will track down and take out cartel operatives to earn event-specific rewards.
Then in May, the Guardian Takedown event will arrive, which Gearbox says will offer ‘some of the most challenging content in the game.’
Aside from the campaign DLC, these updates will be free to all players (Pic: Gearbox)
‘This intense standalone mission will be themed after the mysterious Eridians and will feature not only new bosses but new gear and cosmetics as well,’ says Gearbox.
‘The difficulty will scale to the size of the player party by default. However, if you want to experience the Takedown in its true form, you can select ‘True Takedown Mode,’ which tunes the difficulty for a party of four fully levelled-up Vault Hunters regardless of party size.’
Epic Games has said that analyst reports about Fortnite revenues are inaccurate, as the latest data claims that sales have dipped again.
In an unusual move, Epic Game has attacked sales data from analyst firm SuperData and insisted that the company’s suggestion that Fortnite is continuing to see falling revenues is ‘wildly inaccurate’.
SuperData is part of the well-respected Nielsen group and for months its data has shown a steady decline in Fortnite revenues, with a claim that it had fallen 43% before the release of Chapter 2.
Their most recent report claims that after the Chapter 2 launch revenues continued to decline and are now at their lowest level since November 2017.
Fortnite appears only at number seven in SuperData’s January 2020 console earnings chart, just above Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and beneath the likes of Madden NFL 20 and new release Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. It doesn’t make the top 10 for either PC or mobile.
But Epic Game has contacted website GamesIndustry.biz to insist that, ‘SuperData does not and has not ever had access to Epic’s Fortnite revenue data, and SuperData’s reports do not accurately reflect Fortnite’s performance’.
If this is to be believed, January was not a good month for Fortnite (pic: SuperData)
‘We are disappointed that SuperData has repeatedly published wildly inaccurate reports about Fortnite based on what we believe is questionable methodology’, added Epic Games.
‘While we do not and have not publicly shared revenue numbers for Fortnite, we will say that SuperData’s reports do not align with reality.’
For their part, SuperData has defended their figures and insisted that they use a ‘a proven methodology and validation process’ to come up with them.
The problem is that the video games industry almost never reveals sales information and it’s often impossible to know how successful games are through official channels.
This is especially true of digital-only and mobile titles, which don’t even have retail charts, which are made public, to give an indication of how they’re doing.
As a result, investors and other companies are forced to turn to firms such as SuperData, in order to give an estimate of how everything is doing. And up until this outburst from Epic Games there’s been no suggestion that they’re not at least roughly correct.
